Today we’d like to introduce you to Maura Winkler.
Chicago Birth & Baby was founded by Maura after she practiced as a solo doula for four years and saw a need for a business model that would support doulas and new parents alike. While Maura’s solo practice was largely based in labor support and placenta encapsulation, the expansion of her practice into a doula agency enabled formation of a one stop shop for parents desiring support throughout pregnancy and the first year. Labor and postpartum support and placenta encapsulation served as cornerstone services for Chicago Birth & Baby, but it wasn’t long before the team grew to six total doulas and additional services–such as childbirth and parenting education, baby concierge services, and prenatal and postpartum massage were added.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with any business, we’ve had some growing pains! We had a couple name changes along the way, but really found our niche with Chicago Birth & Baby as it helps to convey that we aren’t just doulas but also offer a variety of ancillary services. The name changes came with a couple rebranding processes, but we’re confident Chicago Birth & Baby is forever!
Please tell us about Chicago Birth & Baby.
We are labor and postpartum support doulas, placenta encapsulators, childbirth educators, and baby concierges! We support parents from the moment they find out they’re expecting through the first year (and sometimes even before they are actually pregnant!) While we’re experts in all of the services we provide, we are very well known for placenta encapsulation–we’ve made the process seamless and safe for our clients and are so fortunate to have a stream of word of mouth referrals.
We’re most proud of the way that we have made it possible to best serve our clients while also making doula work sustainable. All of the doulas work in teams of two which helps ensure that clients get a doula they’ve connected with at their birth (even if they deliver preterm!) or supporting them through the postpartum period, and also helps the doulas to balance work and personal life. We’re proud to be a modern, woman-owned company with feminist values!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I have fond memories of vacationing in the Thousand Islands area in New York State as a child. (I are up in Buffalo, NY). What I remember most is long days spent outdoors, unstructured play, and ultimate safety and freedom–something I try to create for my children on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chicagobirthandbaby.com
- Phone: 312.883.2229
- Email: maura@chicagobirthandbaby.com
- Instagram: chicagobirthandbaby
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thechicagodoulas
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicago-birth-and-baby-chicago
Image Credit:
This Is Family Photo (www.thisisfamilyphoto.com)
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