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Monday 10am - 1pm Tuesday 10am - 2pm Wednesday 10am - 2pm Thursday 10am - 1pm

Birth Roots Maine

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Portland, ME
Birth Roots Maine

Creating a culture of support throughout early parenthood
Welcome to Birth Roots!

Of all the things we need in expectant, new and early parenthood, *each other* makes the very top of the list. It is so valuable and informative to be part of a group of expectant parents with similar due dates to your own, to be able to hear other new parents' stories of daily life with a newborn, and to be able to ask questions of people who parent toddlers when you are too. Birth Roots classes cover a lot of ground, but building a vibrant community of local families experiencing the same stages and phases of new and early parenthood is something we prioritize! For today's parents, starting a family and raising children in a complex and rapidly changing world, creating true community requires a commitment to showing up for each other in ways that previous generations did not, otherwise, our time spent together will risk only being inclusive, informed, affirming, and sensitive to some community members and not others. There is much work to be done in every facet of our lives to end the institutional, structural and systemic harm and marginalization that persists without our shared effort to insist on something we do not yet have, equity and inclusion for all families. As an organization, Birth Roots does not have this all figured out yet, but we are doing this important work every single day. We invite you to make this part of your Big P Parenting effort, while simultaneously gaining skills in the little p parenting arena. In anticipation of participating in Birth Roots programs, consider what it takes to learn from parents with lived experience or identities that are not the same as your own. Some parents will be birthing in hospitals while others are birthing at home. Some have just moved to Maine, some are 4th generation Mainers, while others have roots to this place that go back thousands of years. Some families only speak English while others participate using English as their 7th language. Some families have two moms, or perhaps a parent who does not identify as either a mom or a dad. Some pregnancies arrived ahead of schedule, while others were the effort of multiple rounds of IVF/ART. Some members of our community experience the Portland area as too densely populated for their comfort - while others find the Portland area not nearly urban enough! What does it take to make all of these lived experiences feel represented and welcomed in the same class? We hope you will join us in actively seeking the answer to this question. Birth Roots Center for Community Supported Parenting is a nonprofit organization serving new parents in Southern Maine and beyond. Birth Roots fosters the deepening of community roots helps families become effective advocates for themselves and their children, and enhances interdependence among networks of families. We are committed to facilitating more meaningful conversations about expectant, new, and early parenthood. Rather than turning to Google for parenting advice, you have a local resource that can address your practical needs as well as offer a gathering space for you to "Find Your Flock"! You’ve just stumbled upon a treasure in Cumberland County's landscape. Amidst Greater Portland’s thriving Farmer’s Markets, extensive trail system, public spaces, and “Buy Local” movement, Birth Roots is an integral part of why Portland is consistently listed as one of the best places to live and raise a family in America.

11/26/2025

11/25/2025

We're having a special, 3-week Buds class in December. This class will meet Thursdays Dec 4, 11, and 18 from 11:30-1pm at a discounted rate. We hope you can join us!

11/21/2025

📣 Pregnancy & early parenthood require clinical AND non-clinical support.

Peer relationships, skill-building, integration of new identities — these pieces of the puzzle are just as important as access to high-quality obstetric, midwifery, or pediatric care.

Birth Roots is writing the story of how to add the non-clinical piece to every new parent’s experience. 🌱Proud to share our 2024 Annual Report. Link birthroots.org/annual-report/.

11/20/2025

Too many families are struggling to find affordable child care, and we want to change that. In today's Portland Press Herald, reporter Riley Board visits the future South Portland site of United 4 Child Care.

Powered by United Way partnerships, this new nonprofit hopes to strengthen the child care industry and add two locations and 200 slots to our community in 2026.

11/20/2025

We are having a special, 3-week Tot Tunes with Tucker (Baby Steps) in December. This program for young toddlers 3 to 18 months will meet Thursdays Dec 4, 11, and 18 from 9:30-10:30am at a prorated rate. We hope you can join us!

Here's the link to sign up: https://www.hisawyer.com/birth-roots/schedules/activity-set/1569770

11/20/2025

Since 2004, Birth Roots has been applying pressure to move this needle

A new poll provides insights into the postpartum care crisis in the U.S. Experts share the need for change and what parents can do.

11/20/2025

The context in which we give birth is interconnected with the context in which other people give birth

Cross-training staff, incorporating more independent providers, and expanding training in rural areas are solutions proposed by providers and researchers.

11/17/2025

Please share! Opening in this Wednesday's 4-week Childbirth Ed series. Join us 🌱

11/17/2025

When this tradition began, back in 2014, Birth Roots was entering its 10th year of supporting and stabilizing brand new (often first-time) parents during that especially vulnerable perinatal transition. We decided to celebrate with a photo booth and something unexpected happened!

Unlike posed family portraits, a photo booth is a casual affair - low stakes, no pressure - parents arrived relaxed, and playful. Following their parent’s lead and nervous system tenor, the children unfurled in front of the camera, and the zone of flowing oxytocin was captured!

The photos, both individually and as a collection, told an unscripted story, sharing a collectively authored narrative. One child had bedhead, another had toast crumbs on their face – it was relatable, honest, irresistible. It went on to become a beloved Annual Fundraising Event that took on a life of its own, an annual reunion even.

We want to express our deepest gratitude and sincere appreciation to Alyssa of www.alyssasoucyphotography.com/ for bringing her eye for human relationship and generous creative stamina to capturing 40 families in 3 hours!

Check out Alyssa’s website and stylistic images of families in their natural habitats!

11/17/2025

Six Practices That Elevate Caregiving Labor and Build A Shared Caregiving Culture

• Name caregiving work explicitly, specifically and often, making visible the work that has been rendered invisible.

• Account for the significant energy output of feeding, soothing, cleaning, advocating, coordinating, producing and sustaining life.

• Recognize that those doing caregiving labor are closest to the challenges, center their insight, expertise and leadership.

• Create policies and practices that make the labor of caregiving more manageable for caregivers: child-friendly spaces, flexible schedules, recognition of caregiving timelines, demands & capacity limitations.

• Share caregiving responsibilities collectively rather than assume that individuals will manage it all alone.

• Push back on narratives that position care as individual responsibility rather than collective necessity.

11/13/2025

We have now distributed over 1,300 Birth Roots Guides throughout Southern Maine! Where else would you like to see Birth Roots Guides in your community?

Address

16 Vannah Avenue
Portland, ME
04101

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 1pm
Tuesday	10am - 2pm
Wednesday	10am - 2pm
Thursday	10am - 1pm

Telephone

+12077724784

Website

http://www.birthroots.org/

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You’ve just stumbled upon a hidden treasure in Southern Maine. Amidst Greater Portland’s thriving Farmer’s Markets, extensive trail system, public spaces, and “Buy Local” movement, Birth Roots is an integral part of why Portland is consistently listed as one of the best places to live and raise a family in America.

Since 2004 Birth Roots has been developing and delivering a unique model of community-based education and support that begins in pregnancy and continues throughout early parenting . The work of Birth Roots addresses social, emotional and non-clinical needs, emphasizes parental instincts and intuition, establishes robust networks of peer support, and sets the tone for Community Supported Parenting. We are committed to facilitating more meaningful conversations around birthing and parenting. Rather than relying on the internet for parenting advice, you have a local resource that can fill your practical needs as well as offer a space for you to connect, process, grow and thrive.