Before we were Birth Matters Charlottesville, we were Informed Birth Options (IBO) of Central Virginia. IBO was formed in 2002 as a result of a group of women recognizing that women in Charlottesville needed more information on birth and options surrounding birth. We have been here ever since offering information, support, and opportunities for women to find the birth that is right for them. In 2005 we joined forces with other groups from around the commonwealth with similar aspirations to create a positive culture of birth in Virginia in which all mothers experience informed and empowering birth,and in which their decisions are supported and respected by their care providers and community. Please join us in making this a reality for Virginia families.

Local Co Director:  Priya Curtis, bmatterscville@gmail.com
Priya Curtis is a Charlottesville native, a mother and step-mother, and a dual degree holder from the University of Virginia, with a Masters Degree in Biomedical Ethics. It was in graduate school that Priya first began to learn and ask questions about medical science and women's health in the United States. However, the seeds of her critiques had been sown by her own mother, who fought to have two unmedicated births, including Priya's (breech!). When Priya became pregnant with her son, she started coming to Birth Circle- and she was hooked. Since her son's birth, Priya has been drawn to helping other women identify and understand their options for a healthy, happy, and empowering birth experience. She is continually amazed by the mystery and magic of birth, as well as the strength and beauty of women bringing babies into the world. Birth Circle continued to be an integral part of Priya's education well after her own son was born, and she is thrilled to now have the opportunity to help facilitate this fantastic resource.

Local Co Director:  Margarita Figueroa, bmatterscville@gmail.com
Margarita, a mother of two, waited a long time to have babies and when her time came she wanted to do it with as little interventions as possible. She went on reading and gathering as much information as possible to make it happen. Of course, birthing and childcare matters are never the same for each mother, so she was lucky to find Birth Matters right where she lives and benefit from its woman-to-woman support network. Now she wants to be there to support other first time mothers to be.

Local Outreach Director:  Cynthia Corby, cbcorby@gmail.com
Cynthia, a mother of four, first started questioning modern birthing practices after witnessing her sister's three very different births.  When it was time for Cynthia to have her first child, she read as many books as possible to build her confidence in avoiding intervention during childbirth.  At the same time, she was disappointed when she found a lack of societal support of her approach. Her passion for Birth Circle is from the memory of needing a place to find like-minded women as a first-time mother-to-be.

Since her first empowering birth at UVA Hospital in 2003, Cynthia has worked to build community support for women who want to approach evidence-based birth.  Her second child was born at UVA and her third and fourth were born at home with professional midwives.  She believes women need information and support to have the best birth experience possible.  With information, support and then a mother-friendly care-provider, Cynthia believes a woman can have a beautiful, empowering birth at any location--hospital, birth center or at home.  

Education Coordinator: Megan Bloom
Megan completed a doctorate degree in Infant Development from the University of Virginia and gave birth to her son soon after. Among the transformative experiences Megan underwent with the birth of her baby, her personal and professional worlds collided and led her to pursue birth work.  She is enthralled with the processes of pregnancy, birth, and childrearing, and committed to being with families through the psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual elements of this tremendous experience. She has had the pleasure and honor of supporting eight beautiful families in the births of their babies and is currently completing labor support certification with toLabor (The Organization of Labor Assistants for Birth Options & Resources).

In addition to her doula work, Megan serves as the Education Coordinator for the Charlottesville Chapter of Birth Matters. She draws on all of her education, experience and dedication to bring a well-rounded Spring and Fall Birth Series to expectant parents so that they may make their own best decisions about the birth of their child.

Founding Director: Julia Weissman
Julia, a mother of two, became a birth advocate after stumbling upon informed choice at an interview with a homebirth midwife during her first pregnancy. She took this experience and, after relocating to Charlottesville in 2001, helped establish Informed Birth Options of Central Virginia (IBO), an organization dedicated to educating and sharing information with women to allow them a choice in being fully engaged in the processes of pregnancy and birth. In 2006, IBO consolidated forces with several similar organizations in Virginia to become Birth Matters Virginia.