Experience has shown me that with the proper foundation and support, a person can have a healthy pregnancy and labor as nature intended. It is my desire to make every client feel like they are the only pregnant person in the world and that they are my number one priority.

My interest in birth began when I was younger. My mother and three of her four sisters were born at home and my father has always told me my birth story each year on my birthday- I was the third child but the first child whose birth he was "allowed" to actively participate. Knowing what a special moment it was for him intrigued me. As a teen, I knew that I was going to breastfeed my children. Again, I was the first baby that my mother breastfed. We are mammals and I could not see myself not giving it a go with my own babies.

I became a mother in 1995. My labor was very straightforward and I gave birth to my first daughter in the hospital with a doctor whom I had only met once before. While it was not the worst experience, I knew in my heart I would not ever give birth in a hospital again unless it was absolutely necessary. Six years later, with my second pregnancy, I was monitored and attended, prenatally and during labor, by nurse midwives at a freestanding birth center. Although, I didn't know which of the three CNMs would be attending me during my birth, I had been given the support to labor as I needed, my older daughter was encouraged to be part of the experience and my husband assisted with the birth of our second daughter. That pregnancy and birth were far better experiences than my previous and that sparked an interest that guided me to start researching midwifery and natural out-of-hospital birth.

We moved from North Carolina to South Carolina two years later and, not knowing then that SC licensed and regulated midwives, we knew that if we were to become pregnant again we would travel back to our previous birth center. I became pregnant with our son three years after moving and in the meantime I had learned that the laws regarding midwifery were different in SC than in NC. I had attended a friend's home birth and came home saying to my husband, "That is the way it should be."

Our son was born at home in 2007 and completely changed my life and the way I regarded maternity care and birth. While I had wanted a midwife with my first pregnancy and knew what the difference was, I really didn't get it until I established care with a Licensed Midwife. I was seen by her and her apprentice for each prenatal appointment so by the time I was in labor, there was no question as to who would attend me. I was comfortable with my children and husband and MY midwives. That changed my life.

Since 1997, I have had the honor and privilege to attend many women as they became mothers- whether for the first time or the twelfth! I have assisted during labor and birth as a doula, assisted mothers as they initiated breast feeding, taught childbirth education classes, and attended families during the post partum period. I am trained and keep current certifications in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), CPR, BEST (Birth Emergency Skills for out of hospital midwives) and ALSO (Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics).

I began midwifery school and attending prenatal visits as a student with Damaris Pittman (she was my midwife too!) in 2009 and began attending home births and birth center births with her in 2010. While apprenticing, I also worked in the office at a local birth center as the office assistant then billing coordinator from 2011-2014. I completed the Midwife-To-Be midwifery program in May 2014, then obtained the  North American Registry of Midwives designation of Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and subsequently became licensed as a midwife in South Carolina (LM). By the time I had completed my midwifery education, I had attended over 150 out of hospital births.

I love attending births at a birth center, but I believe that home is the safest and most comfortable place for a family to labor and bring forth their newest family member.  A bonus is that it is a lot more cost effective for an out of hospital birth than a hospital birth!

Click here to read Lori's Philosophy of Care.