Our Community Partners
A trusted referral network between Amala and Chicago's holistic birth community
Beyond the Baby Blues, support groups for prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression. Terri Drews & Kay Warren, LCSW, Amala Faculty Members. Evanston, IL.
Blue Lotus Yoga, Woodlawn, Chicago, IL. Founded by Amala graduate Beth Albrecht, Blue Lotus offers accessible, affordable yoga for all, as well as prenatal programming.
Catherine Lewan, Amala Faculty member and women's health physical therapy. Chicago Physical Therapists, Chicago, IL
Cocoon Care: A Center for Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness in Chicago, IL. Founded by Amala graduate Diana Zic and staffed by many of our graduates, Cocoon Care offers yoga for fertility, prenatal yoga, and nutrition classes.
NorthShore Associates in OB/GYN. Certified Nurse Midwives Debi Lesnick, Gaye Koconis, Jennifer Jaume, Sarah Sumagin. Wilmette, IL. North Shore Associates in Gynecology and Obstetrics (NSAGO) has extensive experience and the largest private Midwifery practice on the North Shore.
Pulling Down the Moon Holistic Fertility Centers, co-founded by Amala Faculty members Tami Quinn and Beth Heller. Centers located in Chicagoland and nationally.
Chicago Volunteer Doulas, providing reduced rate doula services and birth equity programming in Chicagoland.
Third Coast Birth Doula Services and Childbirth Education, Shawna Mertens, co-founder and Amala Faculty member and Margarita Valbuena. Chicago, IL
Additional Local and National Resources
312 Doulas, Heather McCullough, Certified Professional Midwife and Doula, Amala graduate, Chicago, IL.
American College of Nurse-Midwives - Learn about local midwifery options for hospital and home births.
Birthing from Within - Childbirth education, helpful books and support for women who want to view birth as a rite of passage.
Birthways - Chicago-based doula-finding service and childbirth resource center.
BOLD Birth - Yoga Nidra and childbirth education.
Bradley Method - Husband-coached childbirth education.
Chicago Volunteer Doulas - Volunteer doula community of Chicago- especially helpful for low-income families.
Chiropractic 1st, Dr. Meggie Smith, Evanston, IL
DONA International - Doulas of North America, search database, doula education courses.
Hope Heals - Association for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support
Hypno Birthing - Use of basic hypnosis for natural childbirth preparation.
International Birth and Wellness Project - Childbirth education and doula training.
Mother Me Inc. - Doula services and childbirth education, Rita DiRito-Surgal.
Postpartum Support International - Promoting awareness, prevention and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing in every country worldwide.
Sweet Pea’s Studio - Chicago-based childbirth education and prenatal resource center, Jennifer Baron Fishman.
Solace for Mothers - Postpartum healing after trauma during childbirth.
Resources for Postpartum Depression
Perinatal Loss and Grief Resources
Books
Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief, Joanne Cacciatore, PhD
Companioning at a Time of Perinatal Loss: A Guide for Nurses, Physicians, Social Workers, Chaplains and Other Bedside Caregivers. Jane Heustis RN and Marcia Meyer Jenkins RN
Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby, Deborah L. Davis
Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child. Kathe Wunnenberg
Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief, Martha Whitmore Hickman
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand, Megan Devine
Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss, Sarah Philpott
Pregnancy After a Loss: A Guide to Pregnancy After a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death, Carol Cirulli Lanham
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook: Practical Skills to Help You Overcome Anxiety, Worry, Panic Attacks, Obsessions, and Compulsions (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook), Pamela S. Wiegartz
Facets of Grief: A Creative Workbook for Grieving Mothers by Franchesca Cox
Children’s Books
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems (Author), Jon J. Muth (Illustrator)
The Next Place by Warren Hanson
Online Resources
CLIMB: Center for Loss In Multiple Birth
Provides support by and for parents of twins, triplets, or higher multiple birth children who have experienced one or more of their children’s death during pregnancy, at birth, in infancy, or in childhood.
Solace for Mothers - Postpartum healing after trauma during childbirth.
Kudoboard- An online collaborative memorial service to gift someone with after loss.
The Compassionate Friends Grief support after the death of a child.
www.healingheart.net/infantloss.html
Offers support to parents struggling with grief after the death of an infant.
LIMBO: Loss in Multiple Birth Outreach
www.aheartbreakingchoice.com
This website supports women who have made the "Heartbreaking Choice" to terminate a much wanted pregnancy. For those who have undergone a pregnancy termination due to a poor prenatal diagnosis, problems with their own health, or for the health of another fetus (selective reduction). If you have had a pregnancy termination for medical reasons, we are here for you. You'll find articles on how to deal with the grief, stories from women just like you, who have made this Heartbreaking Choice to end a much wanted pregnancy.
SHARE: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support
Provides a national list of parent support groups and other resources. (800) 821-6819
PLIDA: Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Alliance
A nationwide, collective community of professional and bereaved parents that promote awareness, advocacy, parent support, and resources for grieving parents and their families.
Facebook Groups
Pregnancy After Miscarriage, Stillbirth & Infant Loss
Miscarriage, Stillbirth & Infant Loss
Pregnancy After A Loss
PALS- Pregnancy After Loss Support Group
Pregnancy After Loss Healing
Chicagoland Grief, Loss and Perinatal Mood Disorder Specialists
Beyond the Baby Blues Perinatal Loss groups in Evanston.
Pulling Down the Moon holistic fertility and wellness centers
Perinatal Family Support Center at Evanston Hospital
Nancy Meilner Young- 773-558-5355 or nmyounglcsw@gmail.com. Perinatal loss therapist in Evanston
Joey Miller, therapist who specializes in pregnancy complications and loss
Wendy Stern and the Grief Support Network
Star Legacy Foundation (they now have a Chicago Chapter) and work with a women's professional health clinical group of counselors that have experience in perinatal loss, trauma, etc.
Alison Lautz, psychologist in private practice