Hi, and welcome to Birthing Naturally! I'm Carrie, a Certified Childbirth Educator and Doula serving Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region.
I am happy to give unconditional support to laboring women and their families in a variety of settings. I believe birth is a normal, transformative event in a woman's life; that each woman should be fully informed of her many options and have support for whatever choices she makes.
I earned my Childbirth Education Certification in 2001 from the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE). Before I received my training, I worked as a professional caregiver to the elderly and in hospice. For the past decade, I have been attending the births of friends, family members, and students when invited. I completed my Doula Training (also ALACE) in 2007 and have been attending birth in a professional capacity since that time.
I have working relationships with Colorado Springs Pregnancy Resource Center, Pikes Peak Regional Doula Association, local hospitals, midwifery groups, local childbirth teachers and doulas. I am also an Operation Special Delivery volunteer, and proud to be a member of our local Birth Network.
I am the mother of five crazy little people. My first two were born within the military hospital system in Langley, Virginia. It wasn't terrible, they were both born naturally, non-induced or augmented and in the positions I felt were most helpful to me. Still, I don't believe I was supported within the system. At that time and place, there weren't any doulas available (1997 and 1999). You should have heard the laughter when I called the local feed store looking for a tub large enough to enjoy labor in! Like many women, the births of my children changed my life and solidified my goals. I saw first-hand the lack of choices and misinformation women are expected to accept and decided I could facilitate a change for the better. My last three children were born at home in 2001, 2004 and 2006 right here in Colorado Springs, with the support of my husband and home birth midwives.
I'm currently attending the nursing program at Pikes Peak Community College, and should graduate in 2012. My plan is to infiltrate the local hospitals as an undercover doula turned RN. I plan to eventually become a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and then to give support both at home or hospital births.