Founder/Midwife
MICHELE KAZMIER
CNM, MS, E-RYT, PRYT
Bachelor of Science in Nursing ~ UT Austin ~ 1993
RNC ~ Maternal Newborn Nursing ~ 1996
CCRN ~ Neonatal (NICU) Nursing ~ 1998
Certified Yoga Instructor (Vinyasa/Prenatal) ~ 2000 ~ present
Master of Science ~ Midwifery/CNM ~ UMD ~ 2003
AAP/AHA Neonatal Resuscitation Instructor & Mentor - 25+ years
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About Michele
Midwifery first touched my life in 1992 when observing a home birth practice as part of my women's health course in nursing school. I was inspired by the sense of community that the midwives fostered for the mothers and families they cared for. Women and their role as mothers were honored. It was at that time that I realized I would be on a long journey to help our society to understand that the experience of birth and motherhood warrants special attention.
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My professional journey began as a nurse in a hospital setting, including med-surg, maternal newborn/labor & delivery, and neonatal and adult ICU. Although thankful for all the education and experience I gained in these areas, I yearned to provide care to women in a more holistic environment. I found that environment in 1998 at Special Beginnings Birth Center in Arnold, MD. During 1998-2003, as a nurse and student midwife ~ mentored by an amazing team of midwives ~, my love of midwifery blossomed. The birth experiences of my own three children ~ in 3 different settings, including the hospital, birth center, and home, also enriched my desire to continue my journey with midwifery.
Mothering and midwifery are my passions, and I am blessed to care for the women and families I serve. I will remain a lifelong learner so that the information provided to my clients for their decision-making is an up-to-date review of current practice. I am committed to finding new ways to enhance rather than undermine women's experiences during their birth and wellness journey. I believe that as women in a culture that often undermines ~ perhaps even unconsciously ~ our beliefs and values, it is vitally important that we wholeheartedly support each other. We should encourage ~ and not compete with ~ each other in our choices as women, mothers, and grandmothers.
I would love the opportunity to guide you on this journey of discovery.
My hope for you is that you will find, as I am continually reminded, that the power to care for yourself, prepare well for your birth journey, nurture your baby, and become the woman you envision lies within you.
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*This site utilizes the terms"mother" and "woman/women" as they are the preferred choices for the majority of my clients. However, individuals not identifying with these terms are also welcome, and their preferred language will be used and respected.
I ALSO...
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Love the color purple and all things related to the moon...obviously
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Have an uncanny and frequently quoted talent for mixing metaphors
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Am obsessed with teatime ~ should have been British
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Joined the Navy at 18 y.o. with hopes to become Charlie (Kelly McGillis) from Top Gun (I later realized her character wasn't actually in the Navy..small detail)
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Followed that up with a Jane Fonda era to include teaching & competing in aerobics with leg warmers, & yes...thongs on the outside of my shiny tights
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Love to cook, hike, weight train, garden, and read ~ mostly midwifery texts & research (yes, I am a nerd), Paulo Coelho, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, and any historical fiction
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Realize the importance of filling my cup to be of service to others through exercise, yoga, whole foods, and periods of creative bliss and solitude
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Spend most of my time between feeling blessed or overwhelmed with balancing all of my loves with my greatest loves: a wonderful husband of 33 years and three children (2 now adults) whom I absolutely adore
"WHEN WE STRIVE TO BECOME BETTER THAN WE ARE,
EVERYTHING AROUND US BECOMES BETTER TOO"
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PAULO COELHO
THE ALCHEMIST