About the midwife
North Star Midwifery
Aly Folin, CPM, LM
For me, the first time I really heard the word "midwife" I knew what I was called to do. The idea of women supporting women in their innate ability to give birth resonated with me deeply. The wisdom that women are designed to give birth and do best when they are comfortable, and surrounded by those they love, blossomed in my mind. The years on my path into midwifery and growing into the role of midwife have proven this wisdom to be true. My job as midwife is to provide information, support, and love, so women can make the choices for themselves and their families that are right for them and be confident in their abilities to grow, birth, and nurture their babies.
My education to be a midwife began at the Seattle Midwifery School, an intensive 3-year program with both academic and hands-on learning. SMS is one of the oldest accredited midwifery programs in the country and the rigorous curriculum there is taught by practicing or formerly practicing midwives, often with decades of experience. In the apprenticeship piece of my training, I was privileged to work with a small homebirth practice in Boston, a larger two-midwife practice in Western Massachusetts, a busy homebirth practice in Pensacola, Florida, and a nurse practitioner doing well-woman care. I also completed a one month international rotation in a hospital in St. Lucia. In 2004 I completed my training and graduated from SMS.
In the summer of 2004 I sat for and passed the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) exam to become a Certified Professional Midwife. I am also a Licensed Midwife in Minnesota and in Wisconsin. As a certified and licensed midwife, I am required to participate in peer review, and I follow a written standard of care, created by the midwives of this community to protect mothers and babies.
I maintain my office out of my home in Saint Paul in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood.
I was blessed to be able to have my own daughter at home in 2007 and cherish her birth as one of the peak experiences of my life.
Outside of midwifery, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, going to movies (when I can!), and I am learning to garden (when I can!).
What others have to say about Aly:
"Before we were pregnant, my wife Janine and I discussed the type of environment we wanted to bring a child into; a life of love, tenderness, family, and a place where a child is taught they can achieve their dreams. For us, this nurturing would begin the moment we conceived.
When we found out we were pregnant, we were looking for someone who could share that vision, who would help Janine prepare not only her body, but her heart, for the birthing process and motherhood in general. Aly was that person.
Aly embraced us with open arms, making us feel welcome and sharing our excitement about the entire pregnancy. She is extremely informative, a wealth of knowledge and experience, always helping us see both sides of an issue and providing the knowledge we needed to make an informed decision. At the same time, she never pushed us to make a certain choice, which is something we valued. We feel like we can go to Aly with any question, no matter how silly it may seem.
The best thing about Aly is she has taken an interest in Janine and I as people. With the intimacy and challenges of childbirth, we did not want to work with someone who was only interested in getting the baby out; we wanted someone who genuinely cared about mom and baby (and dad too), and Aly has made us feel this way. We know she cares for us and loves our baby boy, Solomon, and we are forever grateful for the experience Aly provided us with as our midwife." -- Kyle and Janine M.
"Aly, you are a gift to the world! You truly are doing what God intended for your life. The lives you've touched and changed during this ONE pregnancy are strong evidence of that.
You always knew just what to say in each "mini crisis" and I always felt calm and reassured after talking with you. During labor your steady presence was felt. Each time I heard your voice or felt your touch, I found the strength to breathe through that contraction. When you were at my side ... I felt so calm and confident. It seems like you've been to a birth or two and know what you are doing!
After Erin arrived, your steady support continued to be felt. I looked forward to each visit as I built my confidence as a mother of two. I am enjoying a postpartum time I never knew could be!" -- Nanette B.