My love for birth began when I was pregnant with my first baby boy. My husband and I married at 19, and just six months later, we were expecting! I’ll never forget the day my mom told me I needed to prepare for birth. Together, we signed up for The Bradley Method, a 12-week childbirth education program. By the end of the course, we were both determined to have our baby naturally—without pain medication!

Like many first-time parents, we had no idea what to expect. My labor was fast for a first-time mom, taking me on a whirlwind journey. After just five hours in the hospital, my baby arrived. When the midwife handed him to me, I’ll never forget the feeling of his warm, slippery body against mine or how adorable his chubby little face was. The love I felt for him was overwhelming—something I could never have fully prepared for. In the days that followed, I basked in oxytocin, feeling beyond proud of the work I had just done. I couldn’t believe it. I was in awe.

I went on to have four more baby boys—one in the hospital, one at a birth center, and three at home.

My journey into birth work is both long and simple. After my second baby, born just 14 months later at a birth center, I felt an undeniable pull to be part of the birth world in any way I could. With a small baby and a toddler in tow, we traveled to Seattle so I could train as a birth doula at the Seattle Midwifery School. There, I met other incredible birth workers, including Penny Simkin! I dreamed of becoming a doula—the best doula I could be.

For years, I worked on and off as a doula in Idaho, and later, when my husband, Sean, and I moved to California for his apprenticeship, I continued to support friends through their births. But as much as I loved birth work, being on call with young children at home became increasingly difficult. Instead of attending births, I shifted my focus to teaching. In 2015, I became a certified Bradley instructor and began teaching small childbirth classes from my home in Lodi, CA. For the next six years, I shared my knowledge with families and had the privilege of attending some of their births.

It was during my midwifery apprenticeship that I met Kim, my assistant. We had connected on social media before but had never met in person. From the moment we worked together, she became a source of comfort and support, especially as I navigated the challenges of midwifery school. During my hardest moments—when births felt overwhelming or when I struggled with complex situations—she was always there for me. Over time, she became not only a trusted colleague but also a close friend. I am proud and grateful to have her by my side.