*I* am a midwife

I began my journey into birth work with my own personal journey into motherhood- the birth of my first baby. I emerged from the experience as a mother- the repeated cliche of false assurance of a 'healthy mom and healthy baby' that I oh so cringe when I hear-  but with little feelings of positivity and empowerment. I took a look back at the events and my experience as a whole and realized that I had not been an educated, active participant in the birth of my baby and the birth of myself as a mother. I thought to myself, “That was not the way it could have been or SHOULD have been. There has to be a better way!” I vowed that I would do things differently the next time around.

In seeking my own knowledge and wanting to pass it on to support other women, I became a Childbirth Educator and Doula. I went on to have my second baby- an unrestricted, unmedicated, empowering birth within a hospital. Wanting to have a larger scope of support and care, I went on to complete an intensive 2 1/2 year apprenticeship at a busy freestanding birth center, Mat-Su Midwifery- under the guidance and wisdom of some of the best midwives. During the time of my intensive training, so much life happened...settling into life in Alaska- a place I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever live, the pregnancy and birth of my 3rd baby- born into the water, in the comfort and safety of my home- and so much knowledge, experience, and insight gained from the countless births I was a part of.

Today I found out that I passed the NARM exam. I am now a midwife. All of the sadness I had felt before about the end of my training has now been replaced by pure excitement and happiness, and some relief that my training is behind me. I know, of course, that my training and learning will never end, for as long as I am working and serving women and families...but it will be different now. Good different.

I have been doing birth work for over 6 years now- either as a Childbirth Educator, Doula, or Apprentice Midwife. I have been a part of so many pregnancies- so many births- so many lives. Most of the births I have been a part of, I can remember with clarity, better than my own births. Cumulatively, they have been just as profound as my own births.

So I want to say thank you for the many families I still have contact with... Thank you for allowing me to play a role in your story. For trusting me and confiding in me, for learning from me but also simultaneously teaching me. With every pregnancy or every birth I have attended, I have walked away as a better teacher, supporter, or midwife. You have claim to the midwife I am and will continue to grow into and I hope you realize the importance of that.

So with that said...

THERE IS SOME CELEBRATING TO BE DONE!!!!!!!

Love to all,

Tara