Q: Do I have to be pregnant to work with someone from the Collective?

Not at all! Our professionals support women and families before pregnancy, during pregnancy, during birth, throughout postpartum, and beyond. You can connect with members for wellness, fitness, education, preparation, recovery, and other forms of support even if pregnancy or birth is not currently part of your plans.

Q: What is a doula?

A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous emotional, physical, informational, and practical support during pregnancy, labor, birth, and/or postpartum. Doulas do not replace medical providers. Instead, they work alongside your healthcare team to help you feel informed, supported, prepared, and confident in your choices.

Q: What is the difference between a birth doula and a postpartum doula?

A birth doula primarily supports you during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the immediate transition into parenthood. A postpartum doula focuses on the period after birth, offering practical, emotional, and informational support as you recover and adjust to life with a new baby. Some doulas offer both types of support, while others specialize in one area.

Q: Can I choose more than one professional from the Collective?

Absolutely. You are welcome to work with multiple Collective members based on your needs. For example, you may choose a birth doula, childbirth educator, birth photographer, and prenatal fitness specialist to create a more comprehensive support team.

Q: Do Collective members work together?

Yes! One of the benefits of the Collective is having a network of professionals who can connect, collaborate, refer, and support one another. When appropriate, members may help connect families with another trusted professional whose services better fit a particular need.

Q: Do I need to be planning an unmedicated or natural birth to hire a doula?

No. Doulas can support families with many different birth preferences and plans. Whether you are planning an unmedicated birth, an epidural, an induction, a planned cesarean, or you are still figuring out what you want, a doula's role is to provide support without judgment and help you feel informed and empowered in your decisions.

Q: Do you only support home births?

No. Our Collective supports families across a variety of birth settings, including hospitals, birth centers, and homes. Your birth location and preferences do not determine whether you can benefit from doula support.

Q: What does a birth photographer do?

A birth photographer documents the story of your pregnancy, labor, birth, and early postpartum experience through professional photography. Birth photography can capture the details, emotions, people, and moments that may otherwise be difficult to remember.

Q: What is placenta encapsulation?

Placenta encapsulation is a service in which a trained professional prepares the placenta and processes it into capsules for postpartum use. Families who are interested in this service should discuss their individual circumstances and expectations with their healthcare provider and placenta specialist.

Q: What is belly binding?

Belly binding is a traditional postpartum practice involving supportive wrapping of the abdomen and torso. A trained practitioner can help you understand the process and determine whether it is appropriate and comfortable for you during postpartum recovery.

Q: Can I work with a prenatal or postnatal fitness specialist?

Yes! Prenatal and postnatal wellness and fitness professionals can help you prepare your body for pregnancy and birth, maintain strength and mobility during pregnancy, and gradually return to movement and exercise after birth. Programs and recommendations are individualized based on your pregnancy, birth experience, recovery, and healthcare provider's guidance.

Q: How can prenatal fitness help me prepare for labor?

Prenatal fitness is about much more than staying active. The right program helps prepare your body and mind for the demands of labor, birth, and recovery. Training focuses on breathing, endurance, mobility, pelvic floor coordination, posture, and functional strength so you feel more capable and confident throughout pregnancy and birth.

Q: What does a prenatal wellness specialist help with?

A prenatal wellness specialist may help you with:

The goal is to help you feel prepared.

Q: Is postpartum support only for the first few weeks after birth?

No. Postpartum recovery and adjustment can look very different from person to person. Some families need support immediately after birth, while others seek help months later with movement, fitness, nutrition, wellness, breastfeeding support, emotional support, or simply navigating life with a growing family.

Q: Can someone help me prepare and deliver postpartum meals before and after my baby arrives?

Yes! A postpartum meal doula can support you in planning, preparing, and even delivering nourishing meals both before and after your baby arrives, taking one more thing off your plate during those early weeks. A postpartum meal doula is a trained support person who focuses specifically on postpartum nutrition and food preparation, helping you create a realistic meal plan, prepare freezer-friendly meals, organize easy snacks, and provide freshly made meals delivered to your home after birth. They can also build a postpartum food plan tailored to your family's preferences, cultural traditions, and needs.

Q: Can you help me build a support team?

Yes! That's one of the reasons the Collective exists. Rather than trying to navigate everything on your own, you can explore a network of professionals offering different services throughout pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond.

Q: Do the professionals in the Collective replace my doctor, midwife, or other medical provider?

No. The professionals within the Collective provide education, advocacy, wellness, emotional support, physical support, and other non-medical services within their individual scopes of practice. They do not replace your physician, midwife, nurse, or other licensed medical provider.