Arizona Womb Service

Arizona Womb Service Biographies

Robin Sharples-Ray

Certified Professional Midwife 2005 - North American Registry of Midwives
Licensed Midwife 2005 - State of Arizona
Certified Doula 1997 - Doulas of North America
International Certified Childbirth Educator 1996
Certified Breastfeeding Counselor 2006 - Central Arizona College

I am a wife and mother of 7 wonderful children – 4 boys and 3 girls. Keith and I have been married since 1981. I have had 7 unmedicated births at a variety of locations - from hospital, birth center to home. My first child was born in 1987 and my last in 2001. read more

I have successfully breastfed all of my children for as long as 9 months to 2 ½ years! In that time span of giving birth I have seen and experienced a lot of change in the field of childbirth.

The birth of my first child, Kendall empowered me to pursue becoming a childbirth educator. My teaching has led me to teach for particular doctors, privately as well as publicly to larger classes in hospitals. I have taught 8 week-4week series, refresher and the all day, “everything you ever wanted to know about childbirth” in an 8 hour period. I have taught women with disabilities, single women, women on bed rest, women who have placed their babies for adoption, as well as those planning on homebirth.

I teach to turn the fear of birth into a respect for birth and help moms embrace and accept the body’s process of bringing forth life. It continues to bring me great joy to share what I learn while working with laboring mothers in the field of birth. I love hearing of their empowered stories after they use some of the tools and techniques they learned in class or developed on their own. I don’t practice with one particular philosophy of education. I have blended many birthing styles and philosophies as I don’t feel there is ONE right way to birth.

My first doula work was supporting my sister in law with the birth of my first nephew as my brother in law has asthma and didn’t feel he could be the only “coach”. It was a great job to have in between giving birth and nursing my seven children! I started my work as a doula to help take some of the pressure off the support person- to help them enjoy the experience and to help them feel confident in their support of the mom. I continue to do this work to help families get off to a good start and feel positive in their roles of raising their children by helping create a positive birth experience. I have supported women and their families in a multitude of ways. I have been the doula hired to support the mother, father, grandmother, siblings only, single moms as well as those placing their babies for adoption.

My journey into midwifery started after the birth of my 6th child, Kellen at home with out the assistance of my midwives. His quick arrival and our calm handling of the situation had the midwives asking me if I had ever thought of becoming a midwife. His birth led me to feel the Lord had been nudging me in this direction the whole time. After a 5 year apprenticeship with a lovely local Glendale midwife and self study I opened AZ Womb Service in Glendale, AZ. My office is in the west Phoenix area in the city of Peoria, located just off the Loop 101.

Birth is not an illness or something to be feared. It is a natural physiological process that God made so perfectly! There are too many words to describe the powerful yet peaceful journey birth can be. I do see your care in a more holistic approach. I feel women can be responsible and make informed decisions regarding their care as well as that of their babies. I also see my role as advocating for those choices. It is my hope and prayer that AZ Womb Service can provide you with a nurturing, educational, empowering and enriching birth experience.

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Connie Canada

Certified Professional Midwife 2009- North American Registry of Midwives
Licensed Midwife 2009- State of Arizona
Doula, Doula Trainer
Childbirth Educator, Childbirth Educator Trainer

I am the mother of six children all with their own unique birth stories. I am the proud grandma of 14 beautiful grandchildren. I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend and a licensed midwife. I believe that all these rolls define me as a person. Family, friends and birth are my joys in life. Serving women and assisting them in having an empowering birth has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I have attended nursing school and realized that it was not the path for me. I have worked in labor and delivery in a small community hospital where I realized that it also was not my place.read more

Arizona Womb Service Logo

The artwork was designed by Tara Kaplan from New Hampshire. She designed this in partial payment for work I did in helping her become a childbirth educator. She is also a doula. The art was painted on silk. I see this woman as a representative of all women- she is strong, loving and protective of the baby she is carrying. The baby is shown as the â€œstarâ€ in the motherâ€™s womb as he or she should be. If you look closely, you can see a hand holding the womb up. I see that as the hand of God, not only forming and creating this baby but also holding and presenting this baby as a blessing to the mother and to the world. The logo design was created by Julia Bullock, a retired logo artist who is a member of the church I attend.