“Kelsey has provided midwifery care for two of my children, and many of my doula clients. She is kind, respectful, responsible, and dedicated. She has my utmost regards for the quality and scale of care she supplies to her clients. You can expect to be heard, valued, and treated appropriately in your pregnancy and birth in her practice! I highly recommend her to anyone who has decided to plan a home birth.” ~Maria

“I can’t even put in to words how much I adore Kelsey and how much she helped throughout my third pregnancy. I had dual care with an OB provider until my 20 week ultrasound and the side by side comparison of care between my OB and Kelsey was comical. Kelsey supplied me with so much empowering information about my body, my baby, and my intended birth. My OB told me to take aspirin.

Every part of care was top notch. You’ll truly never feel like just another pregnant lady like you do with an OB. After every visit, Kelsey would email me links and further information for questions I may have brought up. She also gave me so much reading material! That was a huge thing.

She also listened to me after my water broke. I told her I’d rather have her at my house all day even if I wasn’t in full labor because it would calm me down and don’t you know there she was bright and early. It’s things like that that let me know she truly listens to you and cares about your well being.

Fast forward to seven months PP and I’m still in awe of the birth, my team, and how the experience changed me. If I were to have a fourth child I would hands down hire Kelsey again and do the whole experience over.” ~Lily

“Considering midwifery care? Don’t miss the opportunity to meet with Kelsey!! I had been very seriously interested in pursuing a home birth for our second child, but my husband was initially more hesitant to the idea. Enter the start of the pandemic and that changed everything. That first informational meeting was all he needed to be onboard with a homebirth plan. We both immediately felt well-informed and “in good hands” with Kelsey. The one-on-one care we received from that day and throughout my pregnancy provided me with a sense of empowerment that I didn’t necessarily feel with my first pregnancy. I continuously felt like I had a healthcare provider who truly knew me, rather than feeling like just a name on a schedule. Although my delivery did not go as expected and I did require medical care at our local hospital, Kelsey was there with us throughout the entire process as an advocate and care provider. She is very supportive of blended care and exuded professionalism and compassion. Whether home birth is something you’ve been considering for a while or are more recently thinking about, I definitely recommend meeting with Kelsey to help you determine your optimal prenatal/birth plan and if homebirth is the right fit for you. Thank you, Kelsey for brining comfort and support through a challenging pregnancy and delivery—you were a critical piece in creating such lovely memories in what could have been experienced in a very different way.” ~Kellie

“We had an wonderful experience with Kelsey. I was 35 weeks pregnant with our 4th baby when we moved to the area, and I was a bit apprehensive about switching midwives so late, especially since I knew our former midwives so well after their delivering our third baby. But from the first e-mail that Kelsey and I exchanged and even more after we first met, I felt SO reassured that we were all in very good hands. Kelsey is incredibly wise and knowledgeable about all issues relating to pregnancy and birth– able to answer questions, explain options and offer guidance to ensure mama and baby’s health and safety while always leaving as many choices as possible up to you as the patient. ‘Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services’ is the perfect name for her practice, she has the most lovely calm, gentle spirit and caring bedside manner. Every checkup felt almost like a visit with a friend, and every member of my family from my husband to my other children liked Kelsey as much as I did, we felt so blessed to have landed in her care. During the birth itself, I was even more grateful to have Kelsey’s care. All three of my other homebirths had been quick and (as childbirth goes) easy, but this baby made me work much harder to bring him earthside. Kelsey later told me she thought that he came out ‘military style’, i.e. with his head straight up instead of with his chin tucked to his chest. Kelsey was AMAZING throughout the whole labor and birth, though, so calm and reassuring, offering me great encouragement and coaching me through with suggestions for how to cope and different positions to try, but always leaving the ultimate choices up to me, since the baby was happy and healthy throughout. And even though the birth was “harder” I’m still just as happy to remember it as my other three– “hard” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad,” and with Kelsey’s help, I truly felt empowered to give birth the way my body was designed to. I can’t recommend her highly enough!” ~Anna

“Kelsey was my midwife with her assistant Lynelle for my 3rd child’s birth, and my first home birth. It was an amazing experience compared to my first two hospital births, just being at home as a low risk mom. Kelsey is so sweet and easy to connect with, and she was always willing to answer my questions at any time. Kelsey is very educated on childbirth and I was very impressed by how she kept herself in the know on the most updated information and recent research. I felt very confident with Kelsey at my side through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum time. I highly highly highly recommend Kelsey and would definitely use her services again if we decide to have more children.”     ~Kristen

“If you’ve ever met someone working in a role that suits them quite well and makes you think, “They were made for this!” – then you’ll know what it’s like to meet Kelsey as a midwife. She has the right balance of a calm, caring, servant-like heart and the ability to think clearly and take charge when the situation calls for it. Kelsey attended the birth of my fourth child earlier this year, which was my first home birth experience. At the beginning of the pregnancy I was admittedly somewhat of a home birth skeptic (my birth experiences in the hospital beforehand were positive ones), but a complicated insurance situation lead me to pursue other options this time around. Kelsey patiently answered all of my questions about home birth for those months leading up to delivery, and gave me great advice about the various woes of pregnancy that come upon so many of us (which was more extensive and helpful than I ever received from the doctors). Her resource library is also incredible. The trust I developed with her through the appointments was a great comfort to me in labor, more so than I even anticipated. It helped me let my guard down more than I had ever experienced in labor before, and just focus on what I was there for! And whenever I needed help in labor, all I had to do was say (or mumble!) the word and it was done. She is clear in her communication, she has your best interest at heart, and despite her extensive experience and training she is not too proud to get outside help if a serious emergency were to arise. I would recommend Kelsey to anyone who’s a good candidate for home birth. Honestly, if I were to have another, I’d go back to her again even if delivering at the hospital were a reasonable financial option for me.” ~Kelly

A Grandmother’s Perspective: “Kelsey was the midwife for my son Greg and daughter in law Lacy’s home birth on Jan 12. I was honored and blessed to be a witness to the miracle of my second grandsons home birth. My own four children were born naturally in birthing centers, so this was a new experience for me! As an IBCLC by profession, i see first hand every day, how hospital birth and labor protocol and practices often have a negative effect on birth and breastfeeding, So I was very supportive of their decision. Kelsey was so reassuring, knowledgeable, and encouraging when labor stalled several times. She did not rush them into making a decision to go to the hospital, rather, she kept a close eye on both mom and baby to be sure everyone was safe and healthy. Although we were getting concerned, we never lost confidence in Kelsey’s ability to help Mom and Dad make the right decision. Throughout Lacy’s progressing labor, Kelsey, the doula Maria, and Kelsey’s team , skillfully guided Mom, Dad, and baby Silas through a beautiful, peaceful (though really hard for Mom!) water birth. Tears of joy and relief all around! I will never forget the experience. This could not have been possible without Kelsey! Highly recommend!”    ~Cathy

A Dad’s Perspective: “We had our 2nd child at home and Kelsey walked us through a difficult, stalled labor. Her education and experience helped so much with the knowledge about what to do. Gave us a lot of peace of mind to know we were in good hands. She’s been easy to work with regarding insurance and post-partum hospital visits, as well as working alongside our desires to stay with our OBGYN during the pregnancy.

Both Kelsey and her assistants were amazing during the birth and very competent to know what to do, and do all the testing and checkups following, when we were tired and needed someone to do our thinking for us. she has a great bedside manner and also knows when to turn it on and get serious. when we had an unexpected hospital visit, she was diligent to get us the needed paperwork in time to pick up on the way, and checked in on us to walk us through it. We’ve felt really cared for through working with Kelsey and highly recommend her for anyone wanting to give birth at home.” ~Greg

“Kelsey is a fantastic midwife who helped us safely and peacefully bring our second child into the world. Throughout my pregnancy, Kelsey took time to answer all my questions (and I always had a list). One of my favorite things about Kelsey is that all of her responses started with “The latest research I’ve seen…” or “In all of my experiences…” My husband was a bit more anxious about the idea of a home birth, and she very kindly fielded all his questions and our inquiries about the awful stories we heard. I always looked forward to appointments, not just to hear the baby’s heart beat, but to spend time with another mom who was excited to be on this pregnancy journey with me. Kelsey is so sweet and kind-hearted and is just the right dose of maternal love. When it came time to deliver, she was a calm but strong presence. Since we had discussed what parts of labor and delivery were important to us beforehand, she was able to make it all happen. I was so thrilled to have her directives to prevent any tearing (which made postpartum recovery super easy)! She and her assistant quickly cleaned up “the mess,” made us breakfast, and tucked our new family back into bed just 3 hours after delivery.”         ~ Bethany C.

“My husband and I and our four children moved to the area four months before I was due with our fifth. We did not have any previous checkups before coming here. When we had found Kelsey right away, she was willing to take me and squeeze me in her busy schedule. I shared with her my previous births and how I desired this one to go. She has a heart to make the birth experience as meaningful as possible. She is gentle and is also very educated. She answered a lot of questions I had that were not answered from my previous midwife/birth experiences. She doesn’t get easily stressed; she carries a strong sense of peace within her. This was the best birth experience I had! I highly recommend her.”  ~ Denise      Note: check out Denise’s blog and read her birth story here at deniserenae.com

“Kelsey is the consummate midwife! She maintains the perfect balance of professionalism, expertise, empathy, and compassion toward her clients. Her tender heart for mothers and babies makes it clear that Kelsey has chosen the right profession. When I was experiencing severe morning sickness during my pregnancy, Kelsey was incredibly sympathetic and gracious toward me, and her encouragement helped me to survive several difficult weeks. After our daughter was born, I loved watching Kelsey interact with her. Kelsey’s face lights up every time she holds a baby, and she is very gentle and attentive with the infants that she delivers.

During our initial consultation and each prenatal appointment, I felt like I was meeting with a friend while also receiving excellent care for our baby and me. Many times when I asked Kelsey a question about pregnancy, labor, or postpartum recovery, her response would start with a comment along the lines of “the latest research shows” or “from what I have been reading lately.” Knowing that Kelsey works hard to stay informed and educated about current issues in her field further increased my confidence in her ability to provide excellent medical care. During our appointments, Kelsey was so sweet to converse with and provide toys for my 3-year old son who I would bring along with me. After just a couple of prenatal checkups, he grew to look forward to our appointments with Mrs. Martin!

Kelsey allowed my husband and me plenty of freedom to make decisions about how to handle labor and the delivery of our little one, and her calm demeanor and expertise made both of us feel at ease during the entire process. During early labor, Kelsey gave us the perfect amount of privacy but was also readily available to assist with any questions or needs that we had. When it came time to deliver our baby, Kelsey was a calm but encouraging cheerleader. I greatly appreciated her gentle reminders for me to breathe and relax, and my husband and I felt very reassured by how consistently she monitored the baby.

Kelsey’s practice is located in her home, and each time I came over for an appointment, I was amazed at how clean and comfortable she keeps her entire house. The room Kelsey uses to conduct prenatal and postpartum checkups is private and peaceful, and is adorned with dozens of pictures of the babies that she has helped to bring into the world. There are also a couple bins of toys available for kids who accompany their moms to checkups. Kelsey’s attention to detail makes her home a lovely place to conduct a midwifery practice.

My husband and I would highly recommend Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services to any expectant parents, and we can’t wait to work with Kelsey again if, Lord willing, we have more children.”   ~Alison

“We chose Kelsey as our midwife while looking into various birthing options. Her ready smile and easy laugh helped this first time mom feel at ease.  After each appointment we parted better friends, feeling that she personally cared about me and the little child I carried. Every word and remark was encouraging, boosting my confidence and spurring me on.

She showed great patience in answering my many questions as I navigated through my first-ever pregnancy, and again as I toiled through a 72-hour labor and birth. Her confidence mixed with professionalism shone through at every turn, to the point that my husband (a doctor’s son) became totally sold on the idea of a homebirth for all of our future children. I felt we couldn’t be in better hands. ”     ~ Amy

“My husband and I have immense gratitude for our wonderful home birth experience that was only possible through Kelsey’s generosity, sensitivity, knowledge and confidence. Kelsey, to our great joy, was willing to take over our prenatal care when we contacted her at 32 weeks pregnant, even despite the fact that our due dates were fairly close together. From the moment we met her my husband and I were encouraged by her calm and competent demeanor. Kelsey is a wonderful person by nature; but she is also an incredibly knowledgeable and skilled individual.  When it came time for our home birth, Kelsey again impressed us with her focused calm – intuitively knowing and respecting my desire to labor in my own way, but also providing very thorough care. Kelsey honored my instincts – a gift that was deeply empowering for me, and for which I am incredibly grateful. Kelsey gave us the gift not only of a safe, loving and intervention-free delivery, but an emotionally uplifting and sacred start to our son’s journey in life. In the days (and now weeks!) since our son was born, my husband and I frequently comment on how we believe that our son is as healthy and content as he is because of his peaceful entry into the world. Kelsey made this possible. We are forever grateful to her as she has had an incredible impact on our son’s life, and ours, by giving him the healthiest and most loving start possible. We would without hesitation give her the highest recommendation.”  ~Sarah

“My son Isaiah’s birth was traumatic for me: after waiting for hours in transition for pushing contractions to kick in, all the while knowing someone else was in labor who needed my midwives, I yielded to the pressure and accepted pitocin. When my baby entered the world, I was out of control, crying (screaming?) with someone pulling on my legs. As I held my tiny baby in my arms, I felt disoriented and emotionally upset. I felt cheated and resolved to go with a different midwife next time. So three years later when I found myself pregnant again, Kelsey was my first choice for a midwife. Unfortunately a few weeks later she informed me that she wouldn’t be able to deliver my baby after all, because she was also pregnant and our due dates were just a few days apart. I struggled to decide what to do, and in the end, due to limited options in our area for a home birth (and i wasn’t willing to give that up), I decided to go the same route as before and hope for a better outcome.

The night I went into labor, things progressed really fast, and I soon realized my midwives (45 min away) weren’t going to be there in time. I called Kelsey and she came right over (we were neighbors), nine months pregnant herself but smiling and competent. I remember the feeling of relief when she walked in, like I knew she would take care of me.  I delivered Ezra James in the Jacuzzi, with my back to Kelsey(I was thinking of my comfort, not hers). As Ezra was born she was right there, leaning over me in my deep tub to unwrap the cord that was around his neck to allow him an unrestricted birth. A feat I couldn’t have done nine months pregnant! I picked up little Ezra and held him to my chest, his little eyes peeped out at me in the dim light as he tried to make sense of what was happening. I loved him immensely as I stroked his little body and held his tiny hands, savoring the moment.

Ezra’s birth, though painful, was a gentle and positive experience. I cherish the moments directly following his birth and I thank God for his birth experience, although his was my fourth birth. I had always struggled to bond instantly with my babies, and often felt confused and disoriented in the moments after birth. Ezra’s birth was different, and Kelsey’s gentle nurturing presence contributed  positively to my experience. She was a great midwife and i would definitely use her again.”

~ Rebekah F.

“Kelsey delivered for my home birth and I can’t say enough great things about her! She was fantastic and amazingly supportive throughout the whole pregnancy and birth and I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience. Anyone on the fence should go talk to her. I wanted someone who was invested in the experience *I* wanted rather than any preformed idea about what birth should be. It was on my terms and that was incredibly healing after my first birth at the hospital. It was like having a sister there sharing our birth– someone with genuine love for our family. She’s ah-maz-ing.”    ~Ashley

“Kelsey, I can’t thank you enough for the amazing experience of being able to have my baby girl at home this week! It has truly been wonderful and a blessing for my family and I to have met you and Emily! Thank You!”               ~Chelsea