I first came to homebirth and midwifery care as a client. Patrice Bobier, CPM was our midwife for 2 of our 3 children and after the homebirth of our 3rd child (1987) I became interested in becoming a midwife someday. This being such a daunting accomplishment, and my children being so young, I quickly accepted Patrice’s invitation to train to do some postpartum care for her clients who lived up my way. Postpartum care wasn’t at 2 in the morning and I could schedule when to go.
Three years and about 25 postpartum visits later, I began an apprenticeship with Patrice (1990) and became a certified midwife (through the Michigan Midwives Association) in 1996. There is also a national certification that the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) offer and in December of 2008 I became a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) through this organization. It took a lot of time, paperwork, studying, travel and money, but it was well worth it!! Then, on August 1st, 2019, I became a Licensed Midwife, having fulfilled all the requirements necessary for gaining licensure that was newly granted to CPMs in Michigan.
I have my own practice in central Michigan, but still enjoy attending some births with Patrice, Barb, and Dorothy — clients appreciate having the same midwife team that they had with previous births and so most of my births with Full Circle are “repeat clients”. I also occasionally assist Jennifer Cameron, CNM, at her birth center in Manistee.
My husband and I have 3 grown children (Rainbow, Jacob and Echo) and 4 grandchildren: Patience Mae, born August of 2004, Isaiah Michael, born January of 2007, Hunter Alan, born May , 2010, and Karson Lee, born December 12, 2013. 3 of the 4 were born at home, into my hands, which was an amazing and rewarding honor!
