About me.
Hello there! Welcome and thank you for taking the time to get to know me and the services I offer. I want to take a moment to congratulate you on this incredible journey you are on to becoming a parent. You are taking important steps and doing your research just by being here. We are all experts here. I am an expert on birth and support. You are an expert on your body and your baby. Your partner is an expert on you and your needs. I support all birth plans and recognize that you are an individual and your birth is exactly that, yours. I support you in whatever you desire and choose whether that is an unmedicated birth, medicated birth, induction, planned cesarean, VBAC, home birth, etc.
I made the decision to pursue birth work because I had an amazing birth experience and happily shared my story. By sharing, I quickly discovered that many people did not have a positive experience and that traumatic experiences were the norm. This sparked a passion to serve families and help change the narrative of birth experiences. I found Birth Boot Camp and their mission aligned with my passion. I am an all or nothing type of person so I registered for all three trainings they offer. I have been continually impressed with the quality of leadership, materials, and support they offer.
You can hear more of my story and about my training on my podcast episode with Birth Boot Camp.
Photo credit: Rachel Rodriguez
Melanie- Mama. Doula. Singer. Runner.
Nice to meet you! Mama is my favorite title but music was my first love. I started singing at a young age and found early on that music is my form of connecting to others and it’s a universal language. It’s also my preferred form of relaxation and therapy. David and I have been in love for over 7 years and we met on a camping trip. Fun fact: shortly after we met, I became the lead singer of a rock cover band, 737, named after the campsite number David was staying at when we met. When we discovered we were bringing a child into this world, we were overjoyed and a little terrified. We have been overwhelmed with support and love since day one of this journey to parenthood. We took a childbirth class together, I made a birth plan, and we felt prepared and ready for the unexpected to occur…but were we really?
Photo credit: Rachel Rodriguez
A runner’s mentality.
I discovered running in February of this year and began training for my first half marathon in March. I had no idea the similarities that existed between pregnancy and running until I became a runner. If you choose to train for a half marathon, ideally you want to train for at least 13 weeks. You don’t wake up one day and decide, I think I’ll go for a 13.1 mile run today, especially if you’ve never ran a single mile. 9 months of pregnancy was by design to allow our bodies, minds, and hearts to prepare for our greatest achievement. We also weren’t meant to do anything hard, alone. Running solo is peaceful but running with friends feeds my soul. Creating the birth team that is the right fit for you can ensure you have the experience you desire and deserve.
Photo credit: Rachel Miller
Other trainings and qualifications.
Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management- May 2014
4 years experience in Social Work as a Domestic Violence Advocate- March 2015-July 2019
Birth Boot Camp Doula Training- October 2021
Birth Boot Camp Childbirth Instructor Training- November 2021