Help Jamie become a Certified Professional Midwife

Hi everyone, my name is Jamie Davison-Ortiz. I am a mother of four beautiful children, a wife, a doula, a lover of all things birth, and most importantly, a struggling student midwife.

As someone who has been directly impacted by the lack of access to homebirth midwives, I felt compelled almost three years ago to step into the journey of becoming a Certified Professional Midwife to fill the void our area of New Jersey has been feeling for some time. This journey has been humbling, to say the least, and a new struggle has shown up at every turn.

Alongside required didactic work through my MEAC-accredited Midwifery College, I am also required to complete an intensive multi-year clinical placement, that as you guessed it, is unpaid. Through this apprenticeship model of teaching, we are taught the expansive list of skills needed to become a safe, competent midwife. Per my school, I am required to complete X amount of clinical hours each semester to meet listed requirements. On top of running my own business, 30-40 hours a week of schooling, my clinical requirements, on top of caring for my home and family, students are essentially working 3 full time job for 2-3 years.

As I move into the next phase of my midwifery studies, I will have to stop taking my current volume of doula clients in the new year. This will cut my income by almost half which comes at a time when we are already struggling to make ends meet. In the next phase, as primary midwife under supervision, I will also have to continue to buy gear and equipment for my own practice. I will also be preparing to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah (where my school is located) to take my in-person assessments. As my journey ends, I will be responsible for testing fees for NARM, licensing fees to the State of New Jersey, and other expenses to start my career as a licensed, practicing midwife.

In a time where SO many people are struggling, it is not easy for me to ask for help. The love from our community has been overwhelming, and as much as I am doing this for myself and my own family, I am also doing it for the birthing families in the state of New Jersey.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for ANY and all support!