The Early Years on Nantucket Island:
My interest in birth began with the homebirths of my 2 children on Nantucket Island. When pregnant for the first time, there were no midwives living on the Island. I had to search for a midwife on the mainland who would be willing to fly over and assist me. I found my midwife by posting an ad in “Mothering” Magazine. That same midwife also delivered my daughter 17 months later. Both births were unforgettable experiences and I still remember them vividly and with great joy. I know they were the inspiration for me to follow the path to midwifery.
After my own planned homebirths I began to help at other births starting in 1987 and provided assistance to a local midwife for many years. In our tiny community we would average 3-4 homebirths a year. Due to this small volume I naturally wanted to gain more experience and educate myself to become of better assistance so began participating in training workshops on the mainland. I took a correspondence course to become a Certified Childbirth Educator through Informed Birth and Parenting (now known as A.L.A.C.E.). In 1995 became a Certified Apprentice Midwife after a year of study with the Massachusetts Midwives’ Alliance. I also offered labor support (doula) services and taught natural childbirth preparation classes. In March of 1995, I worked for three weeks in the Princess Margaret Hospital in Morant Bay, St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica, in which I assisted at 28 births, 2 of which I had the privilege of “catching”.
Midwifery Training in El Paso and Texas Documentation:
In the fall of 1996 I began my training under the guidance of Linda Arnold, CPM, owner of the Texas birthing center, Casa de Nacimiento, in El Paso, TX and completed all required skills and assignments. In order to complete the exams and fulfill the academic component of the program – I returned to Casa de Nacimiento as a Junior “Permit” – training to become a supervisor at births – for 6 week intervals from May – June 1997, and then again from February 1998 – March 1998. At the time, the program at Casa de Nacimiento was an academic one and upon fulfilling the requirements, one could then sit for the El Paso Midwifery exam. I did so on March 2, 1998 and passed with a 97%. As a “Permitted” midwife – I acted as teacher and supervisor, assisting interns with labors, deliveries, prenatals, and postpartum care that occurred on my shift. I was involved closely with several transports and I was given ample opportunity to suture.
The main objectives for maintaining my relationship with the birth center were:
- to improve my clinical skills and judgment, and obtain enough experience to allow me to act professionally and responsibly at births
- to recognize and deal with complications as they arise
- to keep active in births throughout the year knowing my own Island community could not provide that for me, and
- because I loved the work!
When it was determined that the El Paso Midwifery Permit would no longer be issued and was to be replaced by a general Texas State Documentation, I applied for and obtained my Documentation via the Texas Department of Health/Bureau of Licensing and Certification Division and held that license for eleven and a half years. Up until 2009 I would return to work at the birth center on a regular basis as a staff supervisory midwife – approximately one month to 6 weeks per year. In total I worked there for slightly over 17 months on a full time basis – averaging 50 clinical hours per week. Sadly, that part of my life and midwifery experience ended when Casa de Nacimiento closed its doors in September of 2011.
Certification through NARM and other qualifications:
I applied for my CPM through the NARM PEP process after having shown the sufficient documented experience and was granted permission to sit for the NARM exam. I passed the exam with an 89% on November 11, 1999 and was awarded my CPM in January of 2000.
To compliment my skills and to be familiar with the emergency services in my community – I became an Emergency Medical Technician in 1998 through the Massachusetts Department of Health and Safety, and maintained that certification through March of 2014.
I have a Bachelor of Arts from Boston College and have also furthered my education by taking college level courses to include: Chemistry for the Health Sciences, Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Microbiology, Nutrition, Pharmacology Calculations, General Psychology, Sociology, Statistics, Human Development/Life Span, Abnormal Psychology, and Pathophysiology.
In 2006 I expanded my midwifery services to reach the shores and families of Martha’s Vineyard. Despite the water separating us, and with no direct form of transportation between the Islands at night or in inclement weather – getting there could be challenging – but I never missed a birth!
Move to Newport, Vermont:
I have maintained a VT Midwifery License since 2007 and was granted a NH Midwifery Certification in July of 2013. In June of 2014 I made the Northeast Kingdom my new home and opened up my practice, Mountain Lake Midwifery.