We birthed another new family member! Welcome Amy Reinke, Tampa Doula & Birth Assistant
We are so happy to welcome Amy Reinke as she joins the Barefoot Birth Family. Amy has been an asset to both Lakeland Midwifery Care and Barefoot Birth and we're so glad she's sticking around. Her joy for this work is pretty evident to those who've had the chance to meet her, and we hope you'll all have the opportunity soon! Amy is accepting doula clients, assisting at homebirths, and helping with placenta encapsulation.
HI ALL! I’m Amy: a 20-something lady living my dream of being involved in moms’ and babies’ lives every day. More than anything I would love to sit down with you over a cup of coffee and chat all about your life, but since we can’t really do that I’m quickly going to introduce myself to you here! I feel honored to be a part of the Barefoot Birth family, and I look forward to serving many of you in the future.
A few fun facts about me:
* I love people, so to say I’m an extrovert is an understatement
* I was born and raised in Tampa (not many of us around these days)
* I am a Florida Gator
* Live music, rollerblading, yoga, traveling, languages, public health, and lavender are just a few things that make me happy.
* I am a believer that everything we do should be done in love.
I have loved all things baby since I was a little girl. My very first memory is sitting on my bedroom floor playing with my baby dolls, and I grew up watching tons of baby TV shows and reading as much as I could about birth. I know what you might be thinking, but I never thought it was weird! A few years ago I had the privilege of attending one of my best friend’s births. She was a rock star. I always knew birth was magical, but to see new life come into this world left me speechless. Just a couple months later I had a very close friend whose husband was deployed to Afghanistan at the time she delivered, and she wanted support during her birth. While I mostly acted as her Skype handler and cheerleader, I also vividly remember her asking me to call Megan, her “placenta lady,” really early in the morning. When I made plans to meet Megan in the hospital’s parking lot I remember thinking, “Is it really okay to call this girl before the sun is even up?” Little did I know, this would become really normal in my life.
Best friend literally right after she pushed her baby girl out!
After the births of my two beautiful friends’ babies, I started following BFB on Facebook. A little while later I attended a doula workshop and met Charlie! After that, things just started to fall into place. I began working with the amazing Marianne at Lakeland Midwifery Care as a birth assistant while I finished nursing school. After graduating, I now work as a high risk OB RN at St Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, happy to bring some positive energy to the families who need it there. At the hospital I take care of moms who need to be admitted and are usually on bed rest for a variety of reasons, and then typically we will have them postpartum as well! Since most of my moms stay with me on our high risk floor for a period of time, I really get to know them as a person more than just as a patient. I love being able to spend time with their families and dream with them about what it will be like once they meet their babies and are home in their own cozy beds. My role as a doula, nurse, and friend tend to overlap a lot in my life, and I like it that way.
Little Maggie Cate born to my amazing military wife friend.
As for what’s next, I am letting the future unfold! Without a doubt there is something in me that is calling me to midwifery, but those plans remain unseen. For now, I work nights at the hospital and help out with Barefoot Birth during the day (or night!) whenever I can, and I love it. So if you see me wearing pink scrubs, massaging someone’s back, or carrying a placenta away…just don’t question it!
