Honoring Annica
honoring Annica: past, present, future
This month is International Doula Month. The theme for International Doula Month 2024 is “Doulas: Past, Present, and Future.” There is no better time than the present to honor one of the most impactful doulas of our past as she pursues new plans for the future: Annica Quakenbush.
Annica was part of an early resurgence of professional birth doula work here in West Michigan, and her role in our community has contributed to waves of necessary change. She has served over 100 families in her time as a birth doula and birth photographer. Annica is the founder and owner of Sprout and Blossom Birth & Beyond, a birth collective that has grown into a team of 7 women. And now, after recently supporting her final birth client, Annica is transitioning away from her role as a doula. But before we get into what Annica’s up to next, I want to take a moment to honor parts of who Annica is and how she has shaped the lives of so many individuals and their growing families.
to know Annica…
If you are lucky to already know Annica, you’ll understand me when I say that words alone won’t do this dedication justice; because to know Annica is to experience her energy and the power it holds in beautifully tending to her own spirit and the spirits of others.
Annica fosters self-love, self-care, self-awareness, and self-confidence.
She embraces her own journey through healing, self-discovery, and pursuit of a life deeply-lived, and she empowers others to do the same.
Annica is committed to lifelong learning, growing, and evolving.
She is open-minded, loving, and gracious.
Annica beautifully balances the pendulum between vulnerability and challenge, succumbing and uprising.
She is an advocate for informed choice and equitable care.
Annica is kind, generous, and authentic.
To connect with Annica is to feel safe, heard, seen, and known.
what’s next for annica
All of these qualities (and more!) about Annica have made a lasting impression in the birth world and beyond. Without a doubt, these qualities about Annica have contributed to her key role as a beloved birth doula in our community, and she will surely be missed in this capacity. And, these qualities about Annica will continue to spread light into the lives of others as she carries on with her next big pursuit: one-on-one somatic healing therapy sessions.
The ability to connect with someone on such a level that they feel comfortable, present, and transformed during a somatic therapy session – that is a gift that Annica possesses, and a skilled art that she continues to hone. We wish her the very best in her transition from doula work to somatic therapy!
Annica will also continue raising her two children, Linden and Rubin, managing the business here at Sprout & Blossom, working to bring the first green burial to Michigan, making beautiful art, advocating for birth equity, and offering photography sessions to clients old and new.
thank you, Annica
Annica, thank you. Thank you for being you, for encouraging others to be them, for advocating for the birth wishes of so many, and for continuing to use your light to inspire others. It is an honor to work alongside you, to have had you by our sides as we’ve birthed our babies into the world, and to know you, love you, and call you friend.
love from the sprout & blossom team
love from clients
“She is such a strong advocate for birthing people and really opened my eyes during our initial consultation. I left feeling like I had just made an instant new friend! She really took the time to educate my husband and me, and provided resources to make the best decisions.”
“Annica is warm, receptive, and knowledgeable. She makes you feel comfortable”
“I felt comfortable with her from the start. She helped me…feel like I had a voice in the process.”
“...from the first time my husband and I met her we fell in love!”
“Working with Annica was a complete joy from start to finish!”
“Annica has a calm and grounded presence. She offers warm and loving support and guidance and is an excellent listener!”
“Annica is such a genuine and caring person and it shows in her work.”