About Kelly
My first experience with birth that was not my own child’s was a friend’s in Arizona, in 1997. Being part of that birth sparked a deep interest in me for all things maternity.
A mother of three, I have been active in the Santa Cruz birth community since shortly after the birth of my third child, Henry, at home in 2002.
My particular passion is ensuring that women understand that they have options in birth—and the benefits and risks of various choices—so that they can make the best choice for themselves and their babies.
I graduated from National Midwifery Institute in 2009 and was certified by the North American Registry of Midwives and Licensed by the Medical Board of California in March 2010. My experience includes more than three years of clinical training with two local homebirth practices, three weeks at a busy freestanding birth center in El Paso, Texas, and an international midwifery clinical trip to a hospital in Bani, Dominican Republic, in 2009. Throughout my midwifery training, I have maintained an active birth doula practice (DawningMamaDoula.com). By the close of 2009, I had attended more than 200 births and that number grows monthly.
I serve on the board of directors for Birth Network of Santa Cruz County. Birth Network organizes and sponsors the quarterly Bellies, Birth & Babies Expo events in Santa Cruz, as well as offers information, education, and advocacy for childbearing families. See www.birthnet.org for additional information.
I am co-founder of a midwifery advocacy group called Birth Santa Cruz. Check out our website BirthSantaCruz.com for more info. We're also on Facebook. It's a great way to stay up to date about what's going on with birth locally and nationally.
In keeping with my passion for informed choice in birth, I am also a published author on birth issues in both national and local magazines. Articles have appeared in ePregnancy, Fit Pregnancy, and Growing Up in Santa Cruz. Ask to see my clips.
Kelly Olmstead, LM, CPM
Homebirth Midwife
Santa Cruz, California
831.429.BABY (429-2229)
Kelly@dawningmama.com
Photos of on this page
courtesy of the baby's happy parents.
Used with permission. All
rights reserved.
