New Ownership, Same Trusted Care

At Savannah Birth & Wellness Center, formerly The Midwife Group, we maintain our longstanding tradition of exceptional, personalized care in women’s health, rooted in our rich history as Georgia’s oldest free-standing midwifery practice. 

about us

Where Small Miracles Happen

Savannah Birth & Wellness Center, formerly The Midwife Group, is the oldest free-standing midwifery practice for women’s health in the State of Georgia.

Established in 1987, our state-licensed and nationally-accredited center offers the area’s sole alternative to conventional clinical and high-intervention birthing, with generations of babies delivered naturally into the compassionate care of our Certified Nurse Midwives.

Our mission is to deliver outstanding care to women across all ages and diverse backgrounds through the Midwifery Model of Care. Our midwives provide the entire spectrum of client and family-centered care. Starting with educating you and your partner about pregnancy and birth, they provide continuous support for the entire birthing journey. 

our services

Learn About Us

our goal

Women's Care for a Lifetime

Our goal is to ensure that you feel as comfortable and well cared for as possible. To help us achieve this mission, we offer a range of women’s health services including pregnancy testing, prenatal care, lab services, Well Woman and GYN exams and PAP tests, family planning and birth control, perimenopause and menopause, gynecological care, and preconception and minor infertility issues.

testimonials

Client Feedback

Shawna
Shawna
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I’ve had BOTH my daughters in the same exact room. My youngest is almost 5 months old. I loved the one on one care that the midwives had for my baby and for me. I had great birthing experiences both times. Even had a water birth with number 2. And though my baby journey is finished, I’ll always go back for my preventative care. I owe so much the birth center for the knowledge and skills they taught while I was pregnant both times. My daughters were both big. One 10 1/2 pounds and one 9# 5oz and had a quick smooth birth and recovery BOTH times 💕
Savannah
Savannah
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Every visit with them was a dream come true. They truly care about their patients and do everything they can to make it a positive experience. I was able to achieve my dream birth with them. I highly recommend (them), it truly was a life changing experience. So thankful for all the wonderful midwives at this practice!
Lissa
Lissa
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My entire experience with this group has been wonderful. I transferred from an OBGYN in order to have a water birth and The Midwife Group made the transition smooth and easy. This is my first baby and the midwives I had for my delivery are fantastic. Thank you so much Hannah and Pamela! If you are looking for a natural birth experience with a great support team who truly cares, this group is perfect for you.
Madison
Madison
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I transferred my prenatal care to the Midwife Group around 30 weeks. Although I was well into my pregnancy, they went above and beyond to provide me the best care and make sure I was knowledgeable about labor and delivery. My birth experience with them was incredible and the care I received blew me (and my husband) away! The midwives are more than healthcare providers. They coach and cheer and support you all the way! I can’t speak for general GYN care yet, but I am switching my OBGYN care to the Midwife Group because of how wonderful my experience with them has been so far!
Kelsi
Kelsi
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I have never felt more cared for, heard, and known by medical professionals than I have here. From the very first appointment to the postpartum follow ups, we experienced nothing but professionalism, expertise, wisdom, patience, joy, and love. Really, all the things you want to experience when trusting someone with not only your own life, but the life of your child. And that is how I felt. Complete trust. I labored for 40 hours, a lot which was active - so I got to have many of the midwives and nurses from a few rotations. I ended up having Stephanie and Heidi for my last set and delivery. I am just so thankful. When I thought I wanted to quit and go to the hospital they believed in me to keep going (which is what I actually wanted.) They gave the exact tips and tricks I needed at the exact time. Because of these ladies, I am grateful I have beautiful memories of my first born child. They truly blessed me. Everyone here is amazing, including the front desk staff! I wish everyone would get to experience the midwife group and birth center! (But not really because I want them all to myself 😉)
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State of Georgia License #025-003

Sherri Sellers

BSN, MSN, DNP, WHNP

Sherri Sellers, BSN, MSN, DNP, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP). Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1995. Master of Science in Nursing as WHNP from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) in 2010. Doctor of Nursing Practice from UMKC in 2018. 

I always knew I would choose a profession where I could help other people. My inspiration for a healthcare career came from growing up with a pediatrician who had a knack for making people feel special. So, I started nursing school, and the moment I stepped foot onto the labor unit, I knew I found where I belonged. I loved being a part of what most women consider one of the greatest moments of their life. I spent 11 years in labor and delivery before realizing I had a desire to know more, to learn more. I had a choice. Should I pursue a graduate degree in women’s health, or should I play it safe and do family, as I heard that I would be better marketable? I decided to not play it safe and to go for where my heart always lied, women’s health. 

After graduating and working in private practice, public health, and corrections medicine, I decided to get a terminal degree and finish my education with a doctorate so that I could teach others who have my same passion. I am blessed to be able to continue caring for women in clinical practice as well as make an impact on the larger field of women’s healthcare by training graduate students at UMKC to become women’s health nurse practitioners. My favorite things are going to the movies, home remodeling, traveling, Cardinals baseball, and spending time with my husband and our children.

Kristen Hall

CNM, RN, MSN, Midwife

Kristen Hall is a Certified Nurse Midwife from Southern California. She first gained a love for birth when she was given the honor of attending her sister’s birth for her oldest nephew at 16 years old. At this point, it became her goal to become a Labor and Delivery or NICU nurse. While in nursing school, she attended a birth that just felt very different than anything she had previously experienced. She found out the provider who attended the birth was a Certified Nurse Midwife and she realized that is ultimately what she wanted to do. Kristen obtained her undergraduate degree at California Baptist University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2011.
 
After graduating nursing school, Kristen started her career off serving our nation’s Veterans at the VA on the Medical Surgical Floor. From there she gained several years of experience on the West and East coasts on Medical/Surgical/Telemetry and Cardiac units before moving into the world of Labor and Delivery. During this time, her eyes were opened to the frequent  medicalization of labor and birth and her passion to become a midwife grew exponentially. She attended Frontier Nursing University to obtain her MSN and during her training gained experience with a wonderful preceptor as part of an OB-GYN practice catching babies at a hospital near Myrtle Beach, SC before finally getting out of hospital experience at the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in Chapel Hill, NC. At this time she realized her passion was largely for out of hospital birth, where physiologic childbirth in congruence with the essence of the midwifery model of care could thrive.
 
After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Frontier in 2016, the opportunity to move back to the South and join the wonderful group of midwives at The Midwife Group presented itself. Kristen fell in love with the Savannah area and even more so with attending births and caring for women at the birth center. At this time, she completed a large portion of doctoral work and plans to one day complete it!  Over the next several years, she had to take a step away from midwifery while having her own babies! Her daughter Juliette was born at home in 2018. The birth took many twists and turns that enable Kristen to relate to her mamas that experience deviations from their own birth plan. She had an incredibly healing birth with her son Isaiah in 2019 at the birth center thanks to Shelia, Rita, and Heidi! This experience solidified Kristen’s belief in the birth center model of care and how truly life changing it can be. 
 
Kristen spent some time as a travel L&D nurse back in California before joining an Ob-Gyn practice in her hometown of Temecula. She and her two children relocated back to the Savannah area in Bluffton ,SC and joined the birth center team again in April of 2022. She is thrilled to be back in the South as a part of the birth center family. She is committed to providing holistic women’s health care and helping women have the life changing, positive birthing experiences they all deserve. 
 
In her off time you will find Kristen with her babies, often finding a new ice cream spot, having a dance party, or exploring a new park. She also enjoys getting outside whether it be at the beach or on a hike, lifting weights at the gym, and being involved in her church.

Staci Smart

CNM, IBCLC, Midwife

I got hooked on birth at a young age when I was honored to attend a dear friend’s birth in my senior year of high school. I instantly had a new perspective and passion after watching her baby’s first breath as she rose out of the water of the jacuzzi tub. Witnessing my friend’s power and vulnerability as she gave birth changed my life. I knew in that instant; I wanted birth to be a part of my life.  Since witnessing that birth, I have had a long and winding road to becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife at the Midwife Group and Birth Center. 

While in college at the University of New Mexico I began to support women as a doula and soon after I was transformed by the experience of becoming a mother myself. I was well supported during my pregnancy and the midwifery model of care I received enabled me to work through issues and prepare for the hard work of labor and motherhood. My journey to motherhood deepened my desire to provide midwifery care to others. When my daughter was three years old, I apprenticed with a brilliant home birth midwife for a year and a half before returning to nursing school at the University of New Mexico. I was blessed to work at the University of New Mexico Mother Baby Unit as a new nurse and then moved to Labor and Delivery for three years where I worked to support the beginnings of the hospital becoming baby friendly. I craved continuity of care with the families I worked with and began working as a nurse with Nurse Family Partnership providing pregnancy support to first time families from early pregnancy until their children turned 3 years old. Following my work with Nurse Family Partnership I became a lactation consultant and worked in the hospital as a board-certified lactation consultant and began teaching childbirth classes. Teaching childbirth classes reignited my passion for midwifery, and I found myself again receiving top notch midwifery care as I welcomed my second child. When my youngest was a toddler, I began the University of New Mexico Midwifery program and earned my Masters. I became a Certified Nurse Midwife and took my first job at Presbyterian hospital and had the opportunity to take part in a residency program where I got extra support and instruction. I enjoyed my work with families at Presbyterian Hospital but craved the ability to support women to have physiologic birth in an out of hospital setting. I’m so glad that I have found the Midwife Group and Birth Center where I can provide the care I believe in!

Preconception And Minor Infertility Issues

Caring for your health is vital before you ever try to become pregnant. At The Midwife Group, Women’s Health and Birth Center we offer preconception care to give you your best chance of getting pregnant. We can help you address any underlying medical issues, and help you become your healthiest self—emotionally and physically—as you take the next step to starting your family. During a preconception counseling appointment with our midwives, you can expect a discussion of your:

  • Diet, Prenatal Vitamins, And Health Concerns
  • Reproductive History
  • Medical History
  • Surgical History
  • Current Medications
  • Home And Workplace Environment
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight
  • Exercise

Woman’s Intimate Wellness

Women of all ages may experience:

  • Vaginal dryness
  • Leaking of urine
  • Stress incontinence (leaking of urine with coughing, sneezing, exercise)
  • Painful intercourse (lack of desire related to pain)
  • Poor pelvic tone

Whether your situation is related to childbirth, breastfeeding,  pre- or post-menopausal, we can offer you a self-directed FDA rated non-surgical option as well as medical management. Call and schedule an appointment for an Intimate Wellness Assessment. HELP is available.

Testimonials:

“I was lucky – I’m 65 years old, and no leaking issues.  After several bouts of bronchitis, it was awful – embarassment, cost of pads, smell.  Two to three weeks after starting with my vFit Plus, I am in control of my bladder again!!”

“I am 45 years old and was having some leaking, mainly when I coughed or sneezed.  Because of my age, I was embaraased to say anything to my provider until I found out about the vFit Plus.  After using the vFit for about 2-3 weeks, my issue has resolved.  vFit Plus also helps with dryness as well.  Where have you been vFit?!”

Gynecological Care

We offer a complete range of gynecological services for women of all ages. Our services include:

  • STD Care
  • Yeast Infection Treatment
  • Menopause Care
  • Period Issues
  • PMS Care

Peri-Menopause And Menopause

Peri-menopause and menopause can occur over months and years. These two stages make the time when your body is transitioning into menopause and where your hormone levels can rise or fall drastically. During this time, a woman may experience many symptoms that can last four to five years or longer including hot flashes, menstrual irregularity, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and more. Our expert midwives can help you navigate this new stage of your life by offering care and talking openly with you about your symptom and the changes that your body is undergoing. We offer:

  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Counseling
  • Evaluation Of Abnormal Menopause Symptoms

Family Planning And Birth Control

The decision to start a family is something that many women plan to do at some point in their lives. However, now may not be the best time. Planning ahead can help to avoid an unplanned pregnancy and ensure that you’re in the best health when you decide the time is right for you. Our family planning and birth control services can help successfully plan out your road to pregnancy. These services include an in-depth look at your reproductive life cycle and plan. We will personally help you determine your pregnancy path and attend to your individual needs. We will help you answer questions like:

  • When do I want to start having kids?
  • How many kids do I want?
  • If I get pregnant unexpectedly, what will I do?
  • How will I prevent pregnancy?

There are many birth control options available to women who do not want to have kids now or ever. Depending on your goals, we offer a range of contraceptive methods that you can choose from. Some of those birth control methods include:

  • Barriers: Barrier methods such as male condoms, female condoms, and diaphragms can help you avoid pregnancy in the immediate future.
  • Hormonal Methods: Hormonal methods of birth control include pills, vaginal rings, patches, and the birth control shot.
  • Long-Lasting Contraceptives: The intrauterine device (IUD) or implant are long-acting reversible contraceptives.
  • Emergency Contraceptives: If you have unprotected sex, emergency contraceptives like the “morning after” pill and Plan B can help.
  • Permanent Sterilization: Getting your tubes tied can ensure that you never become pregnant.

Well Woman And Gyn Exams And Pap Tests

Your annual Well Woman exam is vital to your health at every age. This exam protects your health and can help us find reproductive issues and diseases early. Take care of your body by scheduling your Well Women exam, also called gynecological exams, pelvic exams, and annual exams. Your annual exam will help you manage your health, detect diseases, and prevent serious illnesses. Early detection is often the key to protecting your health, and we can help. Our Well Woman exam includes:

  • General Health History
  • Sexual Health History
  • Review Of Medications
  • Contraceptive Counseling
  • Menopause Counseling
  • Physical Exam
  • Laboratory Testing As Needed
  • Breast Exam
  • External Genital Exam
  • Pap Smear Screening for Cervical Cancer

Marion Marsh

PhD

University of Rochester, Bachelor of Arts 1966, University of Cincinnati Doctor of Philosophy 1972.

Karen T. Baker

M.D.

BS, 1996, University of Florida, MD, 2000, University of Florida College of Medicine, OB/GYN Residency, 2000-2004, University of North Carolina, Assoc. Professor of OB/GYN, 2004 – 2011, University of North Carolina College of Medicine, Assist. Professor of OB/GYN, 2012 – present, Mercer University College of Medicine, Board Certified OB/GYN, 2006-present, Fellow, American Congress of OB/GYN, present Memorial University Medical Center Medical Staff, 2012-present.

Catrena Fields

BSN, MSN, CNM, Midwife

BSN, MSN, Certified Nurse Midwife. Associate Degree in Nursing 1998, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, Ga. Bachelor of Science in Nursing 2017, South University, Savannah, Ga. Master of Science in Nursing, CNM 2021, Frontier School of Nurse-Midwifery and Family Nursing, Hyden, KY.

I attended my first birth at 12 years old. My grandmother was our community caregiver, being her oldest grandchild had many perks. I remember her telling me to help, support, and get closer. Naturally, I developed a love for caring for people, especially women. I believe my purpose is to leave them a little better than I found them. I was a young mother, and I was able to attend and complete nursing school in my hometown. After graduation, I applied for a position in labor and delivery. During the interview, the nurse manager realized I was a new grad and apologetically said she could not hire new grads at the time. I accepted a job in another area of the hospital. Ironically, I was the first new grad hired on this unit, I learned great clinical nursing skills and developed critical thinking. I would see the L&D manager around the hospital, and she would always say “in 2 years put in your transfer”. I did just that and almost 2 years to the date I was working in Labor & Delivery. I worked with some of the best doctors and nurses in high-risk obstetrics. Almost 20 years later, I reached a point in my life and career where I felt there must be more. I stepped out on faith and started travel nursing. My first delivery in this small rural area was with a Midwife. The care and delivery was magical. I looked online that night for midwifery schools and the welcome page read “answer the call”. I enrolled the next month. I had no idea where I would work or serve my purpose, all my clinical training was in a hospital. However, I always believed that my gift would make room for me. When I saw Rita at the hospital and she asked what I was going to do now that I’d graduated, I told her I would give her a call. She answered the call. It was time to “get closer”. I am now a Midwife at the birth center, in my community. One of my first deliveries was the beautiful water birth of one of my own family members. There is so much more to love and learn in Women’s Health. I am here to educate, empower, support, and be a keeper of safety for women and their families.

Shelia Love

RN, MS, CNM, Midwife

RN, MS, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife. 1980 Associates Degree in Nursing, Broward Community College School of Nursing. 1992 BSN Florida International University, Miami Florida. 1997 CNM Frontier School of Nurse Midwifery and Family Nursing, Hyden, KY. 2001 Masters of Science Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA.

My first calling to women’s health was the birth of my daughter. I was a 20-year-old new mother absorbed in learning about pregnancy and birth. I had no interest in health care at the time, however, it seemed the right path to expand my knowledge. I enrolled in a nurse’s aide vocational program and started working in the newborn nursery, later, transferring to Labor and Delivery. The nurses I worked with there were amazing because they trained, educated and even supported me to further my education. After the birth of my second child, I began nursing school. I was lucky to be hired in Labor and Delivery at the same hospital my husband and children were born. At that time I was caring for high-risk mothers. I loved caring for the high-risk moms- the more technology the better. Occasionally we received transfers from attempted home births and I cared for them like any other patient but underneath did not understand how or why they would not want a hospital birth. I soon learned about a free-standing birth center an hour away. I planned a visit, was met by a nurse midwife who gave me a tour and she enlightened me about out of hospital births and midwifery. The center was gorgeous and cozy. She changed my professional direction and I returned to the hospital with new vision. This led to my questioning those “routine, what ifs” used to justify the concept that all pregnant women were walking time bombs. So back to school I went. First, my BSN then graduate school. I love tradition so my choice was easy. The first American midwives road horseback in the Appalachian mountains to care for Moms and their families by way of Frontier Nursing Service. Coming from a long family of horsewomen, I again felt this was my calling, So off I went to Hyden, Kentucky. An experience I will never forget. My first midwife job was in an upper-middle-class neighborhood with a great group of traditional medical management doctors. They soon learned my desire to offer different approaches to birth. I asked, and they agreed to offer water births in our practice. For 15 years, I attended over 3000 in hospital births. The hospital setting was restrictive but over the years, staff and administrators provided options for women who desired more control over their birth experience. Professionally, I still desired more. January 2017, I found The Midwife Group and Birth Center. After meeting the amazing staff, touring the site, hearing about the 30-year history, I was anxious to be a part of this fantastic community resource and honored to be a part of this Southeast Georgia tradition.

Stephanie Curtis

CNM, DNP, Midwife

CNM, DNP. Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Sciences, University of Florida. 2013 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Florida, 2017, Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Nurse Midwifery, University of Florida.

I saw a baby born for the first time when I was 15 years old and knew birth would be a part of my life for years to come. It took a while, 10 years to be exact, for me to figure out what that would look like. I had assumed the only way to start delivering babies was to become an OB/GYN. I met a midwife in 2010 who suggested I watch a documentary about natural childbirth and it rocked my world! From then on, I decided I didn’t want to focus on disease, as I would have in medical school, but on the normal, healthy process that pregnancy usually is. I couldn’t shut up about it! I loved the idea of helping a laboring woman be in tune with her body and in control of her environment. (Later, I found out that midwifery is in my blood. My great, great grandmother was a lay midwife in rural Georgia!) So, in 2012, I left my job as a research coordinator in geriatrics and started nursing school. I became a labor & delivery nurse soon after and although I adored that job, I wasn’t content with only having a 12-hour shift to make a difference. I went on to complete midwifery school as I had intended and what a crazy ride that was! I’ll never forget a patient who was so upset when I finished my second clinical rotation where I had been her student midwife. She said, “Ms. Stephanie! Who am I going to tell all of my business to now?!” Though it made me laugh, it made me proud. I was glad I could be a confidant. Whether it’s the happy occasion of new life in the world or the devastating occasion of dealing with a destructive relationship, I want to stand with women and their families, empowering them to empower others. I’m happy to be working at The Midwife Group and Birth Center, a place that has been serving the community for 31 years! I believe in this team and in this community. This three-time Florida Gator has a new home. Bring it on Georgia!

Sherry Hartenbower

BSN, MSN, Midwife

BSN, MSN, Certified Nurse Midwife. 1978 Diploma in Nursing, St Francis School of Nursing, Peoria, IL. 1986 Bachelors in Nursing, Bradley University, Peoria, IL. 1995 Masters in Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.

I started my nursing career in Peoria, Illinois in 1978. As an RN I worked in the Pediatric ICU and then labor and delivery unit of a major medical center (L3 hospital). I would care for a woman for my 12-hour shift, share in one of her most memorable and intimate life events, and then never see her again. I yearned for continuity. At times, I watched that same woman be subjected to many unnecessary and dehumanizing procedures for the convenience of the staff and attending physician. I soon concluded that if I was to continue to care for the childbearing family I had to find a better way. So I went back to school to become a nurse midwife. My husband and I moved our family to Summerville SC to attend the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. I graduated in 1995. It was during the final semester of my senior year that I met Nancy Belin and Margaret Dorroh. From the minute I walked into the doors of the Birth Center as a student I felt as if I belonged. Upon graduation I moved to Havre de Grace MD and worked in a private practice, attending births in a small community hospital. And then 9-11 happened and my father died. Both of these events made me reconsider where I wanted my career to lead me and my family to grow up. I began looking for a new position and found that the Birth Center was hiring. I began working at the Family Health and Birth Center in Rincon with Nancy and Margaret in May of 2003. Again, commitment to family changed my career path. I left the Birth Center in 2007 to return to Peoria and care for my aging mother. Upon her passing, I again returned to the Birth Center in January of 2016. Midwifery embodies the “with woman” philosophy. I have worked the majority of my career in the hospital setting. I strove to provide to my clients what I witnessed missing as a labor and delivery nurse- evidenced-based care, shared decision-making, and family-centered care. It was an uphill struggle many days. The Birth Center is the home of midwifery. I’m thrilled to be back home. I “retired” from catching babies in November of 2022. My focus is now helping women identify their individual emotional and physical needs as it relates to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery through education and individual coaching. 

Rita Chesney

RN, MS, CNM, Director, Midwife

RN, MS, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife. BSN, 1988, Seton Hall University, South Orange N.J.; MS, CNM, 2001, University of Maryland at Baltimore; Lieutenant Colonel, Army (Retired)

As a child, I always knew I wanted to be in the medical profession but it was the experience watching nurses take care of my father after an injury that started on my path toward nursing. Shortly after graduation from high school, the school nurse knew I was going to nursing school and asked if I would help her teach a Lamaze class over the summer. I watched these families learn about their pregnancy and birth and saw that with the information taught, they went from frightened to empowered and prepared for their births. I was hooked. (Thanks Mrs. Newfeld- you never knew what an influence you were to me) I joined ROTC in college and applied for a scholarship to pay for college. I was awarded a three-year scholarship to Seton Hall University. That was the best decision I ever made. I married my college sweetheart and shortly after graduation, we were commissioned and began a long career in the Army. The Army afforded me the opportunity to travel and advance my career both with experience as well as education. I worked at several different duty stations as a Labor and Delivery nurse and wanted more. I applied for and was granted a full scholarship for midwifery school at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. I received great training and even better mentoring with the Army midwives as I joined this small but proud group. I retired from the Army after 22 years and no matter where my path takes me or where I shall be planted, I will always carry a special place in my heart for service members and their families. I found my home atThe Midwife Group, Women’s Health and Birth Center after being contacted by Jill Whitfield asking me to consider joining their practice. I was unsure and a little apprehensive at first. Then it happened. I saw my first water birth. I had tears in my eyes. It had been a long time since I was so moved at a birth. I saw this beautiful woman and her partner in the most imitate situation. He was so attentive and holding her. She was so strong and smiling as she held her baby. The baby was quiet, alert and looking around. No one took the baby away to a warmer. No one pushed meds and mom easily walked back to her bed. It was truly beautiful. I was overwhelmed and in awe. I am glad no one could see I was crying because I saw how much I had been missing. I learned from wonderful midwives and physicians in my past but it was the strength and trust in her body that made this mom my hero. Nancy was the midwife attending and I watched, sat on my hands a bit but again was in awe of this art we call midwifery. So here I am, a few years later with the daunting task of continuing the legacy Nancy and Margaret started almost all those years ago.