Working together to provide education and support throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond.

About Us

Getting to know us and being able to feel comfortable around us is a very important part of this particular business relationship. Though the consultation and prenatal appointments are vital parts of fostering a good relationship, we’re sure you’d like to know more about us before you decide to schedule a consultation.

It is our vision for women to have an empowering birth experience with confidence and trust in themselves.  We strive to nurture a woman’s sense of personal strength and self confidence, so that she may realize birth as a positive experience.  We believe that nurturing and fostering the already instinctive abilities of the family empowers them for life, we work closely with each family in the last few months of pregnancy, throughout the birth and into the postpartum period to facilitate lasting positive memories. 

In our opinion, every woman deserves an empowering birth experience and we hope to help every woman we support find her own voice and inner strength so that she may have the birth of her choosing.

Annie Cagle
Annie Cagle began her journey as a birth doula and childbirth educator following the birth of her third child.  Having had three natural births she desired to continue learning about the birthing process and to help others have positive birthing experiences as she did.  She feels her personal experiences add to her ability to relate to the laboring woman, however, she empowers women to make their own choices for the pregnancy and birth of their child.

She completed her birth doula training through Doulas of North America.  She became certified as a childbirth educator through Ontario Perinatal School. 

Annie believes in order to best help her clients she needs to continue to learn new skills and information.  She has attended several conferences and taken several classes to increase her knowledge.  In 2006 she attended Childbirth Class for Doulas and completed a Childbirth Education Series Observation.  In 2007 she attended Perinatal Childbirth Education Certification, Marketing for Birthing Professionals, CareNet Crisis Pregnancy Counselor Training, The 9th Annual American Baby Childbirth Educator Conference, Cesarean/VBAC Support Specialist, Birth Planning Support Specialist, Labor Progress Support Specialist, and the Infant Adoption Training Initiative.  She is enrolled in several courses for 2008.

Although Annie grew up in New Hampshire she lived in Louisiana for 8 years, returning to New Hampshire in 2007.  She is highly respected and involved in the birthing community in both states.  She is the moderator of the Louisiana Natural Birth Resource Site.  She is also the creator and moderator of the New Hampshire Birth Network, an online discussion group and in person meet-up for birthing professionals which has over 45 members.  She is a volunteer on the Board of Directors for CareNet of the White Mountains.  In addition she serves as a volunteer for Operation Special Delivery, providing doula services for military families.

Jennifer Hughes
Jennifer Hughes' passion for childbirth started with the birth of her own children but continues to be strengthened by attending the births of a niece and nephew and in helping with events hosted by Empowering Birth and Beyond. 

Jennifer is the mother of four boys ranging in age from 15 to 6.  All of her children were born naturally at Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia.

Jennifer is considering becoming a birth doula in the future. She stays up to date with the current childbirth research by providing assistance with Empowering Birth and Beyond's group childbirth education classes and parenting classes as well as reading books which are part of the doula certification requirements. Jennifer is also a vital person to our bellycasting services, often either providing assistance at the casting or being the main sculptor for the casting.

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PO Box 388

Ashland, NH 03217

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