Why did you decide to become an Midwife?
I have always been drawn to the amazing process of pregnancy and birth. Soon after becoming pregnant in 2003, I was hooked. Looking for any excuse to learn more about birth and be around this amazing experience. I felt so empowered by my births and believe every woman has that right. I also became very passionate about the baby's experience. As a midwife and monitrice I provide holistic, one-on-one care for families, empowering them and working with them to make informed decisions about their bodies and babies. It is my goal to help families come together to create a safe and peaceful birth experience.
Do you provide Monitirce Care, what is that exactly?
When I set out to focus on my midwifery practice I missed supporting women in the hospital. Not everyone wants to or can have a home birth for various reasons. I love to bring those two worlds together. More and more doctor are telling their patients to stay home as long as possible. A monitrice is a unique combination of a doula and a midwife. They provide all the same physical and emotional support of a doula but can also help monitor mother and baby safely while laboring at home. A monitrice can monitor baby’s heart rate, take the mothers vitals and even check cervical dilation if requested. You even have the option of laboring in a birth tub before going into the hospital. A monitrice will accompany you to the hospital and continue to provide emotional and physical support as a doula. This may be the perfect option for families who still wish to birth in a hospital but like the idea of extra support and laboring at home. My clients are thrilled to have this unique specialty available to them when a home birth just isn’t in the cards.
What training do you have?
I have been a Licensed Midwife, licensed by the Medical Board of California since 2012. I received my degree in Holistic Midwifery from the Nizhoni Institute of Midwifery. This includes training in baby care, breastfeeding, herbs, homeopathy, and other holistic modalities. I am a DONA certified doula, and a Certified Educator of Infant Massage, certified by the International Association of Infant Massage. Over the years I have worked as a birth assistant at a local birth center and apprenticed with local midwives doing homebirths. I have attended hundreds of births and have experience at home, in the hospital and at birth centers. My Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare providers and Neonatal Resuscitation is always kept up to date. I am committed to my continuing education, attending classes, workshops and conferences that help keep me up to date on the latest research in the field.
What is your philosophy about birth?
I strongly believe in the birthing mother's right to experience this rite of passage in a peaceful and loving environment. I believe a women's birth experience begins the moment she becomes pregnant. I believe the love and support she receives throughout the pregnancy is equally as important as the birth itself. I believe birth is as much of, if not more of an emotional process as it is a physical process. I believe a woman empowered by her own birth will take that confidence and let it make her an even greater mother than she could have imagined.
"Remember this, for it is as true as true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body." - Ina May Gaskin
What other services do you offer?
In addition to full service doula and midwifery prenatal care, I offer postpartum support as well as placenta encapsulation. For more information visit our sister sites www.ocdoulas and www.ocplacentaencapsulation.com
