Utah Home Birth Midwife

Briana Blackwelder

I am entirely committed to serving women and supporting them to achieve the safest, healthiest, and most empowering birth experience possible.

I witnessed my first birth at a young age, and have attended over 100 births as a midwife or assistant. After graduating from Midwives College of Utah, I earned my Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential. Even though I have worked with many different midwives in several states, I consider Salt Lake my community.

My practice style is focused on prevention and maintaining optimal health, I believe this is a critical part of the Midwifery Model of Care. I treasure my role as a care provider for women, babies, and families.

Why Fern?

We chose the name Fern Midwifery because of the symbolism relating ferns to female fertility.In some cultures, the fern is a symbol of birth, growth, and creation. The beautiful and primal image of a fiddlehead unfurling is representative of surrendering to the process of growing new life and giving birth.

Ferns are also ancient plants; they came into existence in prehistoric conditions, and remain a key species in many climates all over the world (just like midwives!).

Women’s saliva and body fluids produce a ferning pattern in the presence of estrogen. When observed under magnification, the presence of this sign indicates ovulation during the fertile days of our cycle.

Kate Potthast

Kate is a student midwife and mother of five (soon to be six). Her interest in midwifery began after her first home birth, the birth of her second child.

Since then she has been studying various aspects of pregnancy, birth and breast feeding. She began her formal midwifery training in January of 2008. In addition to midwifery, Kate also enjoys photography, reading and spending time with her family.

Cathy Larson

Cathy's passion for birth and babies are a part of her earliest memories.

Her education in birth includes DONA (doula training), ALACE (labor assistant), The Farm (midwife assistant Level I and II), Birthing From Within (childbirth educator) and she is a graduate of Midwives College of Utah. She is a Certified Professional Midwife and a Licensed Direct-Entry Midwife and has attended over 250 births.

Cathy and her husband, Chuck, have 5 children and 8 grandchildren. They enjoy taking spontaneous trips together.

"I am grateful to be serving as a midwife - strengthening families by empowering women during their childbearing years."

Liz Stika

Liz trained as a doula in 2005 and has worked tirelessly supporting laboring moms physically and emotionally as they bring new life into the world. Liz loves crocheting, gardening, her cats, selling wares at the farmer's market, and connecting with people. She lives with her husband Reo in Provo, Utah at Walking Stick Farm.