Roots Community Birth Center

09/23/2025

Birth Story Film | This is what community birth looks like. ✨

Skilled midwifery care, using shared decision making with you every step of the way.

Trusting in your autonomy and your unique birth process.

Birth that feels safe, supported, and connected.

This is birth at Roots Community Birth Center ✨

Welcome, sweet Kori!

Birth photography and videography: .of.gatherbirth

09/19/2025

Birth Center Week 2025 | Birth, Continuity, and Community ✨

“My first prenatal care and birth (second baby) at Roots was everything I was looking for and felt was missing in the hospital setting. From my very first prenatal visit, Rachel made me feel safe and genuinely known. My birth in 2021 at Roots will forever be one of the best days of my life. Rachel was the midwife on call that day and my entire experience felt attuned to me and my family. I knew when we got pregnant with our third and final baby, that I wanted to birth at Roots again. Rachel helped ground me through all the anxieties of conceiving after loss and through a complicated pregnancy. My birth in 2024 would not have been the same, if I would’ve birthed elsewhere. Having Rachel there was so grounding and crucial to navigating my most challenging birth yet. I’m so grateful for her (and the rest of the Roots team) care through two of my pregnancies, births and postpartums.” - Brittany, repeat Roots client

"Midwifing in my own community has been such a lovely layer to my life and my work here at Roots. Living in North and having my own 4.5 year old has allowed me to run into clients at the park, the grocery store, in the alley while taking out my trash (ha!) and more. It’s a joy to see the babies and families growing alongside my own and so special to be able to connect with people over not only a pregnancy stretch of time but years of lives wrapped together. The name “Roots Community Birth Center” was certainly chosen with intentionality and I feel very lucky to be in the role I am in." -Rachel, CPM, LM, Co- Director of Roots

Birth Photography:

09/18/2025

Birth Center Week 2025 ✨

A birth center serves more than just birthing families. At Roots, we also support our community by offering Well Person Care. This includes: annual physicals, immunizations, common illnesses and injuries, chronic disease management, general reproductive health, recommended screenings by age.

Our Certified Nurse Midwives Willa + Kasey provide Well Person Care at Roots.✨

09/16/2025

Celebrating Birth Center Week 2025 ✨

Roots Community Birth Center was founded in 2015 by Rebecca Polston, CPM, LM who combined her background in community organizing and midwifery to create the successful and impactful model of midwifery care that Roots is today. Seeing the need for midwifery care for BIPOC communities, in particular African American communities in North Minneapolis, Rebecca sought to reduce the rates of maternal and neonatal mortality in her own community.

After ten years in existence the Roots team is proud to be able to say that we are greatly exceeding the benchmarks of maternal health outcomes (99% breastfeeding rate, 0% maternal mortality, 95% of babies born at healthy birth weight) and we are expanding into a new facility! Ten years of meeting families, babies, watching lives expand and folks grow - we are now excited to be growing our own space and making space for Birth Center Weeks of the future. Stay tuned for more updates about the building and how we plan to serve our community in North Minneapolis and beyond! ✨

09/10/2025

Children at prenatal visits are always welcome. We want your littles to feel safe and supported through all the transitions of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We have books, toys, and compassionate midwives ready to explain concepts and include in your family's care. ✨

09/08/2025

A Peek Inside a Prenatal Visit at Roots Community Birth Center✨

"This visit was so special to me and my family. My middle child was born earlier in the pandemic so there were more safety precautions back then. It felt so healing to have both of my older kids with me at this prenatal visit, helping the midwife find baby's heartbeat.

In other medical environments, having kids with is either not allowed or only tolerated if they're on their best behavior. Every single staff member at Roots made my kids feel truly welcome and part of the process. This made my pregnancy care feel so safe and connected." - Brittany, Roots client for two pregnancies and births

At Roots, we are passionate about supporting families and welcome kids + extended family, chosen family and more into your care. ✨

09/08/2025

A Peek Inside a Prenatal Visit at Roots Community Birth Center✨

"This visit was so special to me and my family. My middle child was born earlier in the pandemic so there were more safety precautions back then. It felt so healing to have both of my older kids with me at this prenatal visit, helping the midwife find baby's heartbeat.

In other medical environments, having kids with is either not allowed or only tolerated if they're on their best behavior. Every single staff member at Roots made my kids feel truly welcome and part of the process. This made my pregnancy care feel so safe and connected." - Brittany, Roots client for two pregnancies and births

At Roots, we are passionate about supporting families and welcome kids + extended family, chosen family and more into your care. ✨

09/04/2025

Bringing a baby into the world is such a wonderful experience! We are honored to be part of your journey, from pregnancy and birth to beyond.

09/03/2025

Childbirth education classes help expecting parents get ready for labor, birth, and the time after. These classes provide knowledge, skills, and confidence for one of the most important life events. Parents who attend classes can approach birth with confidence. They learn what to expect and how to make informed choices for themselves and their babies.

At Roots Community Birth Center, childbirth classes go beyond the basics. We believe that knowledge brings empowerment. Every family deserves care that fits their unique journey. The classes share useful information and let you connect with midwives and other families.

To learn more about our childbirth education classes, check out our blog!

Childbirth Education Classes at Roots Community Birth Center

09/02/2025

Normally, clients stay about three hours at the birth center after giving birth. This allows you to quickly return to the comfort of your own home to rest and recover with your new family. Within 24 hours, a midwife will follow up with you, with subsequent visits at day three, one week, two weeks, four weeks and again at six weeks.

08/29/2025

Considering a transfer to our birth center for your care? Even if you're further along in your pregnancy, we often accept transfers up to the 36-week mark. Please contact us to explore your options!

08/28/2025

Driven by her past work in anti-racism and a documentary on the impact of welfare reform on low-income mothers, Rebecca is deeply dedicated to improving health outcomes for women of color. Having personally experienced a difficult transfer of care during her own pregnancy, she became passionate about creating a better solution.

Through Roots Community Birth Center, she provides compassionate, community-based midwifery care to address the health disparities and systemic inequities that disproportionately affect Black maternal and infant health. By being in-network with all insurances, her goal is to ensure that financial barriers no longer prevent families from receiving the quality care they deserve.