It's surprising, and it's interesting, but it's also an important part of who I am and what qualifies me to be your midwife, so let's start with my first career: Obstetrics. I knew as a child that I wanted to be a doctor. I marched down the path to become a physician with singular focus, and after witnessing birth (the power! the emotion!) for the very first time in the hospital as a medical student, I chose Obstetrics and Gynecology. With zero knowledge of community-based midwifery and out-of-hospital birth, I went about my business as an ObGyn, and yet... something was stirring.

   

When I later became pregnant with my first child, I realized that while I felt comfortable in the hospital as a physician, I did not feel comfortable there as a healthy pregnant woman. Following that instinct led to questions and soul searching, eventually coalescing around the discovery of community midwives and the planning of a home birth. I could write a whole book about this (and aspire to!), but here's the short version: finding midwives changed the course of my life.

After experiencing midwifery care firsthand, I began to see my role as a provider in a new light. I continued to believe (still do) in the profession of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and I continued to believe (still do) that, in certain circumstances, babies need to be born in the hospital under the care of ObGyns. But my personal satisfaction working as an ObGyn began shifting. The first change I made was to become a physician consultant for community midwives. This was good, but I found myself yearning to provide the wisdom of midwives, craving the slower pace and closer relationships of midwifery practice, imagining myself attending home births. So the next change I made was to join a home birth midwifery practice, which allowed me to work alongside midwives and attend home births. And then an unexpected thing happened. I was handling complications with confidence, but my training as an ObGyn did not prepare me for the pace and progression of uncomplicated, undisturbed birth. Here I thought I knew everything about pregnancy and birth, but what I learned is that midwives, not ObGyns, are the experts on low-risk birth in out-of-hospital settings.

This created a predicament. Continue as an ObGyn, not exactly satisfied. Or, listen to that still, small voice and become a community midwife. Truthfully, I knew from the instant I first gave birth that I was forever transformed. I knew my circuitous route to midwifery was no accident. But what I didn't know was if I could handle going back to the rigors of school and training. So I took some time, I let myself dream, I got deep with my support network. And we- my support network and I- decided yes! So with tons of help, I went back to school, I learned the distinctive skills and philosophy of a community midwife, and now here at The Swell: Midwife Services, I am honored to provide an enhanced experience through my unique background in both the medical and the midwifery models of care.   

Main Midwife at The Swell: Midwife Services

Hello!
I’M elizabeth ross.

Hello! I’M elizabeth ross.