Holly Westbrook, Certified Nurse Midwife

        Hello, I'm Holly Westbrook; a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). 

        I have wanted to work with and support birthing women since the birth of my first child in 2000.  My oldest son was born in New Braunfels at a hospital, where I wanted to have an unmedicated birth.  Being my first child as a younger mother, I was unaware of doulas, or that I Was able to move around in labor off the bed, that I didn't need to be hooked up to machines, and that there were many mechanisms to help with labor sensations.  I went on to get an epidural to finish out my birth experience.  While I didn't have the unmedicated birth I Wanted, I did have an excellent nurse that inspired me to want to be a labor and delivery nurse one day, caring for them during such a sacred time.  

         My second pregnancy was also a hospital birth and while it was a fine experience, I did also receive pain medicine when I was 8.5cm dilated.  (Little did I know that she would be born about 30 minutes later!  It is always when it feels most intense and we don't want to do it anymore, that we're the closest). 

        Shortly before my third pregnancy, a friend had begun midwifery school. Still desiring an unmedicated birth, I hired the midwife my friend was learning under.  Throughout that pregnancy, what began as a goal to have an unmedicated birth morphed into so much more.  It wasn't "just" an unmedicated birth; there was relationship, education, informed decision making and no one giving fear based information.  On July 26, 2006, my water broke and I began to have contractions.   I headed to my midwife's birth center and labored, mainly undisturbed, at my leisure.  With my husband, sister, midwife, and her student by my side I birthed my 9 pound son unmedicated, and knew instantly that one day I wanted to work with women as a midwife.  I knew that if I were to go be a labor and delivery nurse I could impact someone during my 12 hours shift. But during 9 months' time? I could impact someone's life on such a broader level!  

        We went on to have our last 5 out of 7 children at home; all the while starting my path to midwifery. First as an RN, then moving on to Nurse Midwife school and eventually becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife.  My path to becoming a CNM has been a calling, sparked in 2006 and coming to fruition in late 2016.  

          My philosophy on pregnancy and childbirth is that these are normal physiologic processes that occasionally need medical help; not medical events that sometimes happen naturally.  When we equip the body with good nutrition and lifestyle/body movement, we help to plant the seeds for normal, healthy pregnancy and births.  I look forward to helping equip you with the tools you need to help achieve the pregnancy/birth you desire!