The Birth of Berry Medicine
Berry Medicine Native BirthWork Initiatives began as Native American Initiatives (NAI), a program housed within Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies- Montana (HMHB), where foundational relationships, programming, and trust were built alongside Tribal communities across Montana in an effort to improve maternal health. Through this work, it became clear that Tribal programs and Native families were seeking culturally rooted approaches to maternal and infant health. Communities wanted approaches grounded in Traditional Knowledge and community care to use alongside western healthcare models.
As the vision and community engagement deepened, Berry Medicine emerged as a natural evolution of this work.
Today, Berry Medicine operates independently as a fiscally sponsored project, allowing time to build crucial infrastructure while continuing to serve communities with the centering of Native women’s leadership, decision-making, and cultural knowledge at the heart of our work.
This transition reflects a commitment to self-determination and ensures programs are shaped by the lived experiences and priorities of Indigenous mothers, birthworkers, and families.
Led by Native women from Montana, Berry Medicine uplifts matrilineal teachings and strengthens intergenerational pathways of care through supporting and promoting BirthWork, breastfeeding knowledge, and culturally grounded family wellness initiatives. Our work aligns closely with Thriving Women’s priorities by restoring birthkeeping practices, fostering leadership among Indigenous women, and supporting healing through kinship, food systems, and community-based spaces for mothers and children. Berry Medicine represents both continuity and transformation by honoring the relationships and foundation built within HMHB while stepping forward as a distinct, community-rooted effort dedicated to Indigenous women, families, and futures.