American Association of Birth Centers

American Association of Birth Centers We are the nation's most comprehensive resource on birth centers. Join us!

We are midwives, physicians, nurses, doulas, childbirth educators and consumers who support the midwifery model and a woman's right to choose her place of birth.

Meet the Board: Claudia JenningsClaudia (she/her) is currently the Business and Administrative Operations Consultant at ...
06/12/2026

Meet the Board: Claudia Jennings

Claudia (she/her) is currently the Business and Administrative Operations Consultant at Primary Maternity Care. She is a former birth center Director and Administrator.

Claudia has been involved with AABC for about 10 years and is currently on the Board of Directors. Through that role, she am participating in an NACPM/Elephant Circle policy collaborative. She is also an invaluable member of the Industry Relations and Government Affairs committees, and she work directly with AABC doing research through Turquoise Health.

Outside of work and AABC, Claudia has three school-age kids who are in a variety of activities and sports and keep her very busy. She loves to travel and is working on visiting all 50 states - only three left to go! (ID, HI, and NV for those who are wondering) One of Claudia's favorite places to go is the North Shore of Lake Superior in MN. If anyone wants a super trip with hiking, waterfalls, pie, and beautiful big lake vistas, come to MN and check it out. 🥧
She loves to hike and craft, so if Claudia has a rare free afternoon, you'll find her outside hiking on a trail near her house or knitting or sewing. 🧵

Huge thank you to the lovely Moira Tannenbaum for representing AABC and championing birth centers at the U.S. Breastfeed...
06/05/2026

Huge thank you to the lovely Moira Tannenbaum for representing AABC and championing birth centers at the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee Conference! 🤱
It was wonderful to connect with fellow member Charline Mitchell there ❤️

We love our members!

Our summer cycle of AABC Diversity + Inclusion Scholarships is now open just in time for Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈 This cycle, w...
06/03/2026

Our summer cycle of AABC Diversity + Inclusion Scholarships is now open just in time for Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈

This cycle, we will be accepting applications to attend our annual conference, the AABC Birth Institute, as well as our in-person How to Start a Birth Center pre-conference Workshop.

The AABC Birth Institute and its pre-conference workshops are full of meaningful connections, powerful education, and rejuvenating energy. If you are a Member of the Global Majority, LGBTQIA+, and/or a person with a disability, we welcome you to apply to be a part of it!

To learn more and apply for a scholarship, https://www.birthcenters.org/DI-scholarships

To our beautiful LGBTQIA+ community, Happy Pride Month ❤️ LGBTQ+ midwives and birth center staff spend each day fosterin...
06/02/2026

To our beautiful LGBTQIA+ community, Happy Pride Month ❤️
LGBTQ+ midwives and birth center staff spend each day fostering safe, loving spaces for families, and they deserve it in return.

You belong. You matter. And you deserve to feel incredibly loved this month and every month. Thank you for being a part of our AABC family.

Meet the Board: Cheryl Bradshaw! Over 22 years, Cheryl's (she/her) role in community birth has grown from an RN birth as...
05/29/2026

Meet the Board: Cheryl Bradshaw!

Over 22 years, Cheryl's (she/her) role in community birth has grown from an RN birth assistant to The Midwife Center's Director of Client Care Services. This means she helps manage the nurses, MA and front office staff of the birth center, attends board meetings, and works with the Clinical and Executive Directors to lead the birth center. "I still get to take call thank goodness!!"

Cheryl's role at AABC has grown, too. She started as a member of the Program Committee to assist in planning the Birth Institute when it came to Pittsburgh in 2016 and kept helping! This led her to being nominated for the Board and elected in 2022. As part of her Board position, Cheryl co-chairs the Program Committee. She also participates in the Standards and HSBC Committees. We are so grateful for her👏

Outside of AABC, Cheryl shares that she has 3 grown children who amaze her with how different they are. One is a body piercer, one is an MBA senior accountant, and the baby is still figuring it out. In her spare time, Cheryl loves to cook at an extremely gourmet level. Her husband says "no one makes a 2-hour salad like Cheryl. She also does some volunteering with immigrant communities, hikes, and just started CrossFit to battle her A1c and cholesterol and is really enjoying getting strong. 💪

Advocacy Alert - Take Action to Protect Midwifery Funding! Contact your Members of Congress TODAY and urge them to prote...
05/22/2026

Advocacy Alert - Take Action to Protect Midwifery Funding!

Contact your Members of Congress TODAY and urge them to protect the midwifery set-aside in the final FY 2027 Labor, HHS Appropriations Bill. This funding is vital for sustaining and growing the midwifery workforce that so many communities rely on.

Let's make sure our voices are heard today!

We're delighted to announce that AABC and NACPM will be hosting a joint conference in May 2027 - Introducing The Communi...
05/22/2026

We're delighted to announce that AABC and NACPM will be hosting a joint conference in May 2027 - Introducing The Community Birth Conference🎊
Save the dates: May 20 - 23, 2027

To stay looped into the conference happenings, visit https://communitybirthconference.org/ and subscribe for updates!
We can't wait to see you all next Spring🌳

Note: AABC will be holding the AABC Birth Institute this Fall 2026! However, The Community Birth Conference will occur in place of the AABC Birth Institute in 2027.

So many amazing moments from this Hill Day for International Day of the Midwife! 🫶 Powerhouses in legislative work - AAB...
05/09/2026

So many amazing moments from this Hill Day for International Day of the Midwife! 🫶

Powerhouses in legislative work - AABC Government Affairs Committee Chair Jill Alliman, AABC Lobbyist Debbie Jessup, and Mary Lawlor of the Policy Institute for Community Birth and Midwifery - participated in a policy conference sponsored by ACNM on Monday, followed by a Hill Day May 5 during which AABC representatives met with our bill sponsors for Midwives for MOMS (HR 6394/S.1599), the BABIES Act (HR 5202/S 1598), and Midwives for Service Members (HR 3202) to discuss strategy for these important birth center and midwifery bills.

The meetings focused on the importance of midwives and birth centers, given the growing evidence of improved outcomes and reduced disparities with midwifery-led care. They also discussed growing momentum for midwifery with the maternity care crisis in the US, with poor maternal and infant outcomes, and Maternity Care Deserts in rural and underserved areas as facilities close.

See the last photo for a hilarious nod to AABC's Founding Mothers -- "A nun, chicken farmer, and MacArthur Fellow walk into a bar... " 🐔❤️

We're excited to introduce a new design specially made for 🏡 Join us in representing midwifery-led birth centers at th...
05/08/2026

We're excited to introduce a new design specially made for 🏡
Join us in representing midwifery-led birth centers at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Triennial Congress in Lisbon, Portugal (June 14–18).

Step into the opening session with confidence and style. The AABC Midwifery-Led Birth Centers White Tee—designed to pair perfectly with the ACNM/NACPM scarf—creates a polished, unified look that reflects both purpose and pride.

Available as a t-shirt dress, classic tee, sweatshirt, or hoodie, it’s a versatile staple for any outfit. Show your support for U.S. midwifery-led care and stand out alongside colleagues from around the world. The good news? You don't have to be attending ICM to grab this design, either!

Order by May 25 to ensure delivery in time for the conference.

Explore more exclusive designs in the AABC Threads store and elevate your conference wardrobe.

Meet the Team: Kate BauerIt's time to meet the powerful woman leading the charge here at AABC and the AABC Foundation, E...
05/07/2026

Meet the Team: Kate Bauer
It's time to meet the powerful woman leading the charge here at AABC and the AABC Foundation, Executive Director Kate Bauer!!

Kate (she/her) has been with the AABC team since she graduated college in 1988. Talk about dedication. She is directly involved in nearly every aspect of the organization's workings!

Outside of work, Kate has two kids, Darby & Sophie - both born at the Reading Birth Center (same birth room, same midwife - Susan Stapleton, same day – 4 years apart); plus 2 dogs and 1 cat to keep her on her toes. 🐈️🐕️
If she has a free afternoon, you will find Kate on a trail in the woods 🌳 or taking an art class. 🎨

Kate also enjoys volunteering within her community for the local watershed conservancy, arts foundation, and preserving open space in her township.
Our Director is in an adventure period of her life and is enjoying checking some trips off her bucket list.

"Live for today - tomorrow is not guaranteed" -Kate Bauer ❤️

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Philadelphia, PA

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+12152348068

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