Micaela Gauss, CPM, LDM
My connection to birth is rooted in real life family experience. When I was four years old, my mom chose midwifery care for the home birth of my sister Holly. I loved going to midwife appointments, and wanted to help when Holly was born breech. When my mom was pregnant with Grace, I shared magical photos of developing embryos with my 2nd grade class. I was super excited to be at her birth. By the time Luke was born, I was 11 and even more aware of the pregnancy and birth process. I held my mother’s hand and was thrilled to support her during birth.
I realized midwifery is my calling during a Vipassana meditation in 2006. Once I knew, I lost no time pursuing my passion. I studied at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Oregon from 2007-2011. This comprehensive midwifery training included lecture, skills, research, and self study. At the same time I apprenticed with several different home birth midwifery practices. I worked primarily with Madrona Bourdeau, Pamela Echeverio, and Hope Medford, and attended approximately 60 births as an apprentice. Each of these beautiful and unique women gave me different gems of midwife wisdom that will be with me always. In December 2009 I birthed my own son at home in the water. I danced, I laughed, I cried, I yelled, and I was humbled to my core as the energy of all creation coursed through me. Giving birth anchored my knowledge firmly in bodily experience.
In 2012 I became certified through the National Association of Registered Midwives, receiving my Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credentials. Shortly thereafter I became a Licensed Direct-entry Midwife (LDM) in Oregon. My Oregon license allows me to order lab work and ultrasounds, carry emergency medications and resuscitation equipment, and bill some insurance companies.
From 2012-2015 I worked as a midwife with Three Sisters Midwifery in Jacksonville Oregon. During this time I attended approximately 30 births and participated in the care of many more mothers and babies. The team practice was a great support, but was also more complicated and meant I didn’t attend the births of many of the women I helped. I have deep love and respect for the Three Sisters midwives including Jae Rowan, Rhione Xeixchel, and Katie Guidotti. In 2014 my sister Holly became pregnant, and I was thrilled when she asked me to be her midwife. I was incredibly honored and blessed to catch Holly’s baby in the same room she herself was born twenty some years earlier. Being my sister’s midwife made me realize that I wanted to offer simple one on one midwifery care. Midwife means with woman, after all.
So in 2015 I started Blossoming Birth in Williams, Oregon. I do the majority of client care on my own, with help from my skilled assists (Mischa Orbons, Kristy Newell, and Jae Rowan) and my lovely apprentice Corinna Likes.
Nearly ten years after my first child was born, I gave birth to my second son, again at home in the water. This little one decided to be born posterior! Ouch. Atreya and my step daughter Hannah watched in awe as my husband Peter caught newborn John. Birth is so magical! John is a delightful addition to our family.
Birth is real, birth is sacred, birth is family. I am grateful to serve.
