It is an honour to work with the women and families in the Calgary area and with the skilled midwives at Birth Partnership. I have been a midwife since 2001. Originally from Canada, I practiced midwifery in Indiana where I had a solo homebirth practice and a midwife partnership for 7 years. The strength of my experiences came from women and babies in rural, small town and urban settings and from friends who invited me to their births. I graduated from the direct entry midwife and certified professional midwife program at Birthwise Midwifery School, in Maine, 1998-2001. Midwifery care is purposeful and tangible work which inspires my soul.

Belief that women should choose their place of birth, be it home, birth centre or hospital, has lead to a variety of experiences working as a doula and midwife in communities throughout Canada and USA. I am humbled by the strength women possess during birth and throughout this important transitional event. In 1995, I became a certified doula and worked in Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Maine and Indiana. Prior to this, I worked as a cytology laboratory technologist in Toronto, Peterborough and Ottawa.

Connecting with women and their families in my community is personally very satisfying. I am most appreciative of the love and support that my family; my life partner, Ed, and my children, Melina (1996) and Kaelen (2002) have so generously given. Each time I attend a birth I am reminded of their love.

"What a wonderful world" L. Armstrong