Central Texas Birth Resource List

Natural childbirth resources in Central Texas:

NOTE: This listing is meant to be as comprehensive as possible. A listing here is not intended as a personal recommendation for any particular individual or company–because there’s a birth professional out there for everyone!

However, you may occasionally see an asterisk (*) by someone’s name or company. That just means you’ve found someone whose work I am familiar with and especially admire!

If you’ve got a Q about any of the professionals listed here, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I add to this list as I can; it’s a never-ending work in process and labor of love (pun intended!).

Acupuncture

- Alighta Touch (Austin)
- Melsa & Misty at Austin Acupuncture Studio
- Light Family Acupuncture – Melissa Light (Central Austin)
- EZ Care Acupuncture (Killeen)
- Hedy Chen at Chinese Acupuncture Clinic (Georgetown)
- Sage Acupuncture – specializing in reproductive acupuncture, North & South Austin locations
- Songbird Acupuncture – SouthWest Austin
- Bona Dea Healing – West Austin

Babywearing

- Benefits of Babywearing (article)
- Babywearing International of Austin – Carrier rentals and lending library, support group, trained babywearing educators, blog
- Baby Earth – (Round Rock & online) Store offering events and activities
- Enlightened Baby – Stores in Austin and Cedar Park offering babywearing classes
- southaustinapi.org and centralaustinapi.org – Attachment Parenting International, Austin Chapters

Bellycasting Services

- I offer custom-painted bellycasting services in the Central Texas area, please view my Birth Art Gallery, and contact me for more info.
- MaternityBowls.com – (Austin) belly-only photo props!

Birth Centers

- The Natural Birthing Center with Sandra Tallbear, CNM, ARNP – Salado AND Round Rock
- Central Texas Birth Center – Georgetown; offering the Open Arms Program
- Birthwise Birth Center – Austin and surrounding areas, specializing in home and water birth
- Austin Area Birth Center – Cedar Park, North, & South Austin locations
- Beautiful Beginning Birth Center – Pflugerville
- Natural Beginning – birth center midwives with hospital privileges in the event of a transfer (St. David’s North, Austin)

Birth & Postpartum Doulas

Mothers By Nature* – Carrie Ahr; Bradley instructor, midwife in training, mother of 4.
Sacred Work Doula – Sarah Parente (NorthWest Austin/Cedar Park/Leander)
Little Otter Birth Services – Casey Bradley; Killeen/Waco/Round Rock/Austin
The Living Well – Lacreshia Laningham – birth doula & massage therapist in Austin
Paige Trabulsi Doula Services – Austin
Beside The Well: Full Spectrum Doula Care – Eleanore Frank-Cisneros (currently on maternity leave but available for consults!)
Austin Doula Care – Kim Borchert, birth & postpartum doula; also offering Sacred Motherhood Circles (North Austin)
Empowered Birthing – Jamie Crouse Gwynn, North Austin; also offers Elimination Communication consults
Tiny Tree Birth Services – Deb Bruin (doula and midwifery apprentice serving Fort Hood/Killeen/Temple area)
Dulce Birthing Services – Anita Hernandez (doula and midwife in training; Fort Hood/Killeen)
Red Poppy Doula* – Erica Stauffer (doula and midwife in training; north Austin/Killeen)
Honeybird Doula – Jess Edwards; Austin
Koala Doula – Katelynn Cowan; Austin
Central Texas Birth with Katy Cordell – Waco, Temple, Killeen, Gatesville
Central Texas Doula Association – Listing of MANY birth & postpartum doulas serving the Greater Austin/Central Texas area
GALS – Giving Austin Labor Support; an official 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization which matches doulas with moms in need.

Doula Collectives & Group Practices

- Blooming Tree Maternity (Fort Hood/Killeen/Temple area)
- ATX Doulas* (Austin area–I used to work with them; they’re fantastic!)
- AustinBorn – Austin
- Timeless Ways Doula Services – Austin
- Stork Maternity Consulting – Austin

Breastfeeding Support – IBCLCs & Consultants

- Mama Milk Maven* – Alyssa Goss privides in-home consultations from Austin to Killeen & works with insurance
- La Leche League International – free phone help and local support meetings in your area
- Central Texas Breastfeeding Coalition
- Special Addition – nursing and maternity shop on Burnet Road in Austin – in-house lactation specialists AND really stunning clothing & bras
- Mother’s Milk Bank – Austin’s breastmilk bank
- The Breastfeeding Success Company – South Austin
- The Mama Mantra – RN/IBCLC offering breastfeeding support
- Operation Lactation – IBCLC, classes, home visits (Austin)

Breech Baby

- Dr. Michael Nix in Austin delivers breech babies (and twins!) vaginally. He is also on the State Board of Midwifery.
- Dr. Cummings in Denton has attended breech births for many years. Women have driven from over 2 hours away to access his care.
- Brielle Epstein is a midwife in Austin who has attended breech homebirths.

Car Seat Safety

- Austin Travis County EMS will install your car seat for you at their events. They also provide free seats for those in need.
- Car-Seat.org – Excellent articles, research, seat comparisons, and forums for specific Q&A
- Safe-Car.gov – get a local professional to check your seat’s install!

Childbirth Education Classes

- My own custom, holistic, in-home childbirth classes – Austin & surrounding areas
- Bradley Clases with Stephanie Nicholson – Waco & Temple
- Birthing From Within with Lanell Coultas* – Austin
- Joyful Beginnings Baby – Birthing From Within, South Austin
- Central Texas Birth with Katy Cordell – Waco, Temple, Killeen, Gatesville
- Austin Baby Guru* – Allison Coleman offers parenting consults, Infant CPR, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Care classes (Round Rock, Austin)

Chiropractic Care

- Back in Motion Chiropractic – Dr. Lizzy Nixon (Harker Heights)
- Thrive Chiropractic Center – Dr. Cory specializes in prenatal & pediactric care; North Austin
- Cove Freedom Chiropractic – Copperas Cove
- Corrective Chiropractic – Dr. Jessica Bryant specializes in prenatal & pediatric care; Harker Heights
- Gardner Chiropractic Family & Wellness Center – Round Rock
- Vibrant Life Chiropractic and Coaching – SouthWest Austin
- Pure Light Chiropractic – South Austin
- Colm Chiropractic – South Austin

Circumcision Resources

- Why The Foreskin is Such a Secret in North America (article)
- The Whole Network
- Doctors Opposing Circumcision
- NoCirc.org – articles

Cloth Diapering

birth without fear rainbow diaper

- Cloth Diapers 101: What to Buy, How to Wash, Why They’re Awesome
- Baby Earth – natural baby store in Round Rock & online
- Enlightened Baby – Cedar Park & Austin
- Austin Diaper Bank – Diapers for those in need
- Diaper Squad – Austin’s cloth diaper (washing) service

Book: Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene (going diaper-free, or using elimination communication, is an alternative to diapers)

Craniosacral Therapy (Austin)

Fitness (Prenatal & Postpartum)

- Fit4Mom/Stroller Strides (Killeen) – prenatal and postpartum stroller fitness classes with Erin Laker
- Dancing for Birth (Georgetown) – prenatal dance fitness classes with Erica Stauffer
- Austin Prenatal Yoga – with Lisa Young
- Sandra Tallbear leads informal prenatal bellydance classes at her Salado Birth Center
- fit2b.us – online workouts that are sensitive of Diastasis Recti
- SpinningBabies.com – pregnancy exercises for optimal fetal positioning
- “The Squat is Not the New Kegel” – article on MamAligned.com, healthy body posture and movement

Book: Move Your DNA by Katy Bowman

Henna Art

- See my Henna Art Gallery! I’ve been a natural henna artist for 20 years, and I am certified by the ICNHA.

Herbalists & Herbs

- The Herb Bar – Austin shop that has everything herb-y
- Jade Moon Herbs* – Stephanie Berry; midwife and herbalist-extrordinaire
- Ginger Webb, herbalist* – book a consult
- Aviva Romm’s blog

Holistic Pediatricians

- Dr. Juliette Madrigal – Marble Falls, Texas
- Austin Kids Teeth – Dr. Melanie Babot (natural-minded dentist)

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) Support

- Hyperemesis Gravidarum – The Illustrated eZine (Emotional support from someone who’s been there, in a 28-page PDF with curse words.)
- www.helpher.org

Infant Safety & CPR

- Austin Baby Guru* – Allison Coleman teaches excellent infant safety and CPR classes in Austin and Round Rock

LGBTQI-Friendly & Sensitive Providers

- MotherBloom Midwifery – Christy Tashjian, CPM, LM, APRN, WHNP & – Jenni Huntly, CPM, LM (Austin)
- Morgan Miles – doula & social worker (Austin)
- Blooming Tree Maternity (group practice serving Fort Hood/Temple area)
- Natural Beginning – birth center midwives with hospital privileges in the event of a transfer (St. David’s North, Austin)
- The Mama Mantra – RN/IBCLC offering breastfeeding support

Massage (Prenatal)

- WomanCraft – Pre- and PostNatal Massage with Colleen Mikeska (Austin)
- The Living Well – Lacreshia Laningham – birth doula & massage therapist (Austin)
- Pure Touch Massage with Jane Sampson – South Austin
- Living Anew Therapeutic Massage with Megan Crystal (Austin)
- Ayurdoula* with Charlotte Sternkind, offering Ayurvedic postpartum care & prenatal massage
- Study on Health Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Midwives

- GB Khalsa
- Chandra Fischer, LM, CPM
- Melek Speros, LM* (she’s also a VBAC expert!)
- Chylain Krivensky, LM, CPM (of Hamsa Birth, offering homebirth)
- Jennifer Bennett, LM (of Avanlee, offering homebirth)
- Heather Hilton, LM (of Central Texas Birth Center)
- Laurie Fremgen, CPM, LM
- Julia Bower, RN, CNM
- Dara Fields, CNM (Midwifery of Austin)
- Brandye Grote, CPM – homebirth
- MotherBloom Midwifery – Christy Tashjian, CPM, LM, APRN, WHNP & – Jenni Huntly, CPM, LM
- Madeleine Katz, CNM (River Place OBGYN, with NAMC)
- texasmidwives.com – find a midwife!

Nutrition (Mothers & Babies!)

Balanced Foodies – Misti Buie, Holistic Nutritionist; specializing in perinatal nutrition and baby-led weaning

Obstetricians

- OBGYN North – Drs. Sebestyen; Miller; Piparia; Mirto. They also have CNMs that deliver at Natural Beginnings Birthing Center.
- Nurture OBGYN – Drs. Andrea Campaigne; Lisa Carlile; Amy Lindsey; Bergen C. Vardell. They have a 13% Cesarean rate, deliver twins vaginally, and work with CNMs (in hospital).

Parenting

- AustinBabyGuru.com* – Allison Coleman teaches excellent early parenting classes in the Austin area.
- Allison Burch – Certified Bringing Baby Home Educator with The Gottman Institute
- Parenters.com – local in-home support and consults
- AHA Parenting
- Hand in Hand Parenting
- pipaustin.org – Partners in Parenting
- thewonderweeks.com – baby’s mental leaps & behavior (there’s even an app!)
- Mothering Dot Commune – online forums
- The Natural Child Project*
- kellymom.com
- kangaroomothercare.com – skin to skin benefits
- theconsciousbaby.com – pre-natal and infant parenting site, by the Association for Pre- and Peri-Natal Psychology

Books:

The Continuum Concept

Pelvic Floor Health, Yoni Eggs, & Sexual Wellness

Leah Love – Holistic Pelvic Floor Health Coach
Namaste Moore – Yoni eggs, fertility and more
Erin Arnold PT, MPT, LMT – Myofascial Release & Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Photography (Maternity, Birth, and Newborn)

- E Clark Ahr Photography* – Temple/Austin
- Sabrena Rexing
- Leilani Rogers
- BirthPhotographers.com
- An Infinite Moment with Kayla Gonzales – Austin
- Jennifer Najvar Photography – Austin
- Rocket Studios Photography – South Austin

Placenta Services & Information

- WomanCraft – with Colleen Mikeska
- Red Poppy Doula* – Erica Stauffer (north Austin/Georgetown)
- MamaPeace – North Austin/Cedar Park/Round Rock
- Hill Country Placentas
- EncapsulateYourPlacenta.com

Postpartum Depression Resources

- pphatx.org – Pregnancy and Postpartum Health Alliance of Texas
- anybabycan.org
- postpartumprogress.org
- pattch.org

Postpartum-Only Doulas

Austin Baby Guru* – Allison Coleman; daytime & overnights (also offering classes)
First Connection Postpartum Doula* – Mary Perrone, CPD (daytime hours only; serving Georgetown and surrounding areas)
Kristen Lucas – North Austin

Postpartum Mom’s Groups

- Mama-Bloom.com* (with doula Nicole McCharen, in Central Austin)
- MothersUnfolding (with childbirth educator Lanell Coultas, in Austin)

Sleep Resouces (NOT advocates of “cry-it-out”)

Sarah McElvain, LMSW
Austin Baby Guru* (overnight postpartum doulas, AKA baby sleep wizards)

Stillbirth, Miscarriage, & Pregnancy Loss Resouces

- Tiny Tree Birth Services – Deb Bruin (doula; Fort Hood/Killeen/Temple area)
- Empowered Birthing – Jamie Crouse Gwynn, North Austin
- Blooming Tree Maternity (group practice serving Fort Hood/Temple area)
- home funeral alliance

Teen Parents

- lifeworksaustin.org
- thematernityhome.org
- austinpcc.org
- janesdueprocess.org/teen-parenting – legal support

Termination Resources

- Beside The Well: Full Spectrum Doula Care – Eleanore Frank-Cisneros (currently on maternity leave but available for consults!)
- Blooming Tree Maternity (group practice serving Fort Hood/Temple area)
- Abortion Support for Heart Healing – free, professionally-moderated Facebook group

Books: Unspeakable Losses: Healing From Miscarriage, Abortion, And Other Pregnancy Loss

Trauma Healing

Margery Segal – pre- and perinatal psychology in Austin
Kate Ditzler’s practicing empathy* – incredible healing resources from a mom who’s been there
http://www.solaceformothers.org/