Alayna Spratley, Founder
I have always considered myself to be a progressive individual, called to support a variety of social justice issues, but it wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first child, and needed to navigate the maternity healthcare system while living abroad, that I realized the nearly universal journey of a mother through pregnancy and birth, is not only a feminist concern, but a fundamental human rights issue. So I began to dig deep, exploring my philosophy surrounding modern medicine, health and wellness, researching local resources available to me in pregnancy and birth, and I uncovered so many options! My quest to be educated about birth culture, knowledgeable about reproductive anatomy and physiology, curate a solid support system and an expert care team, and trust my intuition as authoritative knowledge helped me have the most positive birth experiences, one in Sweden and the other in Baltimore, Maryland. After I had my second daughter, I became increasingly active in my local birth community, and felt an overwhelming desire to serve other families who were looking to access the best possible birth experience. So, I trained and certified as a birth and postpartum doula and childbirth educator, in order to better support and guide women during the maidenhood to motherhood transition. I am currently a certified childbirth instructor with Birth Boot Camp, and am pending instructor certification status with Lamaze International. I steadfastly believe that peace on Earth begins with birth!
In addition to my work with Cleveland Natural Birth, I am honored to serve as the volunteer Assistant Director with Babies Need Boxes Ohio. Babies Need Boxes is a non-profit organization that provides a safe-sleep environment (baby box), perinatal education, newborn essentials, and community and breastfeeding resources to expectant and new mothers, in order to facilitate positive parenting decisions and healthy child development. We want all mothers and babies to thrive.
I’m also thrilled to be a community advocate with the HealthConnect One Birth Equity Leadership Academy. (BELA) HealthConnect One is a national leader in advancing respectful, community-based peer-to-peer support for pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early parenting. My work with BELA is part of a coordinated grassroots national network dedicated to amplifying the voices of communities of color, to help enrich the conversation around birth, maternal and child health, and breastfeeding decision-making. We want to develop, deepen, and support authentic and effective community leadership to address birth equity on a local, regional, and national level.
Additionally, I am also the founder and moderator for Cleveland Birth Village, an inclusive community for expectant and new families to learn about various holistic pregnancy, birth, and parenting topics. We offer FREE monthly gatherings for Cleveland Birth Village, which are usually held on the second Wednesday of each month, at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, in Cleveland Heights. Please come and connect with other families and wellness professionals interested in natural birth!
The mission of Cleveland Natural Birth is to educate, support, and coach families, so they can have safe, healthy, and satisfying birth experiences. We are thrilled to offer families the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting resources available. Using the Birth Boot Camp childbirth and parenting education curriculum and Lamaze principles coupled with personalized coaching techniques, we’ve curated truly exceptional classes and workshops for growing families. Our distinctly collaborative education model is modern and full of evidenced-based information from WHO recommendations and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative, midwives, obstetricians, lactation consultants, nutritionists, physical therapists, exercise specialists, chiropractors, doulas, and a community of perinatal experts. Pregnancy, birth, and parenthood is an amazing time of transformation, and Cleveland Natural Birth can help you feel well and balanced, so you can achieve an ideal childbirth experience, giving your baby an optimal start to life, and empowering your entire family.
Cleveland Natural Birth is dedicated to providing resources, education, and community support to families who desire the absolute best birth and parenting experience. You deserve dignity, autonomy, and respect during the most sacred time of your life! Please contact us to learn more about our programs! It is an honor to be on this journey with you!
