Pictured from left: Melissa Holmquist, Marquette County Ambassador; Hanna Westra, LSCP Outreach and Development Specialist; Melinda Britton, Rooted: Nourished Beginnings Co-Founder/Owner; Heather Sullivan, Rooted: Nourished Beginnings Co-Founder/Owner; Jamie Kitchen Rooted: Nourished Beginnings Co-Founder/Owner; Sally Davis, City of Marquette Commissioner; Susan Estler, Marquette County Ambassador; Rachel Raak, LSCP Community Economic Development Coordinator; Randy Larson, Marquette County Ambassador. (Photo courtesy of Lake Superior Community Partnership)

MARQUETTE — Rooted: Nourished Beginnings celebrated the opening of its postpartum education and home visiting service with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.

Hosted in partnership with the Lake Superior Community Partnership, the event highlighted the important resources available to pregnant and postpartum families in Marquette County.

Rooted: Nourished Beginnings was co-founded by Jamie Kitchel, Certified Nurse-Midwife; Heather Sullivan, Licensed Master Social Worker; and Melinda Britton, Certified Doula. The team combines their unique expertise and shared training in lactation counseling and perinatal mental health to offer well-rounded, compassionate care.

According to a Thursday press release, the business provides families with postpartum planning classes during pregnancy, which cover topics such as postpartum physical recovery, mental health, lactation and infant feeding, and a dedicated class designed specifically for partners.

Following birth, Rooted: Nourished Beginnings offers home visits through 16 weeks postpartum or longer – depending on when clients begin care – to support families during their transition, monitor family wellbeing, assist with breastfeeding and connect families to additional resources as needed.

Rooted: Nourished Beginnings offers a sliding scale option for its services, making postpartum care more accessible for families across the region, through grant funding from Upper Peninsula Health Care Solutions.

“Our goal is to help families feel supported, informed, and connected during one of life’s biggest transitions,” said co-founder Jamie Kitchel in a press release. “We’re excited to share our services with the community and provide a much-needed resource for new and growing families in Marquette County.”

More information about Rooted: Nourished Beginnings and its services can be found on its website at rootedmqt.com or by following the active Facebook and Instagram pages.