Journey To Midwifery
By Host of Journey to Midwifery Podcast
Journey To Midwifery May 15, 2024
Rose Watson-Ormond, CNM, North Carolina
Show notes:
Home birth practice: Haw River Midwifery
Book recommendation: Feed the Baby: An Inclusive Guide to Nursing, Bottle-Feeding, and Everything In Between
Yale Midwifery Program - RN to MSN in 3 years: Graduate Entry Pre-Specialty in Nursing (GEPN)
Home Birth Course: Empowering Midwifery
Dana Mclaren, CPM Colorado
Dana has been a midwife for over 30 years and has many words of wisdom to offer while sharing her story. It's always so insightful to learn and hear the stories of "seasoned" midwives!
Dana also wanted to share in the podcast that her friend and colleague from Windy Hill Midwifery, located in North Central Wisconsin, near Wasau is looking for experienced midwives, student midwives, and semi-retired midwives who are passionate about providing high-quality care and making a positive impact on our community. She can be reached at thestorkflysopportunity@gmail.com You can also check on Dana's very own podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/31eQBV6lUHwW9qZRHIYWKn?si=8f1143b9b9064c0c
James Austin V, CNM, Arizona
Carol Leonard, Midwife-Retired in Maine
Carol is another wonderful trailblazing midwife that has spent her career in the North Eastern part of the United States. She has not only done birth work, but blazed the trail for midwives to practice legally in her area. She has also participated in birth internationally and has written 2 books! She is enjoying retired life in the woods of Maine now, but all midwives today are thankful for women like Carol who have pathed the way for those of us practicing today.
An American Midwife in Moscow (you tube link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3GA5bsrMEk
Books:
Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart: A Midwife's Saga Bad Beaver Tales: Love and Life in Downeast Maine
Hayley Chrzastowski, OTD, OTR/L
Haley is not our typical guest on Journey to Midwifery, but she an amazing and wonderful perspective on having OT's (occupational therapists) as part of the prenatal/postpartum practice model for midwives. Hayley currently works with midwives at Tree of Life Midwifery for some fantastic collaborative care for their clients.
Check this episode out...guest hosted by Jamie from A Midwife Nation (thank you Jamie) and listen to this wonderful, passionate discussion about how to continue to support pregnancy and postpartum care.
Jamie Peleaz CNM, Tennessee
Jamie from A Midwife Nation is the guest podcast host again, interviewing Jamie Peleaz CNM who works at a birth center in TN (linked below) AND is faculty and the midwifery program at Loyola University (linked below). Jamie has lots of wisdom that she offered along the way and she has worked in quite a few places in the past 5 years. Jamie's sister Samantha Lawson was on in 2019-here is her podcast link as well https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/nF5jfGhiNGb
Streams of Life Birth Center https://www.streamsoflifebirthandwellness.com/
Loyola University Midwifery Program https://www.loyno.edu/academics/colleges/college-nursing-health/master-science-nursing-nurse-midwifery
Megan Frank, Student Nurse Midwife, California
Megan Frank, who is a very recent graduate and a SOON to be Certified Nurse Midwife shares her very tumultuous journey as a midwife student. I encourage ANY one looking into midwifery to listen to this episode to understand the realities of what happens during the graduate program. Megan is happy to be done and excited to start working as a CNM, but it was a hard road for her to get there. Thank you to Megan for sharing her VERY real story
Diane Thomas, Retired CNM
Jamie from A Midwife Nation is a guest host again with Diane Thomas, retired CNM. Diane is a prior collage of both Jamie and I and had LOTS of mentorship to offer when Jamie and I came through, she as a brand new midwife, and I was a student.
Diane shares her journey and long-time career of about 30 years before retiring. Be prepared to CRY as Diane shares two of her most memorable birth stories!!
Kelli MacAdam, CNM, Virginia
Kelli shares her journey to midwifery and starting in a practice with no other midwives, the challenges, and growth of that practice and what it is today. She offers some great advice for midwives that may be the first in a practice with only doctors, for midwives starting in a busy practice and for student's.
Cynthia Jaffe, Washington
Enjoy this fabulous interview, with Cynthia Jaffe, who is now retired after a long and rewarding career. This interview is done by guest host Jamie Guertin, founder of A Midwife Nation. Thanks to both for a another fantastic podcast episode.
Silvia Esparza, CNM, Texas
Silvia Esparza, CNM runs a solo out of hospital birth practice in Texas. She shares her journey to midwifery from active duty Navy corpsman to full scope practicing midwife today!
Laura Denman, CNM Seattle WA
Laura Denman is a midwife in the Seattle Washington area, who shares her journey and insight over her 36+ years career in midwifery.
Rebecca Feldman, CNM,PMHNP, Brooklyn
Rebecca Feldman is the owner and practices at Brooklyn Parent Support, a practice specializing in pregnant and postpartum mental health. She shares her journey to and through midwifery and how every piece of that journey led to her being prepared for her practice she has today.
https://brooklynparentsupport.com/
Judith S Mercer, PhD, FACNM, CNM
If you love research, this is the podcast for you! Judy has had a long, rewarding career with the last 20 years spent doing research, in particular with the benefits of delayed cord clamping. Judy is a brilliant woman with so much going on in her mind, she is fascinating! Here's a link that lists the many articles Judith has published:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Judith-Mercer
Cynthia Barger, CPM Wichita Kansas
www.wichitabirths.com/cynthia-barger-cpm1.html
Nancy Koerber, CPM, North Carolina
Meg Henschel, Retired CNM in North Carolina
Meg, CNM who is currently spending her retired years in North Carolina discusses her long career of over 40+ years as a midwife. She has cared for such a diverse population in the United States. She has done everything from birth, to family planning, to abortion care. She has some beautiful insights looking back at her career that we have the pleasure of hearing from her story. Thank you Meg for sharing your experiences and thoughts with this community!
Elizabeth Munoz, CNM, Illinois
Elizabeth "Liz" Munoz, CNM on to the podcast today to share her journey to midwifery from being in theatre as an actress, to feeling a change inside of her after seeing "The Business of Being Born." Liz shares her journey through school, her career past, current and really awesome FUTURE endeavors (yay for new schools of midwifery opening up!!). Finally, we talk about the birth of her own children and how they played a role in her practice as a midwife.
Christine Strothers, CPM, North Carolina
Christine shares her journey to midwifery from RN to CPM, and now educator along with continuing her home-birth practice. Here are links to the websites she discussed:
http://www.purebirthmidwifery.com/
https://www.carolinabirthjunkies.com/
Sarah Thompson, author of Functional Maternity
Sarah Thompson is the author of the book, Functional Maternity - Using Functional Medicine and Nutrition to Improve Pregnancy and Childbirth Outcomes.
She brings over 20 years of experience working directly with medical doctors in the fields of Pain Management, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and advanced studies in both Acupuncture and Functional Medicine. In this podcast she shares some pieces of her VAST knowledge toward prenatal nutrition and functional medicine. Sarah's book is a must-read and I hope you can enjoy a little sneak peak of what you'll learn in her book by listening to the podcast episode.
https://www.sacredvesselacupuncture.com/
Kelly & Tiffany, Beautiful One Midwifery, San Diego California
Kelly and Tiffany from Beautiful One Midwifery, based out of San Diego discuss their journey into midwifery and lots of talk about how they run their business sustainably and have an actual work/life balance as homebirth midwives
FREE Roadmap to Sustainable Midwifery guide: https://beautifulonemidwifery.mykajabi.com/roadmap-to-sustainability
Beautiful One Midwifery Website:
https://www.beautifulonemidwiferysandiego.com/
Lisa Goldstein, BFA, LM, RN, CNM, Retired
Lisa's journey to midwifery started in the 1950's which many turns along the way. She went from an informal "lay" midwife to eventually a CNM in the hills of North Carolina. Lisa shares her story to get her history recorded after several strokes and some memory loss. Her story is amazing and inspiring, and I am honored that she chose this platform to share it with everyone. Happy 76th Birthday on 2/25 to Lisa!
Link to Lisa's website
https://www.lisasremedies.com/about
Arielle Herron, CNM Connecticut
Arielle is a CNM in Connecticut and shares her journey of how she got tired of watching women treated in labor "by the rules" and wanted to provide care with autonomy. She is now at a wonderful collaborative practice that is fully supportive of midwifery care and patient choice
Cheryl Furer, CPM, Your Thriving Pregnancy
Cheryl is Certified Professional Midwife in Colorado and owner of Your Thriving Pregnancy (links below). Cheryl shares her journey and career path that has now culminated into starting Your Thriving Pregnancy, a fantastic online resource for pregnant families! Listen to hear more!
Links:
This is the link to the app and the Your Thriving Pregnancy Roadmap: Free 5 week Challenge: http://onelink.to/yourthrivingpreg (This link will take them to the web, Apple, or Google Play Store depending on their device)
They can also find out more about us here: https://yourthrivingpregnancy.com/
Instagram: Your Thriving Pregnancy (@yourthrivingpregnancy) • Instagram photos and videos
Facebook: Your Thriving Pregnancy | Facebook
Belinda Lashea, CNM, North Carolina
www.facebook.com/bearrootmidwife/
IG @bearrootmidwife
Angela Lugiano, Retired CNM, North Carolina
This episode is with Angela Lugiano who is a retired CNM with over 40 years of experience in birth work. She shares her journey and many words of wisdom along the way. I hope you will take the time to hear the advice and story of an experienced midwife. (This is an updated and re-recorded version of Angela's journey, if her story sounds familiar to you.)
Pamela Hetrick, CNM, Cleveland OHIO
This episode is with Pamela, a CNM that has been in practice for 18 years. She shares her journey, her experiences, and resources available to her community for both clients and midwives. Check it out!
Heather, Midwife, Scotland
In this episode I get to talk with Heather, who was born and raised on Scotland and has been a practicing registered midwife for over 7 years. She and I talk about her journey, the differences of midwifery pathway and practice in the U.K versus the U.S, and some talk of the massive midwife shortage happening in the U.K. It was super fun to have this chat with Heather!
Jessica Johnston, CPM Alaska - Pacific Birth Institute
Links below mentioned in the show:
pacificbirthinstitute.com/ Use the code “JOURNEY “ for 10% off!
www.facebook.com/pacificbirthinstitute
www.instagram.com/pacificbirthinstitute/?hl=en
Marielle Tomlin, CNM, Lancaster PA
Marielle Tomlin is a CNM practicing in rural Lancaster PA. She is the new sole owner of WomanKind Midwifery and is venturing her first year of practice AND business ownership! She shares her journey to midwifery and how she balances life with a busy homebirth practice with upwards of 15-20 births a MONTH! Here are links to her social media pages as well. Marielle is on a mission to spread the word and beauty of physiologic birth.
https://www.facebook.com/womankindmidwiferyllc
IG: @SimplyMamaLLC
TikTok SImplyMamaLLC
Deidre DeGrado, CPM, Kansas
Stephanie, CNM @Doctor_Midwife is in Alabama!
This episode is with Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, CNM, DNP and very soon to be CPM. She is on Instagram as @doctor_midwife. Stephanie interviewed originally in Dec 2019 sharing her Journey to Midwifery...you should definitely go check that interview out, it's under "REPLAY..." This episode is an update on Stephanie's journey over the last 24 months and how she has moved from Boston to Alabama, taken steps to get her CPM licensure and open a free-standing birth center in Alabama, AND written a book! She's been busy!
Birth Sanctuary IG page....go to make donations!
https://instagram.com/the.birth.sanctuary?utm_medium=copy_link
IG page for @doctor_midwife https://instagram.com/doctor_midwife?utm_medium=copy_link
Link for Stephanie's book:
Carolyn Gegor, CNM Ultrasound for Midwives
Carolyn is a CNM with a long history of midwifery and birth work, dating back into the 1970. She has part in theicipated writing of Varney's Midwifery, she has been in clinical practice, has taught and led the midwifery program at Georgetown, and is currently the owner and instructor of Ultrasound for Midwives--an excellent course offering both didactic and hands-on skills for midwives. Check out the episode and links below to ultrasound course website.
https://www.ultrasoundformidwives.com/about-1
Megan Gross CNM, Iowa
Megan Gross is a CNM in Dubuque Iowa that owns her own practice specializing in fertility care, hormone balancing and much more. In this episode, Megan shares her journey and why she loves having her own practice. We chat about midwifery, motherhood, kids and more. This was a super fun "coffee date" chat with Megan and I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed chatting.
Astrid Grove, CPM, Birthroot Midwifery, Colorado
Astrid is a Certified Professional Midwife practicing midwifery in the paradise community of SteamBoat Springs, CO. She also is a teacher of herbal medicine and has a Women's Herbal Gathering retreat coming up very soon (see links below). Astrid shares her journey to midwifery and how herbal medicine plays a role in her every day life and practice as a midwife.
Astrid's website: www.astridgrove.com
Link to the Herbal Women's Retreat: www.redearthherbalgathering.com
For cottonroot bark tincture: https://www.wishgardenherbs.com
Sharon Holley, DNP, CNM, FACNM, Bay State Medical Center, Massachusetts
Sharon shares her Journey to Midwifery that starts in Alabama and will come full circle back to Alabama! What is up with Midwifery care in Alabama?? Take a listen to this episode to hear some insights into that. Sharon is currently the Chief Director of the Midwifery program at Bay State but has some big future plans to improve Midwifery care in Alabama! She also shares some great words of wisdom she has gained from her many years of practice and in Midwifery education. Thank you Sharon! (**Please note the error in my opening statement, Bay State is NOT a University, it would be correctly stated as "Bay State Medical Center")
Here's a link to more information about Sharon:
https://www.baystatehealth.org/education-research/education/umms-baystate-campus/academic-departments/obstetrics-gynecology/holley
For those of you who asked me, If you want to donate to the podcast, here's a venmo link:
@amber-wilson-315
Bethany Arrington, CNM, Genesis Birth and Wellness, South Carolina
Bethany Arrington is a Certified Nurse Midwife and owner of Genesis Birth and Wellness, a home-birth practice in Greenville, South Carolina. She is currently the only black-owned home-birth practice in her area, and very proud of that fact! She shares her Journey to Midwifery and her lessons learned opening a home-birth practice.
Link to Bethany's website:
https://genesisbirthandwellness.com/
IG: @Genesisbirthandwellness
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Genesis-Birth-and-Wellness-109077667638359
Kristine Laurie, Midwife Without Boundaries
Want to take a trip around the world and practice Midwifery? Take a listen to Kristine's Journey to Midwifery and her amazing career in humanitarian work. She shares stories of traveling with her young son, living the life of a humanitarian midwife and her recent work with Doctors without Boarders.
A link to Kristine's Blog: https://midwifewithoutboundaries.wordpress.com/
A link to Doctor's Without Boarders to learn more about careers as a midwife with them: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/careers/work-overseas/find-role/midwives
Mari-Carmen Farmer, CNM, Philadelphia
Mari-Carmen Farmer, MSN, CNM, WHNP-BC works in Philadelphia as a midwife. She shares her 22 year long journey to midwifery, entangled with working, motherhood, growing her family and the loss of a child. Mari-Carmen continues her work in anti-racism and inclusion in birth work, and shares her philosophy and perspective on this subject, as well as some projects she is doing to advocate this work within the community. If you are interested in learning more about Mari-Carmen's work you can email her at midwifeymaestra@gmail.com or find her on IG @mc_mama_osa https://www.instagram.com/mc_mama_osa/
Sukey Krause, CNM, Director of Baystate Medical Midwifery Education Program, Massachusetts
Sukey Krause, MSN, CNM, FACNM is the Director of the Midwifery Education Program at Baystate Medical Center and Assistant Professor, UMass Medical School. She shares her journey to midwifery and her thoughts on midwifery education and WHY we need MORE education programs, as well as ideas on how to get that going! If you work for an academic medical center and want to get a midwifery program started, this is a great episode for you!
Catherine, CNM, Retired
Catherine is a retired CNM with a varied career in hospital, home birth, a military career and motherhood. She offers insight and lessons learned through her journey to midwifery and throughout midwifery. Listening to experienced midwives is a great lesson for all of us newer to the career, and I'm so thrilled she was willing to share her story. She also creates some beautiful pregnancy glass art work now and you can find her on @cjonescnm at IG, I will also be sharing some of her artwork on my page as well.
Katie Page, CNM, Virginia ACNM President
Have you ever wanted to chat with your ACNM chapter president? Have you ever wanted to chat with a midwife involved in legislative work? Well, on this episode, you get BOTH!! Katie is an experienced CNM with a wealth of knowledge and a giving heart! You will love hearing her speak and tell her story of advocacy work for midwives in Virginia, as well as her own personal journey to midwifery. You can find her on IG at @virginiaacnm
Yvonne Heavyside, Lactation Consultant Hong Kong
Yvonne Heavyside, a British trained Health Visitor, lactation consultant and community nurse who has more than 35 years working experience in obstetrics, health visiting, lactation advice, family planning and maternal and child health nursing owns and operates the Family Zone, a home visiting business that supports postpartum families in Hong Kong. In this interview, Yvonne and I talk about how she came to be in Hong Kong and and her many years of stories and experiences with the families of Hong Kong. Wonderful episode packed full of cultural diversity!
Link to Yvonne's business page:
https://thefamilyzone.hk/about-us/about-us/
Augustine Colebrook, Midwife @MidwiferyWisdom
THIS INTERVIEW! Augustine opens up to her very emotional and vulnerable path to midwifery and includes all the amazing work she has done along the way. Much of it with deep sacrifices. We can all learn from story's like Augustine and I am deeply thankful she came on to share this journey with all of us. You can check out her links below...
https://www.midwiferywisdom.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MidwiferyWisdomCollective
IG: @MidwiferyWisdom and @artofbirthing
Dr. Rachel Reed, Midwife Thinking, Australia
This episode is with Dr. Rachel Reed, a UK and Australian midwife. She is the host of the podcast "A Midwife's Cauldron" and writes a blog "MIDWIFE THINKING." This is a great episode with Dr Reed who shares her journey, the differences of midwifery in the UK vs Australia, her PhD research (which is AMAZING!!) her blog, her podcast and books. Please listen you will love this! Then hop on over to the Midwife's Cauldron podcast and check that out too!
https://midwifethinking.com/
Lexi, CNM, Michigan
This is Lexi's short and sweet story of how she was called to Midwifery! She is currently practicing just outside of Detroit Michigan. Take a listen to her story, and thanks Lexi for sharing it!
Janelle Alier, CNM, Paris Mountain Midwifery, South Carolina
Check her out in Instagram at www.instagram.com/parismountainmidwifery/
Hilary Schlinger CNM, MS, CPM-Retired
Hilary Schlinger shares her journey toward becoming "all the midwives." She also deeply discussed the alphabet soup of midwifery in the United States and thoughts on how to make midwifery ONE community. This is a great discussion with wonderful insight from Hilary, from the history of midwifery to current education. Check it out! The 2 books she mentions are:
The Midwife's Tale: An Oral History from Handywoman to Professional Midwife by Nicky Leap and Billie HunterEpiduralized Birth and Nurse-Midwifery: Childbirth in the United States. A Medical Ethnography First Edition by Maureen May PhD (Author)
Cassandra Aho, Midwife, Intimate Partner Violence expert
Cassandra Aho, Midwife and owner of Midnight Midwifery discussed her journey to midwifery and her passion for educating others in Intimate partner violence. She brings her past experience into the birth work and how IPV impacts birthing families so greatly. Give this episode a listen and anticipate Cassandra's COURSE coming out very soon! Listen for details and find her at
https://www.facebook.com/MidnightMidwifery/
email: Midnightmidwifery@gmail.com
Stacy V, CPM Oak Grove Midwifery, Wisconsin
Stacy V, a CPM with over 30 years of experience in on the podcast today!! She is the owner of Oak Grove Midwifery in Wisconsin. She shares her journey of being a midwife in the early 90's and how that has shaped her calling today of archiving midwifery records! Here is a link below to her amazing presentation on the this future undertaking! https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/e0ylwpia73m/?mode=movie4
and a facebook inforgraphic.... https://www.facebook.com/motherofsalad/posts/10158841923591740