Happy National Midwifery Week! 🤍A few weeks ago, a nurse I work with asked me why I don’t go back to school to become a CNM. He went on and on about the money. And honestly? I have so much respect for CNMs. I am grateful for midwives of all backgrounds, education, and credentials. We each bring something valuable to the families we serve, and I think there is room for all of us.But for me, this is where I’m meant to be.

I think about the transformations I’ve witnessed. The healing I’ve had the privilege of being part of. The strength I’ve watched women discover in themselves. The moments when someone realizes they are capable of so much more than they ever believed.

I think about the babies I’ve welcomed, the tears we’ve cried, the fears we’ve worked through, and the moments of joy that are almost impossible to put into words.

But I also think about everything that happens outside of birth.The families who invite me to dinner. The invitations to come to church from a client’s child. The random messages that simply say, “Hey sweet lady, how are you?” The conversations that have nothing to do with pregnancy or babies. The relationships that continue long after the postpartum visits are over.Somewhere along the way, the people I care for become so much more than clients. They become people I genuinely care about, people whose lives I continue to cheer for, and people who have left their own mark on mine.And that is one of the things I love most about being a midwife.I get to walk alongside women and families during one of the most vulnerable, powerful, and life-changing seasons of their lives. I get to witness their strength, honor their choices, and remind them that their journey belongs to them.And I get to be changed by them, too.

I don’t need a different set of credentials to know that this is meaningful work. I don’t need a different title to know that I am exactly where I want to be.I am so thankful for the path that led me here, for the families who have trusted me, and for the relationships that have grown out of this work. I will never take lightly the privilege of being invited into someone’s home, their birth space, and their story.To my fellow midwives, in every setting and with every set of credentials: I am grateful for you. We may walk different paths, but I hope we can continue to support one another as we care for the families who need us.And to the families who have welcomed me into your lives — thank you. You have given me so much more than the opportunity to do a job. You have given me relationships, memories, laughter, lessons, and a little piece of your lives that I will always carry with me. 🤍Happy National Midwifery Week. I am so grateful this is my calling.