FRIDAY FEATURE: Willow Huisman, Bismarck & Minot, North Dakota Birth Doula + Student Midwife + Home Birth Advocate + Birth Educator + Single Mom Extraordinaire

If you’ve been around the crunchy mom, babywearing, home birth community in Bismarck in the past 10 years or so, chances are you already know my passionate friend, Willow. If you’ve ever even whispered a question about home birth in one of the Bismarck mom Facebook groups, she’s one of the first names to that will get tagged.

All this knowledge and passion in this one articulate, introspective person that constantly assesses and measures her thoughts carefully, ready to to see new perspectives and approach her ideas from new angles, which is a powerful tool in her doula toolbox.

Willow Huisman, birth doula, counsels pregnant woman. The women are sitting on a couch next to each other. Willow is wearing a mustard yellow blouse.

So Willow, what brought you to birth work?

Once I started looking into my options for my own first birth I realized there were so many underutilized options available in our area. After I discovered homebirth as a choice and went on to have my own I was hooked, and started getting to know all the providers in the area who supported homebirth. I also advocated for homebirth families at the legislative level in the 2011 and 2013 sessions. When the chance to become a doula presented itself it just made sense.

What makes you different from other doulas/providers? What's the philosophy and approach that drives you?

I am the the go-to person for all things homebirth in Bismarck. I’m currently in school to be a midwife and working in a home setting is what I’m very passionate about. My underlying belief is that women are capable of birthing, and that home is the place that makes the most sense from a purely physiological perspective for most women, assuming that’s where she feels safe and comfortable!