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Hi! I’m looking forward to making connections with families like yours. Let’s dive in together…

My personal birth experiences

My first pregnancy at age 23 led to a vaginal birth in a hospital with several interventions under OB/GYN care and birth trauma. My first postpartum seemed to drag on for years due to PPD/PPA; even still, the nurturing aspects of motherhood came so naturally. Breastfeeding was a bit of an experiment: I had no exposure to it prior to latching on my own baby for the first time, but little did I know, he wouldn’t be weaned for six more years!

This whole era was a challenge, a call to action… leading to what, I had yet to discover. Later in my fledgling mothering days, a feeling came almost out of the blue but I was so at home with it: a passion to aid others in this same phase of life, those preparing to navigate the deep seas of child-birthing and child-raising wisdom. It was only after my second pregnancy when I realized that dreamy feeling was a real marker along my path.

My second pregnancy, at age 27, culminated in a midwife-assisted, ecstatic and painless home waterbirth. Postpartum was blissful, a priority on self-care rose to the forefront, I enjoyed an improved ability to build a support system, and I languished in bonding with both of my growing boys.

Each of my sons’ births transformed my life in positive and meaningful ways, though they were very different experiences. One proved I was capable of facing my fears and the other showed me what happens when I’m fearless!

Enamored by birth

So let’s get back to that dreamy feeling I mentioned!

I think the story of birth is what hooked me, what anchored me into the birth community. The story of birth lingers with us long after our own day with it has passed. We hand the story down through generations and it’s the story that ignites a will, belief, and instinctual charge in birthers to respond to these summons into parenthood and grow infinitely more empowered from it.

I love words, knowledge, and all the neat connections we make between our clever brains and the instincts often buried in our guts. And I’ve seen that we use language, traditions, evidence, and emotional genetics to tell the story of birth again and again, always in unique expression, because it always involves brand new people.

There is so much to say about birth, so much to know, so much to feel about how it alters our lives. I hope you will feel as enamored as I am with the big bang that will be your  birth story.

A little more about me

I’m mama wolf to two delightfully wild homeschooled (unschooled) boys, a book collector, film junkie, animal snuggler, Scrabble queen, deliverer of dry humor, and novelist wannabe!

Philosophy

I believe:

• The best possible outcome will occur in every situation.
• Everything happens for good, compelling reason.
• Natural, unmedicated birth is achievable for most, but there are valid circumstances in which medical assistance is warranted for the healthiest outcome for babies and those who birth them.
• How people prepare for birth makes a measurable difference.
• …as does the manner in which people are treated in birth.
• If people don’t make their own birth choices, others will make the choices for them.
• A birthing person is a whole human who deserves to be cared for as such, not as a collection of parts.
• Childbirth is often a peak landmark in the emotional, sexual, and psychological realms of a person’s life.
• Pregnancy doesn’t end with birth; we can’t neglect the Fourth Trimester!

Relevant Activities

Certifications

• Bachelor’s Degree – Journalism/Communications, University of Houston, 2011
• Birth Boot Camp Instructor Certified
• Birth Boot Camp Doula Certified
• Rebozo Novice Certified – Gena Kirby University, 2019
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Certified
• CPR Certified – American Academy of CPR and First Aid, Inc.
• Placenta Specialist – Sage Beginnings, 2020
• Pending – Stillbirthday Birth & Bereavement Doula Certification, to be completed 2020

Conferences, Workshops & Trainings

(partial list)

• La Leche League of Texas Area Conference (with Dr. Jack Newman), 2014
• Birth Without Fear Conference, 2014
• Association of Texas Midwives Conference, 2015
• La Leche League Area Conference, 2016
• “Pleasurable Birth: Rediscovering the Sexuality of Reproduction” with Anna Caffery, 2016
• “The Amazing Placenta” Anatomy & Physiology workshop with Cole Deelah, 2019
• LLL of Texas Seminar: “Infant Feeding in Emergencies” & “Breastfeeding and Diversity,” 2019
• Traditional Postpartum Practitioner Training Workshop with Valerie Lynn (“The Mommy Plan”), 2019
• Spinning Babies 2-Day Workshop with Rachel Shapiro, 2019
• Massage in Labor Workshop by Susan Young, CD, PCD, LMT, 2020
• “Trauma-Informed Birth & Postpartum Support” workshop with BIRTH360, 2020
• “Doulas at a Distance” webinar, Penny Simkin, 2020
• Virtual Doula Course by Doula Moula, 2020
• “Healthy All Year” course by Aviva Romm MD, Healthiest Kids University, 2020
• La Leche League of Texas Area Conference, 2020
• The Birth Warrior Project, doula training by Indie Birth, 2020

Events

(partial list)

Educational table host at:

• BIRTH Fair, 2014-19
• Association of Texas Midwives Conference, 2015
• Peaceful Parenting booth, Babies R Us, 2015
• Big Latch On, 2015 & 2016
• Great Cloth Diaper Change, 2016 & 2018
• Human Rights Day Festival, 2016-19

Roles

• Breastfeeding blog author, MamasMilkNoChaser.com, since 2014
• Director, Intact Houston & Intact Texas, since 2014
• Board of Directors, Saving Our Sons/The Intact Network, 2016-2017
• Director, Intact Vegan Network, since 2017

Appearances

• Abdominal Connections DVD (diastasis recti postnatal treatment), 2014
• Whole Mother Radio Show, 2017 & 2018
• Parent With Purpose Radio Show, 2018

Awards

• Top 75 Lactation Blog [Top 20], 2017-20

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