Taking a class at Homegrown Families, compared to the one we took at our local hospital (a very qualified hospital, too), felt like the difference between a college course with an engaged and passionate professor and a high school class taught by the football coach who’d rather play movies than of teach.
Chama and Jen both taught classes that were interesting, informative, and prompted further research and learning. If I weren’t 34 weeks now, I would ditch the rest of my hospital childbirth class and register for the Homegrown Families version, commute notwithstanding. Both my husband and I consider the classes we took with Homegrown Babies to have been an invaluable addition to the learning we’ve done before our first baby.
If you are expecting a baby, please take a class at Homegrown Families. I felt more prepared for childbirth after a FREE hour and a half class here that I did after a paid seven hour class at my hospital.
Looking for a class? Click here to explore our amazing classes!
MaryKate Bashaw, Lamaze Educator, Lactation Educator CD(DONA)
Lamaze Childbirth Educator, Certified Birth Doula, Certified Postpartum Doula
Evidence Based Birth Member
She/Her/Hers
Throughout MaryKate’s time at Homegrown Families, she has engaged new and growing families as a source of informational and emotional support. She is a DONA International-certified birth and postpartum doula specializing in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She trained through Postpartum Support International to help parents find their inner strength with trauma-informed coping techniques. MaryKate has also studied to be a Lamaze childbirth, lactation, and holistic infant sleep educator. And, she’s well-versed in hypnobirthing and sibling and animal integration. Serving on the WNC Perinatal Emotional Health Network task force, she works to reduce trauma as well as educate local parents and providers about pre- and postpartum mental health.
As a doula and educator working with higher-risk birthing clients, she believes that support and education are imperative to helping parents navigate the unanticipated forks in the road with agency and determination. MaryKate is a fierce advocate for informed choice in any birthing space, educating for all contingencies in birth while hoping you’ll never need them. And if her clients do need them, they’re ready. Her large skill set helps parents in her care feel empowered about not just their birth intentions, but their birth and postpartum journey as a whole. MaryKate has her bachelor’s in photography, psychology, and child education at UNC Asheville. She began as a teacher and behavioral health technician, then got rocked by the reality of postpartum motherhood and started her doula training at Homegrown Families soon after. She’s served 100 families in the WNC area over the last five years. In her free time, she is raising two little warrior ladies and fostering as many animals as possible for local animal shelters.
Jenna Wilson
Jenna Wilson has been studying birth since a light-bulb moment in 2007 put her on her path of purpose. Since then, she has studied and worked as a birth and postpartum doula, licensed midwife in California, became a mother, a widow, and recently settled in Asheville to deepen her connection to nature and healing. Jenna is passionate about providing families with comprehensive information, experiential learning, personal inquiry and reflection, partnership practices, and more. Jenna is committed to supporting all kinds of knowledge for all kinds of families. Her birth education experience stems from training with the Birthing From Within Childbirth Mentor Program, as well as teaching classes for many years in southern California, and incorporates aspects of honoring birth as a rite of passage, along with evidence-based information, physical practices, mindset tools, and more. Jenna is also a fanatic for good research, up-to-date practices, healthy lifestyles, and empowered parents.
Corey Graywood
Corey Graywood (she/her) sees how support early and often when feeding your baby can help you reach your feeding goals. Seeing the added support benefiting her clients in numerous ways, Corey took the training to become a Certified Lactation Counselor. Now she is using the knowledge in lactation and counseling to help families feel confident and supported throughout their feeding journey. Every family has different plans and goals for feeding their baby. No matter what that plan is, support and community can help you achieve them. Nursing with Courage is a great place to jumpstart your journey with knowledge, support and community building.
Meggan Hartman
Meggan Hartman(she/her), PhD, L.E., currently works internationally as a Pediatric Sleep Consultant and conducts workshops and support groups for mothers. She developed the Soul of Motherhood™ and ReWilding Motherhood™ curriculum where she works with mothers to parent with the clarity of purpose and to reclaim the essential powers of the Mother Archetype. She earned her doctorate in Psychology from Meridian University and her Masters in Psychology from the Sophia Institute. Subsequent trainings and certifications she has received are Lactation Educator, Psychosynthesis, Dora Kalff Sand-Play Therapy, completing a Postpartum International Support Certification, and a two-year internship with Dr. Angelique Millette, PhD focusing on pediatric behavioral sleep issues and maternal well-being. In addition, she is a Purpose Guide™ and trained herbalist.
Bonnie Garner
Bonnie (she/her) is a certified infant and pediatric infant massage trainer. Bonnie is excited to share her passion for Infant/Child massage instruction with you! She is known for her engaging and fun teaching style with students and families. She got her Masters degree is Child and Parent health Nursing from NIU with advanced training begun with the International Association of Infant massage while living in Chicago and recently updated with Liddlekidz Foundation International last October in Portland Oregon.
She has enjoyed partnering with families as they navigate typical and special health challenges with their children. Bonnie loves to travel and seek adventure in life! Her favorite trip was South Africa where she was a Pediatric nurse delegate with People to People International!
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