From Lafayette to Leadership: A Midwife’s Journey and the Rise of Culturally Responsive Birth Care

Birth doesn’t follow a script—and that’s exactly why thoughtful preparation, true collaboration, and culturally responsive support matter. We sit down with licensed midwife Shatamia Webb, owner of Baby Catcher Birth Center (the first Black-owned freestanding birth center in Louisiana), to explore how personalized care can transform the way families experience pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

Shatamia opens up about the real pathway to becoming a midwife—years of schooling, extensive clinical mentorship, and about 70 required births across observation, assist, and primary roles. She breaks down the difference between midwives and doulas in plain language, details the safety protocols and emergency readiness most people never see (from hemorrhage meds to oxygen and transport plans), and explains why longer prenatal visits change everything. Her stories—from a hotel birth during a hurricane evacuation to a first-time mom driving 3.5 hours each way for culturally aligned care—reveal both the complexity and the heart of modern midwifery.

We also get candid about access and policy. Hospital midwives are growing in Louisiana, yet licensure and regulations still create friction for community-based practices. Shatamia shares how she collaborates with OBs, pediatricians, lactation consultants, and chiropractors to keep care seamless and safe. For parents, she offers a clear checklist for choosing a provider: licensure, training, respectful communication, emergency prep, and a genuine willingness to partner in decisions. For the rest of us, it’s an invitation to rethink what birth can be when science, vigilance, and dignity meet.

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