We work as a team at the Sierra Natural Birth Center. Every birth will have the presence of at least two attendants, one of whom will be a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), and a Licensed Midwife (LM), a Registered Nurse (RN), or an AABC Certified Birth Assistant (CBA).
Ellen Jasmer – RN, LM, CPM, CNM
Ellie has been practicing midwifery, bringing babies into the world for over 45 years now. After the loss of her first pregnancy and the realization that she knew absolutely nothing about her own body or pregnancy, Ellie wanted to learn everything she could in preparation for her next pregnancy. When reading the early writings of Ina May Gaskin, she knew she was to become a midwife, which inspired her educational quest in the spring of 1974. She caught her first baby in June of 1976. In her early years, Ellie attended births as a traveling home birth midwife throughout the Sierra foothills and Central Valley. Her dream to have her own birth center, close to home, where families can come and have their babies in a peaceful and comfortable environment came to fruition June 19th, 2014. Ellie believes that every baby should be born into loving hands and desires for that love to be extended to the parents throughout the childbearing year. This is accomplished through a holistic and educational approach to care that empowers women and their partners to trust and feel comfortable with their bodies.
Ellie’s two adult children were born in her home next to the birth center. She lives with her husband of over 28 years in Sonora, California and together they have six adult children and twelve grandchildren. Ellie loves caring for mamas and babies and if she ever takes a break, she enjoys the great outdoors, swimming, being creative, and tending to her beloved chickens and lambs on the birth center’s small farm.
Dody Rogers – LM, CPM
Dody’s journey in birth work started in 1973 during her hospital stay following the birth of her first child. After hearing another woman screaming in childbirth, Dody felt compelled to help her and other women like her. She has played the roll of childbirth educator, doula, midwife assistant, and direct entry midwife in births across the United States in both home and hospital settings. She currently travels in the tri-county area (including Stanislaus County) delivering couples at home. Dody believes that every woman should be able to give birth the way she wants surrounded by nurturing, comforting, and informed people. She received her licensing and certification as a Licensed Midwife in 2012.
She has a special love in providing postpartum care and has been the postpartum Midwife from the Sierra Natural Birth Center since 2017.
Dody lives with her husband of over 50 years in Sonora, California. She is a mother of three adult children, two of whom were born at home. She is the proud grandmother of eight and loves flowers and history. She will be a Great Grandmother of two in 2023.
Mary – RN, Doula
Mary is a Registered Nurse and Doula. She has been an RN since 1992 and has worked in a variety of settings, including the Emergency Room and our local Public Health Department, where she worked as a case manager for high risk pregnant mothers. In addition, she has worked as a Childbirth Educator.
Mary gave birth at home to her oldest son in the late nineties with Ellen Jasmer, CNM by her side. She went on to have three more natural childbirths with Ellie. Each birth was intimate and peaceful, filled with joy, and was an empowering milestones in her life.
It is her great joy to serve women throughout their pregnancy and during their labor, delivery, and postpartum experience at the Sierra Natural Birth Center. Mary, wholeheartedly, believes that birth is a sacred and miraculous journey that equips women for a lifetime of love, courage, and strength.
Mary and her husband raised their family locally, where they have enjoyed gardening and raising their sheep and chickens. She also loves photography, homeschooling and homesteading, as well as, traveling and learning about different cultures around the world.
Michelle Low – CBA, CLD, CPICD
My name is Michelle and I am an AABC Certified Birth Assistant and a Certified Labor and Postpartum Doula in the Motherlode, serving Tuolumne, Calaveras and Mariposa counties and beyond. I am the owner of Beloved Doula Services. I have a passion for encouraging, educating and supporting families in their pregnancy, birth and postpartum journeys. I have delivered 3 children of my own; Adelaide, Lyric, and Kalea, all born at Sierra Natural Birth Center, and have also been a gestational surrogate for a beautiful baby girl, born in a hospital. I aim to support families in all types of birth, at home, hospital, and SNBC. I also teach monthly evidence based childbirth education classes and provide unbiased, family lead postpartum care. I can now accept Medi-Cal clients and look forward to the ability to serve more families. Visit my website at www.beloveddoulaservices.com and contact me today to set up a free consultation! 209-559-1485.
Kayleen Delgado – CBA
Hi! My name is Kayleen Delgado and I’m an AABC Certified Birth Assistant and a DONA trained doula. I absolutely love all things pregnancy and birth! I first learned about the role of a doula while preparing for the birth of my daughter at Sierra Natural Birth Canter, with Ellie as my midwife. My doula met with me and my husband a couple of times before the birth and was right beside me once labor started. She provided emotional support as well as physical comfort techniques, that lead to me having the birth experience I desired. Ever since then I have wanted to provide the same support and care, before, during, and after labor, that I was so blessed to receive. My heart for all women is that during the most beautiful and miraculous moment you would feel encouraged, safe, well-informed, and empowered to have the birth you desire. I have had the honor to serve at homebirths, hospital births, and births at SNBC. I now accept Medi-Cal for doula services. I currently live in Tuolumne, CA with my husband and two daughters. I look forward to hearing from you and serving you however I can!
Call/text: (209) 352-4224
Email: [email protected]