Anna Rodney.

Her story

Anna Rodney is a nationally recognized birth and baby expert, educator, and doula who has helped support more than 25,000 families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and life with a new baby.

As the founder and owner of Chicago Family Doulas, the largest doula agency in the world, Anna has spent years listening to expecting and new parents, understanding their concerns, and helping families navigate one of the biggest transitions of their lives. Today, Chicago Family Doulas continues to support thousands of families each year with a team of more than 500 birth and postpartum doulas.

Anna’s work is rooted in a simple belief: expecting families deserve exceptional education, compassionate support, and trustworthy information so they can make informed decisions that feel right for their family.

Anna brings a unique combination of education and hands-on experience to the families she serves. She holds a master’s degree in education and spent more than a decade as a Special Education teacher before dedicating her career to birth, babies, and families. She is a Lamaze Childbirth Educator, Newborn Care Specialist, Breastfeeding Educator, Sleep Consultant, and trained Birth and Postpartum Doula.

After the birth of her first child in 2009, Anna became deeply committed to learning everything she could about birth, babies, and the transition to parenthood. That passion eventually grew into Chicago Family Doulas and Birth & Baby University, where Anna creates and teaches education for expecting parents as well as training the professionals who support them.

For Anna, preparing for a baby is about more than knowing what happens during labor or learning how to change a diaper. It is about helping families understand their options, know what to expect, develop practical skills, and feel more confident stepping into parenthood.

Anna understands that every pregnancy, birth, baby, and family is different. Her approach is supportive rather than prescriptive, giving parents evidence-informed education and real-world tools while respecting their individual values, circumstances, and choices.

Whether you are wondering what birth will actually be like, how to prepare for postpartum, what your newborn will need, how feeding or sleep might unfold, or simply how to feel more prepared for everything ahead, Anna’s goal is to make the overwhelming feel manageable.

With more than 25,000 families supported, decades of experience in education, and extensive expertise across birth, postpartum, newborn care, breastfeeding, and sleep, Anna brings both knowledge and heart to her work.

Most importantly, she wants expecting families to leave her classes feeling something every parent deserves to feel: informed, prepared, supported, and confident in their ability to care for their baby and make the decisions that are right for their family.