Renowned expert Elizabeth Davis has been a midwife, holistic health care specialist, educator, and political consultant for over 40 years. She is internationally active in promoting physiologic birth and is widely sought after for her expertise in midwifery education and organizational development. She holds a degree in Holistic Maternity Care, is a certified professional midwife (CPM) in good standing, and is co-founder of the MEAC accredited National Midwifery Institute, Inc.
Her journey began in the late 1970’s, when direct-entry midwifery was illegal in most the United States. Having personally experienced the stunning contrast between a violent, abusive hospital birth and an ecstatic, glorious homebirth, she felt called to do something to help create the organizational and political infrastructure to make homebirth widely available in the US.
To this end, she was a founding member of:
- The Midwives Alliance of North America (open to midwives of all educational backgrounds), whom she served as Pacific Regional Representative and Education Committee Chair for five years.
- The North American Registry of Midwives NARM (administers the direct-entry credential of Certified Professional Midwife), for whom she called the initial meeting to develop the certification process, gathering midwife representatives from 40 states.
- The Midwifery Education Accreditation Council MEAC (accrediting body for direct-entry midwifery programs), whom she served as President for one term and for four years on the Board of Directors.
She was also active in legalizing midwifery in California as a lead negotiator in the process, and has supported many other states in their legislative efforts.
A homebirth midwife for many years, and with much exposure to international midwifery constraints in practice, her primary mission at this time is to support the autonomy of the profession. She firmly believes that the holistic model of care is best for both client and care-provider as per its integrity and sustainability.
She continues to lecture and offer workshops on the appropriate use of emergency skills, intuition, trauma-informed practice, sexuality, and holistic care throughout the female lifecycle. For information on presentations for your group, please see details under Workshops/Keynotes
Her books include:
Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth Experience
Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, now in its 2019 5th edition!
The Rhythms of Women’s Desire: How Female Sexuality Unfolds at Every Stage of Life
The Women’s Wheel of Life
“Elizabeth is a true midwife, bringing her whole self and her real stories…wild and wise, fierce and compassionate. Allow yourself the gift of absorbing sacred knowledge from a gifted teacher!”
“Listening to Elizabeth is like listening to poetry!”
“Elizabeth, I am very touched by who you are—a woman I respect and find worthy of emulation. You seem to be a rare person who has allowed life to touch you in all the vital centers, with your mind developed equally to your heart and spirit. It is not easy to find such role models…thank you.”