Meet Mishell, Licensed Midwife

I began my midwifery journey at age 15. After observing a neighbor’s home birth and reading “Spiritual Midwifery” by Ina Gaskin, I knew home births and midwifery were for me.

I graduated from The Maternity Center with Shari Daniels in 1985 with my New Mexico State license and El Paso City license. It was a very exciting time; I worked in three birth centers, attended over 300 births on the border in El Paso (most of the births were in Spanish), which included lots of moms, babies, twins, breeches, and singletons! 

I moved to California in 1986 and met my midwifery partner Sue O’Connor, whom I would work with for the next 10 years. We attended hundreds of births up and down the coast, from Greenfield to Lompoc long before there was licensing for midwives in the state of California (there were far fewer midwives in those days in SLO county).  

I met my husband at a Bible study, got married (1987-yep, still married), attended RN school at Cuesta and had a baby a month after I graduated from nursing school in 1989. We had three more children in the next six years while I continued to attend home births. This meant taking my own kids in carriers along for the adventure! These adventures included being chased by bulls in a field to get to a house to do a home visit, births under trees, in teepees and even buses. Regular houses and birth centers are my personal preference nowadays!

After ten years of active practice, I stayed home to homeschool our four children, taking care of repeat clients. In 2006 I went back into part-time nursing, was at Twin Cities Community Hospital for 6 years as an IBCLC (Lactation Consultant) and Labor and Delivery RN. I completed my California Midwife License, and I am blessed to once again attend births and babies in home birth and community settings.  I worked 3 years at Santa Lucia Birth Center as a Licensed Midwife before embarking on my current private practice again.

I am honored to serve San Luis Obispo and Southern Monterey Counties as a Licensed Home Birth Midwife, with over 30 years of experience, and as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant IBCLC for the last 10 years.  I love interacting with all the delightful families in our community and I have a passion for teaching and training future midwives and working with students as an active proctor and a preceptor- we make a great team.  I work with Lisa Boyd, a midwifery student, who is also a full time IBCLC, and sees many of our clients for private lactation services.

When I’m not at a birth, I enjoy my home life with my ever-growing family. What a joy it was to recently attend our 6th grandchild’s birth and be the one to catch him! I live in Atascadero, on property with my son’s family which includes three of our grandkids. When I'm not attending births in San Luis Obispo County, I live at my primary residence with my husband by Shaver Lake. I have an active faith life, I love gardening, horseback riding, the great outdoors, staying active, and eating healthy. 

Se Habla Español. 

I am licensed by the Medical Board of California and am a member of CALM (California Association of Licensed Midwives), I am also a licensed RN of 31 years, and an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant).  CPM, and  NARM Preceptor for Midwifery Students, current Proctor for NMI & NCM schools.