"I think a lot of our problems with our health, when it comes to women, is how we're valued or not valued in our communities."

— Nicolle L. Gonzalez

In this episode of Moonwise, we speak with Diné nurse and midwife Nicolle L. Gonzales about her mission to make birth sacred again. We talk about birth equity, trauma and weaving traditional practices with medical care. Nicolle shares her experience of growing up with ceremony, birthing her own children, the challenges of leadership and carving her own path to promote reproductive wellness and community care.

We also talk about:

• Systemic racism and inequity in maternal care
• Engaging a community in preparing for birth
• The benefits of culturally appropriate care
• The challenges of work/life balance as a midwife
• Speaking up and self worth as a woman
• The importance of sharing women’s joy

Nicolle L. Gonzales is the  Founder of Changing Woman Initiative whose non-profit mission is to “renew cultural birth knowledge to empower and reclaim indigenous sovereignty of women’s medicine and life way teachings to promote reproductive wellness, healing through holistic approaches.”

She received her Bachelor’s of Nursing and her Masters of Nurse-Midwifery at the University of New Mexico. She is a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives and is certified with the American Midwifery Certification Board. She has over 12 years’ experience as a nurse and has worked as a Nurse-Midwife doing full-scope midwifery for the last 10 years.

Links:

• Changing Woman Initiative 
• Rooted pregnancy journal

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