Birthworkers Directory

Our history began in the early 1980’s when founder, Merrell Carlson, became a very proud big sister. Along with a new baby brother she gained a lifelong love and fascination with the miracle of life. As a child she wanted to be a ‘baby doctor’ when she grew up and as she grew, her understanding of the process grew as well.
In 2000, Merrell became a mother after a long, hard and traumatic induction. Her family grew two more times in the next 9 years and she found herself a two time cesarean mom, each medically unnecessary.
As a child, she loved pregnancy, birth and especially all things babies. Her first three children gave her the ‘Why’ for her midwifery, they gave her a reason much deeper than babies. She had seen firsthand what happens when a mother is made to feel powerless and incapable. In 2011 she learned she was pregnant with her fourth child. After her first 3 experiences, she decided to leave the medical world and find a midwife. This was much harder than she expected. Her first midwife unexpectedly closed her doors and she was forced to transfer her care to an OB. She was very clear about having a VBA2C (which is a Vaginal Birth After 2 Cesareans), the OB while nodding ok, told her that he was going to go ahead and schedule her cesarean. This was not the right place to deliver. The search was on!
She found a local midwife who reluctantly agreed to take her on as a client and went on to vaginally deliver under her own free will, a beautiful healthy little girl. She now had 3 daughters. The national statistics for cesarean was 1:3. One of her three healthy little girls, statistically would be cut, likely for no reason. This was not acceptable. One week postpartum, she was sitting on her couch, nursing her newborn, reading ‘Lady’s Hands, Lion’s Heart’ and ‘Babycatcher’. She now had her ‘How’. She knew why she wanted to be involved with women’s health and now she knew exactly how!
She gave herself a 10-year timeframe as a goal to become a Licensed Midwife. More babies came and with each one, the timeframe was extended by 2 years (the age gaps) until the reality that while the babies kept coming, the older children were also getting older. It was time!
Merrell started midwifery school in August of 2017 at Florida School of Traditional Midwifery with her youngest baby a young 8 months old. School was intense, as it should have been. She delivered her own baby while in the middle of the 3-year midwifery program. Merrell became a Licensed Midwife in May of 2021 and joined Loving Arms Birth and Wellness Center as their lead midwife. A Mother’s Village was brought to life in 2022 when Merrell began taking her own clients. She can be found serving her A Mother’s Village families throughout Marion and surrounding counties.
Merrell’s style of midwifery attempts to match what the mother and family want for their experience. By nature, she is more hands off but believes in her gut and in that, God’s guidance. Merrell’s passion is VBAC and holding the space for the mother and her family in their journeys regardless of the location of their location. She is respectful of the beliefs, birth location and family dynamics of her families as well as the LGBTQIA+ population.
Someday she hopes to expand to both Citrus and possibly Alachua counties.