Our Mission  

Hudson Valley Birth Network is a consortium of professionals working with families around pregnancy, birth, postpartum and parenting regardless of race, gender identity, creed, sexual orientation, birth preferences and reproductive pathways.  

Hudson Valley Birth Network provides its members with the opportunity for networking, mentoring, education, advocacy, support, access to resources and professional enrichment.  

Hudson Valley Birth Network provides those we serve with information, resources, education, support, access to health care professionals, advocacy and community. 

Our Story

Hudson Valley Birth Network began in 1979 as Westchester-Putnam Childbirth Education Association (CEA), when a small group of women came together to expand the childbearing choices available to women in the lower Hudson Valley. In addition to becoming certified as childbirth educators, the women--Julietta Appleton, Robin Bradley, Gail Brewer, Helene Dill, Karla Strickland and Elizabeth Volpicelli--standardized the curriculum of CEA's ten-week childbirth class series, began certifying new teachers, expanded membership in the group, and successfully lobbied local hospitals to allow midwife-assisted births.

From its earliest days, the group has been committed to providing a range of services for parents, including home birth, labor and postpartum doulas, lactation support, help for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, parenting classes, and new parent support groups. Communicating with doctors and hospitals was also a priority for the organization, and helped  raise awareness of what families wanted from their healthcare providers, not only for themselves but for their newborns.

Many of the original members of the group advanced professionally to become nurses, midwives, and health administrators. They achieved several “firsts” in Westchester and Putnam Counties, including the first doula service in the area, in 1986; the first midwife to be granted hospital privileges, in 1990; and the first freestanding birth center in Westchester, in 1994.

A new generation of mothers, led by Melissa Creighton, reinvigorated the organization in 2004. The group changed its name to Hudson Valley Birth Network, and broadened its scope to include more professions that impact the lives of parents, including acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, massage and psychotherapy. 

Today, we are more than 100 members strong, and continue to support the vision of the group's foremothers: All parents deserve to bring their children into the world as they envision this for themselves, including birthing in a location and with a support team of their choosing. Through education, support and advocacy, the Hudson Valley Birth Network helps make this vision a reality. Hudson Valley Birth Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

HVBN is a membership network only and not responsible for the opinions, practice, or health care services provided by individuals listed on this site. We suggest that clients do their own research to confirm that a provider’s beliefs and practices are consistent with their own.