Melissa Dean, a midwife and founder of Casa Natal Birth and Wellness Center in Los Gatos, California, discussed her journey from corporate America to becoming a doula and midwife. She emphasized the importance of preconception care, addressing postpartum depletion, and integrating functional medicine. Melissa highlighted the challenges of balancing motherhood, running a business, and maintaining a strong marriage. She stressed the significance of teaching children self-sufficiency and fostering a supportive family environment. Melissa's center was voted the best birth center in the Bay Area in 2024, reflecting her dedication to holistic care and client relationships.

"Being a mom is a lot. It requires so much of our attention and every minute. It's very easy for moms to be overlooked, and they don't focus on taking care of themselves."


Learn more about:

Melissa's Journey into Midwifery

• Started as a doula when her youngest child was 2 years old (25 years ago)

• Worked as a doula for 10 years before becoming a midwife

• Motivated to become a midwife after witnessing avoidable issues in hospital births

• Went back to school in her 40s to study midwifery

• Traveled to the Philippines for hands-on experience in managing birth complications

Work-Life Balance and Parenting

• Left corporate job 3 months after returning from maternity leave with first child

• Homeschooled her children, which provided flexibility for her work as a doula

• Taught children to be self-sufficient from a young age (e.g., cooking, laundry by age 10)

• Encouraged children to have adventures and build confidence without constant supervision

• Maintained a "no phone at the table" rule to foster genuine connection during family time

Functional Medicine and Postpartum Care

• Pursued functional medicine to better serve clients with underlying health issues

• Focuses on preconception care, pregnancy nutrition, and postpartum depletion

• Aims to prevent pregnancy complications and improve long-term maternal health

• Provides virtual consultations for postpartum care beyond the Bay Area

Family Traditions and Maintaining Connections

• Rents a house for family gatherings to accommodate grown children and their partners

• Celebrates holidays flexibly based on everyone's availability

• Focuses on experiences and activities rather than material gifts

• Encourages each couple to plan an activity and prepare a meal during family gatherings

• Prioritizes outdoor activities and games over TV watching during family time

Marriage and Relationship Maintenance

• Consistently prioritized relationship with husband above all else

• Unified parenting approach to prevent children from playing parents against each other

• Made time for regular getaways as a couple, even when finances were tight

• Demonstrated to children the importance of putting the marital relationship first

 
About the Guest:

Melissa Dean is a midwife and the founder of Casa Natal Birth and Wellness Center, located in Los Gatos, California. In 2024, Casa Natal was voted the Best birth center in the Bay Area by Bay Area Parents. As a functional and integrative medicine practitioner, Melissa combines her expertise in women's health with her midwife practice. She provides care with an emphasis on preconception, childbirth, postpartum depletion syndrome.

Melissa’s expertise has been featured in leading publications such as The Bump, Today’s Parent, Patient, InHealth and The CheckUp. She has been a featured guest on leading podcasts such as Dear Doula, Sparking Wholeness, The Hypnobirthing Podcast, Papaya Health, The Freely Rooted Mama.

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