American Nurses Association (ANA)

Association of Texas Midwives (ATM)

Austin Childbirth Educators ACE

Consortium of Texas Certified Nurse-Midwives (CTCNM)

La Leche League International

Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)

Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC)

National Association of Childbearing Centers (NAAC)

National Association of Parents and Proffesionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (NAPSAC)

National Coalition of Midwife Educators (NCME)

National Organization of Women (NOW)

Nurses Association for the American College of OB-GYN (NAACOG)

Texas Nurses Association (TNA)

Associations

American Red Cross—Certified CPR Instructor for 6 years, certified for 25 years

Association of Texas Midwives—Board of Directors, Secretary, Regional Representative, Educational Director, Associate Member

Association of Texas Midwives and Texas Medical Task Force—Licensing Midwives in Texas

Austin Childbirth Educators—Member; Program Director 1990-1991

NARM Certification Task Force—Texas Representation

Midwives Alliance of North America—Regional Representative 1992-1995

National Coalition of Midwife Educators -- Member 1992-1995

Midwives Education and Accreditation Council—Member 1992-1995

Austin Lay Midwives Association—Founding Member, Head Midwife 1974-1976, Member 1974 -1979

I have been attending births since 1972 when I was in nursing school at the University of Texas in Austin. My experience began as a nursing student assisting doctors and nurses and acting as a labor coach. I watched carefully and learned a great deal about the birth process and procedures to handle situations that can occur in labor and childbirth. I attended my first solo birth on September 9, 1974 as a midwife with the Austin Lay Midwives Association (ALMA). I graduated from UT in December 1974 with a BSN-RN in Nursing. I had been going to several births a month, both in school and with ALMA. By the time I graduated, I had attended over 100 births. At the births I attended in the hospital, I was sometimes an observer and sometimes an assistant. At the home births, I observed, assisted and at times was the primary or only attendant.

In the early days of my midwifery experience, I didn’t keep precise records for every birth and would often leave what documentation existed with the new parents. As time passed, record keeping became more important in my practice. In July of 1979, however, a fire destroyed my home and the birth records from 1973-1979. I cannot validate all the births I attended in those years, but I estimate that I attended between four and five hundred births in one capacity or another.

In May, 1980, I formed New Life Birth Service. Our records at New Life have been kept very accurately so that we can look at the various aspects of our birth experiences statistically. Since forming New Life I have attended approximately 1400 births. I have statistics on the births that I included in. Of those statistics there are a few I would like to note here:

My clients have approximately

10% complication rate

8% hospital transfer rate

7% Cesarean Section rate

2% episiotomy rate

I have never lost a mother.

One baby died in 1996 in early labor from an apparent cord accident.

For the past 24 years, midwifery has been a focal point in my life. I am intellectually and spiritually committed to a safe and loving childbirth and to service to God/Goddess through my practice of midwifery. I will continue to teach and to learn in my practice and to share my growth with those whose lives touch mine.

Apprenticeship

I was the most experienced person practicing in my area when I began midwifery and did not have the opportunity to apprentice. I did work for years with several family practice doctors and learned many valuable skills from the doctors, midwives, CNMs, and RNs with whom I have had the pleasure of learning and working.

I have studied diligently for many years on a wide variety of birth related topics including obstetrics, gynecology, neonatology, well woman health care, and childbirth education. I have worked with allied health professionals including chiropractors, acupuncturists, homeopaths, naturopaths, psychologists, and massage therapists. I have attended many conferences, workshops, and study groups.

My education continues through conferences, journals, and professional organizations such as the Association of Texas Midwives, Midwives Alliance of North America, and the North American Registry of Midwives. I keep up with current information and techniques in obstetrics to benefit both my clients and students. I subscribe to a number of journals and periodicals in a wide variety of disciplines (nutrition, breast feeding, obstetrics, midwifery, parenting , and medicine).

The individuals at New Life study together as a group. We discuss the births we’ve attended, articles of interest, techniques to be refined, and the questions we have. The midwives and apprentices attend as part of the voluntary guidelines of the State Licensed Birth Center.

Personal Birth Experience

I have given birth to six babies. My first child, Christian, was born in 1969 in San Antonio. I was harassed about my desire to have a ‘natural birth,’ and was medicated against my will. It was not a positive experience for the baby or me. My second child was still born at term in 1972 and while it was a truly tragic experience at the time, it became a spiritual milestone for me and eventually led to my becoming a midwife. My daughter, Talitha, was born in 1975 and was my last hospital birth. It was very healing in many ways and a positive experience for my child. My son, Colin, was born at home in 1978. Aleah (born 1985) and Deven (in 1987) were delivered joyously and happily into the loving hands of my husband Tom with my midwife friends in attendance. My children were always at my home births and were helpful, loving, and totally welcomed. I feel that children should be involved in the pregnancy and birth when the parents feel it is appropriate.