Pregnancy and Labor/Delivery
Medical
Birth Centers
Embrace Birth Center: This holistic birth center provides support by offering the assistance of a certified midwife and doula to help expectant mothers prepare and navigate their pregnancy.
recommended Hospitals in the Greater Richmond Area with Labor & Delivery (midwives & obstetricians can be found on each Hospital's website)
Henrico Doctors' Hospital: Richmond, VA
St. Mary's Hospital: Richmond, VA
VCU Medical Center: Richmond, VA
Homebirth Midwives
Embrace Birth Center: This holistic birth center provides support by offering the assistance of a certified midwife and doula to help expectant mothers prepare and navigate their pregnancy and also offers homebirths.
Richmond Birth Services, Inc.: Nancy Giglio has over 30 years experience as a midwife.
River City Midwifery: Richmond’s newest birth center and midwife practice. We are a partnership between a group of experienced midwives and offer home births too.
Hospital Based Midwifery Practices
Midwifery at Henrico Doctors' Hospital: An experienced team of hospitalist certified nurse-midwives are available to provide high-touch, low-tech labor and delivery care. You see your care provider for prenatal care.
Richmond OB-GYN: Certified Nurse-Midwives deliver at St. Mary’s Hospital.
VCU Health Midwives: Certified Nurse-Midwives at Nelson Clinic or Stony Point deliver at VCU Medical Center.
Midwifery
Midwifery: Evidence-Based Practice: A Summary of Research on Midwifery Practice in the United States
What is a midwife? Midwives Alliance North America
Needs Based Care
Richmond City Health Department: Clinical Services including prenatal care are available to the insured, uninsured and underinsured residents as well as the general public.
Richmond Healthy Start Initiative: Dedicated to ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged women receive the services they need to support a healthy pregnancy, a healthy birth, and a healthy baby.
Urban Baby Beginnings: This organization strives to decrease infant morbidity rates for families in crisis through prenatal support and education.
Chiropractors
Atlee Chiropractic Center: Dr. Anna Bender
Dr. Lisa Griffith-Chiropractic & Wellness: Dr. Lisa Griffith (located within Family Chiropractic Center of Richmond)
Non-Medical
Birth Photographers
Dorota Jastrzebska of Dragonfly Family Services
Heidi Blanton-Pohl of Heart of Virginia Doula Services
Joy Kraynak of Joyful Birth Services
Layna Rae Photography: Layna took photos during the birth of our second daughter!
Mary Otañez of Mary Otañez Photography
Childbirth Education classes in RVA and beyond
A Brighter Birth: Created by the doulas of A Brighter Birth collective in Richmond. They offer a comprehensive 4 week series, a Wham Bam Workshop, breastfeeding, and private classes.
Birthing Babies VA: Lamaze classes by local doula, Blake Slusser.
The Better Birth Plan Builder: A complete online childbirth education course covering everything you need to know about labor, birth, and navigating the hospital for your best birth with knowledge, confidence, and ease created by local doula, Katie Painter.
The Birth Preparation Course: The hospital birth preparation resource you need to feel calm, confident, and empowered to have the beautiful birth experience you desire by local OBGYN, Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins.
Kopa Birth: Online childbirth classes for natural hospital birth.
MyBirth classes with the doulas of MyBirth: The original curriculum was created by the doulas of MyBirth. Classes include: My Birth Class (comprehensive 4 week series), The Big Day: Three-Hour Childbirth Intensive, MyBirth Lactation Prep: A Successful Start, MyBirth Lactation Prep: Pumping & Milk Storage, and My Baby Basics.
MyBirth Low Intervention Birth Preparation at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital: Explore your options for low intervention birth at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital and around Richmond! Designed to supplement any hospital's free "Labor Basics" class, or serve as a childbirth education refresher. This is not a complete/full childbirth education series.
Perinatal Mood disorders
Acupuncture for Pregnancy Depression on Mind Body Pregnancy
Anxiety Disorder vs. Stress During Pregnancy on Mind Body Pregnancy
Eating Disorders During Pregnancy on Mind Body Pregnancy
Guide to Depression during Pregnancy on Mind Body Pregnancy
Light Therapy for Depression on Mind Body Pregnancy
Molly Shalz: On How It Feels To Be Depressed During Pregnancy by Katherine Stone on Postpartum Progress
OCD in Pregnancy on Mind Body Pregnancy
Perinatal Depression? Massage Can Help on Mind Body Pregnancy
Postpartum Support International: This site provides information on mood disorders during pregnancy as well.
Postpartum Support VA: Postpartum Support Virginia’s mission is to help new and expectant parents overcome anxiety, depression, and other perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
Preparing for a VBAC
Birth After Cesarean class with the doulas at MyBirth: This class covers the risks and benefits of VBAC versus the risks and benefits of RCS. Learn how to find a supportive care provider and prepare for your upcoming birth, however that may look for your family.
Support
Nurture: Their goal is to establish Richmond's first resource center for pregnant and postpartum families.
Book Recommendations
Expecting Better by Emily Oster
Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
Mood and Anxiety Disorders During Pregnancy and Postpartum by Lee S. Cohen, MD and Ruta Nonacs, MD, PhD
Pregnancy Blues: What Every Woman Needs to Know about Depression During Pregnancy by Shaila Kulkarni Misri, MD
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin et al
The Birth Partner-Revised 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simpkin
The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland
Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting: Emotions, Mental Health, and Happiness-Before, During, and After Pregnancy by Lucy Puryear, MD