My journey into midwifery started with the birth of my first child Oliana, who was born by cesarean after planning a homebirth. That birth left me excited to be a mother but also confused about healing and breastfeeding. I had a lot of support in the postpartum including from our local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) chapter. Community was important in healing and building me up as a mother during my early parenting years and community is what drives me today. In 2009 I stated my birth career by attending a Birthing From Within training in Austin learning the art of mentoring new parents through the childbearing year. In 2011 my youngest child Silas was born at home. I stepped back from birth work during my pregnancy and the years after he was born. I found I needed a lot of quiet contemplation during this time and he needed a lot of time with me. In 2014 I attended toLabor doula training and started a midwifery apprenticeship with CHOICE. In 2018 I became a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) specialized in out of hospital birth.
I live in Columbus with my two children, bernedoodle, cat and multiple aquarium shrimp and fish. I love houseplants and growing food. I’m an avid reader and researcher and keep up with current research around the pregnancy year. I take multiple trainings a year to broaden my knowledge base. I support clients seeking homebirth and monitrice care in the Columbus, Ohio metro area and offer online coaching sessions to people who live outside of my radius of roughly an hour. I have a special interest in families planning a VBAC and HBAC (Vaginal/Home Birth After Cesarean). I am an Army veteran serving 4 years on active duty in Germany and 3 years in the reserves in Columbus. I have an undergraduate degree from Ohio State in Political Science and Women’s Studies (now Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies).
Memberships I currently am part of:
Birthworkers of Central Ohio
Ohio Midwives Alliance
National Association of Certified Professional Midwives, Ohio Chapter (on the board since 2018)
Ohio Perinatal Mental Health Task Force
Birthing From Within