Want to know a secret? Of course you do! I didn’t know how much I would enjoy supporting a birthing person until I captured my first home birth! But in the interest of staying in my current healthcare route, I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Anthropology and planned to apply to Physician Assistant programs. Then I became a doula.

While taking my classes to earn my BS I really enjoyed all the evolutionary things revolving around our health. Did you know that as you age you have certain bones that fuse together? So you are actually born with more bones than you’ll die with. Pretty crazy, right? Anyways, I was able to learn about how evolution has shaped how we function today and why we are still vulnerable to specific diseases. And how the microorganisms living in and around us are also evolving and changing just like us.

At some point in college I started my own small business as a wedding photographer/videographer. I was always looking for ways to be more creative and push past my comfort zone. I saw a post on social media from an expecting mom looking to have someone video her birth. I knew with my everything that I was the person for this job. We chatted online, met in person before the birth and then I was able to capture her beautiful and moving home birth. I was hooked! I wanted to be involved with birth in whatever way I could.

On a whim I called a local doula agency and asked what being a doula was all about. I had a great conversation and was so excited because the owner of the agency wanted to meet me in person and talk about working with them. With the help and mentoring I got from the agency I was able to find a nationally recognized organization to train with, DONA, and start supporting families. They also have helped me become certified with the state so that I can support Oregon Health Plan families as well. I will always be so grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from them.

When it came time to apply to PA programs I had started looking into what it would take to become a midwife. I would soon have my BS so I could apply to accelerated BS nursing programs and graduate quicker than graduating from a PA program. So that’s what I did. I applied to a few ABSN programs because their application process started before the PA programs. And guess what!! I was accepted!! So now I am in a nursing program and plan to pursue a Master’s in midwifery after I graduate!

SO…. are you ready to see that first birth video that sparked the fire for birth? Here it is! Watch it Here or copy and paste this text (https://youtu.be/lKic30e49rk)

I look forward to meeting some of you and supporting your during your birth. I’ll be adding blogs about pregnancy, birth, life etc. So stay tuned for more!