Having a kid is scary. Beautiful. Amazing. And SCARY. As a first time mom I am thrilled to have run…read moreacross an organization that supports the many forms/styles/approaches parenting can take. And participating in E.M. s new mama group was one of the most intelligent things I could have done. (In fact, i still am!) The childbirth collective and enlightened mama were really the two most positive organizations I have run across when it comes to birthing and parenting. I highly encourage any parent to check out Enlightened Mama's wide array of classes and groups.

I haven't taken any of the Enlightened Mama classes yet, except for prenatal yoga, which was kind…read moreof 'meh.' (Too gentle, and too much lying on your back for pregnant women!). But they do have a nice variety of educational classes, which I will be taking advantage of. The people are really nice, too. What I have used is the Childbirth Collective, which is a non-profit that operates in the same space and offers free lectures on various pregnancy/birth topics, and brings together many members of the natural childbirth community. The lectures are hit or miss, some I thought were awesome, and some just ok, but the good ones were WELL worth it, and the networking opportunities to meet other parents and care providers is fantastic. The only thing I really wish they'd update is the seating. The couches are pretty uncomfortable, and many people have to sit on the floor on pillows, since there isn't enough seating. But other than that, the space is beautiful, clean, very nice. Recommend checking them out if you're in the area. Update: I took the Infant CPR class at Enlightened Mama, and while they did get the information across, I wish I'd done it somewhere else. They were disorganized, and spent the last 30 min discussing "natural" remedies for common childhood illnesses, some of which were goofy, and others which frankly, were dangerous in my opinion. If you are the "crunchy mama" type, you might be into it, but if you are looking for a medical-type class, this is not it. Still giving it 4 stars, but only because of the Childbirth Collective. I'll be taking my other classes elsewhere.

Roots was critical in my pregnancy journey last year. We confirmed we were pregnant early 2019 and…read moremy research began. I'd initially been interested in a home/water birth but my husband wasn't on board since this would be our first baby. I knew i didn't want a hospital birth, it all just seemed so sterile and mechanized plus i've never been a fan of actual hospital facilities, they always invoked feelings of despair in me. So i started looking to see if there was a happy medium. Initially i'd learned about birth centers from Instagram but since i'd recently moved to MN i wasn't sure there were any around me. A few more months into my pregnancy, i decided to look up birth centers on Yelp (as a new resident, Yelp was my lifeline to finding anything in Minneapolis). Roots Birth Center came up but it said "unclaimed" so i figured it probably didn't exist or used to exist but had been closed down. By then i was having hip issues (around 36 week) so i went to a chiropractor and while getting adjusted she asked where i'd be delivering. I told her we were currently registered at Mercy Mother and Child but i'd have preferred a birthing center since i really wanted a water birth. She then mentioned Roots and told me she'd heard really good things about it and i just knew that was my confirmation!!! I googled Roots, found the address and Hubby and i scheduled an appointment. Luckily they were able to take me on as i think the cutoff for admission was 37 weeks (the universe works in amazing ways). We were thrilled to find out Roots was covered by our insurance too; we registered for classes - childbirthing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding/lactation, classes for partners/support people etc (which were tremendously cheaper than Amma). We got a tour, so i got to check out where i'd be delivering, all hubby's questions were answered and he felt reassured that we had nothing to worry about (plus Roots collaborates with North Memorial Hospital which was like 10mins away should there be a need to transfer to a hospital - which ended up being our case). My widwives got to know me personally, we felt so comfy and at home during check ups, met other couples and bonded during classes. My delivery story is one for the books lol. Water broke, we came into Roots and i started laboring in the water (100% recommend for anyone on the fence about water births, contractions are a lot more tolerable in the water); unfortunately my lil guy was quite comfy in the belly and i wasn't dilating much. My midwife and doula were tremendous in keeping me comfy and trying different approaches, i walked, did stairs, bounced on the medicine ball, tried different positions etc. Eventually labor started to progress but still not dilating much but then baby's heart rate started to drop and after about 10mins my midwife thought it best to call for an ambulance. Ambulance came, we got in and headed to the hospital; My midwife and doula met us as the hospital, informed the doctor of my birth plans and were with me throughout till my little guy arrived. My widwife was actually the one who came up with using the towel tug o war method to help me deliver after everything else had failed and the doctors were pushing for an epidural (which i didn't want). After 40+ hours of labor, i was overjoyed to be holding our baby and blessed to have been able to do it as i'd planned in my birth plan, with a few tweaks here and there lol; all thanks to my midwives and doula who were my advocates and backed up everything my husband and i asked for. Second baby is on the way and you already know which birthing center we'll be going back to!

From the owner: Roots Community Birth Center was born out of a vision to make out-of-hospital birth accessible and…read morewelcoming for all families. Our space was created to make you feel comfortable, welcomed, at ease, and at home. You have access to midwifery care, reproductive health care, newborn care, doulas, and waterbirth.

My husband and I recently enlisted in the services of Birth Made Beautiful for the birth of our…read moresecond child. We worked with Cassanda and Kara Jo and both women made us feel safe, valued, respected, and cared for. Despite having a wonderful, uncomplicated and unmedicated birth with my first child, during my pregnancy with our second, fear and doubt began to set in. I really began to believe that all of the positives associated with my first delivery and birth were a fluke and that I either would not be able to get through a second unmedicated birth or some sort of medical emergency would arise. Kara Jo met me initially and spent a long time with me unpacking what was leading to these fears. Based on our conversation, she suggested that Hypnobirthing might be a good fit for me. Had Kara Jo not suggested Hypnobirthing, I never would have sought it out. Our initial meeting with Kara Jo's careful listening, experience, and intuitive sense for what needs to be done set the stage for the rest of our time with Birth Made Beautiful. She brought all of those same qualities to my birth. We primarily worked with Kara Jo but did do a prenatal visit with Cassandra. She felt like hanging out with an old friend who has a lot of knowledge surrounding birth. She was quite helpful in refreshing us in the Three Sisters of Balance positioning and showed my husband how to do certain types of support touches to be used during labor. (We did end up using everything she showed us so thank you very much Cassandra!) It was somewhat amusing actually as the Hypnobirthing techniques were working so well, I didn't recognize that I was as far along into labor as I was. When I thought I might need to contact the doulas for a heads up via text, Cassandra called us within minutes at about 3:00 AM. It had been decided between the two of them that Kara Jo would attend my delivery so I think Cassandra also reached out to Kara Jo. We spoke on the phone and despite my insistence that I didn't think I was in anything past early labor, Kara Jo could tell this wasn't the case. We credit her to me not having our baby on the road or in the parking lot. Thank you Kara Jo! Once at the hospital, Kara Jo took charge in terms of making sure my birth plan was executed. It was so nice to not have to bring up my preferences to the nurses or ask if certain things could be done. She was just on top of it. She was so calming, uplifting and caring. Both my husband and myself were impressed and appreciative of Birth Made Beautiful's services. Additionally, Kara Jo took a series of high-quality birth photos. She'd asked us if this was something we wanted prior to the birth. I was excited about the prospect and said "yes please" but gave some preferences in terms of what would/wouldn't be shown. While photography obviously isn't the doulas main role, I absolutely cherish these pictures showing the first moments our child entered the world. They are so sweet. Also, we were provided with a detailed timeline after the birth which we appreciate. Things are such a blur in the moment, it is really special to be able to look back at what happened and when. We would hire both doulas back in a heartbeat. They were an important part of why our second child's birth was as positive, empowering and lovely as it was. From our entire family, thank you.

Kara Jo was our Doula for our 3rd baby (a successful VBAC at 41w 6d, 10lbs 11 oz) - we had doulas…read morefor our first two as well. If we have a 4th we will definitely be asking Kara Jo to be our Doula again! What made her so different was the amazing support she provided before (processing my second birth which didn't go well, spinning babies, natural labor induction tools and pros/cons, etc) and after the birth (breastfeeding support, pt and postpartum recommendations)- although she was amazing during labor and delivery as well (hip squeezes through every contraction, coaching through different positions to progress labor, helping my care team follow our birth plan, etc)! After birth she provided us the beautiful photos she took and a write up of the birth and timeline. I am so thankful that our doctor recommended Kara Jo!!

Hands down the best investment I made in my pregnancy and birth. Justine and her team were…read moreincredible to work with. Their support gave me the courage I needed to trust in my vbac even when medical concerns had me doubting it. During labor Justine was the grounding force I needed to stay locked into my vision and have the confidence to push back on unnecessarily rushing my induction. She was a quiet force in the room that allowed me and my husband to work as a team through contractions. When I started to panic as I transitioned she held my focus and reminded me I'm almost there. 20 minutes later I was holding my baby girl. It was the redemptive birth I dreamt of and I am grateful for Justine's unwavering support and confidence. We felt so taken care of from the initial call through delivery. I wouldn't do it again without her. Worth every penny and then some.

If you're on the fence about hiring a doula like we were, don't be--especially if you're…read moreconsidering Justine and her team. We hired Justine for our second pregnancy because I was high-risk, on Lovenox, and managing gestational diabetes, and an unmedicated birth felt right for us. With my first pregnancy, I had no complications and chose an epidural, so my husband was very skeptical about needing a doula this time, especially since our first delivery went so smoothly. What ultimately made us move forward was knowing that my husband, being a very logical person, wouldn't be able to give me the emotional support I'd need during labor. After meeting Justine on a video call, everything instantly felt right. She was warm, supportive, and confident from the start, and she was the only doula who genuinely believed I could have an unmedicated birth--especially considering how quickly my first labor progressed with an epidural. She also reassured my husband that her support was just as much for him as it was for me. Throughout the pregnancy, Justine and her team answered every question and helped me navigate every curveball. No matter what came up, she was there with guidance, resources, and a listening ear. On delivery day, I delivered our baby girl in under an hour--completely unmedicated, just as we hoped. Even though there were moments when I wanted to give up, Justine's calm presence and steady, encouraging voice helped me push through. It ended up being the most magical birth experience I've ever had, and I still can't believe I did it. Hiring her was truly one of the best decisions we made. TL;DR: We were unsure about hiring a doula, but Justine completely changed our minds. Despite a high-risk pregnancy, she supported us from day one, reassured my skeptical husband, and helped me have a fast, completely unmedicated birth. Her calm, steady presence made it the most magical delivery experience--we're so glad we chose her.

We just took the Labor & Birth Basics 2 class tonight with Mary at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. I…read morewould have to say that it was much needed to understand comfort measures. There were demos like birth balls, Rebozo wraps, and yoga mats. Alot of the material focuses on how control your situation and having good support partner. We did breathing exercises at first then transitioned to massage. Mary was great to explain things in her perspective of doula. Overall, my wife appreciated we took this class together. Already we got our birthing ball sized so know which one to get at Target.

We were so fortunate to work with Terra during the birth of our second baby. We reached out to…read moreTerra on the recommendation of my OB. We suffered a devastating loss during our first pregnancy, and my OB suggested we look in to a Doula to provide emotional and physical support during the birth of our second baby. I will forever be grateful at my OB's suggestion, and extremely thankful that we found Terra. Terra has the most beautiful calm presence. She made us feel totally at ease and when she could sense we were getting nervouse or scared, she calmly reassured us that everything was normal and everything was going fine. We cannot imagine going through a birth without her by our side. My husband was originally concerned that he wouldn't be as needed with a Doula present, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Not only did Terra support me by anticipating my needs and being by my side for the entire labor, but she also kept a close eye on my husband and reassured and encouraged him when he needed it. She didn't take over his role, she made it easier for him to fill his role in the delivery room by keeping a close eye on him, reassuring him and showing him ways to help me.  We also were fortunate enough to have Terra for some post-partum doula hours. She was amazingly helpful and always made me feel better and more confident, which is half the battle as a new mother! I have also given post-partum doula hours to a friend as a gift and she was so thankful for the support Terra provided.  I cannot recommend Terra enough. She is wonderful and made our second birth experience joyful when it could have been filled with fear and anxiety. We still talk about Terra regularly (even 18 months later!) and will always be thankful that she was there to help us when we really needed it.

Terra attended the births of both of my boys, and I will always be endlessly grateful for her calm…read morepresence, positivity, and warmth. She showed my husband how to help me through labor, and he is now a huge advocate for doulas as well! It's hard for me to explain what an immensely positive impact she had in my life, and I will never forget her!