Embers to Empowerment: The Womb Room Reopens in Govans, Expanding Community-Centered Perinatal Care After Hampden Fire

Baltimore, Maryland, Jan. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — After sustaining water damage during the massive November 2025 fire at Keswick Castle in Hampden, The Womb Room, a Baltimore-based perinatal wellness center, has officially resumed in-person programming at a new temporary home inside The Accelerator Space in Govans, just 12 minutes from its former location. No injuries occurred during the fire, and none of The Womb Room’s yoga, education, or clinical equipment was damaged.

Womb Room Parent Support Circle

While the fire displaced several businesses within the historic Keswick Castle building, The Womb Room’s services never stopped. Leveraging its integrated virtual infrastructure and mobile care model, the organization continued supporting families throughout the transition, while simultaneously securing a new physical space to restore in-person community connection.

“As a business, we’ve faced our share of challenges from navigating Covid, the pains of growth, and now our recent building fire,” said Karen Kindig, LCSW-C, Owner of The Womb Room. “And yet somehow, we keep coming out more resilient and stronger than before. Thanks to the support from our community.”

Following the fire, the Baltimore community rallied around The Womb Room with an outpouring of care, sharing messages of encouragement, contributing to a GoFundMe campaign, and offering temporary space options. That collective response, staff members say, reinforced what has always been at the heart of the organization: community as a critical component of family wellness.

“One of the biggest problems we as parents face is the belief that we are the only ones who are struggling,” Kindig shared. “The most important words someone can hear are ‘you’re not alone’ or ‘me too.’ This is why support and community are at the heart of everything we do.”

Founded to provide holistic, trauma-informed, and emotionally supportive care across the full perinatal journey, from fertility through parenthood, The Womb Room is one of the only centers in Maryland offering such comprehensive services under one roof or remotely. Its model allows families to access therapy, doulas, yoga, lactation support, and childbirth education in coordinated, culturally competent ways, inclusive of all identities and family structures.

“This individualistic, ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ culture often makes parents feel like they’re failing, when really we were never meant to do this alone,” Kindig added. “We cannot wait for the government to provide this support. The Womb Room exists to normalize the many challenges that can come with every stage of reproduction and to ensure families don’t have to navigate them in isolation.”

The move to The Accelerator Space marked not just a logistical shift, but an emotional one for staff and families alike.

“I was first a client in the Keswick Castle studio many years ago. That space held me through both of my pregnancies,” said Morgan Affayroux, a longtime member, and Community Development Director, “Losing it was deeply heartbreaking. But amid that loss, something powerful became clear: The Womb Room was never just a studio. It was and still is a community of extraordinary people.”

Affayroux described finding the new Govans location as a moment of trust and alignment. “I made one call, trusted my intuition, and asked if the studio we now occupy, one not typically available for long-term use, might consider opening its doors to us. We were welcomed with open arms and moved in just days later.”

Staff members say the new space has already begun fulfilling its purpose. “Watching connections form, hearing conversations unfold, and seeing the little ones who fill the room reminds me this space is doing exactly what it was meant to do,” Affayroux said.

Beyond its core services, The Womb Room is also gaining national attention for its innovative Grandparents Class, an online offering designed to educate the parents of new parents on today’s parenting science. The class covers consent, shame-free parenting, infant sleep and feeding, and updated safety guidelines, blending evidence-based information with humor and compassion.

Now drawing more than 20 grandparent couples per session, the class is growing rapidly through word of mouth and has become a powerful tool for building intergenerational bridges.

“Whenever I’m at the studio taking photos, I hear firsthand how deeply families are impacted by the care we offer,” said Christen Schritter. “This fire showed that we are more than just a building, we are a team of parents walking hand in hand with other parents.”

Clients echo that sentiment. “The Womb Room has been an invaluable resource as we prepared for our first child,” shared Molly Standeven. “Its focus on building community normalized our fears and empowered us to advocate for ourselves.”

Another client, Julianne Ohanian, added, “I felt so taken care of and prepared every step of the way. I feel so lucky to have a place like The Womb Room in Baltimore; they do so much for the new babies and baby parents of our city.”

Today, The Womb Room continues to serve families throughout Baltimore, surrounding counties, Maryland, Washington, DC, and online. Its full schedule of in-person, virtual, and mobile services is updated regularly on its website.

About The Womb Room
The Womb Room is a Baltimore-based perinatal wellness center offering holistic, trauma-informed support through fertility, pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Services include mental health therapy, doula care, childbirth education, lactation consulting, yoga, prenatal massage, pregnancy retreats, and virtual and in-home support. Deeply rooted in the Baltimore community, The Womb Room serves families across Maryland, Washington, DC, and beyond.

The Womb Room – Wellness Center for Parents in Baltimore

Media Contact:
Karen Kindig, LCSW-C
Email: Karen@WombRoom.Mom
Phone: 410-450-4600
Website: https://wombroom.mom/

CONTACT: Media Contact:
Karen Kindig, LCSW-C
Email: Karen@WombRoom.Mom
Phone: 410-450-4600
Website: https://wombroom.mom/