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Emily grew up all over the world while her father worked for the UN and US government. Her love for “all things to do with pregnancy” was sparked when she was just 13 after meeting a missionary midwife in Pakistan. Graduating from Addington Hospital School of Nursing and Midwifery School in South Africa, she has attended more than 700 births over her career in birth as midwife and now as a doula. She believes it’s her privilege to be able to combine her passions of birth and fitness. The education of her clients – whether in Fitness, Wellness, or Childbirth – has always been a priority.
Emily has been active in the women’s fitness, health and wellness world for more than 25 years as an educator, trainer, presenter, mentor, and magazine contributor. Her work in the Perinatal Fitness community has expanded over the years into mentorships and trainings for both medical providers and fitness professionals. She is the author and founder of 4th Trimester Fitness® Methods of 4 Pillars for Better Birth™, Birth Ball Basics™, Postpartum Recovery® Fitness and Pelvic Floor, Core & More™. These programs have been experienced by hundreds of women, birth workers, and obstetric care providers.
Known better as “Memmy” in the Birth Doula community, Emily’s primary areas of focus: calm, peaceful, safe birthing environments; relaxation techniques; optimal positioning of babies, perinatal fitness and wellness; Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Postpartum Recovery® Fitness. She supports families ( “Memmy’s Mommas”) in Home birth, Birth Center birth, and Hospital birth. She attends the full spectrum of birth, from unmedicated water-birth to epidural, multiples to VBAMC, and IVF to elective cesarean birth. She believes it’s her privilege to support families in their healthy birthing choices and is honored to do so. No longer wearing the “nurse midwife’s cap”, Emily says that she proudly wears the “Doula Hat with a Midwife’s Eyes and Mother’s Heart”.
Emily divides her time between her homes in Florida and Tennessee where her husband works as a physician. She has two grown children (Alex and Robb) and two grandchildren to whom she is the “real” Memmy.
