Who am I?
Hello! My name is Elizabeth Alger and you can call me Betsy.
I am a 34-year old mother of four children ranging in age from 4 through 12. I enjoy playing music and singing, listening to music, reading books, cooking, writing, and learning in general. I was a mentor through the Elimination Communication group Diaper Free Baby for seven years and have had a fascination with childbirth and parenting ever since I can remember.
I have been a Trained Birth Doula through Birth Arts International (BAI) since early in 2010 and began attending births as a doula early in 2011. I was a student and apprentice midwife from September 2010 through April 2015, working through the Midwife to Be program in South Carolina and attending home births with my former preceptor midwife at Morning Glory Childbirth Services whom I still assist from time to time. I was a founder and co-leader for the local BirthNetwork National Chapter, CSRA Birthing Connections, from May 2012 through June 2017. I am a neurodiversity activist and am particularly passionate about working with other Autistic parents.
My journey towards becoming a birth worker was a long one and I even fought the idea for many years. When I first considered the possibility of becoming a midwife or doula at the beginning of 2006, I had just had my first child - a lovely home water birth. However, I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to have a career as well as have a large family and home-school as I desired to do so I squashed the thought down. Throughout the next few years, the thought would pop up again several times and pester me for a while until I squashed it down again. Finally, towards the end of 2009 when I was pregnant with my third child, I was offered the chance to assist at a home birth. That specific chance ended up not working out, but again, the thought of doing birth work came up and refused to be squashed down that time. I finally considered the possibility that I could do this!
When my third child was 5 months old, I took the Birth Doula Training Course through Birth Arts International. A few months later, I found a midwifery apprenticeship with a good friend and mentor. Then I began looking into my options for midwifery school and decided on the Midwife to Be program for many reasons. I attended my first official birth as a midwife's apprentice in October of 2010 and I loved it!
It is a tremendous privilege to be able to help women through such a special time in their lives and to help them have the type of birth that they can look back on with joy. I have the best job in the world!
I am a 34-year old mother of four children ranging in age from 4 through 12. I enjoy playing music and singing, listening to music, reading books, cooking, writing, and learning in general. I was a mentor through the Elimination Communication group Diaper Free Baby for seven years and have had a fascination with childbirth and parenting ever since I can remember.
I have been a Trained Birth Doula through Birth Arts International (BAI) since early in 2010 and began attending births as a doula early in 2011. I was a student and apprentice midwife from September 2010 through April 2015, working through the Midwife to Be program in South Carolina and attending home births with my former preceptor midwife at Morning Glory Childbirth Services whom I still assist from time to time. I was a founder and co-leader for the local BirthNetwork National Chapter, CSRA Birthing Connections, from May 2012 through June 2017. I am a neurodiversity activist and am particularly passionate about working with other Autistic parents.
My journey towards becoming a birth worker was a long one and I even fought the idea for many years. When I first considered the possibility of becoming a midwife or doula at the beginning of 2006, I had just had my first child - a lovely home water birth. However, I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to have a career as well as have a large family and home-school as I desired to do so I squashed the thought down. Throughout the next few years, the thought would pop up again several times and pester me for a while until I squashed it down again. Finally, towards the end of 2009 when I was pregnant with my third child, I was offered the chance to assist at a home birth. That specific chance ended up not working out, but again, the thought of doing birth work came up and refused to be squashed down that time. I finally considered the possibility that I could do this!
When my third child was 5 months old, I took the Birth Doula Training Course through Birth Arts International. A few months later, I found a midwifery apprenticeship with a good friend and mentor. Then I began looking into my options for midwifery school and decided on the Midwife to Be program for many reasons. I attended my first official birth as a midwife's apprentice in October of 2010 and I loved it!
It is a tremendous privilege to be able to help women through such a special time in their lives and to help them have the type of birth that they can look back on with joy. I have the best job in the world!