Craig Hall, The Business Times

When Alaina Marquez went to her first meeting of the Grand Junction Birth Collective she was just two months from her due date with her third child. Little did she know the opportunity that was about to present itself to the expectant mother.

“I went because I was a certified doula since 2020 and I needed to work after Covid 19 settled down,” said Marquez, “I thought I’d work a few hours per month if the match was good to help make ends meet by doing what I love in providing affordable, need services for moms who were expecting. Little did I know that was the meeting where the current owner was announcing her intention to step aside and was asking collective members if anyone was interested in taking over.”

“And God told me to raise my hand,” said Marquez.

That was in 2022 and turning the calendar two years later and the Grand Junction Birth Collective has been renamed the Colorado Birth Collective and enjoying its new location at 600 Rood Avenue, in Downtown Grand Junction and already looking to expand its footprint in the newly remodeled building. “We looked to buy a building of our own, but when we saw this space and the owner’s willingness to do a full buildout for not only the collective, but our other business—Drop Anchor Productions—this was too good an opportunity to pass up,” said Marquez.

In addition to now having her doula services inside the collective’s office space, Drop Anchor (which is in the basement of the same building) also does photography, marketing and community outreach for the collective and its members. “What’s most important is the work we’ve done with so many amazing professionals to create a space that is welcoming and comforting to moms at a very important time in their lives of motherhood,” said Marquez.

“What the collective strives to do is offer support to moms through the entire birth process from pregnancy services through postpartum needs—which can last up to four years after delivery,” said Marquez, “And we work to give women these services at the lowest price given it can be difficult to afford what we do, since all our services are self-pay.” Marquez points to possibly becoming a non-profit to offer even more utilizing the benefits of that business status.

The Colorado Birth Collective has services including doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, chiropractic, basic ultrasound, massage and nutrition. Like Marquez’s doula business, Sunshine Birth Services, the idea behind the new space is a shared concept as many providers share office space with others in the same profession. Additionally, the shared concept of the Birth Collective has 5 members in Gunnison and 4 members in Delta in similar-styled locations, both with more looking to join. 

“One collective concept I love in the new office space is the open area we call “The Womb” which is large enough to make patients feel welcome, host events and bring their children along with them to appointments,” said Marquez, “We’re not set up like a doctor’s office. We wanted a place where moms who are breastfeeding can feel safe and secure at an event about their needs and concerns while also having just a place to meet for coffee and more social events.”

“Ultimately these events will be fee or donation based to help fund a scholarship program for the collective for moms who need financial assistance with our services,” said Marquez, “And given the success of our satellites already, we envision a pretty big need across all of Colorado.”

“Eventually I can envision providing services all the way through menopause for our clients,” said Marquez, “And even expanding into services for siblings and husbands as their lives are affected during all of the stages of motherhood as well.”

“The best part is I can live and work my passion while being surrounded by my kids. My daughters have been to live births either in my arms or crawling around,” says Marquez, “What better way to normalize birth and what it means to be a mother, father and family unit.”

For more information about the Colorado Birth Collective, visit coloradobirthcollective.com or follow their Facebook and Instagram Page.