The Midwifery Collective

I have recently gone into business with Samantha Bost, a friend and midwife, and together we are joining midwifery forces in a chiropractor's office in St. George, Utah so we can make a difference for women in our area. We have found our philosophies and ideas to be very similar and we want to depend on one another for support and knowledge and serve women from a place of wisdom and care and not feel too burdened or stressed out trying to do it alone as we were before. Our energy seems to build upon each other's excitement and optimism as we are navigating this business endeavor together.

We want women to feel empowered and educated and most of all we want healthy pregnancies and deliveries and a growing population of women who choose midwifery care because they want one on one, gentle care from women. In the world 80% of all deliveries are facilitated by midwives; except for in the United States. We are the only exception. What does the rest of the world know and trust about birth that we don't? Where does their education start for young women; in the home from their mothers or through school and social programs? How can we be more proactive in teaching our girls that they should trust their bodies and natural processes?

I believe every child born has some degree of imprinting that goes on at birth that informs them of the experience; good or bad. If a child feels safe, secure and nurtured at birth will they, in turn, do the same when they have their own child? Maybe I should go back to school and become a social anthropologist and study how humans decide to give birth to their young.

As of now, I feel I am doing what I can to educate and challenge the current birth fear that pervades our culture through my midwifery business and with my own two daughters. As I teach them about their birth and their wonderful bodies I hope to be pointing them in a different direction than the majority of American women are headed. After all, as Midwifery Today magazine editor and midwife Jan Tritten says; "Each one teach one."