Community resources

Resources for women in the greater Dayton/Springfield, Ohio area
from fertility to pregnancy, bump to birth, baby's here to breastfeeding and postpartum recovery
Hello and welcome :) 
I'm Leanna Mae. I live in a small town north of Dayton. I'm an author. My main thing is writing. I teach classes on birth prep both online and locally. I'm also a birth doula. Here's a little bit about me. Take a few to explore my website and see what's helpful to you here. 
  • Christian business owner - I'm Apostolic Pentecostal. My doula services and classes are all faith-rooted. 

  • Author of nonfiction books - I love to write! It's the reason I breathe. 
  • International author with readers from over 60 countries - Aside from writing and indie publishing my books, one of my greatest accomplishments in life is how far my website has reached. 
  • Writer of blogs - When I'm not writing books, I'm writing blogs here on my website. 
  • Maker of women's health handouts - This is just fun for me. They're small writing projects intended to be helpful. 
  • Creator of digital downloads - On occasion, I have fun making digital downloads. 
 
  • Women's health educator - I love to teach! I teach online and in-person depending on the class. I've been teaching classes since I graduated college in 2018 with a degree in health sciences. I'm in the process of transitioning all lecture/discussion only (no hands on skills) classes to being online. Therefore, I have removed several classes offered. My signature class on coping with contractions is available locally. 
 
  • Birth doula - I became a birth doula in November of 2008. I offer doula services on a part-time basis at 1 or 2 a month. 
  • Bereavement doula for perinatal and infant loss - I became a certified bereavement doula in 2019. While I no longer formally offer this on a volunteer basis, I still hold space for that when it crosses my path. 
  • Breastfeeding specialist - I became a certified breastfeeding specialist in 2014 as an add-on to doula support. For a time, I offered this separately but went back to lactation support being exclusively for doula clients a few years ago due to time management. 
 
  • Shirt designer on the side - This is my side hustle. Every few months, I'll make a shirt when I have time. I have print-on-demand shirts on the shop page through Printful. 

Without further ado 

These are the resources in the greater Dayton/Springfield area that I recommend to my doula clients and students. If you have a resource you recommend, please email me with your review! If you are a resource to pregnant/birthing women in my service area, feel welcome to reach out and let me know. Email your name, role, website, and social media links.

Categories: 
  • where to give birth
  • maternity care providers
  • ultrasounds 
  • massage therapy 
  • classes
  • birth support
  • lactation support 
  • oral tie revisions 
  • postpartum support
  • placenta encapsulation 
  • pelvic floor physical therapists 
  • photography - birth 
  • photography - maternity and newborn 
  • community meet-ups and support groups 


Where to give birth


Hospitals to give birth at

I recommend Miami Valley Hospital for the hospital that is the most respectful of patient rights and the most supportive of natural birth. Overall, this is the best hospital with all the resources you may need. 
 
Here are the hospitals in the Dayton area.
 
  • Miami Valley – 1 Wyoming St. Dayton (near downtown, prepare for possible traffic)
Their maternity unit is in a separate building. You’ll go into the lobby and go to the top floor where it says birthing center. Both L&D and the Family Beginnings birth center are through that door. If you arrive at night, go to the left of the main entrance and pick up the phone to call the desk. They will open the ambulance doors on the side. When you get to the birth center door, you have to pick up the phone to call in as the unit is completely locked.
 
  • Kettering main – 3535 Southern Blvd. Kettering
Their labor and delivery unit, mother/baby (postpartum unit), and NICU are all on the 4th floor. You’ll go through the main entrance.
 
  •  Kettering Health Washington Township (formerly called Southview) – 1997 Miamisburg Centerville Rd Washington Township (right off 675 at the Dayton Mall exit)
Southview has a separate entrance for their maternity unit. It’s in between the ER and the main entrance. It’s clearly labeled maternity entrance. This hospital only has one level. 
 
  • Mercy Health (Springfield) – 100 Medical Center Dr. Springfield (near downtown)
 
Explore the map below to see all the hospitals in my service area.

Sadly, we have suffered the closure of many labor and delivery units. If you're researching where to give birth or it's been a few years since you've had your last baby, know that these units have closed. 
  • Soin (Beavercreek) in November of 2025 - last one in Greene County
  • Upper Valley (Troy) in February of 2024 - only one in Miami County 
  • the base closed their unit in 2023
  • the hospital in Hillsboro closed their unit in 2022 - only one in Highland County 
  • Miami Valley South (Dayton) closed their unit in June of 2022
  • the hospital in Bluffton closed theirs in the summer of 2021
  • Madison hospital (London) closed their unit in 2020 - only one in Madison County 
  • Good Sam (Dayton) closed their birthing center in 2018
We only have 3 left in Dayton. We used to have at least 8. There have been several closures in the Cinci area as well. 


Birthing centers

  • Family Beginnings at Miami Valley is a beautiful birthing center in Dayton, Ohio 

  • Atrium in Middletown also has a birthing center called Natural Beginnings.

In my area and to my knowledge statewide, Ohio does not have any freestanding birth centers (outside of hospitals) where the state is willing to license them (and local hospitals collaborate with them) to give women the option to birth there. 


Home

We have a large home birth community in the Dayton area. If you’re interested in a home birth, I’m happy to recommend midwives and tell you how to get started.


Maternity care providers


Maternal-fetal medicine specialists (MFM) aka high-risk OB doctors

If you need maternal-fetal medicine specialists on your care team, Miami Valley has a large team. Kettering main has a small team. Mercy Hospital in Springfield collaborates with Columbus area MFMs. Miami Valley and Kettering main both have level 3 NICUs if you are high-risk.


Obstetricians (OBs)

The most recommended OB for supporting natural birth is Dr. Jeremy Crouch (Miami Valley). Dr. Guy has retired in 2023. Dr. Crawford (Soin) is also highly recommended.


Nurse-midwives (in the hospital)

Miami Valley has nurse-midwives with Women's Health Specialists and Midwives of Dayton. There are also midwives with LifeStages. Both are excellent practices. Atrium in Middletown has midwives as well. 

Miami Valley has a birth center called Family Beginnings. Atrium has a birth center called Natural Beginnings. You can have a low-intervention natural birth with midwives at both of these beautiful birth centers. 

Several other hospitals outside of Dayton have midwifery care available as well, especially hospitals in the Cinci metro and Columbus metro. 

Unfortunately, Kettering Health Network has chosen to eliminate midwifery care altogether. Soin had a wonderful group of midwives that did the majority of deliveries there. 


CPMs and traditional midwives (home birth)

Midwives are listed in alphabetical order. This list is not an endorsement of anyone in particular. Interview different midwives and seek reviews from women that have used them as a client. There is an Ohio Homebirth Midwife Review Group here https://www.facebook.com/groups/812911185762561/ as well as local homebirth groups for Dayton, Cinci, Columbus, and other regions. Check with your local home birth groups or natural parenting groups to get their recommendations.  

These midwives serve the greater Dayton/Springfield area. Some are rural and may not come all the way to Dayton.
                   
  • Tuesday Lach CPM, Rachel Tiller DEM, and Hannah Zimmerman CPM – a team of midwives near Greenville and Indiana – website unknown


Ultrasounds



Massage therapy


Classes

I teach an online class - The Fully Informed Birth Plan Mastery Course. 

I teach my signature class on coping with contractions within 2 hours of the Dayton/Springfield area. I can teach in western Ohio, central Ohio, northern Kentucky, or eastern Indiana. 

Check out the classes that I teach here.
 
Here are some other classes I recommend.      


Birth Support

If I’m not available to be your birth doula (or if I’m out of budget), tell me what you’re looking for in a doula and I’ll refer you to other doulas that I am familiar with in our community and genuinely recommend.


Lactation support

Hospital care

  • Thankfully, our local hospitals staff IBCLCs and your health insurance should cover their support during your hospital stay.


  • MVH Lactation Clinic
    • Dayton campus – 1 Wyoming St. Dayton #937-208-6160
    • Miami Valley South – 2400 Miami Valley Drive Centerville #937-208-6160
    • Upper Valley – 3130 N. County Rd. 25A Troy #937-440-4906
    • Atrium – 1 Medical Center Dr. Middletown #513-974-5122


Private practice

  • Rachel Baggett RN BSN IBCLC – New Carlisle – Rachel’s Lactation Consulting www.RachelsLactationConsulting.com I highly recommend Rachel. She is a NICU nurse and lactation consultant. She has many years of experience in breastfeeding support and excellent reviews. Check out her social media as well. She shares a lot of educational content.

  • Liz Bennett Auger RN IBCLC – Morrow – www.lightandlove-birthandbaby.com Liz is a labor and delivery nurse + doula + IBCLC. She has many years of experience, and serves the Cinci and Dayton area.

  • Roots Wellness – Mason – www.rootswellness.net This practice has two IBCLCs that offer lactation support in the Cincinnati and Dayton area.

  • Trina Winner - Versailles and Russia - www.winningedgetherapy.com Trina is a CLC. She is also a pelvic floor therapist and functional nutrition provider specializing in fertility, prenatal, and postpartum. 


Peer support

For families that qualify, mothers can receive free support through the Women, Infants, and Children program.  
Depending on what your needs are, support groups such as La Leche League may be able to assist for free. Here is a directory for Ohio https://www.lllohio.org/ You can zoom in on the map or scroll the list of counties.
  • Mercy Hospital in Springfield has a breastfeeding support group the first Wednesday of every month from 11:30-12:30. It’s on the 3rd floor in the birth center conference room.


Oral ties revision (tongue tie and lip tie)

  • Dr. Greg Notestine in Kettering

  • Dr. Chris Coleman in Waynesville

  • ABC Dental in Huber Heights
 
There are other dentists in the area that offer that service, but I only listed dentists that I have heard reviews of and come recommended by mommas in the community.


Postpartum support

Postpartum doulas







Placenta encapsulation 


Pelvic floor physical therapists



  • Trina Winner – Versailles and Russia – www.winningedgetherapy.com Trina is a pelvic floor therapist and functional nutrition provider specializing in fertility, prenatal, and postpartum. She is also a CLC.


Photography

Birth photos

  • Kalli Hopkins of Aniston Paige Photography
Dayton area
www.AnistonPaigePhotography.myportfolio.com
www.facebook.com/aniston.paige.photography
www.instagram.com/aniston.paige.photography
Kalli is a phenomenal photographer! She is my absolute favorite. I recommend her to everyone. Truly, she is a talented photographer.
 
  • Belle Hess of Belle Hess Photography
Greenville
www.facebook.com/BelleHessPhotography
Her photos are always beautiful.  
 
  • Timothy Clopp of Timothy Clopp Photography
Arcanum
www.TimClopp.com
www.facebook.com/TimothyCloppPhotography
www.instagram.com/tncphoto
Tim does a wide range of photography including birth. He’s a good photographer!
 
  • Jordan Barker of Connected Life Photography
Dayton area
www.facebook.com/connectedlifeohio
www.instagram.com/connectedlife_ohio
She captures the emotion and makes it feel like you were there.
 
  • Madyson Granda of EJ Birthing Services
Dayton area
www.EJbirthingservices.com
www.facebook.com/mmdoulabirthphotography
Madyson's photos make you feel like you have a window to a story.
 
  • Jessy Lynne French-King of Jessy Lynne Photography
West Alexandria, Ohio
www.JessyLynnePhotography.mypixieset.com
www.facebook.com/JessyLynnePhotography
I like her vintage style.

  • Kayla Adrianne Photography
Centerville
https://kaylaadriannephotography.mypixieset.com/about/


Maternity and newborn or family photos

Most of the birth photographers also do maternity or newborn. There are so many talented photographers in our area. Though it would be impossible to list them all, I have chosen a few to feature here.

  • Ashley Meyer Photography
Website: https://www.ashleymeyerphotography.com/
 
  • Elya Myers Photography
Website: https://www.elyamyersphotography.com/
 
  • Grace Mariah Photography
Website: https://thefiatmama.mypixieset.com/

  • Holly Moore Photography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hollymoorephotos
 
  • Rose Avenue Photography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581006120875
 
  • Sarah Kelly Photography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahLKphotography
 
  • ShortShot Photography by Bri Manuel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShortShotPhotography/
 
  • Stephanie Lynn Photography
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephanielynnfoto
 


Community meet-ups or support groups