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| Patty Bartlett Sessions, Mormon Midwife |
This list was created to honor the lost tradition of LDS women being called as Ward and Stake midwives in the 1800s and early 1900s. As our culture took birth out of the home and placed it in the realm of hospitals and doctors, these callings faded away and were eventually discontinued. While those days may be gone, the desire for an opportunity to be cared for and supported by those with whom Mormon mothers share a common spiritual foundation has not disappeared. It is for this purpose that we have created Birthing in Zion as a resource for mothers and families to connect with LDS professionals during one of the most important periods in their lives, wherever they plan to birth. The list is also a valuable networking tool for connecting birth workers with each other.
Thank you for visiting. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please email us at birthinginzion@gmail.com.
Mapping LDS Birth Workers Worldwide
View Birthing in Zion Directory of Latter-day Saint Birth Workers in a larger map
About Birthing in Zion
For millenia, birthing mothers were cared for by women in their community with whom they shared ties of familiarity and commonality. This tradition has faded in recent generations, but woman-to-woman birth support is experiencing a resurgence as mothers around the world are realizing that the need has not faded for a woman to feel supported and understood not only physically but emotionally and spiritually during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Many LDS women are discovering that the Spirit is leading them to birth work. Pregnant and birthing LDS women have also expressed interest in finding birth workers who share their religious beliefs.
With this in mind, we have created Birthing in Zion, a resource list of LDS midwives, doulas, obstetricians, gynecologists, childbirth educators, lactation specialists & consultants, and other birth workers. Our purpose is to provide a centralized venue where those wanting a care provider who understands their spiritual needs can come to find what they need. We believe that a sense of community will be fostered, as in the early church, and that we are contributing to the building of Zion through this work.
Please refer any LDS birth workers you know to our site and share our information with them so we can get them listed here. The ideal we are working towards is being able to list LDS birth workers in each stake of the church.
If you would like to help maintain and compile the directory, we’re accepting volunteers. Please contact birthinginzion@gmail.com for more information.
To learn more about the history of Midwifery as a calling, enjoy this article over at The Gift of Giving Life.
If you are looking to find sisterhood with LDS mothers and birth workers--midwives, doulas, OBs, breastfeeding counselors, massage therapists, etc.--please visit our Facebook page. (Brothers are welcome, too! We love our birth working brethren.) There you can also learn more about becoming a birth worker and ask our community for their recommendations for education, training and certification in your area.
