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The Birthways Family Support Team

Your Support Team consists of Licensed Midwife Christina Holmes, Childbirth Educators, Birth Assistants, and experienced mothers.

	Christina Holmes Mother, Midwife, Doula, Childbirth Educator, Massage Therapist, and Birth Photographer. She graduated from the Sarasota School of Massage Therapy in 1995 and began her work as a doula in 1997. She received her Doula Certification through Doulas of North America (DONA) in 1997. Christina is a Florida Licensed Midwife and a Nationally Certified Professional Midwife. She graduated with highest honors from the Miami-Dade Midwifery program in 2002 with an Associates Degree in Midwifery specializing in home birth. She is certified in CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation. Christina lives in Sarasota with her husband (her sweetheart since middle school) and three children. Her first child was born 7 weeks early in the hospital with a doctor and spent 2 weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She chose a midwife for her second pregnancy and gave birth 5 weeks early. Her third baby was born full term in the water at HOME after a two-hour labor!!!
	Christina Holmes has been serving and honoring Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte County families in homes, hospitals, and birth centers since 1997. She is one of the founders of the Sarasota Doula Association and the Natural Family Network. Recognizing the need for more birth options for families in the Sarasota area, she opened the Birthways Family Birth Center in 2007.Christina is also volunteers on the Healthy Start Coalition in Sarasota, the Newtown Health Advisory Council, and is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Sarasota. Call or email for more information or to schedule your free consultation with Christina.

Clinical & Office Assistants

	Mfon Clinical Assistant, Birth Assistant, and aspiring midwife will gladly answer your calls, schedule appointments, and answer any questions you may have. She lives in Bradenton and attends MCC.
	Lilah Sol Mother of 2. She's here in the evenings for Open House. She's studying to be a Lactation Counselor, any problems breastfeeding, she's glad to help! She had her 2nd child at home with her husband & Christina.

Childbirth & Parenting Educators, Doulas, and Midwife Assistants

	Chantal Wilford Certified Bradley Instructor, Birthways Childbirth Educator and Birth Assistant. Chantal is a 3 time home birth champion! With her largest baby being 11.5 pounds! Her 3rd was born with her husband & Christina.
	Jodi Ballano Mom of 3, wife to her hubby, future midwife (after she finishes nursing school), and brillant Birth Assistant. Jodi will do anything for a laboring momma!! We just love her here!!!
	Cheryl Kindred Doula, birth assistant and clincal assistant. You'll see her on Mondays in the office and at open house. She joined our staff in July of 2008 and we absolutely LOVE her!! She's available to doula our families at the birth center, home, or those choosing hospital births. Just call our office to schedule a visit with Cheryl. She's also expecting her first baby in December 2009.
	Tanya Taylor Mom of 3, professional baby wearer, avid scrap-booker, and experienced tandem nurser. She can make a sling out of anything!! She'll show you anything you ever wanted to know about baby slings! And if you have a questions about where to have a baby, just ask her.. she's had one in the hospital, one in a birth center, and her last one at home with Christina! She leads the Baby Wearing group that meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 10am.
	Patti Truebert Childbirth Educator, Doula, LPN, Birth Assistant has been teaching families & attending births for over 10 years. She's also a doula trainer and one of our beloved Doulas.
	Alison Ingram In addition to being one of our great birth assistants since 2008, she's also a doula, and works in Labor & Deliver at Peace River Medical Center in Port Charlotte, Florida.