The 2026 Colorado Maternity Excellence Award Winners
The Colorado Maternity Excellence Awards honor the top doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, birth centers, prenatal trainers, pelvic floor therapists, and community advocates serving Colorado families. The 2026 inaugural winners were nominated and voted on by Colorado moms, families, and fellow providers across the Denver metro and the state. Seven winners were selected across seven categories spanning the full prenatal and postpartum journey, from pregnancy fitness through birth, feeding support, and physical recovery.
Rachelle Pulver Wellness
The Community Impact Award
Rachelle Pulver is a perinatal health and fitness coach and birth doula who walks alongside women through one of the most profound seasons of their lives, helping them train safely through pregnancy, prepare for labor and birth, and recover stronger in the postpartum period. Through Rachelle Pulver Wellness, she guides her clients to feel strong, confident, and fully themselves as they step into motherhood. If you’re looking for support on your journey, she’d love to connect with you.
Best Feeding Support
The Milk Academy
The Milk Academy is a compassionate, expert-led lactation practice supporting families across all feeding journeys in the Denver metro area. We take a comprehensive, root-cause approach to our care where we consider feeding, oral function, and your baby's comfort to understand the "why" behind challenges and guide care. We serve parents and babies in all scenarios, helping you move forward with clarity and confidence while honoring your intuition.
The Prenatal Strength Award
Commit Fitness
Commit Fitness is a Denver-based strength training studio specializing in prenatal and postpartum fitness, founded by Erica Wald, creator of the HER fitness platform. After years in the industry and navigating pregnancy and postpartum herself, Erica built a system that goes beyond "just staying active" — focused on core, pelvic floor, and intentional strength training that supports real outcomes. For the past 6+ years, our team has helped hundreds of women train safely, reduce pain, and feel strong through pregnancy, birth, and recovery. From first trimester through postpartum, our programs are designed to support women in one of the most demanding seasons of life.
Rooted Pelvic Physiotherapy
Best Body Recovery
Rooted Pelvic Physiotherapy is a collective of highly specialized occupational and physical therapists supporting moms throughout pregnancy and postpartum with thoughtful, evidence-based care.
We are proud to be the largest in-home pelvic floor therapy company in Denver, offering a holistic, whole-body approach that helps mothers feel strong, supported, and confident throughout motherhood.
Best Birth Support
Intuitive Birth Doulas
Intuitive Birth is dedicated to supporting women and families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with compassionate, personalized care. We believe birth is both a physical and deeply intuitive experience, and we help clients feel informed, empowered, and confident in their journey. Through education, emotional support, and holistic guidance, we create a calm and trusting space where families can make choices that align with their values. Our mission is to honor every birth story with connection, strength, and care.
HCA HealthONE Rose Medical Center
Best Birth Space
HCA HealthONE Rose has earned its reputation as Denver's "Baby Hospital," delivering more babies than any other hospital in the city for more than 70 years. The team is dedicated to creating a safe, meaningful experience for every family, with a 422-bed Level IV trauma center, comprehensive women's services, and Magnet-designated nursing care.
Rose has been recognized 12 times as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals by IBM Watson Health and is the only hospital in Colorado to earn an "A" safety grade by Leapfrog every year since the program's inception. Founded in 1945 by a group of Denver community leaders committed to building a hospital free of discrimination, Rose continues that legacy of inclusive, family-centered care today.
Best Midwifery Care
Virginia Nagel, CNM
Virginia Nagel is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) based in Lafayette, Colorado, dedicated to empowering women through education and compassionate care at every stage of life. She takes a holistic approach to women's health, supporting patients from adolescence and family planning through pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause.
Virginia values open communication and collaborative care, working closely with each patient to build a personalized plan aligned with their health goals and values. She joined Intermountain Health in 2025 and delivers babies at Intermountain Health Good Samaritan Hospital, drawn there by the team's openness, tools, and support for low-intervention, natural childbirth.