Donation protected
One of the most beautiful, challenging, raw, transformational times in a family's life is when they are welcoming a new little human. Many cultures in the world recognize a 1-2 month period of rest and recovery after a new baby is born, understanding that during this time community support is critical. Yet our society often struggles to prioritize this period, often leaving new parents and families isolated and struggling to access resources, adding stress and strain to an already vulnerable time of transition.
Currently in the US medical model, postpartum people do not receive adequate healthcare and support, leading to preventable and sometimes life threatening medical and mental health complications. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently released recommendations to change this and to address common postpartum issues such as breastfeeding difficulties, postpartum depression, and pelvic dysfunction (pain/incontinence). The report acknowledges our fragmented system and difficulty accessing resources when they are needed.
Fern & Foster wants to change that.
We are a team of perinatal providers: a nurse-midwife, a lactation consultant, and a doula. We have a combination of professional knowledge and intimate personal experience of the challenges surrounding the perinatal period.
Our mission is to address these challenges, reduce maternal and infant health disparities, and cultivate a supportive community among the families of Tacoma. To do so, we believe that increasing access by bringing in additional providers, and putting all the services under the same roof will be critical.
Our services will include:
Lactation support
*Clinic or in-home visits
*Drop-in support groups
*Tongue-tie assessment & treatment
Doula services
*Labor & postpartum support
*Bereavement visits
Mental health therapy
*Postpartum depression counseling
*Infant mental health therapy
*Marriage & family counseling
*Preparing your relationship for baby classes
*Drop-in support groups
Pelvic floor physical therapy
*Incontinence
*Pain with intercourse
*Diastasis recti
Community room
*Childbirth education classes
*Lactation classes
*Prenatal/postpartum yoga classes
*Free infant/toddler playgroups
*Drop-in support groups
*Trainings for birth workers with an equity focus
Retail space
*Breast pumps
*Breastfeeding accessories
*Nursing bras
*Baby carriers
*Supplements
*Nipple balm
*Maternity/breastfeeding clothing
and eventually...
Midwifery care
*Fertility care and treatment
*Reproductive healthcare
*IUI (intrauterine insemination)
*Prenatal care
*Gynecology
*Birth control
*LGBTQ specific healthcare
So....
To provide all of these amazing services to our community of growing families, we need a SPACE within which to host our programs.
We want our space to be beautiful, warm, clean, inviting... a place families will want to hang out and feel welcome. We currently have signed a lease on a 3400 square foot building located between 2 hospitals, with a huge outdoor lot, access from public transport, centrally located in neighborhoods with young and growing families. We think it is perfect. We just need some help getting it beautified and functional for our mission.
Our Biggest Needs:
-Paint
-Flooring
-Furniture
-Build out of 3 exam rooms
-Clinic supplies
-Cabinetry
-Landscaping improvements
We estimate our not yet covered costs to total about $10,000, since a lot of the labor will be donated by our amazing volunteer work crew, and many of the supplies will be sourced from second-hand and recycled resources. We hope to have our doors open and ready to welcome new families by summertime, and are working every day to make that happen.
Any amount you can offer is deeply, deeply appreciated as your way of stating:
"I believe in the importance of supporting the health of new parents, new babies, growing families and thriving communities."
All the best,
The Fern & Foster Team
Emily, Olivia & Danielle

Currently in the US medical model, postpartum people do not receive adequate healthcare and support, leading to preventable and sometimes life threatening medical and mental health complications. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently released recommendations to change this and to address common postpartum issues such as breastfeeding difficulties, postpartum depression, and pelvic dysfunction (pain/incontinence). The report acknowledges our fragmented system and difficulty accessing resources when they are needed.
Fern & Foster wants to change that.
We are a team of perinatal providers: a nurse-midwife, a lactation consultant, and a doula. We have a combination of professional knowledge and intimate personal experience of the challenges surrounding the perinatal period.
Our mission is to address these challenges, reduce maternal and infant health disparities, and cultivate a supportive community among the families of Tacoma. To do so, we believe that increasing access by bringing in additional providers, and putting all the services under the same roof will be critical.
Our services will include:
Lactation support
*Clinic or in-home visits
*Drop-in support groups
*Tongue-tie assessment & treatment
Doula services
*Labor & postpartum support
*Bereavement visits
Mental health therapy
*Postpartum depression counseling
*Infant mental health therapy
*Marriage & family counseling
*Preparing your relationship for baby classes
*Drop-in support groups
Pelvic floor physical therapy
*Incontinence
*Pain with intercourse
*Diastasis recti
Community room
*Childbirth education classes
*Lactation classes
*Prenatal/postpartum yoga classes
*Free infant/toddler playgroups
*Drop-in support groups
*Trainings for birth workers with an equity focus
Retail space
*Breast pumps
*Breastfeeding accessories
*Nursing bras
*Baby carriers
*Supplements
*Nipple balm
*Maternity/breastfeeding clothing
and eventually...
Midwifery care
*Fertility care and treatment
*Reproductive healthcare
*IUI (intrauterine insemination)
*Prenatal care
*Gynecology
*Birth control
*LGBTQ specific healthcare
So....
To provide all of these amazing services to our community of growing families, we need a SPACE within which to host our programs.
We want our space to be beautiful, warm, clean, inviting... a place families will want to hang out and feel welcome. We currently have signed a lease on a 3400 square foot building located between 2 hospitals, with a huge outdoor lot, access from public transport, centrally located in neighborhoods with young and growing families. We think it is perfect. We just need some help getting it beautified and functional for our mission.
Our Biggest Needs:
-Paint
-Flooring
-Furniture
-Build out of 3 exam rooms
-Clinic supplies
-Cabinetry
-Landscaping improvements
We estimate our not yet covered costs to total about $10,000, since a lot of the labor will be donated by our amazing volunteer work crew, and many of the supplies will be sourced from second-hand and recycled resources. We hope to have our doors open and ready to welcome new families by summertime, and are working every day to make that happen.
Any amount you can offer is deeply, deeply appreciated as your way of stating:
"I believe in the importance of supporting the health of new parents, new babies, growing families and thriving communities."
All the best,
The Fern & Foster Team
Emily, Olivia & Danielle
Co-organizers (2)
Fern Foster Family Wellness
Organizer
Tacoma, WA
Olivia Mae
Co-organizer