About The Midwife
Tori Dennis, CPM
*Certified Professional Midwife
*CPM-TN (Tennessee licensed midwife)
*Registered Nurse
*Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
*Graduate of University of Pennsylvania, Magna Cum Laude, 3.7 GPA
*Labor Doula (CAPPA)
*Childbirth Educator (CAPPA)
*Lactation Educator (CAPPA)
*Waterbirth Practitioner/Consultant
My name is Tori Hope Dennis, and I attended my first birth in 1989! In 1990, I worked as a nurse extern on labor & delivery. At this time, I attended my first C-section, breech delivery, and adoption birth. I caught my first two babies in the hospital under Dr. Zelley's watchful hands and eyes. I chose obstetrics as my specialty in nursing school. During labor and delivery rotations, I saw forcep deliveries, episiotomies, stirrups position, and restrained hands of birthing mothers with vaginal deliveries; I knew there had to be a better way to birth. In 1992, I completed my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation from the Ivy League University, I worked NICU at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. At this high tech facility, I saw an anencephalic baby, twin births, triplet births, quadruplets, and many preterm babies. I gained many skills while understanding that I was being exposed to a birthing environment which represented a high risk portion of the population. I witnessed not only births of babies, but also deaths from complications of prematurity.
The next step in my career was to serve as an officer (Lieutenant first and then promoted to Captain) in the United States Army Nurse Corps. I took care of the casualties from Somalia after the Black Hawk went down (1993). I received the mass casualties at Fort Bragg when the planes collided and debris fell onto the paratroopers (1994). I worked in the surgical recovery room, recovering women after C-sections, miscarriages (D&C), hysterectomies, tubal ligations and ectopic pregnancies. I took care of soldiers at Fort Bragg who were patients in the ICU after being casualties of the mass shooting on the PT field (1995). I received an honorable discharge as a Captain in 2001.
After the military, I worked in the NICU as a Registered Nurse (civilian). In addition, I worked as a doula for military wives from 1997 until 2001 (Fort Bragg).
Upon leaving Fort Bragg, we moved to a 130 acre farm in Tennessee. In 2003, my "out of hospital" midwifery journey started. I worked as a Registered Nurse at a local birth center; it was refreshing to see peaceful births. I assisted Certified Nurse Midwives during prenatals, labors, births, and postpartums. I did homevisits as a RN giving postpartum care to women. I was able to gain many skills from my direct supervisor, a Certified Nurse Midwife. It is at this birth center that I experienced my first waterbirths. I am a whole-hearted believer in gentle birth, whether it is a water birth, bed birth, or floor birth.
After three years of working at the birth center in Tennessee, I went to El Paso, Texas, for training as an intern midwife at www.casamidwifery.com. I completed my clinicals/apprenticeship in June 2006. Next, I completed the Advanced Midwifery Workshop taught at the Farm Midwifery Center in Summertown, TN (August 2006). After finishing 1,350 clinical hours of training/working/documenting births (from 2003-2006), I passed the required written examination administered by the North American Registry of Midwives. I successfully completed all requirements necessary in order to practice midwifery as a CPM (see North American Registry of Midwives-- see www.narm.org). I am nationally certified as a midwife through NARM. I am state licensed as a midwife in Tennessee. I have healthcare provider certifications in Adult, Child and Infant CPR with the American Heart Association and with the American Red Cross (I have held this certification since 1987). I am certified in all nine categories of the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which includes medications and intubation (I have been NRP certified since 1992).
I reside on the border of Alabama and Tennessee, with my wonderful husband of sixteen years and three daughters (all born with midwives). I breastfed all my children, and I am an active member of La Leche League.
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Midwifery Assistant
~April~
My name is April and I am a homebirth midwifery assistant. In addition, I am a certified labor doula, certified childbirth educator, and certified lactation educator. All of my credentials are held with CAPPA. I have been attending births for eight years. I was educated at Faulkner Christian University.
I chose my profession after experiencing a very hard birth with my first born. I knew there had to be a different way of birthing, other than a medicalized birth. After researching, I learned about doulas and "natural birthing". I knew natural birth was right for me and my family. It has been my passion to educate women about their choices in childbirth ever since.
I have a wide range of experience. For instance, I have attended the birth of vaginal twins on several occasions. I have helped with natural births, epidural births, hospital births, birth center births, homebirths, and waterbirths.
In addition to working as a midwifery assistant, I have established my own business which offers doula services in the hospital. I specialize in water labor, and I have a water tub available for rent. The water tub has been preapproved for use at ECM hospital in Florence, AL. Contact midwife@birthwithhope.com and ask for doula services and tub rental.
My husband of 10 years and I have been blessed with five children. We have been blessed with four beautiful waterbirths! As I mentioned before, I had my first delivery in the hospital (very medicalized) and it was a difficult birth. Our next two babies were waterbirths at a birth center in TN. Our next two were waterbirths, born in a hospital.
My philosophy is that birth is natural and so is breastfeeding. I have assisted in over 100+ births and am honored to be at each one.
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Midwifery Assistant
~Brandice~
My name is Brandice. I am blessed with a wonderful husband and 4 children. Two of my children were delivered by midwives in a Vermont hospital, and 2 were delivered by midwives at a birth center in Tennessee. Three of those were waterbirths.
In 2004, I was privileged to attend the homebirth of my nephew. What I witnessed there, was a peaceful birth environment that I feel every laboring mother should experience. Through these experiences, I have developed a passion for midwifery and I believe that pregnancy and birth are natural processes. Currently, I am working as a midwife's assistant helping at homebirths.
While working toward my goal of becoming a Certified Professional Midwife, I am also getting certified as a Labor Doula through CAPPA. I have attended births at ECM hospital as a doula. I am certified in CPR through the American Red Cross, and I attend Le Leche League meetings in the Shoals Area.
I offer doula services at ECM, and I have a birth tub available for my clients. Reach me through midwife@birthwithhope.com and ask for doula services and birth tub rental.
My future plans are to do an apprenticeship at Casa de Nacimiento in El Paso, and I would like to go to Africa to midwife women in Senegal.
I am honored to help women give birth!