admin – Canyon Midwifery

The long path from preschool to midwifery…

The long path from preschool to midwifery. There and back again. As a young girl I could not get enough of playing with small children. They delighted me like nothing else. I would go down to the neighbor’s house to help with her new baby. I started babysitting at age 13 for 4 kids from…

HBAC Transfer Handled with Care

As soon as I found out I was expecting baby number two, I knew I wanted to have a home VBAC with Connie. My first child was breech and was delivered by cesarean, but I was fortunate to have received Connie’s care before and after the C-section. Connie genuinely cares for people, and her knowledge,…

Connie Garcia

I received my Masters of Science degree in Nursing with a specialty in Midwifery from the Frontier Nursing University (formerly known as the Frontier School of Nurse-Midwifery). I’ve been in practice here in the greater Phoenix area for over 15 years, and have helped more than 2600 women birth their babies. As a midwife, I…

Erin Garcia

I have been working with Connie since 2007 when she was a nurse midwife at St. Joseph’s hospital. At Canyon Midwifery I am a birth RN and help with office work and billing.I started working with Connie from the very beginning of Canyon Midwifery. We always joke that “birth” is our family business. Some families’…

Becky Bandeen

I started out as a birth RN when Connie started Canyon Midwifery. In the spring of 2016 I started doing lactation classes and consultations for her. I have always had a passion for natural childbirth in all settings, especially at home. After having my first home birth in 2013, I wanted to be part of…

Sarah Briatta

I haven’t quite started with Connie yet but plan to after my maternity leave! I will be working as a birth assistant and IBCLC. I have worked as a labor and delivery nurse in the hospital setting but love the patient-centered caring atmosphere of a home birth and birthing center. I started as a new…

“There are no risks with epidurals” NOT!

“There are no risks with epidurals” NOT! Believe it or not, I actually heard these words come out of the mouth of an anesthesiologist in a hospital setting. This was his reply when the laboring woman asked him if there were any risks of this procedure. He blatantly replied: “There are no risks with epidurals!” My…

What is Nurse-Midwifery Care?

Midwives have been practicing since women began to birth babies. They are mentioned in many historical writings including the Bible: “Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. As she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, ‘don’t be afraid..” Genesis 35:17 NIV Midwifery in ancient times was very different to…

Carol Kidd

Breastfeeding has fascinated me since the day I became a mother. It’s such a simple activity with such complex biology and physiology, so integral to the development and attachment of a child, and so foundational to the connected family. The more I learn, the more there is to learn. I started helping mothers as an…

How will my midwife help me during labor?

Your midwife has many years of experience supporting and assisting women to birth their babies in a safe, satisfying, and empowering experience. She will help you with prenatal education, one-on-one labor support, and the use of many tools and comfort measures to decrease your apprehension, fears and discomforts in labor. These tools may include the…

Where should I have my baby?

Making a decision about where to birth your baby is a huge one! There are so many things to consider and your decision will require a commitment from you to inform and educate yourself as well as your family and friends. Since medicated hospital birth is considered mainstream, your choice to birth in another location will…