Hey friend, my name is Rhoda. I live in Mocksville with my husband and 4 children. I grew up in various states across the US, as well as spending some years as a missionary kid in Honduras. I had a unique introduction to unconventional birth by making my entrance to the world in a horse drawn buggy as my Amish parents tried to make it to the midwife in time!

Natural, well-supported birth and postpartum care was a big part of the culture I grew up in, but my interest in learning more about it personally, came when I was 16 and my youngest brother was born at home with a midwife and a friend of my mom’s as doula support. At 19, I was doing childcare for a missionary couple, when a midwife invited me to attend a birth with her at the clinic she ran in the local town. The awe of seeing a woman’s body work the way God designed it to, convinced me that I wanted birth work to be a part of my life.

I trained with several different midwives in my twenties, both here in the US, as well as in Honduras, where I spent time working in a birthing clinic, assisting dozens of mothers who were looking for an alternative to the long trip to the hospital or giving birth at home in their village. I began to learn what a doula does, as I often worked both as the midwife’s assistant and as a support person for moms who came without other support women. I loved helping to lessen the uncertainty of the birth process by educating women on what was happening in their bodies throughout labor and delivery.

I’ve been blessed to be able to have a natural birth with each of my own children, surrounded by an incredible team of family and caregivers, my own mom playing the role of doula in a few of my births. Their excellent support through the prenatal process, birthing complications I experienced, and even in postpartum care when I was recovering, made such a difference!

In the same way that I was supported through my births, I love having the privilege to give back, to educate, listen, and provide support for other mothers hoping for a natural birth process. I believe that God created us for community, and nowhere is this more apparent than on our journey to motherhood, where it truly does take a village.

I am passionate about women’s bodies doing what God created them to do, and about honoring the amazing system He designed! But my biggest motivation in life comes through knowing God and being known by Him. Understanding complete salvation through the death of Jesus and knowing the Holy Spirit as my Helper has been the most transformative relationship of my life.