My journey to midwifery probably started when I was expecting my first child and someone loaned me a book by Ina May Gaskin. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking about birth. The path continued winding down the rabbit hole as I went through a very difficult birth and postpartum period, and I realized that there were so many things about becoming a mom that our society doesn’t prepare us for. As our family grew, I met a number of other moms who had the same experience. We ended up choosing home birth for our other four children, and after being invited to attend a friend’s birth I was hooked on birth work. I first become a doula, but quickly realized the role I really wanted to be in was that of the midwife. When our school and daycare shut down due to covid and we had to hire someone else to fill most of my role in our business, it also ended up opening the door for me to go back to school.

When the weather is warm, you’ll generally find me outside any chance I get. Our 7500 square feet of garden space and learning everything I can about regenerative farming has become my new seasonal passion. I also love walking through the orchard we started when we moved to our farm in 2022, and using my plant identifier app to figure out what every plant on our property is (and if I can utilize it!). My kayak and motorcycle also sing their siren songs to me in the summer.

During the cold months, however, odds are I’m tucked up under blankets and as many layers of clothes as I can stand to wear! I guess it’s a good thing so many expectant mamas run warm because in the winter my hands are always freezing.

My interest in Midwifery was first peaked because of my mom. She has always had a natural mindset, especially when it comes to birth so I grew up believing that birth is a natural part of life and that homebirth is a normal way to have a baby. The more I learn about Midwifery, the more I love what it stands for. The literal meaning of Midwife is translated as “With Women”. This meaning of the word is my favorite part of the whole process; to sit with women, encourage them, and simply be “with” them in one of the most beautiful, challenging, and life-changing experiences of their lives. My longterm goal is to utilize my Midwifery skills overseas. I specifically would love to work with young girls who have found themselves pregnant and who may not know the next steps to take. I would love to walk alongside them and encourage them in their journey.

A little bit about me, I am currently planning a wedding with the man of my dreams! We are getting married September 2nd 2023 so life has been busy and full of changes but so good! My fiancé and I found a little house in Prior Lake we are going to rent with the hopes to one day buy! When I am not planning a wedding, I love enjoying the outdoors by finding new parks to explore, meeting up with a friend, or going to the beach to enjoy the (short) MN summer! I’m very excited to see what this next year will bring!

I will be taking a break from clinical and birth work to get married so you won’t see me around July and August but I will be back mid September for clinical work and start attending births again with NBM October 1st 2023.

Before midwifery school I worked in several settings under the healthcare umbrella but for the past 13 years I have mostly served families as a birth doula and certified NFP (Natural Family Planning) instructor. My journey to midwifery began with the pregnancy of my first daughter when I was cared for so genuinely by a midwife.

I first met some of the NBM midwives when I was a doula and had the pleasure of working alongside them with a few of their clients. After graduation I plan to become licensed to practice in Minnesota.