Thanks for taking time to browse my site here! I’ve been involved with midwifery for many years now, with my interest originally beginning after watching my own mother use midwives during her pregnancies and deliveries. When I was 16, I attended my first birth (a lovely homebirth with midwife Michelle), which confirmed my desire to pursue training once I graduated from high school. After spending several years observing a number of births (primarily with midwife Kathy), and getting some broader life experience (teaching English in Mexico, studying Spanish in Guatemala, taking Mission Medical training here, etc.), I began the Association of TX Midwives Midwifery Training Program in 2006. The following spring I moved to Family Birth Services, a birth center located in the heart of the Dallas Metroplex, in order to receive my clinical training. I felt blessed to be able to train at that birth center, which has been in operation for around 30 years, and has trained midwives from all over the country, offering out-of-hospital births at the center or at home. With the wide variety of clientele that the birth center served, there were opportunities to be involved with many different situations and complications. During my time in Texas, I also had the wonderful privilege of working with over 10 different midwives (Lisa was one of my preceptors), as well as the opportunity to gain other experience such as working with a nurse midwife doing prenatal clinics for low-income women in inner-city Dallas (at The Heidi Group).

I graduated from the academic program in March of 2008, and finished my internship at the birth center in early December 2008. In February 2009, I sat for and passed the North American Registry of Midwives exam in order to receive the Certified Professional Midwife credentials (which I continue to maintain), and in spring of that year also

received my TX midwifery license. During this time I began my own midwifery practice, serving families in my home area of central Kansas and Oklahoma, many times driving long distances to rural locations where no midwives were available, and even going as far south as Guatemala in order to deliver the baby of a missionary couple!

After marrying my husband, Joel, in the fall of 2010, I relocated to his home area of Juniata County, PA. We lived there for about 2 years, before moving to State College in November 2013. During the first two years of our marriage we had the privilege of delivering our first two children at home with the assistance of midwives, which has added a whole new depth to my practice as I can now say that I have experienced the challenges of pregnancy, natural childbirth, and intense nursing difficulties for myself. Starting over in a new community had its challenges, as I needed to make new connections with the medical & birth community, but it has been a rewarding experience to work the women & families in Centre County. By this point (three more of my own homebirths and several years later!) I can truly say this area feels like home, and I’m delighted to have supportive medical providers and other midwives to call on when needed.

In order to maintain the CPM credential, I am required to take a required number of continuing education credits each year. Some of the courses I have taken in the past few years include:

• Midwifery Today International Conference 2012: All About Breech Birth
• Resolving Shoulder Dystocia by Gail Tully/Spinning Babies.com
• Midwifery Today International Conference 2014: Spinning Babies Workshop by Gail Tully
• The Truth about VBAC by Jen Kamel/VBAC Fact
• Evidence Based Birth online classes: Vitamin K, Suspected Big Babies
• Midwifery Today International Conference 2016: Prolonged Labor and Normal & Abnormal 1st and 2nd Stage of Labor
• Pulse Oximetry for Newborns: Congenital Heart Defect & Sepsis Screening by Dr. Chowdhury at the PA  Clinic for Special Children 
• Breech Pro! Course for Providers by Breech without Borders 
  

  Newborn exam for baby E.  Photo credit @ Linda Hummel Photography

In 2016, I also completed the necessary requirements and educational courses in order to obtain the Midwifery Bridge Certificate. This allows me to meet the educational and training requirements as set forth by the International Confederation of Midwives, thus ensuring that I have met the international standards to safely and competently practice midwifery and serve families by offering this service.

It’s my goal to stay up-to-date on current research and options in order to provide the families I am serving with evidence-based, safe, gentle and personal maternity care. To discuss my training background further, or to learn more about the specific complications I have experience with, please contact me!

“I had my first child in a hospital and my second at home with Kelsey. There is a world of difference! I had never felt so empowered, supported and safe. Kelsey is extremely knowledgeable and truly practices informed consent. She goes through everything with you beforehand and gives you information/books/videos to help you decide. By the end of it I had: a knowledgeable midwife, beautiful birth, healthy baby AND a new friend. Go meet her. You’ll love her.“

Alex