TheRollyMama

Do you see those little feet sticking out? How about the beautiful sling that was gifted to me by a home birth mama with my favorite earth tones? Unseen: a sassy little 9-pound Aries gal baptizing my new sling as soon as her diaper came off. Bless her. What a life to get to spend my time this way. 🧡

The RollyMama 2025 Playlist

This year marked the completion of three years of working towards my CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) at Midwives College of Utah (I can’t believe I’ve been a full-time student for three years straight. BONKERS). In December I completed my “assist” phase, and I am ready to begin the final phase of school and apprenticeship. I expect to graduate in the spring of 2027.

Some highlights from the Babies of 2025:
Fifteen babies were born in their own homes!
Thirteen girls, nine boys.
Five babies were siblings of older kiddos whose births I also had the privilege of attending.
Four babies were born under the light of Super Moons: the Flower Moon, the Strawberry Moon, the Buck Moon, and the Beaver Moon.
Three babies were born into my student-midwife hands.
Two babies were born to Sister Doulas.
One baby was born to a Sister Midwife.

Creating this playlist is such a rich experience as I get to remember each family, baby, midwife and doula who participated in the arrival of these tiny humans. As I listen, I remember each one with gratitude. Thank you to these families for trusting me to be in your birth spaces, and thank you to the midwives who have trusted me to learn alongside you (special shoutout to Kim and Laurie). It is an honor to be on this wild ride with you.

The RollyMama 2025 Playlist (in order of their arrival):

Jackson- Mad Love by Lucius
Emmanuel- Hine Ma Tov by Melita and Isaac
Hope- Indian Red by Daniel Lanois
Hannah- Butterfly by Jon Batiste
Josephina- Wild and Clear and Blue by I’m with Her
Flynn- Better Together by Jack Johnson
Zahara- A Little Light by Brandi Carlile and Elton John
Xaden- Shine by Joy Clark
Ava - There’s a Rhythm by Bon Iver
Nora- Strawberry Moonrise by I’m With Her
Leona- Bright Star by Anaiis Mitchell
Winslow- Count On Me by The Lone Bellow
Skye- Blue Skies by Eva Cassidy
Nolan- Little Life by Cordelia
Alana- Come to Jesus by Mindy Smith
Astrid- Purple Haze by Joy Olodukun
Matteo- Swing for the Fences by Brandi Carlile and Elton John
Alexandra- Rise by Sarah McLaughlin
Lapo- Ancient Light by I’m With Her
Avi- Everyday Love by Grace Potter
Talia - Invisible String by Taylor Swift
Miriam - Eli Eli by Melita and Isaac

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1V656m78HTHjZZHn4cNz5U?si=egKMfT_7SM-VqJuG-w-SuA

I’m grateful to remember North Shore Birth Center every year when we decorate our Christmas tree. A little old cottage that changed my life with all that happened there. I met midwives for the first time there, and learned about the midwifery model of care as I experienced it through two pregnancies and births. I learned how to support births as a doula by being invited to accompany many families there. I was given a front row seat to watch my heroes in action there over and over. When BILH closed the birth center in 2022, I heard my own personal call to join the midwives I held in such high esteem. I am now 2/3 of the way through midwifery school and have been reminiscing about my “why.” My “why” was born in this little cottage through the examples of midwives who touched my life so deeply. My “why” was put in motion when we lost them.
Thank you, North Shore Birth Center, and all of the beautiful souls I met under your roof.

It’s so important to have cheerleaders!! Birth work and midwifery school can require a lot of a person, ant sometimes I need reminders of my “why.”

Pictured here is one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. Alexandra (@712.akm), who has been a constant source of encouragement in my journey as a doula and student midwife, created a blanket with the names of the first 100 little souls I got to witness and support coming into this world. Now I can literally wrap myself up in my “why” when I need some encouragement to keep going along this path. The timing could not be better. Thank you, friend.

The RollyMama 2024 Playlist

This year marked the completion of two years of midwifery school at Midwives College of Utah, and the beginning of my apprenticeship in September with Metrowest Midwifery. Eight of these babies were born at home, and twice I had the privilege of holding an older sibling on my lap while watching the arrival of their new baby. One of these babies was my first experience supporting an HBAC (home birth after cesarean). Six of these babies were from families I’ve supported previously- one was my first 4th baby from the same family and one was my 100th birth. One baby arrived on election day, one on Thanksgiving, and one on New Year’s Eve. For the first time in my career I had two babies share a birthday (September 28th). This was a year characterized by a lot of new learning and the clumsiness of being a beginner. This was a year of falling deeply in love with home birth and confirmation that I’m on a good path.

Thank you to the families who trusted me to come alongside them during their pregnancy and birth journeys, and thank you to the midwives who have so graciously taken me under their wings and welcomed me into the fold.

When I listen to these songs I will remember the unique journeys of each of these little ones who arrived in 2024!

RollyMama Babies of 2024 Theme Songs:

Ziya: Today by the Parkington Sisters
Luna: Sunshine Baby by The Japanese House
Victor: Simply the Best by Billianne
Henry: Tiny Things by Tiny Habits
Annabelle: Bless the Broken Road by Rascall Flatts
Finn: Love that Conquers by The Swell Season
Francesca (Frankie): No More Lonely Nights by Paul McCartney
Nico: The Greatest by Sia
Quinn: Phoenix by Aofe O’Donovan
Axel: Victory Garden by The Lone Bellow
Shepherd: Wherever is Your Heart by Brandi Carlile
Flora: Put No Walls Around Your Garden by New Dangerfield
Larson: Shine by Joy Clark
Elsie: Two of Us on the Run by Lucius
Bennett: In My Arms by Edie Carie and Sarah Sample
Lorenzo: American Tune by the Indigo Girls
Audrey: The Way it Is Now by Sarah Jarosz
Isaac: Thank You by Dido
Rowan: Snow on the Beach by Taylor Swift
Christian: Sweet Surrender by Sarah McLaughlan
Yet-to-be-named New Year’s Eve Baby: Gild the Lily by Billy Strings

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3m2COD70omc7hKM5ooRh0J?si=VdoRcSWqRmKGbtjI2WoYnQ&pi=u-mR6YWnBUT8Ks

“How about that, you and me
Lots of love, in tiny things
All we have, is all I need
All the love’s in tiny…”
Tiny Things by Tiny Habits

It’s been a while since I posted an individual theme song birth announcement, but I got to work alongside friend and marvelous midwife to welcome this baby, and when her shift ended she said “I can’t wait to hear about the song!” so this one is for her. 😘

Tiny things: a sip of coconut water for mom, a cool cloth for her forehead in between contractions, dad’s hand on her shoulders to help release tension, an extra set of baby footprints for mom to hold in her hands while baby needed a little extra help transitioning.

Not so tiny things: informed consent before any procedure/intervention was chosen, honest shared-decision making conversations between parents and providers when the best way forward was not clear, and this family being treated as “whole people” instead of by numbers and protocol alone. In my experience, these no-so-tiny things can have huge impact and can determine whether or not parents experience birth as traumatic or empowered, regardless of the circumstances.

It was a good day to be a doula and to get to witness all the tiny and not-so-tiny things that really matter. My heart is full 🧡

Happy birthday, Baby H!

The RollyMama Babies of 2023 playlist is complete! It’s shorter this year because I took some time off to adjust to the demands of returning to full-time school at the Midwives College of Utah. (As a self-proclaimed “tech dinosaur” I count learning how to create a slide presentation on Canva, using Quizlet flashcards for anatomy memorization, and writing APA style research papers among my top accomplishments of 2023 🤓).

In the space between studying Lactation, Herbology and Birth Equity, I was able to experience the birth of my first twins, five home births, four repeat families, two successful VBACs, and one set of cousins born within days of each other.

Many thanks to the families who trusted me to accompany them on the journey to welcoming these new little loves, and to the midwives who took me under their wings to learn about out-of-hospital birth. Eight years into this work and it still feels like a sacred privilege. 🙏🏼💫

Coming in the new year: I am looking forward to continuing to support the efforts of in launching a birth center in Boston, and collaborating with the Campaign to Save the North Shore Birth Center to create something new for our community. Stay tuned!

Introducing The RollyMama Babies of 2023:

1. Helia: Drink Water by Jon Batiste
2. Olivia: There was Jesus by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton
3. Eloise: Crowded Table by The Highwomen
4. Waylon: Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift
5. Henry: Breaking Free: High School Musical
6. Wesley: Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root
7. Bjorn: Follow You by Imagine Dragons
8. Matteo: Sweet Surrender by Sarah McLaughlan
9. Felix: You Were Born by Cloud Cult
10. James: Everybody Needs Someone by Noah Cyrus
11. Linden: Where You Lead by Carol King
12. Ottavia: Silence by Delerium
13. Lylee: Autumn Town Leaves by Iron and Wine
14. Ezra: Mastermind by Taylor Swift
15. Damian: May Every Day be Christmas by Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Happy New Year 🎶🧡🎧

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1LLVb5jLvzN4Y5Lv1NzFxK?si=JDtpW5YUShOEUGBo9v5Stw&pi=u-dNMPLaW7REu0

Can working with a doula improve birth outcomes?

A 2023 analysis in the journal Cureus reviewed 16 individual studies done over 22 years. It found doula support was linked with better birth outcomes, such as fewer C-sections and premature deliveries, and shorter length of labor.

Additionally, the emotional support provided by doulas was associated with less anxiety and stress in birthing mothers. Among low-income women, doula support was shown to improve breastfeeding success.

"It's impressive," Richey says. "I think those improved outcomes are due to having an expert in the labor process who isn't a medical person but is just there for you from moment to moment."

What does a birth doula do? - Harvard Health In the US, more people seem to be seeking out the assistance of a doula when preparing to give birth. While such services may not be covered by insurance, a professional doula can provide em...

🧡

Every once in a blue moon 🌚…

I am invited to cut the umbilical cord of a tiny human AND also attend the birth of his cousin who arrived a few days earlier.

Ok, really only once in this blue moon did both of those things happen together 💙🌝💙

Also pictured: favorite t-shirt, my preferred birth uniform which I’m pretty superstitious about.

What an honor to have been a part of the journey to welcome these babies! So glad my genetics snuck in there during the transfer 🤣