About Dina:
My interest in the field of child birth began in 1992. After the birth of my son, Dillon, in a typical interventive hospital setting, I enrolled with the Association of Labor Assistants and child birth Educators (ALACE) to become a Certified child birth Educator. I continued my education to become a Certified Labor Assistant.
In the midst of this I gave birth to my second son, Cole - also in a hospital setting, though his birth was very different than that of his brother’s. Through consumer-based child birth classes I was much more informed about my choices and had a very positive experience with the help of a trained doula who assisted my husband and I through an empowering pregnancy and birth.
After Cole’s birth, I began attending births as a labor assistant, in both home and hospital settings. In 1994 I also completed certification with the International child birth Education Association (ICEA). A thriving practice in South Carolina kept me very busy teaching classes, attending births as a doula, writing for local and international publications and volunteering at the Charleston Center for Women. It was during this time that I began my studies toward becoming a midwife.
In 1998 my daughter, Skylar, was born at home with the assistance of a midwife and a wonderful doula who helped welcome our daughter into our arms along with other friends and family. It was during my pregnancy with Skylar that I began my training in midwifery as a Licensed Midwifery Apprentice.
We relocated to New Jersey in 1999 where both my husband and I had grown up. I began an apprenticeship with a home birth midwifery group in addition to my academic studies through the National College of Midwifery. In January 2005 I completed my program and graduated with an Associate of Science in Midwifery degree. In addition to becoming a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) through the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), I am a Licensed Midwife in the state of New Jersey.
Currently, I am welcoming babies into the world throughout the wonderful state of New Jersey as well as volunteering on the , New Jersey State Midwifery Liasion Committee. I have also become a preceptor for the National College of Midwifery and am currently a preceptor for students who wish to become Certified Professional Midwives, such as myself.
About Linda:
I have been a midwife for thirty years. My first "catch" was my neighbor who had her baby at home, unintentionally! Baby was coming fast, so the Dad ran next door and got me. It was wonderful. I had been reading and hoping , so this certainly looked like a sign to me. My next two children were born at home, one with a Doctor, who got there after the baby was born, and the next with unlicensed midwives. These midwives had a study group, which I joined. I moved to Texas in 1982 and became a licensed midwife in the Dallas area. In 1992 I took the NARM exam. Also I became an EMT, then a CPM in 1995. I have served on many professional midwifery boards to promote our profession. Over the years I have taken classes in homeopathy, herbs, massage and Reiki. I am a frequent conference attendee and am constantly learning new ways to help, educate and support pregnant, birthing and nursing women. I have attended over a thousand births at home and believe it is the best place for healthy women to give birth.
Comprehensive prenatal care that promotes a womens confidence to birth well is what we offer. My philosophy, and actions, support non-interventive birth. Patience and compassion come to births with me along with knowledge of natural birth and newborns. I love the families we care for, they are healthy and smart. They choose home birth because it suits them.