We are a group of doulas who serve clients in Berkshire County, MA and Columbia County, NY (and surrounding areas). Some of us serve the Capital Region, some will travel to Bennington or Northampton. Some of us are postpartum doulas as well as labor and birth doulas. Our backgrounds and practice styles are different but our values are similar. We share a commitment to supporting birthing women and their families throughout the childbearing year, primarily by providing informational, physical, and emotional support. Our services are tailored to the needs and requests of our clients, and ideally we support husbands or partners in supporting the birthing woman.

If you are new to the idea of a doula, our What is a doula? and Finding your doula pages will give you some background and offer some pointers on when and how to choose a doula. Or listen to our radio interview explaining the benefits of doulas (and midwives) and how we practice.

Feel free to contact us at info@berkshiredoulas.com or through the contact information given in our individual profiles.

Birth Circles

Birth Circles are informal meetings to share birth stories and talk about care in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Meet moms who have birthed with midwives in the hospital, at home, and in birth centers. Each meeting will include positive birth stories in all settings, as well as provide time for women to share their birth wisdom and ask questions on a variety of topics. Childbirth films are offered on a rotating basis. Birth circles are open to all interested in learning more about empowered birth. These Birth Circles are an initiative of Massachusetts Friends of Midwives (MFOM) and are sponsored by Berkshire-Columbia Doulas.

Upcoming dates in the Northern Berkshires:
Chapters Bookstore
78 North Street, Pittsfield
Every third Wednesday at 7 PM
April 15, May 20, June 17, and July 15
For info write info@berkshiredoulas.com or call Sushila at 413 637-3621

In the Southern Berkshires:
The Community Health Program (CHP) Family Center
940 South Main Street, Great Barrington
Every last Sunday of the month at 7 PM
April 26, May 31, and June 28
For info write info@mfom.org or call 413 822 6472

Want to host a Birth Circle in your town? Contact us or MFOM.

Other Events

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  Last year we co-sponsored a free sneak preview of "The Business of Being Born" documentary produced by Rikki Lake and Abby Epstein at the Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington. About 100 people attended, and a lively panel/audience discussion followed the movie. (More about the movie and the issues it covers is in this PDF of our press release--and it's now available via NetFlix and on DVD.) Thanks for attending!

• Let us know if you'd like to be notified of our future informational events about pregnancy and birth care, doulas and midwives. We hold these events 2 or 3 times per year.

• To find out more about our philosophy of birth, listen to an interview of two of us (Sarah P. and Ellen) on radio station WBCR in Great Barrington, MA, May 5, 2006 (International Midwives Day)