My Story
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I married my best friend, Joe, in 1994 and together we have four beautiful girls: Kayla, Shirah, Alissa, and Autumn. We are originally from upstate NY and have lived in the Charlotte area since 2007. My first three children were born in the hospital, while my youngest was born at home. With the exception of one, the deliveries were un-medicated and as natural as possible. For my first three children, I was not aware that I had any other options, so those birth stories reflect the medical nature of the present system.
Becoming a midwife was an accumulation of events in my life. I had considered the idea of being a CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife), but when I entertained the thought during rotations on the Labor and Delivery floor, it seemed impractical for me. When the option of midwifery was presented to me, I jumped in with both feet, knowing this was the missing piece!
Women were created to give birth!
“Imagine if our culture told us that birth was one of the greatest things a woman might ever do. Imagine if the stories and images we were exposed to taught us that labour is an incredible and transformational experience, a rite of passage into motherhood.” — Leonie MacDonald
Leonie inspires me as I continue to help women walk their unique
path into motherhood. What an honor to participate in this
powerful, intimate, and exciting transition that affects moms and
their families. It’s a beautiful moment when I can contribute to the perfect act of a woman yielding to her body and baby, while
witnessing two people love each other in a way that they couldn't
believe was possible. Nothing compares to the awe-inspiring
experience of a woman bringing forth her baby with an
empowering mighty roar. Life is good!
Training and Experience
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Licensed Midwife (LM) and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) through the National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM) since Sept 2011.
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Education completed through the Midwife To Be program. Received apprenticeship training in SC at the Carolina Community Maternity Center.
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Emergency Medical Services background as an EMT/Paramedic.
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Trained/Certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and spent several years caring for the special needs of a child with severe cerebral palsy.
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Attended 1000+ births.
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Extensive experience in home birth settings/high-volume birth centers.
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Skills updated within continuing education requirements set by NARM. Participation in peer reviews completed with other licensed midwifery professionals for accountability.
