Flagstaff Birth Collective provides pediatric and perinatal services in northern Arizona | Local

A new birth collective was recently formed in Flagstaff, expanding opportunities for families in northern Arizona. The Flagstaff Birth Collective begins its third month after opening on December 1st.

The sponsors of the collective primarily offer services for pregnant women, newborns and families during pregnancy, childbirth and childbirth.

In many ways, it is a continuation of the work of the Flagstaff Birth Center, which closed in September 2021. Several members of the collective were caregivers at the birthing center before it closed.

“It has been devastating for us as community providers,” said acupuncturist Tally Thomas of the birth center closure.

She said the motivation for creating the collective was to ensure that people in Flagstaff and the surrounding area continue to have a variety of birth opportunities.

“I think when the birthing center closed, we all wanted to keep that sense of community and collaboration,” said board-certified midwife to nurse Jana Bowditch, adding that the center’s providers have stayed in touch as they try to figure out their next steps to decide.

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The Birthplace was “really special for us as providers,” Bowditch said, “but also such an amazing wealth of resources in one place. [It] was such a valuable offering to the community that we didn’t want to lose. …So we just kept that momentum after the birth center closed and had this vision of having a collective for ourselves and offering something to the community.”

Lactation consultant Maya Radoccia-Kennen said the collective was “a continuation of the community environment that the birthing center provided,” bringing together providers who care for families at a similar life stage in one place.

One of the collective’s key benefits, said chiropractor Betsy Decker, is the “collaboration of care” it can offer.

Betsy Decker, left, a prenatal, postpartum and pediatric chiropractor, examines baby Kimber while her mother Anna Lofgren looks on at the Flagstaff Birth Collective Tuesday.

Jake Bacon, Arizona Daily Sun

“I think one of the beauties of our offering is all of these amazing vendors all under one roof,” Decker said. “… Our services are different, but they work so well together that we constantly refer to each other.”

Decker added, “When we do that, we see people’s health improving exponentially, and being able to offer that in-house is such a convenience to the family.”

She said perinatal and early childhood periods can be overwhelming for families. Child physiotherapist Erin Martinez added that the office allows families to receive multiple services at the same time and place, and providers are able to make referrals to meet needs as they arise.

“It’s really fun to be able to treat a family along a spectrum,” Martinez said. “To have this group of women who serve our community and our patients so well…it’s amazing to be a part of.”

Flagstaff Birth Collective’s physical space features offices and a classroom shared by its providers on a rotating schedule. Despite its name and the services offered by some of its practitioners, the collective does not offer birthing services in its practice.

What it offers is pretty much everything else.

The collective currently has multiple vendors including Bowditch, Decker, Martinez, Radoccia-Kennen and Thomas.

Bowditch’s services include home births and gynecological care for women. Decker is a doula and chiropractor who cares for prenatal, postpartum and pediatric patients.

In addition to acupuncture, Thomas practices traditional Chinese medicine with a clinical focus on perinatal support. She offers nutritional advice and placenta encapsulation, among other things.

Martinez has a self-described passion for treating plagiocephaly (flat head) and torticollis (hooked neck) among other conditions, and Radoccia-Kennen leads a free weekly lactation support group.

Three-month-old Kimber Lofgren rests on a blanket while Betsy Decker (left) examines her at the Flagstaff Birth Collective.

Jake Bacon, Arizona Daily Sun

The other practitioners in the collective offer services such as pelvic floor physical therapy, massage therapy, Reiki, and embodiment counseling.

The classroom, which is available for hire, currently houses the lactation group and music classes for children under 5 years old. In the future, they hope to add tummy time courses and childbirth preparation to the offering.

Providers said their hope for the future of the birth collective is to continue to attract additional providers and make a positive impact on the community.

“It’s just about reaching more people, being accessible to more people, and having a positive impact on our community,” Martinez said.

For more information about the Flagstaff Birth Collective, including services and vendor bios, visit Facebook or Instagram. It can be contacted at [email protected].

Mothers sit with their babies Tuesday during a meeting of a breastfeeding support group at the new Flagstaff Birth Collective.

Jake Bacon, Arizona Daily Sun

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