About Us

It takes a village to raise a child.
Let Tiny Steps to Parenthood be a part of your village.

At Tiny Steps to Parenthood, our mission extends beyond education. Our dedication is to offer guidance through the everyday complexities of parenthood. Our inclusive approach caters to parents of every type and background. From navigating various stages of pregnancy and post-pregnancy to embracing the challenges of infancy, we are dedicated to equipping you with the knowledge and tools needed to overcome any obstacles that may arise.

As Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators, our courses incorporate the Lamaze curriculum and are designed to provide empowerment. Let's be clear, this is not the Lamaze class of the past, centered solely on breathing techniques. While we do review comfort measures, today, Lamaze prioritizes evidence-based education, ensuring a confident and informed journey through childbirth and beyond.

Tiny Steps to Parenthood stands ready to assist you, nurture your growing family, and guide you through those crucial early years of life. Allow us the privilege of becoming a cherished part of your support network.

Join us for this incredible experience to learn about and navigate the beautiful path of childbirth.
Enroll now to embrace this exciting adventure together!

Meet the Team

United by our love and dedication to supporting and educating new parents, our nurses joined forces to provide comprehensive childbirth education courses and services.

As experienced labor & delivery, postpartum nurses, and childbirth educators, we at Tiny Steps to Parenthood, are dedicated to providing you with comprehensive knowledge and understanding about the expectation and challenges of parenthood. Our inclusive approach welcomes and supports ALL types of parents. We are committed to delivering insights on every phase of pregnancy, post-pregnancy, infancy, and strategies and resources to conquer any hurdles that may arise, ensuring you're well-prepared for this incredible journey.

Warm regards,
Kara and Vanessa

Kara Borshof Shalev

RN, BSN, IBCLC, LCCE

Kara, founder of Tiny Steps to Parenthood brings her expertise to the table with a background as a Registered Postpartum Nurse of 9 years specializing in Maternity and Newborn care. After becoming a mother for the first time, Kara chose to further her education with the goal of providing support to all new parents, which quickly became her passion. She holds certifications as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.

Currently, Kara offers lactation consultations, childbirth education classes, and postpartum doula services. She also works as a Lactation Consultant per diem in the hospital in which she was born.

Kara lives in Central Jersey with her husband, daughter, son, and cat, Khaleesi.

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Vanessa Kenny

CNM, RN, BSN, LCCE

Vanessa, our accomplished team member, brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge and support to our services. With a remarkable 18- year tenure in healthcare, Vanessa has 8 years of experience as a Registered Nurse specializing in Maternity and Newborn care. In addition to her roles as a Certified Nurse Midwife, RN, and postpartum doula, she holds certifications as a Certified Labor Doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator.

Vanessa has dedicated her career to offering support and services to women's health and maternal and newborn care.

She lives in Central Jersey with her husband, 4 children, and 2 dogs. She also has a small farm with chicken and goats.

Lauren Piskiel

BA, LMT

Lauren is our licensed massage therapist (LMT) with 9 years experience. She became a massage therapist to help those in need of self-care and is incredible at what she does! She specializes in prenatal and postnatal, Swedish, Thai, manual lymphatic drainage and sports massage. Lauren plans to continue her education to specialize further in maternal and newborn massage.

In her spare time, Lauren is pre-school teacher and is the only one who can successfully get a child who does not want to nap to sleep! Lauren has 3 daughters, 2 cats, a dog, and loves horses and kickboxing. She lives in Central Jersey with her husband and children.