Who We Are
Barbara Lahey, CPM
I am a Certified Professional Midwife who has been practicing since 1979 assisting couples in home delivery. My vision for childbirth is that the Midwifery Model of Care will ultimately become the American standard. My goal is to be diligent in helping women experience their God-given natural process of childbirth. Mama’s and babies have a language all their own. We’ve lost that, and I intend to be a part of bringing that back through support, education and encouragement. Women need to surrender to the ways of nature. Babies in utero and newborns need to be treated lovingly and gently and talked to as intelligent beings. Dads need to be united with their wives and newborns throughout the childbearing process. I am dedicated to bringing this dream to fruition as much as possible according to God’s will.
Jennifer Moyer, CPM, LMT
For years I have researched the childbearing year, in preparation for my own children. My own children didn’t come along so I redirected my energy becoming a licensed massage therapist and, eventually, a birth doula. I enjoyed helping mothers through their labors and births, but realized that there was a more humane side to the process than what the medical community was offering. Somehow I knew there was a better way and that women needed faith in their body’s ability to birth, a faith that they weren’t getting in the hospital setting. So I started researching midwifery and home birth. I completed a 5 year apprenticeship with Barbara and graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School (Bridgton, ME) in June of 2017. I became a Certified Professional Midwife in July 2018.
Lisa Baldwin, Direct Entry Midwife
I have been a direct entry midwife since 2020. I apprenticed under Barbara Lahey, CPM for five years. I am also a DONA trained doula. I have over 25 years of childbirth, breastfeeding, and holistic mothering experience. I have extensive knowledge and experience in fertility awareness and ecological breastfeeding.
I am the mother of sixteen children. Fifteen of them (including one set of twins!) were born at home with the support of an amazing midwife. I have been blessed to learn so much from her and the shared wisdom of many other women and mothers along the way. It is my hope to offer that same kind of support that I was blessed with through my childbearing years. I believe each healthy woman has within her the strength to bring her baby into this world according to God’s design. It is my goal to help pregnant woman draw out that strength with information, support, and encouragement throughout pregnancy, labor, and into motherhood. I am an advocate of woman-to-woman support. I believe it is our duty to pass our experiences down from one generation to the next.
Nan Kopina, CLC, Direct Entry Midwife
I’ve been with Toledo Midwives since November 2018. As an apprentice, I am honored to meet each family. For me it is thrilling working with expecting mothers and guiding them through a safe healthy journey of pregnancy and birth. I personally believe in alternative health care which is how I chose to raise my children.
In my path to midwifery, I trained as a Certified Doula (DONA), Certified Placenta Benefits Specialist (CPBi), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and took the rigorous course of a paramedic (NREMT-P) which I feel mixes well with midwifery. I am currently enrolled with Sarah Hinton’s Curriculum for Midwives. My goal is to be a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) to provide knowledgeable skills in a safe environment in the home for families. I look forward to meeting you!
Shelly Varelli (DeMeo) CCT, RCS, LMT, CBE, Apprentice
I have been supporting women, families, and birthing people in NWO and SEM for almost twenty years. I am committed to restoring birth to its honored, sacred place in our culture. Along with birth services, I provide massage therapy and energy healing such as reiki, crystalline consciousness technique, massage therapy, prenatal massages, belly casting, childbirth education classes, and placenta encapsulation.
I see your passion and commitment to your pregnancy, your birth, and your baby. You are working and you are worthy of support. I would be honored to be on your team and be in service to you during your pregnancy journey.
So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.
And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
Exodus 1:20-21
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
What is a CPM? A Certified Professional Midwife is a midwife who has specialized training in home birth, and has passed an examination administered by the North American Registry of Midwives (www.NARM.org) which establishes her skills and knowledge regarding safe midwifery practice.