Philosophy
"I believe that birth is sacred. I believe that all birthing people should have access to quality care, that they should have the autonomy to make their own choices, and that those choices should be supported. I believe that families should be respected, cared for, and listened to by their healthcare providers. My goal is to guide and support families into this incredible journey of parenthood."
Barbora H Photography
Marli's Story
(Prounouns: She, her, hers)
Marli Ivers was impacted by midwifery care from a young age. At 15 years old, she began learning about the history and current state of maternity care in the United States, and in contrast, witnessed her first home birth. Marli felt so strongly that parents should have autonomy and options with their birthing choices that she decided to become a midwife.
In 2010, Marli lived at a birthing home in the Philippines and was honored to be taught by Filipino midwives and parents for five months. She assisted with over 70 births, initially acting as a doula and then as a primary midwife. She led prenatal appointments and assisted in childbirth education classes.
At the birthing home, Marli witnessed the power of community outreach and childbirth education in combination with midwifery. This inspired her to complete a Bachelor's of Science in Community Health Education after returning to the States. This included a five-month internship with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to implement the Baby Friendly initiative at a local hospital. In North Carolina, where Marli grew up, parent's birthing choices and their access to midwives are limited. This motivated Marli to complete an honor's thesis interviewing birthing people with hopes of advocating for increased options and access to care.
In August of 2014, Marli moved across the country to attend the Nizhoni Institute of Midwifery in San Diego. In February of 2015, she began an apprenticeship under Nicole Morales. Since then, she has assisted and learned from multiple midwives around San Diego while also supporting families as a doula. Learning under Nicole as her apprentice and assistant has been a powerful experience in Marli's growth as a midwife. One of the highlights has been working so extensively with body balancing and Spinning Babies® .
After many years of dreaming, planning, and working towards being a midwife, Marli is thrilled to be a Certified Professional Midwife, as well as a Licensed Midwife through the Medical Board of California. Being able to support, love, and educate birthing families is her honor and her passion.