Acorn Community Birth & Wellness Center

My name is Debbie, I am a wife of 35 years and we have 7 children (3 by birth and 4 by adoption), 7 grandkids, and 2 great granddaughters! My calling to midwifery started with my great-grandmother in Mexico. During one of her 10 births with a partera (Mexican midwife) she was introduced to Christ. She shared that faith in God with my grandmother. After the death of her husband, her family immigrated to the US to begin a new life. My grandparents met and were married in San Diego and raised their family here. I learned from my grandma and mom how to care for moms and babies, how to use herbs for healing and how to depend on God. My grandma and mom supported me during my own journey to motherhood which started at 16. My first two deliveries were in the hospital and I lived first-hand through many pregnancy complications and a NICU stay with my second baby. Four years later, I met and married my husband who was in the Navy, so we moved all over the US. We struggled with
secondary infertility for 11 years. During that time we adopted a baby boy, who I re-lactated for. My calling came full circle following the birth of my miracle “rainbow” baby. After months of interventions and memories of my past births, I made the decision that “there was no place like home” to have my baby. I had a wonderful empowering pregnancy and home birth with a midwife that believed in me and worked hard to keep me home. I delivered with 12 of my closest family and friends surrounding me. After that experience I couldn’t shake the call to midwifery.

When my husband retired from the military in 2006, I started midwifery school and over the next 15 years I sat in apprenticeships under 6 different midwives. I also served as a doula, childbirth/parent educator and Certified Lactation Counselor, with additional training in tongue ties. I specialized in teen pregnancies and those with special needs like gestational diabetes, hyperemesis, twins, breech and VBAC. I was privileged to receive additional training in herbs and homeopathic remedies and sexual abuse survivors. During COVID, I passed my NARM exam and was licensed in both Minnesota and South Dakota as I served in the rural farm country along the borders of these two states. We now live with my parents after having been away for 28 years.

In honor of my grandparents, in 2015 I formed a nonprofit, El Nido Birth and Family Ministries. We provide resources and support for a better understanding of health that is relevant to families daily lives. Women have an inborn knowledge of how to give birth, as pregnancy and birth are “normal” physiological processes. But, as evidenced by my own three births, normal differs with each pregnancy, birth and baby. As a community midwife, my passion is to build relationships and strong partnerships steeped in communication. Health is shaped by many factors, so I teach to empower families as they make decisions that are right for them. My goal is to provide quality services, within a family-friendly environment, of respect and care that meets their needs and serve as a support base for them, whether physical, emotional or spiritual. I see the blessing of childbirth with the central idea that birth is a gift and as such is a blessed, natural, and empowering experience.

In my spare time, I enjoy working in my vegetable and flower gardens, making sourdough bread, and most importantly spending time with my grandkids and great grands and watching old movies with my husband and mom. I am excited to see what this next chapter in life, has for us.

Hello! My name is Melina, and I am currently training as a student midwife. Before beginning this path, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician in both ambulance and hospital settings, where I gained valuable experience in emergency care and learned the importance of staying calm and steady in intense moments. Those skills continue to serve me well, but it was my own pregnancy and birth that truly shaped my calling. Experiencing firsthand how transformative birth can be gave me a deep passion for walking alongside families as they welcome new life.

I believe midwifery is about so much more than clinical care — it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe, respected, and empowered to make the choices that are right for them. I am especially passionate about making sure families have steady support, encouragement, and knowledge so that they can feel confident and cared for throughout the entire journey.

What excites me most about birth work is witnessing the strength, resilience, and love that shines through during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. It’s an incredible honor to be invited into these sacred moments, and I approach each experience with gratitude and respect.

Outside of my studies, I enjoy reading, learning new things, and spending time with my baby and family. In the future, I hope to continue serving families in community birth settings and contributing to a culture where birth is seen as both safe and empowering.