About Us
Supporting families around Southeast Ohio
The Birth Circle Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Athens, Ohio. Our mission is to empower and support families on their journeys to and through parenthood by providing information, resources, and community.
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Our purpose is to offer services, support, and fellowship to families with young children and their loved ones. We encourage members to share their thoughts or concerns about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting and we explore all options available to birthing families, while promoting a feeling of openness; all backgrounds, experiences, and choices are honored.
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We offer discussion and support groups, workshops, guest speakers, and other resources for new and soon-to-be families. We can help to connect with information on local resources such as evidence-based prenatal and perinatal practices and services such as obstetrician offices, local doulas, certified midwife providers, and lactation consultants. The Birth Circle aims to allow parents and families to learn, grow, and heal through their experiences. As a group, we hope to share in each other’s lives, creating a sense of community through the experience of parenthood.
Video by Sway the Cloud
Our Story
The Birth Circle began in May of 2002 with a meeting at the Public Library. It invited parents and parents-to-be to hear various birth stories, share tips for parenting, and support each other during both the highs and lows of parenting, as it becomes a central focus of an individual's life.
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Despite being founded as a discussion group, our founders felt that The Birth Circle was a need within their community, and they turned dreams into action by fundraising, seeking grants, researching laws and policies associated with creating a non-profit, and deciding on a board of directors to lead this organization.
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An original member, who was at that first meeting to find a community of support, stated that it was their "first experience of women who celebrate birth" and that the founding of The Birth Circle was able to help individuals "revolutionize and reinvent [their] experience of [parent]hood".
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Ultimately, The Birth Circle has spent over 20 years attempting to fill a gap of social support in times of "social anomie, cuts in public service, and limited healthcare options", as stated by an Associate Professor of Political Science at Ohio University. We want to continue our mission of empowering families to advocate for themselves and their little ones, and serve an often overlooked portion of the Southeast Ohio community.
Services
Learn about infant CPR, carseat safety, nutrition, and prenatal care.
Sign up for free meals for families with new babies, prepared and delivered by Birth Circle volunteers.
Books, DVDs, and birth accessories to support and educate families.
Meet The Team
STAY IN THE KNOW!
Where to Find Us!
217 Columbus Rd.
Suite 103
Athens, OH 45701
The Nest
Phone
740-652-MAMA (6262)
