Welcome back to our "In the Spotlight" series - our chance to share about the amazing people and places we have come to know and love in Orange County. This blog series aims to highlight the incredible birth community and share our personal and professional recommendations for care providers, practitioners, and small businesses. Each month we seek out new people and new businesses to highlight, all for your benefit!

What better person to feature during one of the biggest baby boom months of the year than a midwife! A special shout out to all of you who got busy around Christmas & New Years... you've kept the doulas, midwives and doctors on their toes this month!

Have you had the chance to meet Nancy Pol yet? If not, put it on your to-do list, especially if you are expecting or plan to become pregnant soon.

Nancy is a Certified Nurse Midwife (and all around amazing human being) with Beach Cities Midwifery. Beach Cities Midwifery has 3 birth centers to serve the growing families in Southern California: Laguna Hills, Long Beach, & Corona. They provide well-rounded, client-centered care for all women, but especially the pregnant and birthing ones. Nancy is just one of the incredible baby catchers they have on staff. 

We had the honor to chat with Nancy about her work as a midwife, her passion for serving families, and the other things that bring her joy in life. 

Nancy, start by telling us a bit about yourself:

I am originally from Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia. I attended Rutgers University in New Jersey on a lacrosse scholarship. I left in 2001 and finished nursing school. It was that winter (because we have those in PA!!!) that I met my now husband, John and his daughter (age 5 at the time), Keara. In the fall of 2006,  we welcomed our firstborn, Landon, into his Daddy's hands at The Birth Center in Reading, Pa. Two years later, also in November, we welcomed Jaxton- the first baby I caught, my own!!!  In August of 2010, we moved our family across the country for John's job (not kicking and screaming by any means!) and we fell in love. I also started graduate school to obtain my Master's Degree and become a Certified Nurse Midwife. In retrospect, a cross country move with a 3 and a 1 year old and starting grad school?!?! The good news is, it all worked out and I would not have wanted it any other way! We just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.

When I'm not catching babies, I enjoy spending time with my family... Hiking, paddleboarding, and camping are my favorite things to do. We also enjoy serving in the Children's Ministry at our church.

What is the “why” behind your business? Why do you do what you do?

I am blessed to be called to serve women and their families. I absolutely LOVE what I do... all of it, the joy and the heartbreak, the chance meetings and the long term relationships that are formed in caring for women and their partners. I feel that it is important to receive care that is family centered, nurturing, and that empowers you. Whether its an annual well woman visit or prenatal care, women should feel educated and empowered in their choices. I enjoy speaking to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of care.

Where do you see your path in birth work heading?

Currently, I am in the process of finalizing privileges at Saddleback Memorial to provide a continuity of care for the women in the Beach Cities Midwifery practice. In doing so, I aspire to bridge the gap between the out-of-hospital and in-hospital provider and be a voice of the midwifery model of care in alternative settings. This has been a goal of mine and I want to thank my director BJ Snell for making this a possibility. The work that she has done for women and midwifery and access to care in this community is inspiring!

As a Midwife what are your top 3 tips for new parents?

1. Remember YOU are ENOUGH!!! Just as you are, in everything you do, you are enough.

2. Take a deep breath, smile... you are doing a great job- and when you think your not, call your midwife, because she will remind you, she will lend an ear, she will answer whatever questions or doubts you have (yes, even at 2 am), because she believes in you!

3. You have to make the most informed, heart-felt decision for you and your family! Not for your mother, or uncle Bob, or Dr. Google, the other mom in your new mom's group that chose to do it differently, for YOU and your partner because at the end of the day, this gift, this beautiful baby, is yours.

What advice do you have for expecting parents in choosing where to give birth?

Research. Know your options. Interview providers. Be where you are comfortable. Ask questions, all of them- even the ones you think are silly, they are not! Envision your birth. 

What has been your favorite travel destination so far in life? Why?

Sadly, we have not traveled many places but we're hoping to change that!!! Since moving to California, trips to Pennsylvania have filled most of our time off... not that visiting family and friends is a bad thing, its just not vacation! We did go to Maui, our first family vacation, just the 5 of us in December of 2015. We had an absolute blast, snorkeling, cliff jumping and Road to Hana were our favorites!

What is currently playing on your playlist?

The Grateful Dead, Mumford & Sons, Christian Contemporary

If you could meet any one person, past or present - who would you meet and what would you want to do in their company?

My Great-Great Grandparents! I was very fortunate to meet my great grandmother. She has since passed, at 99 1/2 years young. I just loved that woman and her stories. I loved hearing about how she grew up, even when she spoke PA Dutch half the time not remembering I could not understand that part of the story! I can only imagine first-hand accounts of older generations.

What is your favorite place to relax in the OC?

The beach please! I am notorious for post-call baby catching naps on the beach in the sunshine. Gotta get that vitamin D!

We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Orange County Midwife, Nancy Pol! We speak from personal experience when we say she is one of the best around! If you're looking for natural birth options and support in Orange County, we highly recommend seeking Nancy's services. You can schedule a consultation with her and the rest of the team by calling Beach Cities Midwifery. 

Stay tuned for the next Spotlight series where we'll introduce another incredible member of our team here at Doulas of Orange County! If you know someone who deserves to be featured, be sure to get in touch with us.