Krishon and Za
Christie is one of a kind. She’s experienced, professional, and incredibly supportive of you, your baby and those who love you both. What makes her especially unique is her openness to develop a bond with you that surpasses your average patient/practitioner relationship. Her practice is synonymous with caregiving and encouragement. She is a kind, caring soul who’s advocacy for your healthy pregnancy, safe labor & delivery, and beautiful new days with your baby are paramount.
Sarah and Kade
When I first got pregnant I went the route of an OB/gym. It was a very uncomfortable and costly time. That’s when I truly decided I wanted a home birth with a midwife. The first midwife I met was Christie. She let me ask a million questions and made me feel really comfortable. I loved how she never pushed anything on me and always let me decide what was best for me and my baby. During the birth I felt so strong, safe and empowered and a lot of that is because of Christie.
Mary and Jason
Christie makes you feel comfortable from the moment you meet her with her openness and honesty. She trusts you to make the choices that are best for your baby, your body and your emotional status. She is there to assist you in the birth experience you desire and to help empower you through your birthing journey.
Jenny Vostatek
Christie has been our midwife for 3 of our 6 children. From the beginning of our relationship with her, I have always felt comfortable, and confident in our decision to use her as our midwife. She can always answer my questions, in my appointments or outside “office hours”. She is calm and can think clearly and calmly on the fly. She has a personality that has kept me, while I labor, calm and confident in how God has designed our bodies to have babies.
With this last birth I had a small complication following birth. She was on top of it, checking in on me, consulting with an MD on my situation, and doing blood work to make sure there was no infection. She was able to get me in right away with an OB to have my complication resolved. I appreciated her professionalism, not only with me, but with the OB, and the professional relationship she has with them.
Not only is she knowledgeable about birth, but also baby and children’s health. I’ve asked her questions and her opinions outside of my pregnancies, and she always is helpful. I always recommend Christie and would use her again!
Lauren Chapman
I loved that Christie came over to our house for our consultation. She made us feel safe. As time went on throughout the pregnancy she was always there for us. She offered recommendations on whatever we asked her about (heart burn remedies, yoga, nutrition, ect..). She was so encouraging during the labor process and made sure I stayed hydrated. There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not grateful for her.
Andrea A
The minute I met Christie, I knew that she was the midwife for me. This was my third baby, second with a midwife, and first homebirth. Every visit was more like a visit with a friend, never did Christie make me uncomfortable or question my plan for my birth. Instead, she was always available to answer my questions, provide resources and support, and give advice.
I birthed my 7 lb 5 oz son at home in the water, surrounded by my husband and two children, and supported by Christie and her wonderful attendant, Bea. My home birth was everything I have ever wanted in a birth; peaceful, intense, loving. The best part of the birth was as I was pushing, I heard Bea say, “she is going to catch her own baby,” and I reached down and touched my son. I pushed again and immediately pulled my beautiful son up to my chest. I can honestly write that this birth was the single best moment of my life. The flood of intense love and empowerment overshadowed any pain I felt.
Christie was also very supportive of my two children attending the birth. She eased all of my fears of the experience being too much for them. She constantly explained the process to them during visits and the birth. After the birth, she showed them the placenta and explained how the baby lived in it for 9 months.
I can wholeheartedly endorse Christie as a knowledgeable and loving caregiver. She truly has a gift with women and babies and I would never choose any other midwife to attend another birth.
Noemi and Jeff
We knew right away Christie was the right person for us during our first visit because of her friendly demeaner and obvious experience. Christie was incredible throughout my pregnancy – knowledgeable, flexible, and always willing to answer my questions even outside of our appointments. During and after labor she was also was exceptional. She supported when it was time to support, hung back when appropriate and jumped in when needed.
We had latching issues at birth and Christie made sure we did everything we needed to keep him healthy and thriving. As a first time mom I didn’t know what I was doing and Christie went beyond my expectations – going so far as texting me throughout that first night to make sure he was eating and waking up. She does what it takes to make sure everyone is physically and mentally healthy and I couldn’t recommend her enough.
Christie listens with an open mind and open heart. She will respond to your specific needs and situation and never make you feel like you are just a patient. You always know she really cares.
Jacob’s Birth Story
We’re so happy Christie was our midwife! She created such a comfortable, trusting relationship with us. Any question or concern we had was met with respect and practical advice. When my blood pressure started to elevate at the end of my pregnancy, Christie was so vigilant in helping me stay healthy enough to birth at home.
She was super thorough during every appointment, and kept open communication throughout our time together through text, phone, and email.
By the end of my postpartum visits, I was sad to have to say goodbye. She is now a HUGE part of our son’s sweet story. You bet we give her a call when we need her mad midwifery skills again!
The day before my due date, Justin and I thought it might be a good idea to spend time with good friends. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that although the calendar was “ready” for this baby to come, my body might not be. And who knew when our son would actually make his appearance. As we sat with friends talking and laughing, I noticed I started to get contractions.
Nothing too painful, but definitely coming in pattern. We went home appreciating what a great evening it had been, but brushed off any kind of high hopes that labor might be starting.
At 1:00 am on April 8, 2013th (my due date), my body awoke with a wave in my back and lower abdomen. Again, I brushed it off, tried to breathe through it and fell back asleep. If this was indeed labor, my body would continue and I would definitely have to wake up with each one. Well…I did. Each one lasted about 30 seconds, and came seven to eight minutes apart. By morning, they were steadily arriving at seven minutes apart and 40 seconds long. Justin and I agreed it would be a good idea if he stayed home from work, and we geared up mentally for a long labor.
I called our midwife, Christie, and let her know things were starting. Her great advice suggested we do something fun. This was the time to distract ourselves in spite of what was ahead. I finished cleaning up the house, made sure all of our birth supplies sat in proper order, and made our son’s Funfetti birthday cake for visitors to enjoy in the first few days.Every five minutes, I was interrupted by contractions, still surging in my back and abdomen.
Leaning over the kitchen counter top and back-and-forth pacing helped relieve the pain some. But I could tell they were getting steadily more intense.
Justin and I went to Target around 1:00 pm to browse and buy some snacks for the long night ahead. I loved walking around the store, enjoying the excitement I felt. Every five minutes, I made my way into an aisle to breathe and rock my hips. I remember telling Justin, “People must think I look crazy.” But we were doing our job keeping busy, for sure!
Once we got home, we tried to take a nap. I couldn’t be still for more than 15 minutes, and realized it was too intense to lie down. I suggested Justin keep sleeping to be rested for later, and I went downstairs to continue breathing through each contraction.
When he woke up at 4:00 pm, I needed him to stay with me. He offered the best support by pushing on my lower back during each contraction. Also, he told me how great I was doing. Much needed encouragement!
At 5:00 pm, I started thinking about how much I wanted Christie to be here. We called her and she offered to come over to start setting up for the birth. I knew things were progressing, because I felt such incredible relief to see her walk through our front door. After nine months of her invaluable support, she was here, and it was almost time to meet our baby.
She sat with me through a few contractions, and helped me to remember to relax. I vocalized loudly through each one, as they were getting to be the most difficult I had felt so far. I knew I wanted to get in the labor pool soon. But she asked to check my progress before doing so, in order to know how much further we had to labor. She looked up at me surprised, and told me how I was already 9.5 cm.
She said, “we might have time to get the pool ready.”
I was so thrilled, in spite of the intensity each contraction brought! Who knew things would happen so quickly for me as a first time mom!
It was about 6:00 pm at this point, and she rushed to call her assistant, Carmen, and organize necessary supplies. Justin and I continued to work together to get me as comfortable as possible. I asked God for strength under my breath. He was with me.
They got the birthing pool ready, but the water was too hot…not a usual problem at home births. Things were progressing at a rapid pace. I started having the uncontrollable urge to push, so they helped me quickly into the tub. The water provided great relief. I started getting sleepy in between each contraction.
Pushing was the most difficult part for me. I remember feeling quite out of control. It was painful, but Justin, Christie and Carmen encouraged me to push past it because it needed to happen for this sweet baby to come. Christie had me reach down and touch his head.
He had so much hair! (I had secretly wished the whole pregnancy that he would have lots of hair, as Justin and I had nearly none as newborns.) This was the perfect motivation I needed to give one last good push.
After only 26 minutes of pushing, and 16 ½ hours of total labor, I felt my son’s body slide out into the water behind me at 7:49pm. The best feeling I have EVER experienced. I turned around, Christie put him on my chest, and I looked at Justin in complete disbelief.
All I could say through my tears was “oh my gosh, oh my gosh…” He was here, he was real, and I had a face to put to his name…Jacob Adam. He was more perfect than I could ever imagine.
He gave a faint cry. Christie and Carmen went into action to make sure he became more responsive. He had come so quickly, that he needed a bit of help to get going. I was amazed when Christie gave him a few breaths mouth-to-mouth.
How thankful I felt that she would do that without hesitation. Justin and I stayed calm because we knew we were all in good hands. I prayed. I talked to Jacob and told him I loved him. He finally got more color in his body, and we knew everything was fine.
They helped me to the bed and got us cleaned up. I could care less about what they were doing around or to me. I couldn’t stop looking at my sweet boy. They checked him, Justin weighed him, and I got to cut the cord.
It was all so fun to witness and watch. Justin laid down next to me and we stared at our baby together. What a surreal feeling to be relaxing comfortably in my own bed, together with my husband and son in OUR home. I don’t feel like I did anything heroic. I really believe that anyone who wanted to choose home or natural birth could do it. The outcome is well worth the effort!
When Christie and Carmen packed up and said goodbye to us in the living room, I didn’t know what to say at the end of such an event. I am so glad they were part of our story.
“Thank you” still doesn’t feel adequate enough. Justin and I thank God for such a peaceful and safe experience. We knew we were blessed, but Jacob is no doubt the greatest blessing to us so far.
Blessed by Christie
There are certain instances in life when something is so good that you can’t really find the right terms to describe it all that well. I find myself in that scenario now as I try to write what having Christie as our midwife meant to us.
The doctors were fairly certain that we would never be able to conceive a child and so when all of a sudden we were expecting we were a little unprepared and perhaps just a little bit freaked out. When we met with Christie, she hardly spent a minute pressing us about choosing midwifery or comparing it to the hospital route like I expected. Our first meeting was her letting us know that we’d be ok, that this was natural and we’d get through just like families had done for all of mankind and by the time she left she had truly set us at ease. We did ask her a whole bunch of questions which she answered as plainly as she could and when she left she simply gave us a few good resources to help us make our own decisions. Having Christie by our side through the whole process was the easiest and best decision we could have made.
I can tell you about how magical the birth was, and how Christie was both nurturing and in a steady control throughout or how when our baby’s umbilical cord seemed to be wrapped around our baby’s neck, arm, my watch, and the power cords under the bed that she assessed the scenario like a praying mantis and just eliminated the concern before I had time to even worry about it but honestly those crucial moments don’t even compare to the beacon of calm she was throughout the pregnancy. We were fine during the birth because we had been made fine in all the moments leading up to it. No matter when you call her she will answer. Text her about any little thing and just see if a minute will pass before she’ll give you a response. One day she told us how her cell phone powered down on her unexpectedly in the morning and she had a new phone within a few hours so she’d never even have the possibility to be out of touch to her moms.
Christie also brings so much knowledge that is not directly related birth and pregnancy. She can tell you everything that you may think of during your preparations. She can help you to know what kinds of foods to eat to feel better, where to go if you want the best services such as prenatal yoga or photographer (actually, she’s the best but she can only do one job at a time so she’ll get you the name of the 2nd best), how to improve your nutrition, where to buy the stuff you will need when the baby arrives or whatever else you can imagine needing and/or wanting.
She’s never passed judgment or shown an ounce of impatience with us. She was our midwife and our friend through it all and still follows up with us to see how we are doing, some 10 months later. We have proven the medical field wrong once again and are now pregnant with our 2nd child and there’s no doubt that we’ll be blessed to have Christie by our side for the process again.
Courtney’s Second Baby
When I got pregnant with our second baby, my husband and I decided we wanted a different experience than we had with the prenatal care and birth of our first son (OB care and a hospital birth). When we met Christie and asked her to be our midwife it was as if a huge weight was removed from our shoulders because we connected with her immediately. We felt at ease about being in the right hands. Christie is amazingly down-to-earth and comforting.
My prenatal care under Christie was way more thorough than what I received during my first pregnancy. She would spend as much time with me as I needed that particular day and help me through whatever I was feeling or fearing for labor/delivery and adjusting to life as a family of 4. When the time came for our baby to arrive, Christie was there with whatever I needed. She provided such a calming presence for us.
Throughout my labor she let me do what felt natural to me and when I would hit a wall, she offered help and we got through it together. She is incredibly laid back, but when the time comes to be assertive she is not shy about “getting out her bossy finger”! When my water broke in the thick of labor, our baby’s heart rate dropped and I was coached into the right position to get him out quickly.
Water Birth
He was born in the water, healthy and beautiful! Christie and her amazing assistant, Carmen, did not bat an eye. They knew exactly what to do and helped us deliver our amazing baby, Lincoln, into the world naturally. I could not be more grateful for everything Christie did for us. From the time we met her we could see how much she absolutely loves being a midwife- caring for and empowering women to give birth the way we were intended to!!
From Courtney and Mitch
