Mockingjay Midwifery

Meet Lisa

My midwifery practice is deeply rooted in the understanding that while I hold expertise around midwifery and physiologic birth, that birthing people are the sole experts of their own lives, and should be respected to assess their own risks, benefits and to make autonomous decisions about the kind of care they are willing to accept as they navigate their childbearing year.

I have attended births for over a decade as a birth worker wearing many hats, and have been practicing as a Registered Midwife since July 1, 2020. I provide full spectrum midwifery care for all pregnancy outcomes, including offering supportive care for abortion, miscarriage and stillbirth. I aim to provide trauma informed, queer and trans-inclusive, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and body positive care, and am always learning, unlearning and attempting to do better than before.

I authored an extensive literature review in the senior year of my Bachelors of Midwifery program, exploring the many reasons that parents choose unassisted birth outside of conventional maternity care systems. This review, along with stories from unassisted birth parents, and my previous experiences as a birth worker, have deeply informed how I have chosen to practice as a Registered Midwife.

I promote and support physiologic birth, critically appraise policies and research, present all options, and act as a client advocate. I also know that birth has an inherently unpredictable nature, and have learned to have faith in the body’s ability to self regulate and individualize labour in order to accommodate the needs of the birther, the baby, the uterus and the placenta. I also believe it’s important to approach labour and birth with humility and respect, because just as life and death are two sides of the same coin, an undisturbed labour and birth does not always lead to an easy process, or an uncomplicated outcome.

I believe that safe and transformational birth experiences are possible when care providers acknowledge we have power with families, without enforcing power over.

Outside of midwifery, I’m a bittersweet human who loves coffee, whiskey, cats, plants, gardening, wild fermentation, new tattoos, loud music, knitted sweaters and reading books in front of cozy fireplaces.

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Education

Lactation Consultant Online Training Program for IBCLC (Lactation Education) (March, 2022 – Ongoing)

TRANSforming Gynecology Online Webinar (Inclusive Care Project) (Oct 2022)

Spinning Babies Workshop (April,2022)

Comprehensive Assessment Of Tongue/Lip Tie & Frenotomy Online Course (IBC) (February 2022)

Bachelors Of Midwifery Degree (Mount Royal University) (April 2020)

Emergency Skills Workshop For Midwives Certification (ESW) (Every two years)

Fetal Health Surveillance Certification (Every two years)

Neonatal Resuscitation Certification Program (Annually)

CPR – Healthcare Provider Certification (Every two years)

Upright Physiologic Breech Birth Training with Shawn Walker Skills Workshop (February 2020)

SOGC’s ALARM Workshop – Midwifery Clinical Training Module (November 2019)

IPAS MVA & Medical Abortion Clinical Training – Midwifery Clinical Practicum Module (April 2019)

Early Pregnancy Loss Clinic – Midwifery Clinical Practicum (April, 2019)

Birth Monopoly’s “Know Your Right’s” Online Course (March 2019)

Herbal Medicine For Women with Aviva Jill Romm MD Online Course (2013 – Present)

Rebozo For The Childbearing Year with Ligia Delfin & Carla Jonguitud Workshop (April 2018)

Neonatal Resuscitation with Karen Strange Webinar (Feb 2018)

Breech Birth with Shawn Walker Online Webinar (Feb 2018)

Breech Skills with Joy Horner Online Webinar (Feb 2018)

Labwork for Midwives with Gail Hart Online Webinar (Feb 2018)

Holistic Management of Miscarriage & Abortion with Molly Dutton Kenny Online Webinar (Sept 2017)

“Flock Yeah” birth workshop with Gena Kirby, Lesley Everest (July 2017)

Holistic Birth Consultant Certification with Whapio Bartlett (The Matrona – July 2017)

Indie Birth Conference (March 2017)

“Holding Space For Pregnancy Loss” with Amy Wright Glenn Workshop (March 2017)

“Flock Yeah” birth workshop with Gena Kirby, Whapio Bartlett, Lesley Everest) (July 2016)

Birthing From Within Mentor Training Course (April 2016)

Birthing From Within Mentor Training Course (June 2015)

Birthing From Within Birth Story Listening Course (April 2015)

“The Farm” Midwifery Assistant Workshop with Ina May Gaskin CPM 7 Day Workshop (April 2013)

DONA Birth Doula Certification (March 2013)

DONA Birth Doula Training Course (May 2012)

Registered Dental Assistant – Surgical (2005-2009)