Birthing with a midwife is a great option for women who do not want to give birth in a hospital setting. All of the midwives listed below are certified and live or work within approximately 1 hour of the Wausau area. Some only assist with births in their birthing centers, whereas others can be present for home births. Please contact them using the information below to find out more!
Midwives
Blessed Beginnings
Tammy Wills, CPM, LM
PO Box 84, Medford, WI 54451
Phone: 715-965-9464
Email: river357@aol.com
Footprints In Time Midwifery Services
Nicole Wocelka, CPM, LM
124 N Main St, Greenwood, WI 54437
“We accept healthy, low risk women for prenatal care and birth at either of our nationally accredited free standing birth centers. We believe in a woman’s inner strength, her body’s innate wisdom and her ability to carry and birth her baby. Women should be free to choose the safety and intimacy of a planned out of hospital birth. We would love to facilitate your birth of choice, offering you the caring hands of women who desire to honor your birth plan, with your family’s safety always forefront.”
In the Beginning Midwifery Service
Jane Crawford Peterson, CPM, LM
Christie Reynolds, CPM, LM
Korina Pubanz, CPM, LM
308 North Main Street, P.O. Box 402, Iola, WI 54945
“We serve as midwives, providing complete personalized care from prenatal visits, through labor and birth and the postpartum period.”
Doulas
What is a doula? A doula is “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.” – DONA.org
All of the doulas listed below serve the Wausau area. Whether you are birthing in a hospital, or in a non-hospital setting with a midwife, a doula can help!
Birth-Journey Doula Services
Sarah Jean Chojnacki
Waupaca, WI
“Birth Journey has been supporting births throughout Central WI for the past 16 years and maintains an outstanding standard of professional care that is respected throughout the birth community by families, nurses, midwives and doctors. I am a certified birth doula, Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Instructor and hypno-doula (HCHI). I am Stillbirthday certified in birth and bereavement and currently training with Birth Arts International. I am a Spinning Babies Parent Educator (SpBPE) and licensed massage therapist in the state of Wisconsin. I hold special certification in prenatal, labor and postnatal massage therapy through Carole Osborne’s Body Therapy Education.”
Hello World Photography + Birth Doula
“I am a wife, mother, photographer, doula-in-training, breastfeeding advocate, and babywearing addict. I am a Central Wisconsin native and proud Bucky Badger alumna. The miracle of pregnancy and birth leaves me utterly speechless. I am a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers. Birth photography takes a very special type of photographer, one with extensive birthing knowledge, to achieve beautiful and breathtaking results. As a doula, I understand the huge importance of feeling comfortable with each person in the room during labor. Therefore, my work always respects the birth process, preserves the privacy of a laboring mom, and yet captures the essence of the experience.”
Light My Path Maternity Services
Elizabeth Gomez
Athens, WI
“Light My Path Maternity Services offers comprehensive birth preparation courses and doula services in Central Wisconsin with the goal of giving her clients a supported, empowering birth.”
Mary Cerny Doula & Lactation Services
Mary Cerny
Antigo, WI
“Mary Theresa Cerny, is a Certified PostPartum and infant care doula serving the counties of Langlade, Shawano, Marathon, Forest, and northern Oconto. Mary’s knowledge and experience as a labor and postpartum nurse for 30 years, and as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), gives her the understanding and caring needed to be a Doula. She is also a certified Childbirth Educator and has been teaching classes for 28 years. The care provided by Mary after the birth of the child shall include but not limited to infant care; sibling care; breastfeeding support; postpartum support; running errands; light housekeeping; laundry and meal preparation.”
Tag Team Doulas
Jessica Putman and Gina Jimenez
Wausau, WI
“We are a team of Doulas providing professional labor support, education, and resources to expecting parents in the community. “
Twelve Moons Doula
Valerie Charneski
Wausau, WI
Wonderfully Made Doula Services
Brianna Lynn Misitano
Stevens Point, WI and surrounding areas
info@wonderfullymadedoula.com
“I am a BEST certified labor doula who supports mom and families in their own unique birth journey by providing the tools and resources to have a confident, relaxing, and empowering birth experience.”
Alicia Younk – Doula in Training
Alicia Younk
Serving Marathon, Langlade, Oneida, and Washington Counties
Cell: 715-966-9526 and Email: godgirlforever7@gmail.com
“Hi, my name is Alicia Younk and I am currently a birth doula in training. I started my training in 2018 through DONA International. Since then I have completed a 23 hour birth doula training with Amy Gilliand and have attended 2 births. Why I became a doula? It all started when I was 14 when I first heard what a doula was. Since then I knew I wanted to help women have the best natural birth experience, and to bring a beautiful miracle into this world. Whenever I see the parents and their beautiful child meet for the first time it melts my heart and I know that this is what I was meant to do. The birth of any baby is a miracle. I am in need of one more birth to be certified and in order to get that the charge of my services for that one birth would be free. I also do photography and would love to capture beautiful moments/memories with your new little one. On top of newborn photos I also offer family, senior and much more.”
Are there any available doubles in northern Wi? I live north of Rhinelander and am looking for a doula.
Hi Alena, Thanks for your question! You could check out Rooted Beginning Doula Care on Facebook. It looks like she serves Northern Wisconsin. Best of luck with your search! 🙂
Is there a midwife and birth center in Wausau that is not Aspirus Hospital?
Hi Alexzandra,
There’s a birth center at Marshfield Medical Center – Weston. I’m not sure if there are any midwives that work with that birth center, so you would have to check with them. Best of luck!
My husband and I were so glad that we chose to have a doula! My husband was skeptical at first, but after the birth of our first son, he was a doula advocate, telling our expecting friends that they should have one too. Kathy (and Devlin, who was training at the time) were a godsend. As new parents my husband and I were both quite nervous about the whole labor process, but Kathy and Devlin helped put our minds at ease. I couldn’t imagine having done it without them. They provided lots of help with labor pain relief, relaxation breathing techniques and many wonderful words of encouragement. They showed my husband how he could help me as well, so he never felt left out in any way. It was a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend Kathy Pehlke of Birth-Journey Doula Services to anyone! We were so happy with her services that we went back to her when we found out we were expecting our second child.
My husband and I loved working with Kathy Pehlke of Birth-Journey Doula Services! When I found out I was pregnant for the first time, I wanted to do everything I could to be prepared. Having a doula was one more layer of support throughout our pregnancy. Kathy met with my husband and me several times during the pregnancy. My husband wasn’t a fan of the hospital’s group prenatal classes. Meeting with Kathy was more personal and directed at our specific concerns.
During labor, Kathy was there to give me sips of water, a cool rag, and encouraging words. She also took the most wonderful pictures!
Kathy also checked in after the birth regularly for months. It was great to have support and concern after birth too!
Kathy Pehlke of Birth-Journey Doula Services was wonderful to work with. She checked in with me regularly during pregnancy to see how my appointments went and to see how I was feeling. She met us at the hospital and was awesome support, anticipating what I needed, and showing my husband how to support me.
Kathy also caputured amazing photos of my son’s birth, which I will always treasure.
Thanks for sharing this information. Home births can be even more safe then a cascade of interventions leading to too many in c-section. I had a preventable c-section and was upset for almost 2 years. I had a home birth vbac and everthing went great! No pushing on my back, no tearing, no cervical checks. My midwife had my medical records and I felt that if things were not going as planed we would transfer to the hospital if needed. I had such a wonderful experience that I’m think of getting trained to be a midwife!
May I ask which midwife service you used to assist you in your home VBAC?
Hi Elaine!
Thanks for your question. I know that she used Tammy Wills with Blessed Beginnings.
Best of luck!
Hi Kathryn, would you be comfortable sharing who you used for a midwife during your home birth? I’m in the Wausau area, and I am interested. Thank you so much!