how it all began
and where it’s going

Thanks for taking the time to get to know a little bit about how Sprout and Blossom came to be!

I’m Annica (she/her). My journey to becoming a parent transformed me in every way imaginable. It wasn’t an easy road. But it led to creating Sprout and Blossom (amongst other things), and for that I am so grateful.

in the beginning

In 2016, I started learning all I could about pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding while my husband Peter and I lived in the Philippines. I found out I was pregnant while I was studying for my Master’s in Community Development, and we felt like we needed to make decisions early on because we lived abroad. I was receiving loving midwifery care for my pregnancy at a birthing home called Shiphrah, and I was blown away by the idea that my body was capable of growing, birthing, and nourishing a tiny human. I had never thought of my own body as such an incredible creation before, and it was a revelation to me. 

We lost our first baby when I was 11 weeks pregnant, and it was a loss more difficult than I could have imagined. I do not believe the age-old phrase that "bad things happen for a reason," but I do believe that beauty can emerge from even the hardest things. In my life, a fascination with birth is the beauty that came from the pain of our loss. During that first trimester, my eyes were opened to the "birth world," and I have loved being a part of it ever since.

During that season of life, I became friends with the birthing home’s resident birth photographer, Isabel Steinert (check her out, she’s amazing). Her work moved me, and I ended up taking a birth photography workshop from her. I started photographing births in the Philippines. After we moved back to Grand Rapids, Michigan in early 2017, I established my business here.

Soon after the move, I got pregnant with Linden, trained to be a doula with DONA International, and started attending births again. 

transformed by my births

In December of 2017, I gave birth to Linden Louise at home with the support of my husband, doula, and midwives. Her birth transformed my heart, my life, and my identity. The photographs I have from her birth mean more to me than I could have ever anticipated. The way my husband looked at me while I was laboring, reliving the strength and hard work it took to bring her into the world, the first moments with her in my arms...I hardly have words to describe what those images mean to me. They are treasures. I needed the photographs of my birth to process my story, and I look back at a slideshow of them every few months. 

Photographer: Kristin Fowler; Doula: Ginger Hollemans; Midwife: Teresa Cramer of River Birch Midwifery.

My motherhood journey continued, with another pregnancy and beautiful homebirth in November 2020. From the start of active labor, it was less than 1.5 hours until Rubin was in my arms. I’m so grateful for another empowering birth experience, and an incredible team of birth keepers that were with me through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Photographer & Doula: Brooke Collier; Midwives: Jennifer Holshoe, Jenn DeWaard, Teresa Cramer, and Kelsey Dean (student) of West Michigan Midwifery.

Through the shit show that was 2020, I continued to support and photograph families* and it was truly one of the greatest joys of the year for me.

Then, Sprout and Blossom grew!!!

In late 2020, Shay Gabriel (she/her), a client turned friend, joined Sprout and Blossom and works behind the scenes doing more amazing things than I can list. She has totally grasped my vision for Sprout and Blossom, and has put so much love and intention into creating content.

In early 2021, Brianna Trammell (she/her) joined the team! She is also a client turned friend, and a DONA-certified doula. I am thrilled to have her representing Sprout and Blossom providing doula support and birth photography for Grand Rapids families.*

Later in 2021, Sarah Hill (she/her) began offering lactation support and education to Sprout and Blossom clients.* She is a lactation counselor, with a passion for inclusivity and accessibility, and a balanced approach to infant feeding.

In 2023, Elisha DeVries (she/her) started serving Sprout and Blossom clients* as a DONA-trained birth and postpartum doula. Bri and I exclusively take clients who want both birth photography and doula support, so we are so thankful to have Elisha on the team to serve “doula-only” clients.

In early 2024, Randi Amstrong (she/her) said yes to joining Sprout and Blossom to work alongside Bri to offer both birth photography and doula support. As my role starts shifting away from on-call birth work, Randi is stepping onto the team with over 6 years of experience as a doula-tog.

Sprout and Blossom’s birth and postpartum services are in such good hands with this incredible team. As they continue serving growing families in West Michigan, my role in the company is shifting.

what’s next for me

Throughout this journey, I have been so inspired by the way my clients have taken on big life changes and resulting shifts in identity. Along the way, my own identity has also evolved and been redefined. After attending over 100 births and living the on-call life through two pregnancies and births of my own, I’m ready for a big change.

I am now working with clients one-on-one (during hours when the sun is shining!) introducing somatic practices that have been metamorphic for me over the last couple of years. These practices have changed my life, and I am confident they will change yours too.

Sessions with me are 90 minutes long. Each session involves an intuitive combination of coaching, emotional support, somatic (body-based) practices, guided meditation, and breathwork. Clients will learn methods that invite deep connection to their body, discovery of their truest self, and beautiful healing. You can find more details about sessions with me here.

This amazing team continues to do this work not only because of our own experiences, but also because of the many times we have seen the deep impact of doula support, birth photography, and lactation support in the lives of our clients.* Whether offering emotional and physical support, photographing the joy of new life, or providing valuable resources along the way, it is a gift to be part of the lives of families in Grand Rapids. We are grateful to be part of this profound work.

Annica

*We serve families of all kinds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or whether or not the birth is a surrogacy, adoption, etc. Every family is different, and we see great beauty in our diversity.

Annica Quakenbush, MS, CD(DONA)

Grand Rapids, MI

annica@sproutandblossomGR.com

+1 616 369 3339 (call only)

"Annica is nothing short of AMAZING! She took our birth pictures and not only did they turn out beautiful, we ended up with a friend for a lifetime. She is personable, passionate, and incredibly talented! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience." - Alyssa