Dena Kutner is a certified postpartum doula, infant care educator, and mother of two.

Dena had her first daughter Rosie while living abroad with her husband in London. As a first-time mother 3,000 miles away from her family and friends, she found a strong support system of midwives, doulas and women she met locally. She couldn’t have imagined going through this critical postpartum time without her new community and it inspired her to enroll in a doula course and obtain her certification.

After moving back to the States she had her second daughter, Nell, and realized how little support there was for new parents. She was shocked at how little time and attention was given to a mother’s postnatal period in the US, especially compared to the care she received under the NHS in London. With a toddler at home, husband working full-time, and no family close-by, she experienced postpartum depression (PPD) and anxiety (PPA). Frustrated that it was so difficult for busy moms to find necessary help, she felt inspired to drive change.

Before becoming a doula, Dena worked in pediatric research, managing projects funded by the National Institutes of Health to provide infant care education to new mothers and form the current AAP recommendations. Combining her research background and doula training, she saw a new opportunity to build a support group like she had in the UK and so The Fourth was born.

 She now lives in the suburbs of New Haven, CT with her husband, Jared, their two girls, and rescue pup, Goldie.

She relies on her empathy, patience, and understanding for this delicate phase in both The Fourth classes and privately with clients.