Hello, I am Vanessa (AKA “v”) Santana (she/they), a queer Boricua Registered Nurse currently enrolled as a student midwife at Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery. I feel extreme gratitude and divine alignment to be training to attend out-of-hospital births at the only Black-founded accredited midwifery program in the country, and to be learning directly from Midwife Triana at Motherland Birthing and Wellness. I draw on the strength of my Afro-Taino roots, hoping to continue the work of my great-grandmother’s role as a traditional midwife in Boriken by honoring and reclaiming ancestral practices of birthwork and spiritual healing for the collective. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Women & Gender Studies, a minor in Religious Studies, and a Master of Science degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education. I have over 20 years of interdisciplinary experience in education, youth community programming, victim advocacy, reproductive justice, Reiki and energy work, and most recently served as a Level 4 NICU nurse in Orlando, FL. My work centers around service to community and a commitment to Black & Indigenous, LGBTQ+ and marginalized folks. I see pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period as powerful mediums for healing and transformation. I believe that when childbearing families are treated with love and are provided with holistic, wrap-around support, they can connect with their inner power and their ability to parent is also transformed–ultimately leading to positive changes that impact the collective and future generations. 

I am a dedicated and compassionate maternal health professional with a deep passion for supporting families through pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and beyond. As a Certified Midwife Assistant, Certified Birth Doula, Certified Postpartum Doula, Certified Childbirth Instructor, Certified Breastfeeding Educator, Certified Loss and Bereavement Doula, Certified Phlebotomist and A.S Health Management, I provide expert care, education, and emotional support to families throughout their unique journeys.

With extensive experience in prenatal education, labor support, postpartum recovery, lactation counseling, and bereavement care, I am committed to holistic, patient-centered care. My role as a Midwife Assistant allows her to work closely with Midwives and birthing individuals, offering hands-on support during labor and delivery while advocating for informed birth choices. Additionally, as a Certified Loss and Bereavement Doula, I provide compassionate guidance to families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss, ensuring they receive the emotional and practical support they need during difficult times.

I believe that my nurturing approach and evidence-based care make me a trusted resource in the maternal health community. I strive to continuously expand my knowledge to stay at the forefront of best practices in birth work, childbirth education, lactation support, and bereavement care, ensuring that every family I serve receives the highest quality of support. 

Hello My name is Terra Jade Finlay born and raised here in Tampa ,FL. I am a certified Full Spectrum Doula and Birth Assistant, certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and Basic Life Support. I am currently enrolled at HCC on the medical pathway to become a Nurse Midwife.

My initial introduction to birth work was at the age of 14 when I was able to attend my mothers c-section and care for her and my brother during her postpartum recovery. Since then I was fascinated with the beauty of pregnancy labor and birth.

By the time my turn came to cross the threshold of motherhood my husband and I had been married for 10 years. We had spent many years sharing stories of how his mom back home delivered him and 9 siblings all naturally with a midwife in an out-of-hospital setting and compared the way pregnancy and birth are cherished in the motherland vs here in the states.

We knew when our time came how we wanted it. We desired a natural, waterbirth, at home, as undisturbed as possible. I struggled to find a provider that would support my desires for my first birth experience. Needless to say I didn’t settle. I pushed boundaries with my providers and ended up with the birth I desired with a support team that believed in my body’s ability to birth.

Though even after my son was born I still had so many unanswered questions about why the system is the way it is. I was still searching for what seemed to be missing in what Florida had to offer for Maternity care. I started taking doula courses to learn more and even considered midwifery school. I understood early on that apprenticeship is a requirement during school and set on a search for a Preceptor. I spent a little over one year providing doula services for free attending around 15 births my first year to gain experience with hospital and home births. The more I was exposed to the birth world the more questions I had.

This continued search for excellence in Midwifery care has led me to Motherland Birthing and Wellness, where I am able to work alongside Midwives that are dedicated to being the change I wish to see. Working amongst an inspiring group of individuals that are dedicated to improving quality standards of maternity care here in FL.

Birth Doula,Midwife Asst., Placenta Encapsulation Specialist 

Hi, I'm Stephanie a wife and mother of 4 sweet children. When I’m not enjoying time with my family, I’m out in the community helping and assisting one birth at a time.  That's why I'm dedicated to helping families. It is pure passion, support, and dedication but most of all the love I put into all things birth related. I like to empower all my families and help them navigate all things pregnancy so they feel seen, heard an most of all supported.