Savita is a Wisconsin Licensed Midwife who has been involved in the art and practice of Midwifery her entire life. She grew up practicing Midwifery with her mother, who has been at the forefront of midwifery in Wisconsin since it’s “comeback” in the early 70’s.

Certified in Neonatal Resuscitation since 1992, Savita completed a traditional apprenticeship program and interned at a high volume birth Center in El Paso, Texas. She then began her own primary care practice in 1992, became certified as a Professional Midwife in 1998, and is currently certified in Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics. Savita served as Treasurer for The Wisconsin Guild of Midwives from 2010 – 2016 and remains active for the advancement of Midwifery on a national level.

Savita believes that a safe and satisfying childbirth experience provides an excellent foundation for taking on the responsibilities of parenthood.

There is more information now than ever before about how to have a safe and healthy birth. It is Savita’s goal as a midwife to help women and families access information, make sense of issues, think about their values and preferences, and put their care plan into place.

‘I wish pregnant families well as they embrace the opportunity and responsibility to be informed about their rights, protect themselves and their baby and encourage families to view this time in life as sacred.’ -Savita

Rachel serves as a primary birth assistant at the Ashland Birth Center and also as a Childbirth Doula. She was born and raised in Superior, Wisconsin with strong roots connecting to the place she now calls home, Red Cliff Reservation. She has been a doula for 2 years and an advocate for breastfeeding since the birth of her first child 16 years ago.

Rachel is certified as a Lactation Counselor since 2015. Rachel is trained in Newborn Behavior Observation through the Brazelton Institute and a certified car seat technician. Along with those formal trainings, she has had traditional indigenous midwifery teachings by elders Dorene Day and Penny Charette. She is a first year student midwife at Ashland Birth Center.

‘I recognize birth as a sacred and spiritual ceremony. I look forward to life as a midwife.’ -Rachel

Chelsea serves as one of the Ashland Birth Center’s childbirth doulas, along with Dana Churness, Rachel Garramone, and Penny Charette. Chelsea began her calling in birth work in 2006 after attending a birth for a friend.

Her passion for birth and commitment to evidence based education continued to grow as she attended births and served as a birth resource to her community. Chelsea was certified as a doula in 2012 with DONA, and in 2015 she expanded her services and became a trained Lamaze childbirth educator.

Sadie Sigford, LM is one of Ashland Birth Center’s on-call birth assistants.  She became captivated by the experience of pregnancy and birth in 2010, completed her childbirth Doula training with DONA International, and began attending births. Sadie joined the Ashland Birth Center team in 2014 as a student midwife and is now a Certified Professional Midwife and Licensed since 2016.

Jen is a physical therapist with advanced training in obstetric and pelvic health. Her services include pre and post-natal care, including bowel and bladder dysfunction, pelvic pain, and other body aches/pain, pelvic organ prolapse, diastasis recti rehab, scar tissue adhesions, pelvic floor rehab, and more.

All postpartum women would benefit from pelvic floor rehab, and it should be standard of care to include this in your return to optimal health. Every pregnant and postpartum mother delivering at Ashland Birth Center is offered a referral to her services. Jen looks forward to educating women about their bodies and empowering them to take control of their health.  You can learn more about Jen here.

Chiropractic’s core focus is on the efficiency of the nervous system and the consequential impact that lowered function may have on other body systems. Many adjusting techniques and strategies are used to achieve improved neural communication by removing interference patterns we call subluxations. Since the nervous system influences all aspects of one’s body, chiropractic care can be applicable to many conditions and to the achievement of better overall health. This allows the body to more accurately do what it was meant to do and more appropriately adapt to its environment and stress. Facilitating the body’s innate management of pregnancy and labor is one way chiropractic can be helpful during this time in life.

Dr. Gilbaugh grew up in the Ashland area. He is a married father of two sons, both delivered at Ashland Birth Center. He graduated with high honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2010, where he received his doctorate. Prior to this, a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology was earned from Iowa State University. He is certified in Webster technique, has additional pediatric and pregnancy chiropractic management education, and is a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and Wisconsin Chiropractic Association. Additional certificates are held as a Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner, a Certified Posture Exercise Professional, and Functional Movement Techniques and nutrition. You can learn more about Dr. Gilbaugh here.

Dr Heitsch offers nutritional therapy based on hair test analysis, functional medicine, and Biodynamic Osteopathy at the Ashland Birth Center.

Malari is a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) through the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM).  She became certified in 2012, while working as an Early Head Start Family Advocate, and has taught numerous group and individual sessions since. She began offering classes through Ashland Birth Center in 2015, and now also thoroughly enjoys sharing massage with her own children. Malari believes that Infant Massage offers parents another tool for understanding and communicating with their baby, for bonding with their baby, and for helping to gently alleviate any discomforts their growing child experiences.  She also believes that all children deserve the best start possible in life, and therefore wants parents to have access to the intense emotional connection and physical relief that can occur through Infant Massage.

Teaching families how to massage their babies helps us achieve our program’s goals of enhancing parent infant interaction and promoting healthy growth and development.