Hey everyone! My name is Tami Fowler (it's actually Tamara, but I go by Tami) and I am so excited about being a birth assistant. I was born and raised in Belfair, Washington (near the Seattle area). I grew up with three sisters (I am number 2) and come from a very small town where everyone knew everyone's name. I hated it then but now that I am older I miss it. My hobbies are: birth, playing cards & games (I've been told I like to win), relaxing at the beach, having coffee with friends, studying scripture (The Lord has blessed my life so much and continues to make me whole), dancing, decorating/rearranging and organizing. In addition, I love to watch baseball and spend time with my family, especially my husband.

From the time I was about 10 years old I knew I wanted to be a midwife. However, I felt it important to have children of my own first. I met my husband John when I was 16 years old and 4 years later we were married. Our first two children were born in the hospital - Adriana in October of 1999 and Ethan in February of 2002. In April of 2001 we experienced the loss of twins who were 13 weeks gestation. When we were 19 weeks pregnant with our third baby we made the big move from Washington State (where I was born and raised and John had lived since he was two) to Florida. We had difficulty finding a healthcare provider that we were comfortable with. After seeing an advertisement in a magazine about Rosemary Birthing Home we decided to meet with the midwifes and see if this was a possibility for our family. Upon meeting with the midwives, we knew immediately it was what we had been looking for. Having a waterbirth and having our baby at home where our children could be present and finding a provider that cared was so relieving to us. In August of 2004 Isabella was born at home in the water at 6:23am.

I was so inspired by her birth that I could not stay away from the birth community any longer! I knew my family was not ready for me to go to midwifery school, so I became a Birth Doula (certified since June 2006)! How awesome it has been to be a Doula! My main goal as a Doula is to educate women about their bodies and their choices. From there, supporting them in whatever they choose for their birth. In February of 2007 I started training as a birth assistant for Rosemary Birthing Home. By the time I finished my training (Even though in the birth world you never stop "training". There is always something you learn at every birth!) in May of 2007 my husband and I discovered that we are expecting again in October 2007!

What a privilege it is to support women and their families during such a sacred time in their lives. Birth is an incredible process that amazes me every time I am witness to it's unfolding. It still amazes me every time a baby, an actual person, comes out of a woman!