It takes a village to raise a child, and as an agency we cultivate a village of partner providers who support our clients in making the childbearing year nurtured, healthy and vibrant.

Each month, we profile one of our partners - it’s one more way in which we strive to weave a comprehensive safety net for our clients and build up other local businesses who are also working to shift toward a culture that truly respects and cherishes families.

This month, we’re pleased to profile Bridgetown Baby partner Barb Buckner Suárez.

Barb is a fixture in the Portland birth community - this wasn’t always her vision, but when a dear friend asked Barb to be at the birth of her first child, Barb’s passion was sparked and she was drawn deeply into the world of pregnancy, birth and the postpartum. Over the last 20+ years, Barb has helped thousands of couples on their parenting journey, while wearing multiple hats: childbirth educator; doula; couples coach; certified Becoming Us facilitator; and author of the Birth Happens blog. Barb also holds a Master's level certificate in Interpersonal Neurobiology; she is fascinated with the brain changes that happen during pregnancy, birth and new parenting and how to work with these brain changes while navigating some of life's most challenging - and wonderful - experiences.

Central to Barb’s work is a focus on the connection between the birthing person and their partner; strengthening this connection is key to “baby-proofing” the couple relationship, as Barb puts it. A strong relationship is one of the best gifts parents can give their children, and starting early can help the whole family not just survive, but thrive, at all stages of family life.

For us, as postpartum doulas, Barb’s teaching work resonates deeply with our daily work to help families build skill, connection and confidence - this, along with Barb’s contagious enthusiasm and sense of humor, makes it a pleasure to partner with her.

Read Barb’s 5 steps for planning a successful, connected return to work and access her special offer for Bridgetown Baby families, which includes a free 30-minute consultation.