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Everyone deserves postpartum care and support

We're closing gaps in

postpartum care

Whether you are welcoming your first, have experienced a loss, or have done this before, our organization works to ensure you and your loved ones have the care and support you need during the postpartum recovery.

We believe everyone deserves care, dignity, and access to supportive services and resources following childbirth or loss. That means changing the way our care systems work here in the United States.

Community After Birth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support, education, and advocacy for the expansion of postpartum care.

We achieve this through providing support services, educational programs, groups and community circles, and grassroots advocacy.

Our Community

We provide services and support for those in

Anne Arundel county Maryland who...

ARE EXPECTING

ARE POSTPARTUM

HAVE EXPERIENCED

A PERINATAL LOSS

ARE ALLIED

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

N.E.S.T. Program

Nurturing the Early Stage Together

Community After Birth partners with area doulas to provide postpartum doula support at no cost to families in Anne Arundel county.

This program prioritizes military families and/or those in treatment for mental health conditions.

Request a doula below and a Community After Birth team member will follow up with you.

REQUEST A DOULA

N.E.S.T. Reviews

Read what parents are saying about doula support from the NEST Program.

Thank You to Our Generous Funders

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The Latest

2025 CAB Annual Report.pdf

2025 Annual Report

September 21, 2026

Community After Birth publishes their 2025-2026 Annual Report, highlighting key programs, financial statements, and feedback from NEST parents and doulas.

May 2026

Maryland Signs Perinatal Behavioral Health Coverage Into Law, Marking a Turning Point for Maternal Mental Health

The National Law Review

"Governor Wes Moore this week signed HB 1118, the Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations: Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions Act, into law. The legislation requires Maryland insurers and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to cover standardized screenings for perinatal behavioral health conditions during pregnancy and in the first year of a child's life. The Maryland Department of Health is now tasked with identifying evidence-based screening tools and connecting mothers to referral resources following a positive screen.

Sponsored by Delegate Jennifer White Holland, the law takes effect in two phases. Screening requirements begin July 1, 2026. Insurance coverage provisions follow in January 2027.

A Win for Maryland Mothers

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are among the most common complications of pregnancy and the postpartum period, affecting an estimated 1 in 5 mothers. HB 1118 directly addresses a significant gap by mandating coverage for screenings at prenatal, postpartum, and well-child visits throughout the first year of life, creating more consistent touchpoints for identification and ensuring that a positive screen leads to real referral resources.

Quotes from Maternal Mental Health Advocates

Lauren Thompson, MHS, CLC, PMH-C, Co-Chair of the PSI Maryland Chapter, said: "Parents fall through the cracks at exactly the moment they are most vulnerable. HB 1118 is a critical step toward changing that. Requiring coverage for standardized screenings across the first year of a child's life means more Marylanders can be connected to life saving care. This is what advocacy looks like when it works, and we are proud to have stood alongside a passionate and diverse coalition that made it possible."

Read the Article