Join your hosts Sophia and Nina for an interview with local midwife, Tracy Lough. 

They discuss her work at Thrive Birth Center, her home birth services in LA, precipitous birth, rural midwifery, and kids at births.

Tracy Lough, LM, CPM

When I was growing up, I yearned to serve my community in a way that would bring children love and peace while fostering a connection to nature. In college I came across a book called Midwives; after reading it I felt deeply called to one day birth my own baby with a midwife. I got married, moved to Yellowstone National Park for a time, and then became an elementary school teacher in LA Unified School District. When my daughter was born at home I was forever changed. My midwifery journey began the moment I lifted her into my arms: I felt inspired to empower parents to educate themselves about the choices they have around birth. Nine years later, my third child was born swiftly into the hands of my oldest daughter, with her sister and my husband by my side. Welcoming siblings into the pregnancy and birth experience is a passion of mine.For years I taught Bradley Method Childbirth classes and hypnobirthing out of my home, educating women and couples about natural childbirth. My formal education began with Elizabeth Davis' Heart and Hands course, and continued with the National Midwifery Institute. As I studied, I apprenticed with a busy home birth practice in Los Angeles. In 2010, I traveled to Bali, Indonesia with my family to work at the internationally recognized Bumi Sehat Birth Clinic under the guidance of Robin Lim – winner of CNN’s 2011 Hero Award. I am now a Licensed Midwife (LM) under the Medical Board of California and a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM).I am the founder of The Birth Yurt, Humboldt County’s first out-of-hospital birthing option. The yurt, on my 5-acre homestead in the redwoods, served as a sacred space for women and families to birth in. Together, my husband and I also offered the community a Waldorf-inspired, outdoor nature preschool on the property. Many of the babies born in the yurt later attended our school, where I had the privilege of watching them play and grow.I am committed to providing a safe space for women who choose to birth out of the hospital. I value building relationships of mutual trust with families through relaxed prenatal visits and meaningful care. I am certified in IV therapy and Neonatal Resuscitation, and bring knowledge of homeopathy and herbalism to my work with families. I am currently deepening my studies of craniosacral therapy with the Upledger Institute in order to continue providing healing for the babies and families I work with.I am based in Occidental, CA and enjoy spending time with my family in the redwoods. I am currently writing a book called The Birth Yurt, which I hope will bring harmony and change to our birth culture through stories and education. My work is so much more than a job - it is my calling and passion. I am thrilled to be part of Sonoma County, to continue welcoming babies in with a loving and gentle beginning.