The Painting That Started It All: The Story Behind Nurture of Hyde Park

For some places, the story begins with a business plan. For Nurture, it began with a painting. The day we received the keys to our Hyde Park location, there were countless things to unpack, organize, and plan.

But before anything else… We brought in this painting.

It was the very first piece to enter Nurture.

Long before furniture.

Before décor.

Before equipment.

Before the signs went on the walls…because there is a story behind this painting.

Sixteen years ago, while I was pregnant with my fourth baby, I visited my midwife for what I assumed would be another routine prenatal appointment. Hanging on the wall in her office was a painting unlike anything I had ever seen. It was vibrant and full of life—a beautiful pregnant woman surrounded by brilliant colors and intertwined with handwritten affirmations that flowed across the canvas like vines.

At first glance, it was simply beautiful. But every time I returned for another prenatal visit, something extraordinary happened. Without fail, one affirmation would seem to leap off the canvas. Whatever fear, uncertainty, excitement, or question I happened to be carrying that day, the painting somehow answered it. One visit it reminded me to trust my body. Another visit it whispered courage. Other times it spoke of patience, joy, surrender, or the incredible strength already growing inside me.

I would leave each appointment feeling lighter than when I arrived—not just because of the wonderful care I received from my midwife, but because this painting had quietly become part of my own pregnancy journey. It reminded me that pregnancy isn’t only a physical experience. It’s emotional. It’s spiritual. It’s transformational.

Years later, life came full circle.

My dear friend—the same midwife whose office had become a place of peace for me—joined a medical mission team serving families in the Philippines. Before she left, she asked if I would care for the painting while she was away.

It felt like an incredible honor.

I proudly hung it in my own office, where I was teaching childbirth classes at the time and meeting privately with doula clients during their prenatal appointments. Once again, the painting did exactly what it had always done.

It became part of the conversation.

Expectant parents would naturally find themselves studying its colors, tracing the affirmations woven throughout the artwork, asking questions about the words, and reflecting on how mindset influences labor and birth.

Those conversations often led us into one of my favorite topics—the profound mind-body connection during pregnancy and childbirth.

How our thoughts influence our hormones. How relaxation changes labor. How confidence can replace fear. How a baby feels the emotional environment we create.

The day we received the keys to our Hyde Park location, there were countless things to unpack, organize, and plan.

But before anything else…That painting welcomed us home.

Today it hangs proudly inside Nurture of Hyde Park, where it continues doing exactly what it has always done—quietly encouraging women to trust themselves, believe in their bodies, and embrace pregnancy with confidence and joy.

When you visit us, take a few moments to stand in front of it.

Notice the rich colors.

Read the affirmations winding throughout the canvas.

See how they surround the expectant mother with light, hope, strength, and peace.

You may even discover that one of the messages was meant just for you.

More Than a Pregnancy Wellness Center

To us, this painting perfectly represents what Nurture was always meant to become: A place where women don’t have to navigate pregnancy alone.

A place where prenatal wellness extends far beyond a doctor’s appointment.

A place where education meets compassion, evidence-based care meets holistic support, and every family feels welcomed exactly as they are.

At Nurture of Hyde Park, we’ve created a collaborative space where expecting families can access many of the services they need throughout pregnancy and beyond—all under one roof.

Our growing team includes licensed massage therapists specializing in prenatal massage, experienced doulas, ultrasound professionals providing keepsake fetal bonding experiences, childbirth educators, and birth professionals who genuinely love caring for families. Whether you’re looking for prenatal education, labor support, bodywork therapies, emotional encouragement, or simply a place where someone understands what you’re experiencing, we’re here.

And if there’s a resource you need that we don’t personally provide, we’ll gladly help connect you with someone who does.

Our mission is simple:

To empower beautiful, meaningful, and empowering pregnancies through education, therapeutic bodywork, and deeply personalized support.

Meet the Founders

Nurture is truly a family dream.

I’m Erica Manto Paulson, Founder and CEO of Nurture. Since 2006, I’ve had the privilege of supporting more than 1,000 families through pregnancy and birth as a Certified Labor Doula; I am also a certified childbirth educator, doula trainer, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, HypnoBirthing educator, Prenatal Bonding (BA) Specialist, and maternal health advocate. My work has always centered on helping parents feel informed, confident, emotionally supported, and deeply connected throughout their pregnancy journey.

Beyond working directly with families, I’ve served on numerous maternal health organizations throughout Ohio, including the Ohio Doula Advisory Board, TriHealth Doula Advisory Group, Cincinnati Area Doula Society, Buckeye Birth Coalition, Dayton International Cesarean Awareness Network, and Dayton Area Labor Support. I’m also an author and poet, honored to be named Ohio Poet of the Year in 2022 for my poetry collection Hunger. Whether I’m supporting a birth or writing a poem, I believe stories have the power to heal—and every birth story deserves to begin with compassion.

Behind the scenes is my amazing husband, Scott Paulson, our CFO and one of Nurture’s biggest champions. Scott brings more than 25 years of experience in engineering, business development, and entrepreneurship, along with an MBA and a passion for creating organizations that genuinely serve their communities. In addition to leading successful businesses, Scott is a licensed pilot, serves as Trustee President of Washington Township, sits on the County Land Bank Board of Directors, and has dedicated years to community service and philanthropy. His thoughtful leadership ensures that Nurture remains sustainable, welcoming, and focused on exceptional experiences for every family who walks through our doors.

Together, we’re also parents to seven (yes—seven!) grown children in our beautifully blended family. We believe every family deserves individualized care. We believe no two pregnancies are alike. No two birth stories are alike. And every parent deserves to feel heard, respected, and supported.

Hyde Park felt like the perfect place to build Nurture because it’s where my own journey into motherhood began.

I welcomed my first two babies here, and these streets became the backdrop of my earliest days as a mom—walking with strollers, discovering local parks and coffee shops, and learning firsthand how important it is to have a supportive community during those transformative early years. Coming back to Hyde Park to create Nurture feels wonderfully full-circle. This neighborhood has always represented connection, family, and belonging to me, making it the perfect place to build a space where growing families can find education, encouragement, and compassionate care. It reflects everything Scott and I value: community, connection, supporting local businesses, and caring for one another.

We are proud Ohioans. And proud Cincinnatians.

Although our family spans both Dayton and Cincinnati, we’ve always loved calling Ohio home. We’re lifelong sports fans who proudly cheer on the Bengals, Reds, FC Cincinnati, and the Bearcats. We love exploring Cincinnati’s incredible restaurant scene, supporting local businesses, attending performances at our city’s world-class arts venues, visiting museums, discovering neighborhood festivals, and finding every excuse to spend time enjoying everything the Queen City has to offer.

We’d Love to Meet You

Whether you’re newly pregnant, preparing for birth, searching for a Cincinnati doula, interested in prenatal massage, looking for childbirth education, hoping to experience the incredible bond of seeing your baby during a keepsake ultrasound, or simply wanting a place where you feel genuinely supported—we hope you’ll stop by.

Come say hello.

Take a moment with the painting.

Browse our space.

Ask questions.

Share your story.

Because at Nurture, that’s where every meaningful relationship begins.

Thank you for being here. We are honored to be part of your journey and look forward to welcoming you into ours.