Meet the Midwife: Dawna Insua

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a caretaker. I served in the U.S. Army as a field medic and wanted to continue my education in the nursing field. During my time in the military, I got pregnant. Things did not work out as I planned being a single mom. Many years later, with encouragement from a friend, I looked into becoming a doula. The first birth I attended, I was hooked. I left everything I knew and became a doula. About two years into doula work, a local midwife asked me to be her assistant. Word of mouth spread, and my work as a doula and midwife assistant became well known across the area. I have assisted at many hundreds of births and provided doula support to even more. I am grateful!

Becoming a Licensed Midwife

I’ve spent 15 years as a doula and 12.5 as a midwife assistant, going back and forth between the two over the years. When I was in the transition between doula and assistant work, I knew I wanted to be a midwife. The closest accredited program to me was Florida School of Traditional Midwifery (FSTM) in Gainesville, which seemed an impossible route due to the conflict between traveling and my commitment to birth work. 

I emailed FSTM numerous times inquiring about a satellite program in Miami. Eventually, I decided that I was going to just enroll in FSTM’s program, even if I had to go to Gainesville. About the same time, I learned they were bringing the school to Magnolia, thanks to Tamara. Three years ago, I became a part of the first cohort in the new South Florida Midwifery program.

Midwifery is my calling; I just didn’t know how to get there for a long time.

Throughout my training, I’ve kept the same mentality I’ve always had: To gain as much experience as possible and to seek growth in every experience. Over the years,  I’ve worked with the same midwives over and over. I learned their hand gestures, the way they breathe, their facial expressions, and what they need without words. I learned them so well that I’ve wondered, “Is this me knowing midwifery or knowing the midwife?” I came to realize it is both — a full circle with generations of knowledge passed to me within a safe space to find myself. I am forever grateful. 

When it comes to birth work, I describe my mission as supporting and helping to facilitate empowering, safe birth experiences. I love introducing folks to the midwifery model of care, letting them know that birth is a normal, natural, physiological process. My goal is to create relationships, making sure parents feel safe and supported. I am grateful to walk this path with new clients and with the Magnolia community.

I really want people to understand that if you don’t know your options, you don’t have any. I’ve always wanted to make a difference; that’s why I initially became a doula. Now, through being a midwife at Magnolia, I’m able to provide individualized care and get to know each family personally — care that goes beyond pregnancy and birth into providing postpartum support and offering additional resources.

Finding a Community at Magnolia

As both a doula and midwife assistant, I attended births at Magnolia, so it made sense to start school there and do my clinical training there. I grew to love Magnolia as an organization; it’s a wonderful community. We also share the same approach in offering holistic and personalized care. I am drawn to the way Magnolia encourages families to be present and in control of how they approach pregnancy and birth. In addition, Magnolia has created a space that offers a private, comfortable, and welcoming vibe. It feels like a home away from home. I am again grateful to now be part of the Magnolia team as a licensed midwife. 

At Magnolia, we want to help you achieve your out-of-hospital birth while keeping you and your baby safe. To learn more about prenatal care and birth services at Magnolia, fill out our form to set up a free consultation!