Hi, I’m Olivia!
My heart is to walk with women as they journey from maiden to mother, to nurture women as they nurture life…
My calling to birth work began when I was ten years old, when I was present at the birth of my younger brother. I grew up with a sense of the sacredness & dignity of the woman’s body, as I saw my mom living comfortably in her own body and motherhood, birthing all eight of my siblings at home. I had no reason to fear birth because I saw it in it’s most natural and undisturbed form, and all the beauty & joy that it could be.
Me at four years old with the midwife & my baby sister!
Me at 14 with the midwives & my sister
I believe that birth is a huge right of passage for the woman giving birth and a deep transformational process for the woman, child, and family. The first full experience of witnessing my mom labor and give birth is glued into my mind. I watched the midwife, sitting quiet and attentive by the bathtub, swiftly reach down as my brother slipped out to unwrap him from his doubly wrapped cord, before lifting him out of the water to take his first breath. This moment was seared into my mind as an experience that shaped both my being and my view of birth. In my ten year old mind, I was in awe of both what my mom was capable of doing, yet also the invaluable role the midwife played in encouraging a seamless transition for my brother into the world. After this moment, when people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said “midwife.”
Throughout my teen years, when the conversation-starter question would come up, “what is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen,” I inevitably answered that it was watching my mom labor & give birth to my siblings.As a budding adult, I also certified as a FEMM instructor, and continue to teach women about their cycle health, as well as NFP to couples.
Fast forward to college where I decided to study nursing, in hopes of pursuing nurse-midwifery. While I am grateful for good nurses, I quickly realized I would be miserable as a nurse and much happier serving women in a more natural + wholistic way. I am taking steps towards apprenticing under a midwife to one day bear the mantle of midwifery. No licensure, no restrictions, learning from the way of tradition and apprenticeship.
After graduating with a degree in Philosophy + Theology from Benedictine College, I served one and a half years as a FOCUS missionary, walking with women in the tender & turbulent time of college. During this time, I once again heard this strong call to serve women in the birth space. I am currently in a year-long Christian birth servant course, Hearthmother Journey, as I take steps towards serving women in the space of childbearing.
I currently serve as a birthkeeper & doula in Greeley, Loveland, Longmont, and Denver areas. Reach out to learn more!
Find me on instagram here
VISITATION BIRTHKEEPING
VISITATION BIRTHKEEPING
Visitation Birthkeeping is named after the Biblical story of Mary, mother of Jesus, visiting her cousin Elizabeth. (Luke 1:39-45) Mary would have traveled many hours on foot while pregnant to visit her elderly, also pregnant cousin Elizabeth. To me, the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth has always symbolized mentorship, friendship, and companionship from two women bearing children who would forever change the history of the world. This Scriptural image is the image I bear in mind when I visit a pregnant or laboring woman to bring presence, companionship, and sisterhood.
This is one of my favorite images of the Visitation. I cannot find the original source. This one is sourced here
