Black and white collage showing a midwife checking a baby, a birthing mother, a family with children, and craniosacral therapy.

The Hearts and Hands Behind Our Services

At The Green Stork, we are a team of dedicated professionals passionate about empowering families through the transformative journey of birth. We believe in providing personalized, holistic care that honors your unique needs and supports you every step of the way.

Stephanie Holthus, CPM, LM, CLC, CST

Stephanie is the heart and soul of The Green Stork. As a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and Licensed Midwife (LM), she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every birth. Her journey into midwifery was deeply personal, inspired by her own experiences with motherhood and a desire to provide women with empowering birth options. Stephanie's dedication extends beyond midwifery, holding certifications as a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and Craniosacral Therapist (CST), allowing her to offer comprehensive care to mothers and babies. Her passion for natural birth and holistic wellness shines through in her compassionate approach.

Becca Van Dyke, Doula

Becca is a dedicated and nurturing doula, whose passion for birth work stems from a deep admiration for the miracle of life. Her calm and reassuring presence provides invaluable support to families during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Becca understands the importance of emotional and physical support during this transformative time, and she is committed to helping women achieve a positive and empowering birth experience. Her experience working at the local pregnancy center also gives her a unique insight into the needs of new mothers.

Our Shared Commitment

A compassionate midwife leans over a woman laboring in a birth pool inside a home, offering hands-on support and encouragement. Highlights continuous water birth support and home birth services in Northern MN.
We are honored to be a part of your journey

We are united in our commitment to providing exceptional care that is both evidence-based and deeply compassionate. We believe in the power of informed choice and are dedicated to empowering families to have the birth experience they desire.

@greenstorkmn
  • ✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
  • We’re so happy to share that we still have some openings for home births in late fall 2026 and early 2027. While a few months are filling up, others have space — including room for those considering a last-minute switch to homebirth.It’s never too late to reach out. Many families connect with us later in pregnancy and go on to have the peaceful, supported birth they’ve been hoping for.If you’ve been dreaming of a homebirth, we warmly invite you to explore what’s possible with us.Please fill out our “Contact Us” form at greenstorkmn.com — we’d love to hear your story and see how we can support you.Your peaceful home birth may be closer than you think 💕#Homebirth #MinnesotaMidwife #GreenStorkMN #warerbirth #birthyourway
  • We are thrilled to announce that we have hired a dedicated medical biller to support our families!While we remain out-of-network with all insurance companies, this important addition means we can now provide Verification of Benefits for every client. Our biller will help submit the necessary information to your insurance so you can discover exactly what reimbursement or coverage may be available for your home birth care.This is a big step forward. Many families have excellent out-of-network benefits they didn’t realize could apply to midwifery and homebirth services. With professional billing support, more families can now explore and access the personalized, physiological, and empowering home birth experience they desire—without having to navigate the insurance process alone.We believe every family deserves access to high-quality homebirth midwifery care. This new service helps remove financial barriers and opens doors for many more families to choose the birth setting that feels right for them.If you’re considering home birth or have questions about how your insurance might contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn more!Thank you for being part of our growing community.
Here’s to safer, more supported, and more accessible home births! 💕#Homebirth #MidwiferyCare #GreenStorkMN #BirthOptions #MaternityCare
  • Home visits with Birth Assistant/ Doula Becca are some of my favorites.  We put on a ton of miles today.  About 6 hours of car time.  I’m so glad to have the company and great conversations.  #BirthTeam #GreenStorkMN #Homebirth #Homevisits #RuralMidwife
  • We’ve been working behind the scenes on a major update that’s going to change the game — and we can’t wait to share it with you!Stay tuned over the next week as we finalize everything. This one’s going to make midwifery care a whole lot more accessible for many.Who’s ready? 👀#Homebirth #GreenStorkMN #Waterbirth #MidwiferyCare #NorthernMNMidwifery
  • It’s birthday month for this midwife!  Which means I renewed my midwifery license with the Board of Medical Practice, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude! Being a licensed midwife isn’t just a credential — it’s a vital commitment to safety, excellence, and trust. It ensures I’m held to the highest standards of care so every family I serve receives skilled, evidence-based support during one of life’s most sacred journeys.This renewal is an incredible honor. For the next year (and many more, I hope!), I get to keep showing up for our community — walking alongside mothers, babies, and families with compassion, knowledge, and confidence.Looking at this form, I’m filled with pride and deeply humbled.  It represents countless hours of study, reflection, and growth — diving deep into topics that real-life births hadn’t yet shown me. Formal education has this beautiful way of filling in the gaps we didn’t even know existed, strengthening us in ways that make us better caregivers.I truly love continuing education. It keeps the fire alive, sharpens my skills, and reminds me why I fell in love with midwifery in the first place: to serve with wisdom, humility, and an open heart.Here’s to another year of supporting life’s most beautiful beginnings! 💕If you’re in our community and considering your birth options, I’d love to connect.#MidwifeLife #LicensedMidwife #GreenStorkMN #BirthSupport #HonoredToServe
  • ❤️ Celebrating 250 years of freedom on the lake and under a sky that lit up with fireworks this weekend.What a fun-filled, heart-full few days — soaked in family laughter, chasing my youngest nieces and nephews around, and making memories that I’ll treasure forever. Fireworks exploding overhead while I waited for labor to begin… It was the perfect mix of celebration and quiet anticipation.No new babies joined us this weekend, but every single moment was beautifully spent. Time with the people I love most is never wasted. Grateful for this wild, wonderful life and the freedom to celebrate it together.Happy 250th Independence Day 🇺🇸✨#4thOfJuly250 #250YearsStrong #GreenStorkMN #MidwifeLife #OnCallFunStillHad
  • 💚 Happy Father’s Day from The Green Stork 💚Today, we’re celebrating the dads, partners, bonus dads, grandpas, and father figures who show up with love, support, and sometimes an impressive collection of snacks.From timing contractions like they’re training for the Olympics, to mastering the art of assembling baby gear with only minimal confusion, fathers play a beautiful role in the journey of welcoming new life.
We see the nervous hand-holding, the encouraging words, the late-night diaper changes, and the quiet moments of wonder when a new baby is placed in loving arms. Those moments matter. They help create the foundation of a growing family.To all the fathers who have supported pregnancies, births, postpartum healing, and the everyday adventures of parenthood: thank you for your strength, tenderness, patience, and willingness to learn as you go.
Today we celebrate you—the protectors, the cheerleaders, the baby-rockers, the swaddle-attempters, and the makers of terrible-but-somehow-beloved dad jokes.Wishing you a Father’s Day filled with love, laughter, and at least one uninterrupted cup of coffee. ☕👶💚With gratitude,
The Green Stork Midwifery#HappyFathersDay #GreenStorkMN #MidwiferyCare #FamilyCenteredCare #Fatherhood
  • The Green Stork is celebrating 15 years this month! 🎉💚Technically, the journey started in early 2011, but it took until June to give this little side gig a name. And when I say it took until June, I mean I agonized over it for months.I wanted a name that could grow with me. A name that could hold a big dream.From the very beginning, I envisioned a place where women and families could find support through the entire childbearing year—from preconception to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and well-woman care. A true one-stop shop for compassionate, family-centered support.Fifteen years later, that dream is still growing and evolving. Some things have changed. Some things have expanded beyond what I could have imagined. But one thing has remained exactly the same: providing care that helps families feel seen, heard, held, truly cared for, and fully supported.As we celebrate our 15th year, I thought I’d answer one of the questions I’m asked most often:Where did the name “The Green Stork” come from?At the time, I was working full-time in sales and marketing, and I knew I wanted green to be part of the brand somehow. I didn’t know if it would be in the name, but I knew the color would be there.Around the same time, our first baby was affectionately known as “The Bean” throughout my pregnancy. (In fact, we didn’t decide on his actual name until he was more than 24 hours old!) His pregnancy was also what sparked my journey into childbirth education, so I wanted to somehow incorporate that part of the story too.One morning, during our 10-minute drive to work, I was once again talking through my naming struggles with my husband. After months of me overthinking every possibility, he casually blurted out:“Why don’t you just call it The Green Stork or something?”Just like that.Done.Months of brainstorming solved in a single sentence.I immediately knew that was it.The image of a stork carrying a little bean pod popped into my head, and by the time I got to work, I had already messaged my dear friend Megan, a graphic designer, asking if she would create a logo.Continued in comments…
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
✨ A beautiful powerhouse of women, gathered together to support one incredible mother through her labor.Becca was lovingly welcomed as their doula, while Taylor and Michelle brought their care and expertise as our birth assistants. We truly couldn’t agree more — there’s no better way to spend a Friday.Sometimes you’ll find us quietly knitting while we wait for baby, washing dishes, sharing gentle conversation with family, taking a peaceful little walk down the driveway, or even catching a restorative nap alongside mom and dad. Every birth is its own sacred adventure. With each one, we grow and are left in absolute awe of the quiet strength, courage, and power of the women we’re so honored to serve.💕#homebirth #GreenStorkMn #MNMidwife #RuralMidwife #BirthinBemidji
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
We’re so happy to share that we still have some openings for home births in late fall 2026 and early 2027. While a few months are filling up, others have space — including room for those considering a last-minute switch to homebirth.It’s never too late to reach out. Many families connect with us later in pregnancy and go on to have the peaceful, supported birth they’ve been hoping for.If you’ve been dreaming of a homebirth, we warmly invite you to explore what’s possible with us.Please fill out our “Contact Us” form at greenstorkmn.com — we’d love to hear your story and see how we can support you.Your peaceful home birth may be closer than you think 💕#Homebirth #MinnesotaMidwife #GreenStorkMN #warerbirth #birthyourway
We’re so happy to share that we still have some openings for home births in late fall 2026 and early 2027. While a few months are filling up, others have space — including room for those considering a last-minute switch to homebirth.It’s never too late to reach out. Many families connect with us later in pregnancy and go on to have the peaceful, supported birth they’ve been hoping for.If you’ve been dreaming of a homebirth, we warmly invite you to explore what’s possible with us.Please fill out our “Contact Us” form at greenstorkmn.com — we’d love to hear your story and see how we can support you.Your peaceful home birth may be closer than you think 💕#Homebirth #MinnesotaMidwife #GreenStorkMN #warerbirth #birthyourway
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
We are thrilled to announce that we have hired a dedicated medical biller to support our families!While we remain out-of-network with all insurance companies, this important addition means we can now provide Verification of Benefits for every client. Our biller will help submit the necessary information to your insurance so you can discover exactly what reimbursement or coverage may be available for your home birth care.This is a big step forward. Many families have excellent out-of-network benefits they didn’t realize could apply to midwifery and homebirth services. With professional billing support, more families can now explore and access the personalized, physiological, and empowering home birth experience they desire—without having to navigate the insurance process alone.We believe every family deserves access to high-quality homebirth midwifery care. This new service helps remove financial barriers and opens doors for many more families to choose the birth setting that feels right for them.If you’re considering home birth or have questions about how your insurance might contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn more!Thank you for being part of our growing community.
Here’s to safer, more supported, and more accessible home births! 💕#Homebirth #MidwiferyCare #GreenStorkMN #BirthOptions #MaternityCare
We are thrilled to announce that we have hired a dedicated medical biller to support our families!While we remain out-of-network with all insurance companies, this important addition means we can now provide Verification of Benefits for every client. Our biller will help submit the necessary information to your insurance so you can discover exactly what reimbursement or coverage may be available for your home birth care.This is a big step forward. Many families have excellent out-of-network benefits they didn’t realize could apply to midwifery and homebirth services. With professional billing support, more families can now explore and access the personalized, physiological, and empowering home birth experience they desire—without having to navigate the insurance process alone.We believe every family deserves access to high-quality homebirth midwifery care. This new service helps remove financial barriers and opens doors for many more families to choose the birth setting that feels right for them.If you’re considering home birth or have questions about how your insurance might contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn more!Thank you for being part of our growing community. Here’s to safer, more supported, and more accessible home births! 💕#Homebirth #MidwiferyCare #GreenStorkMN #BirthOptions #MaternityCare
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Home visits with Birth Assistant/ Doula Becca are some of my favorites.  We put on a ton of miles today.  About 6 hours of car time.  I’m so glad to have the company and great conversations.  #BirthTeam #GreenStorkMN #Homebirth #Homevisits #RuralMidwife
Home visits with Birth Assistant/ Doula Becca are some of my favorites. We put on a ton of miles today. About 6 hours of car time. I’m so glad to have the company and great conversations. #BirthTeam #GreenStorkMN #Homebirth #Homevisits #RuralMidwife
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
We’ve been working behind the scenes on a major update that’s going to change the game — and we can’t wait to share it with you!Stay tuned over the next week as we finalize everything. This one’s going to make midwifery care a whole lot more accessible for many.Who’s ready? 👀#Homebirth #GreenStorkMN #Waterbirth #MidwiferyCare #NorthernMNMidwifery
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
It’s birthday month for this midwife!  Which means I renewed my midwifery license with the Board of Medical Practice, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude! Being a licensed midwife isn’t just a credential — it’s a vital commitment to safety, excellence, and trust. It ensures I’m held to the highest standards of care so every family I serve receives skilled, evidence-based support during one of life’s most sacred journeys.This renewal is an incredible honor. For the next year (and many more, I hope!), I get to keep showing up for our community — walking alongside mothers, babies, and families with compassion, knowledge, and confidence.Looking at this form, I’m filled with pride and deeply humbled.  It represents countless hours of study, reflection, and growth — diving deep into topics that real-life births hadn’t yet shown me. Formal education has this beautiful way of filling in the gaps we didn’t even know existed, strengthening us in ways that make us better caregivers.I truly love continuing education. It keeps the fire alive, sharpens my skills, and reminds me why I fell in love with midwifery in the first place: to serve with wisdom, humility, and an open heart.Here’s to another year of supporting life’s most beautiful beginnings! 💕If you’re in our community and considering your birth options, I’d love to connect.#MidwifeLife #LicensedMidwife #GreenStorkMN #BirthSupport #HonoredToServe
It’s birthday month for this midwife! Which means I renewed my midwifery license with the Board of Medical Practice, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude! Being a licensed midwife isn’t just a credential — it’s a vital commitment to safety, excellence, and trust. It ensures I’m held to the highest standards of care so every family I serve receives skilled, evidence-based support during one of life’s most sacred journeys.This renewal is an incredible honor. For the next year (and many more, I hope!), I get to keep showing up for our community — walking alongside mothers, babies, and families with compassion, knowledge, and confidence.Looking at this form, I’m filled with pride and deeply humbled. It represents countless hours of study, reflection, and growth — diving deep into topics that real-life births hadn’t yet shown me. Formal education has this beautiful way of filling in the gaps we didn’t even know existed, strengthening us in ways that make us better caregivers.I truly love continuing education. It keeps the fire alive, sharpens my skills, and reminds me why I fell in love with midwifery in the first place: to serve with wisdom, humility, and an open heart.Here’s to another year of supporting life’s most beautiful beginnings! 💕If you’re in our community and considering your birth options, I’d love to connect.#MidwifeLife #LicensedMidwife #GreenStorkMN #BirthSupport #HonoredToServe
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
❤️ Celebrating 250 years of freedom on the lake and under a sky that lit up with fireworks this weekend.What a fun-filled, heart-full few days — soaked in family laughter, chasing my youngest nieces and nephews around, and making memories that I’ll treasure forever. Fireworks exploding overhead while I waited for labor to begin… It was the perfect mix of celebration and quiet anticipation.No new babies joined us this weekend, but every single moment was beautifully spent. Time with the people I love most is never wasted. Grateful for this wild, wonderful life and the freedom to celebrate it together.Happy 250th Independence Day 🇺🇸✨#4thOfJuly250 #250YearsStrong #GreenStorkMN #MidwifeLife #OnCallFunStillHad
❤️ Celebrating 250 years of freedom on the lake and under a sky that lit up with fireworks this weekend.What a fun-filled, heart-full few days — soaked in family laughter, chasing my youngest nieces and nephews around, and making memories that I’ll treasure forever. Fireworks exploding overhead while I waited for labor to begin… It was the perfect mix of celebration and quiet anticipation.No new babies joined us this weekend, but every single moment was beautifully spent. Time with the people I love most is never wasted. Grateful for this wild, wonderful life and the freedom to celebrate it together.Happy 250th Independence Day 🇺🇸✨#4thOfJuly250 #250YearsStrong #GreenStorkMN #MidwifeLife #OnCallFunStillHad
1 month ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
💚 Happy Father’s Day from The Green Stork 💚Today, we’re celebrating the dads, partners, bonus dads, grandpas, and father figures who show up with love, support, and sometimes an impressive collection of snacks.From timing contractions like they’re training for the Olympics, to mastering the art of assembling baby gear with only minimal confusion, fathers play a beautiful role in the journey of welcoming new life. We see the nervous hand-holding, the encouraging words, the late-night diaper changes, and the quiet moments of wonder when a new baby is placed in loving arms. Those moments matter. They help create the foundation of a growing family.To all the fathers who have supported pregnancies, births, postpartum healing, and the everyday adventures of parenthood: thank you for your strength, tenderness, patience, and willingness to learn as you go. Today we celebrate you—the protectors, the cheerleaders, the baby-rockers, the swaddle-attempters, and the makers of terrible-but-somehow-beloved dad jokes.Wishing you a Father’s Day filled with love, laughter, and at least one uninterrupted cup of coffee. ☕👶💚With gratitude, The Green Stork Midwifery#HappyFathersDay #GreenStorkMN #MidwiferyCare #FamilyCenteredCare #Fatherhood
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
The Green Stork is celebrating 15 years this month! 🎉💚Technically, the journey started in early 2011, but it took until June to give this little side gig a name. And when I say it took until June, I mean I agonized over it for months.I wanted a name that could grow with me. A name that could hold a big dream.From the very beginning, I envisioned a place where women and families could find support through the entire childbearing year—from preconception to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and well-woman care. A true one-stop shop for compassionate, family-centered support.Fifteen years later, that dream is still growing and evolving. Some things have changed. Some things have expanded beyond what I could have imagined. But one thing has remained exactly the same: providing care that helps families feel seen, heard, held, truly cared for, and fully supported.As we celebrate our 15th year, I thought I’d answer one of the questions I’m asked most often:Where did the name “The Green Stork” come from?At the time, I was working full-time in sales and marketing, and I knew I wanted green to be part of the brand somehow. I didn’t know if it would be in the name, but I knew the color would be there.Around the same time, our first baby was affectionately known as “The Bean” throughout my pregnancy. (In fact, we didn’t decide on his actual name until he was more than 24 hours old!) His pregnancy was also what sparked my journey into childbirth education, so I wanted to somehow incorporate that part of the story too.One morning, during our 10-minute drive to work, I was once again talking through my naming struggles with my husband. After months of me overthinking every possibility, he casually blurted out:“Why don’t you just call it The Green Stork or something?”Just like that.Done.Months of brainstorming solved in a single sentence.I immediately knew that was it.The image of a stork carrying a little bean pod popped into my head, and by the time I got to work, I had already messaged my dear friend Megan, a graphic designer, asking if she would create a logo.Continued in comments…
The Green Stork is celebrating 15 years this month! 🎉💚Technically, the journey started in early 2011, but it took until June to give this little side gig a name. And when I say it took until June, I mean I agonized over it for months.I wanted a name that could grow with me. A name that could hold a big dream.From the very beginning, I envisioned a place where women and families could find support through the entire childbearing year—from preconception to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and well-woman care. A true one-stop shop for compassionate, family-centered support.Fifteen years later, that dream is still growing and evolving. Some things have changed. Some things have expanded beyond what I could have imagined. But one thing has remained exactly the same: providing care that helps families feel seen, heard, held, truly cared for, and fully supported.As we celebrate our 15th year, I thought I’d answer one of the questions I’m asked most often:Where did the name “The Green Stork” come from?At the time, I was working full-time in sales and marketing, and I knew I wanted green to be part of the brand somehow. I didn’t know if it would be in the name, but I knew the color would be there.Around the same time, our first baby was affectionately known as “The Bean” throughout my pregnancy. (In fact, we didn’t decide on his actual name until he was more than 24 hours old!) His pregnancy was also what sparked my journey into childbirth education, so I wanted to somehow incorporate that part of the story too.One morning, during our 10-minute drive to work, I was once again talking through my naming struggles with my husband. After months of me overthinking every possibility, he casually blurted out:“Why don’t you just call it The Green Stork or something?”Just like that.Done.Months of brainstorming solved in a single sentence.I immediately knew that was it.The image of a stork carrying a little bean pod popped into my head, and by the time I got to work, I had already messaged my dear friend Megan, a graphic designer, asking if she would create a logo.Continued in comments…
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

Real Stories, Real Joy

“My husband and I welcomed our second child in October 2018. Becca was our Doula and our experience was wonderful! Before the birth she met with us to prepare- getting to know us and our preferences for labor/birth, etc. She was very professional, yet personable, and you could tell she is very passionate about what she does – being that extra line of support and knowledge for expecting Mothers (and Dads, too!).

During labor, it was so encouraging to to have her with us, giving me gentle reminders to breathe naturally, massage, getting what we needed when we needed it- ASAP (including hospital staff, if they left the room).

My husband felt more confident with her helping us, because he could better focus on me – helping me moment to moment with each contraction. Becca was able work together with him during contractions while still keeping an eye on the bigger picture – where we were in the process and how things were going overall.

In the recovery room, my nurse told me she had a positive and encouraging experience working with Becca. The way she described it conveyed that she appreciated Becca’s attitude of working together with the hospital staff as a team for the same purpose – healthy mom, healthy baby, and a positive birth experience.”

Sheila Ewert

"My wife deeply appreciated the caring and personal service that Steph provided for our growing family. I have been through childbirth five times with my wife, two of them home births, and I have seen a range of personalities among the doulas, midwives, nurses, and doctors who have helped us. Steph is simply extraordinary. She took the time to get to know us, she provided the support we desired, but she also knew when to withdraw into the sidelines and let my wife’s labor take its natural course.

As a husband, I wanted to be as hands on as possible, but the fact of the matter is that one person can only do so much. I would recommend to other husbands that money spent on a doula is well spent, since it always helps to have another set of hands to refill a water bottle or massage a laboring mother’s back or handle any of the thousand other little things that come up along the way. Steph did all of these things and more, always with a sense of calm and gentle encouragement."

Ryan MacPherson (2015)

"My wife and I welcomed our first baby, Graham, into this world with the help of Becca. We could not have been happier with the comfort and support that Becca provided both of us throughout the process. Becca is professional and passionate about her work, and we were amazed at her level of commitment to us throughout a long and stressful labor. Both of us highly recommend Becca, and we’ll surely have her with us for round 2 whenever that may be!”

Dan Ryan

“…As all parents know, life doesn’t happen how we think it may. Babies are full of many surprises and have their own schedule. After an amazingly smooth pregnancy, Alicia went into labor 6 weeks early. We were in disbelief and shocked, this couldn’t’ be happening. Steph was the first person I called. She advised us to head to the hospital and kept in contact along the way. After realizing the labor was not slowing down, the doctors decided it would be best to transport Alicia to Rochester. Again we were in disbelief and struggled with the fact that Alicia would be laboring in the ambulance alone, while I rushed home to grab a few things and then drive to Rochester. But again, Steph was there. She reassured me that our birth story would still be beautiful and that Rochester is an amazing place to give birth. She offered to drive and meet us in Rochester to continue leading us through our birth journey.

She not only met us there, she lead me down the highway, into town, to the parking ramp and up to Alicia’s room. In this midst of all the unknowns, worries and fear, Steph was there to put us at ease.

She was an incredible coach through labor and helped Alicia to reach her goal of having an all natural birth. She also made sure I was taken care of with food and hydration throughout the morning. Steph did a wonderful job of photographing of our birth story as well. The memories she captured will be cherished forever.

Looking back, I can’t imagine our birth story without Steph.

From the early days of learning techniques in her class, to capturing our first family photos, Steph made our birth story an amazing experience. She is living her passion and we are eternally grateful she is our Doula.” 

Dan & Alicia W.