1. How long have you been a Midwife? I have been Licensed and practicing in NM for 8 yrs now. I've been attending Homebirths for almost 11 yrs.
Before becoming a Midwife, I was a Birth Doula, and attended births in hospital, home and birth center.
2. What inspired you to become a Midwife? I worked in the healthcare field for many years before I became a midwife. It was after experiencing my first birth in the hospital that really lit my fire in becoming a midwife and desire in providing individualized care to women. I was honestly disappointed in my experience, feeling very dis-empowered and traumatized which in turn I suffered pospartum depression for some months. I'm originally from the UK where Midwifery care is approached differently then the US. I especially wanted to be an independent Homebirth Midwife and decided for me the best route in becoming one was to train through the traditional apprenticeship model. I apprenticed with Barbara Pepper, LM (retired) in her busy homebirth practice, registered as a student midwife with the state of NM.
3. What type of Midwife are you? What are your credentials? I am a Licensed Midwife (LM) in the state of New Mexico. You will see that many LM's also carry the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential as well. In NM we are not required to have the CPM credential to practice. I qualify to obtain and use the CPM credential, I just personally choose not to.
4. On average, how many births do you attend a year? I typically attend 30.
5. On average, how many births do you attend each month? Some months 3-5. Averaging 5-7. I will do up to 9!
6. Do you have scheduled vacation times during the year? Yes, I don't take due dates Mid-May, June, July and August to spend quality time with my family and not-so-little children.
7. Do you have another qualified Midwife attend births with you? Who else do you bring? No, not typically. If so, it is usually prearranged. I typically have two students apprenticing with me at a time. Both apprentices will attend the birth with me, one is charting, and the other apprentice will be more involved with assisting/hands-on. Apprentices are required to be CPR, neonatal resuscitation and IV certified to attend births.
8. What medical emergencies during the birth process would we transfer into hospital for? It depends on the actual situation, but most common reasons that would require a transfer: non-reassuring fetal heart tones/fetal distress, heavy meconium, heavy bleeding, maternal fever, signs of infection. Prolonged labour with no cervical progression, along with maternal signs of exhaustion. Postpartum hemorrhage not responsive to interventions, signs of shock, retained placenta. Neonatal distress not responsive to interventions. To name a few rare occurrences. Or at any point the mother or father choose they would like to transfer into the hospital setting. Most situations transfer by private care. Occasionally, an ambulance is the most appropriate choice.
9. What are your transfer rates? See the Statistics and Safety page.
10. What hospitals do you transfer to? Do you have a good relationship with them? My first choice hands down is UNMH. I have a good working relationship with the staff, CNM's and Docs. The homebirth midwifery community is in close contact with the CNMs, and have a way of communication directly with the CNMs. Second, is Lovelace Women's Hospital.
I do not transfer into Presbyterian (especially downtown), unless a client specifically requests it. They sadly have a reputation of being very adversarial towards clients transferring in and towards all out of hospital Midwives. Presbyterian Rust Medical Center has been more open and supportive in the recent months. As of 2020, Pres Rust no longer has a NICU.
11. Do you have children? Did you have homebirths? I have two boys, aged 19 and 14. My eldest was born in hospital, I had a long and hard labour which I largely attribute to him being malpositioned; he was sunny-side up (posterior) and was a brow presentation (forehead first). My youngest was an empowering and precipitous homebirth/waterbirth of 1 1/2 hrs! Both my babies where just under 10 pounds.
Check out our FAQ page!
Before becoming a Midwife, I was a Birth Doula, and attended births in hospital, home and birth center.
2. What inspired you to become a Midwife? I worked in the healthcare field for many years before I became a midwife. It was after experiencing my first birth in the hospital that really lit my fire in becoming a midwife and desire in providing individualized care to women. I was honestly disappointed in my experience, feeling very dis-empowered and traumatized which in turn I suffered pospartum depression for some months. I'm originally from the UK where Midwifery care is approached differently then the US. I especially wanted to be an independent Homebirth Midwife and decided for me the best route in becoming one was to train through the traditional apprenticeship model. I apprenticed with Barbara Pepper, LM (retired) in her busy homebirth practice, registered as a student midwife with the state of NM.
3. What type of Midwife are you? What are your credentials? I am a Licensed Midwife (LM) in the state of New Mexico. You will see that many LM's also carry the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential as well. In NM we are not required to have the CPM credential to practice. I qualify to obtain and use the CPM credential, I just personally choose not to.
4. On average, how many births do you attend a year? I typically attend 30.
5. On average, how many births do you attend each month? Some months 3-5. Averaging 5-7. I will do up to 9!
6. Do you have scheduled vacation times during the year? Yes, I don't take due dates Mid-May, June, July and August to spend quality time with my family and not-so-little children.
7. Do you have another qualified Midwife attend births with you? Who else do you bring? No, not typically. If so, it is usually prearranged. I typically have two students apprenticing with me at a time. Both apprentices will attend the birth with me, one is charting, and the other apprentice will be more involved with assisting/hands-on. Apprentices are required to be CPR, neonatal resuscitation and IV certified to attend births.
8. What medical emergencies during the birth process would we transfer into hospital for? It depends on the actual situation, but most common reasons that would require a transfer: non-reassuring fetal heart tones/fetal distress, heavy meconium, heavy bleeding, maternal fever, signs of infection. Prolonged labour with no cervical progression, along with maternal signs of exhaustion. Postpartum hemorrhage not responsive to interventions, signs of shock, retained placenta. Neonatal distress not responsive to interventions. To name a few rare occurrences. Or at any point the mother or father choose they would like to transfer into the hospital setting. Most situations transfer by private care. Occasionally, an ambulance is the most appropriate choice.
9. What are your transfer rates? See the Statistics and Safety page.
10. What hospitals do you transfer to? Do you have a good relationship with them? My first choice hands down is UNMH. I have a good working relationship with the staff, CNM's and Docs. The homebirth midwifery community is in close contact with the CNMs, and have a way of communication directly with the CNMs. Second, is Lovelace Women's Hospital.
I do not transfer into Presbyterian (especially downtown), unless a client specifically requests it. They sadly have a reputation of being very adversarial towards clients transferring in and towards all out of hospital Midwives. Presbyterian Rust Medical Center has been more open and supportive in the recent months. As of 2020, Pres Rust no longer has a NICU.
11. Do you have children? Did you have homebirths? I have two boys, aged 19 and 14. My eldest was born in hospital, I had a long and hard labour which I largely attribute to him being malpositioned; he was sunny-side up (posterior) and was a brow presentation (forehead first). My youngest was an empowering and precipitous homebirth/waterbirth of 1 1/2 hrs! Both my babies where just under 10 pounds.
Check out our FAQ page!
