Emily Bohannon, a mother of 3 and a Certified Doula, founded the Statesboro Birth Circle in 2023. She is also a Certified Yoga Instructor (YTT200) with a BS in Community Science from Georgia Southern University. Her personal inspiration came from her Birth Doula Melissa, when she gave birth to her first child. She then trained in 2011 with DONA International while pregnant with her second child and took her first Birth Client that same year.
Currently, she no longer holds the DONA certification and has chosen to train and certify through her own program B4 Birth Doula Training, and is in the process of publishing her work. The Statesboro Birth Circle motto is: “We believe women are capable of thriving through transitioning into motherhood, without fear, when she is empowered in her choices through education, a supportive community, and personal advocacy.”
Emily says she was inspired to start the Statesboro Birth Circle after recognizing a need in the community for a group that covered women’s wellness topics that may not be discussed in the traditional settings. She says there aren’t many resources in Statesboro for new and expecting mothers.
She hopes “to bring a community together around sharing birth stories, education in women's health from local experts, to serve and support, and hopefully grow into a healthier community with better physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and mental health outcomes for mothers and families!”
She also believes that education from local experts is the most impactful way to educate the community while improving disparity outcomes. Many mothers she has interacted with know little about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and recovery. “I wanted to reach more mothers, especially those that aren't able to pay for a Birth Doula, with free education as well as support through early mothering stages,” she shared.
Emily often is asked what is the difference between a Doula and Midwife? She explains that “a Birth Doula is like a sister by your side throughout labor and birth that reminds you of how amazing and strong you are while noticing your needs for movement, hydration/nutrition, husband or partner support, distraction, massage and care. It is a non-medical role meant to help a woman move through the physiological process of birth. We don't take blood pressures, check cervixes, or do any medical tasks, as a midwife would do. I mostly attend hospital births, which is a misconception that Doulas are mostly for supporting home birthing mothers. I believe women's bodies were fearfully and wonderfully made to create life and do the hard work of birth, and I'm passionate to help families have their best birth experience!”
The Birth Circle Community Mission is to provide regular classes free to the community covering topics such as: birth preparation, nutrition, pelvic floor health, infant loss remembrance, birth plans, and yoga before and after pregnancy. They also plan to fundraise to help alleviate doula fees for mothers and connect Birth Workers with The Birth Circle Community classes and service opportunities. The goal for the future is to increase local speakers, gain non-profit status, partner with local organizations, and grow their financial support.
Currently all meetings are held at the YMCA Community Room every 3rd Thursday from 6-8PM.
An upcoming event “Yoga and Pregnancy with Justine Coleman” will be held at the Statesboro YMCA, this Thursday, November 16th, at 6PM. Justine Coleman, MS, EYRT 500, ACSM EP, USAW, FMS, an expert in exercise science and yoga will share the benefits of yoga during pregnancy and postpartum.
For upcoming events, follow Statesboro Birth Circle on Facebook and Instagram.
Contact [email protected] or (912) 541-0371 for more information.
