The Story of Us

A Spark That Became a Collective

Every collective begins with a spark, a moment when paths cross and something larger than the individuals begins to take shape. For us, Atlanta Birth Collective grew from two parallel journeys that converged into a shared vision: that families deserve more than a single set of hands or eyes. They deserve the strength, balance, and artistry of a team.

Our Beginnings

I (Maegan) first picked up a camera when my daughter was born. What began as photographing my own family quickly grew into friends asking for sessions, and eventually, I was invited into the birth space itself. I was only twenty, but even then I knew this was something I was meant to do: take care of moms. I ended up having five children, and with each birth I learned something new. I chose to have doulas beside me, and those experiences only deepened my commitment to this work. What started with art and a camera grew into a lifelong calling to serve families during one of the most important days of their lives.

For Milene, the beginning was her own births. After her first didn’t go as she had hoped, she prepared differently for her second, and the experience transformed her. Across her four births, she fell in love with the world of birth itself. The steady presence of her doula, both in support and in the photographs she created, became her inspiration. She saw clearly that this work could be both a calling and a career.

Meeting Each Other

We found each other the way so many connections start now — online. I reached out, nudged by something I couldn’t ignore, and from there the friendship grew. Milene remembers being intimidated at first, but that feeling dissolved into recognition of a soul-sister. I saw her depth, her strength, and knew she would someday be my partner.

From Friendship to Partnership

What began as friendship became partnership. Every time we worked alongside each other, we felt it: the ease, the trust, the balance. We didn’t just want to support families, we wanted to create something that could sustain us, too!

Why the Collective Matters

That’s where the idea of the collective was born. Birth work is sacred, but it is also demanding. The on-call lifestyle can be exhausting, and too many birth workers burn out. We wanted a better way, one that serves families and keeps us strong and rested. By swapping call, one of us is always fresh, present, and ready to give our best. Families never wonder who will walk through the door. They can trust that the care, artistry, and advocacy will feel seamless either way.

Creating Margin for Life

This model also gives us something rare in birth work: margin. It allows us to make and keep our own personal appointments without guilt, to show up fully for our families at home, and even to attend the births of our previous clients, something most solo doulas can’t promise once their calendar fills. Instead of having to choose between self-care, family, and client commitments, the collective makes space for all of it.

Looking Ahead

But the vision doesn’t stop with us. We see Atlanta Birth Collective as a place of mentorship and growth. A place where younger doula-photographers can be trained, supported, and brought into a model that honors both the families and the birth workers who serve them. Luxury care isn’t just about the families, it’s also about building sustainable systems so that their doulas and photographers can thrive, too.

Our Legacy Together

Today, Atlanta Birth Collective is the result of years of dreaming, building, and trusting. Families who invite us into their births receive more than documentation or support, they receive the assurance of a collective. They are held by a partnership designed to endure, with the strength of two experienced women and the vision of something even larger than ourselves.

Because the story of us isn’t just ours. It’s every family we serve, every birth we honor, and every doula and artist who will one day continue the work of this collective.