Eloisa Cary, LM, CPM
Gentle Hands Midwifery
2430 Cornwall Ave.
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 752-2229
www.ghmidwifery.com

In my role as a midwife, I am honored to uphold the beauty and intimacy of birth, while being an unobtrusive guardian of safety for the mother and baby.  I believe deeply in the normalcy of birth and employ an appropriate use of technology and medicine in the preservation of my clients’ wellbeing.  Birth is a crucial moment in a woman’s life and it holds the potential for great amounts of growth and joy.

In my midwifery practice, I am able to draw on my background, which is a blend of science and somatics.  I have a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from Smith College, and have studied and taught ballroom dance, karate, naturopathy, and yoga.

My interest in midwifery arose during the birth of my first child.  The experience of giving birth at home completely transformed my life.  I realized on a personal level that the setting in which a birth takes place predicts many features of the birth, and I got to experience first hand all the positive outcomes that resulted from the decision to have a home birth.  I was left with the question, “Who wouldn’t want to bring that sense of transformation to women and their families?”  I answered that question by becoming a licensed midwife.

Soon after my daughter’s birth, I started completing my prerequisites and went on to attend Seattle Midwifery School, doing internships with several different midwifery practices in Washington State.  I live in Bellingham with my husband and children.

Kristin Effland, LM, CPM
Gentle Hands Midwifery
2430 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 752-2229
www.ghmidwifery.com

My mother speaks proudly of the gift she gave her children and herself by choosing natural childbirth.  I grew up learning to trust the process of birth and in awe of the power women possess.  I chose to become a midwife because I believe that all women can find this same strength within themselves if offered nurturing support throughout pregnancy and labor.

I am honored to support women and their families as they prepare to birth their children, during the hard work that brings their baby into the world, and during the crucial time of pride, excitement, and new challenges that immediately follows.

I received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and graduated from Seattle Midwifery School in 2008. To complete the 100 births required for licensure in WA state, I trained in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR and I also spent a month working at a hospital in Nepal. Since then, I have attended home and birth center births in King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties and also worked part time for the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council. I am currently Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Midwives Association of Washington State www.washingtonmidwives.org.

At Gentle Hands Midwifery, we offer complete prenatal, birth and postpartum care with all the comforts of home. We practice the Midwives Model of Care: our clients participate in shared decision-making and can elect home or birth center births, including water birth.

I left my solo practice, Meadowsweet Midwifery, to join Gentle Hands Midwifery in the Spring of 2009 and I love working with Eloisa and Catriona as a team. In my free time, I enjoy running, climbing, skiing and playing outdoors with my dog, Riley.

Ann Tive, LM
Birthroot Midwifery Service
2429 Elm Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 734-2182

I was born in 1962, number two out of a set of triplets. My family valued education and lively debate. From my parents I learned the importance of having passion for one's work. In college, I studied philosophy, science and languages. After college I knew I wanted to combine my critical thinking and problem solving skills with more intuitive ways of knowing and nurturing. Like many midwives, I heard the call of midwifery the very first time I attended a birth. In 1984, I was present at the homebirth of my sisterâs first child in rural New Mexico.

In 1987, I enrolled in the Seattle Midwifery School. After completing midwifery training with internships in St. Lucia and Seattle, in 1990, I moved to Bellingham and began my practice, Birthroot Midwifery Service. I have been a clinical preceptor for many midwifery students over the years. I have been active in the Midwives Association of Washington State, and have served on the WA State Midwifery Advisory Committee.

My husband, Tim, daughter Olivia and I live in Bellingham where we enjoy hiking, gardening, reading, knitting, cinema and other family activities. My son Bless, is an artist currently living in New York City

Bellingham Birth Center is a wonderful addition to birthing options available in our community and I enjoy providing midwifery care for women who choose to birth there.

Winni McNamara, LM, ARNP
1903 D Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

827 South Burlington Boulevard
Burlington, WA 98025
(360) 766-6686

Shortly after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in 1973, I heard the word midwife and knew that this was my path. I completed my midwifery studies at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 1976, followed by an intensive internship in Kentucky, working with low-income patients at a government funded clinic.

I have been working in Skagit and Whatcom counties since 1980. In June of 2004, I graduated from the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy. I am also a nurse practitioner and do Well Woman Gynecology care.

I specialize in out of hospital deliveries. I believe that birth is a pivotal life event for both the mother and the baby, and that the care and company of the midwife must support the mother during her pregnancy and birth. It is the goal of the midwifery practice to care for the mother and protect the natural process of birth.

I have been married since 1973. My husband, Paul, is a Chiropractor. I have one son who was born in 1979. I love the outdoors and spend a lot of my free time hiking and gardening.

Skagit Natural Family Medicine

Michelle Antonich, ND, LM
Skagit Natural Family Medicine, LLC
916 3rd Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
(360) 336-5658

www.skagitdocs.net

I practice naturopathic medicine and midwifery in Mount Vernon, WA and attend birth center and home births. My naturopathic medicine focus is on primary care women's and pediatric health.

Currently, I am a faculty member at Bastyr University's teaching clinic. I graduated with a doctorate degree in Naturopathic Medicine and certificate in midwifery as well as completed my residency at Bastyr Center for Natural Health.

I practice medicine with my husband, Seth Cowan, ND, ARNP, who is a naturopathic physician and a nurse practitioner. We have three wonderful children, Abigail, Sean and Eve and a yellow Labrador Retriever named Cooper.

Melissa Hughes, LM
Skagit Natural Family Medicine, LLC
916 3rd Street
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
(360) 336-5658

The first birth I attended was the birth of my nephew; he was born in the water, at home, in the care of midwives. I was amazed and quickly became a fan of out-of-hospital midwifery care. In the year that followed, I explored childbirth options and also chose to give birth out-of-hospital with a midwife. I found the experience empowering and fulfilling. Without expectation, I discovered that choices in pregnancy, birth and infant care have profound impacts on our life and wellbeing. I learned that our experiences in birth, giving birth and being born, play an important role in how we relate to ourselves and the world around us. I became inspired to seek out midwifery training. I attended Seattle Midwifery School, and was privileged to complete my training with many great midwives. I have attended births in King, Pierce, Kittitas, Snohomish, Skagit, Island, and Whatcom Counties. I currently practice with Michelle Antonich at Skagit Natural Family Medicine in Mount Vernon, WA.

The care that I provide as a midwife is guided by my understanding that pregnancy and birth can be a time of joy and challenge. I believe that the childbearing year is a time ripe with opportunity for positive change. I look forward to inspiring and empowering women and families with care that is compassionate and focused on education. My intention is to improve each client’s experience with informed decision making- providing women with the information they need to make the best choices for their care.

My personal interests include walking, running, gardening, cooking, art, photography, and spending time with my family.

Kimberley Bauer, ND, LM
London Health Center, Inc.
2376 Main Street, Suite 3
Ferndale, WA 98248
(360) 384-2900

Kimberley came to the Pacific Northwest to attend Bastyr University in 2000, and has happily called the beautiful Northwest home ever since.  As a Naturopathic Physician and Midwife, Kim specializes in natural health care for the whole family, for she loves working with patients of all ages, from infanthood to elderhood, and feels honored to be able to assist childbearing women.  Kim often says if she lived a century ago, she would have been a country doctor, traveling by horse drawn carriage from home to home.  Modern times being what they are, she now drives to her patients homes for births instead, but they will still find the same open, kind, and compassionate bedside manner of old.  Kim is well-known for her clear explanations of treatments and her ability to meet each woman where they are at during the life changing time of the childbearing year. Outside of delivering babies and doctoring, Kim enjoys hiking, gardening, baking, and teaching about medicinal plants, both locally and at Bastyr University in Seattle where she graduated from in 2005. 

Kim is a member of the following professional organizations:  AANP (American Assn of Naturopathic Physicians), WANP (WA Assn of Naturopathic Physicians), AANM (American Assn of Naturopathic Midwives), MANA (Midwives Association of North America), MAWS (Midwives Assn of WA State), and AHG (American Herbalists Guild).