Welcome to The Birthing Family Center^SM Site
formerly the Birth and Bonding Family Center^SM

 We are now in the first phase of developing our
Online Site
Beginning With the Offering of
“The Elder Speaks Series.^SM”

This series will consist of essays and links to Elder Professionals who have specialized in serving the birthing family from preconception, pregnancy, through the first year post birth… as well as some of the challenging parenting choices for the first 10 years.

In the year to come we will continue with the development of Video Interviews, Classes, Workshops, and Gatherings for birthing families with these specialists.

Just as when we were a brick and mortar store front, our approach will continue to be from the perspective of giving new pregnant and birthing parents a sense of the natural rhythms for gestating and birthing their young. The information including the exploration of the wise use of medical interventions when truly needed.

All programs will focus on sensitive approaches for each member of the nucleus birthing family during pregnancy, birth, and post birth through the first year…

Through this new site almost all of the services mentioned in the History of our brick and mortar store will become available through online venues and phone consultation. As we grow our referral service of sensitive practitioners across the country in the months to come, in person consultations will hopefully become available in your area as your local practitioners register with our referral service.

Elder Speaks Series^SM

“A New Look at Our Ages Old Human Innate Parenting Skills Consideration to explore when thinking about going to work following the birth of a child and home schooling in your child’s early formative years”
by Sharon Ledbetter A Social Psychologist, with a focus on the integration of the physiology and psychological aspects of giving birth and becoming family.

“Should Children be Vaccinated against COVID-19?”
by Peggy O’Mara, independent journalist and editor and publisher of Mothering magazine for over 30 years.

Future Essay Topics Include:

The Homeopathic Childbirth Manual
Hannah Betty Idarius
hannahbettyidarius.com

At A Loss
Donna Rothert
donnarothert.com

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
by Susan Weed
Available at Amazon.com

The Primal Wound

Coming Home to Self
both by Nancy Verrier
Available at Amazon.com

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Completely Revised and Updated 8th Edition
Available at Amazon.com

The thread of evolution and purpose this site

springs from officially began in 1988 when the Birth and Bonding Family CenterSM center was first opened in the home of the director SharonLedbetter, then moving to

 a store front in 1993.

In the 70 trainings that followed this initial training, over 500 women, and a few men, attended the interactive trainings that were intentionally kept to 12 attendees per training to assure effective personal interactive

multidimensional learning.

Within a few years with the volunteer and financial assistance of the early trainees, the center moved from the residence location into a storefront in Albany CA.

In the years following the center services expanded to successfully serve thousands of families during all stages of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, birth, immediate post birth – and through first few years to follow.

The Center’s drop in hours were 10 to 5 Monday through Saturday.

The center became a trusted community location for families to drop in for an informational conversation, research a topic in our extensive book and video lending library, find a reliable referral, use the restrooms, breastfeed, change a diaper etc. when out and about.

There was always a comfortable chair & a cup of hot herbal tea available for all visitors, and a Birth Support Doula Practitioner available to provide one on one emotional and practical informative conversations. The phone

Our educational programs included:

• Child Birth Preparation Classes for first Births
• Refresher Classes for Subsequent Births
• Support Groups for Pregnant and New Mothers

An Array of Workshops Including:

• Breast Feeding
• Parenting the Amazing Newborn
• Infant Massage
• Infant Development and Interactive Skills
•  Monthly La Leche League Breast Feeding Support Group

We offered a Small Retail Store stocked with quality essential products for the new family.

The Center provided educational events and gatherings to provide access to many leading birth professionals.

Over the years our informational events included:

• Barbara Findeisen a founding member of the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health
• Dr. Klaus, Phillis Klaus, Dr. Kennell, introducing their book Mothering the Mother
• Phillis Klaus and Penny Simpkin introducing the newly forming Dona Organization.
• Elizabeth Nobel author of Essential Exercises for the Child Bearing Year
• Susan Napierala, author of Water Birth a Midwife’s Perspective
• Ina May Gaskin, author of Spiritual Midwifery

These services continued to evolve until the center closed in 2003.

About Sharon Ledbetter, the Founder and director of the Birth and Bonding Family Center and now the
Birthing Family site.

She is a mother and a grandmother. Her path of study through an in-depth personal exploration of pre and perinatal psychology led her into academic studies, earning her BA, and MA in social psychology with a focus in pre and perinatal psychology. Along with these studies she completed Childbirth Educator, Labor Coach, Birth Support Doula Practitioner, Pastoral Councilor and Reiki Practitioner certification programs.

Through the integration of these studies encompassing programs emerged to support the transforming emotional and physical transition for each family member – the new parents traveling through the journey of gestating and giving birth and for the child being born.

Upon closing the center, along with spending more time with family and friends, Sharon has continues to provide counsel for birthing families. She is currently in the editing stages of completing the Birthing Family book series that shares all she has learned from the many new families she has had the privilege of working with.

You may contact us at info@birthingfamily.org

If you would like notification of “The Family Birth Series” publication or when a new Elder Speaks Essay is posted please fill in the following form.

We will not share your contact information.