Our Mission
The Des Moines Midwife Collective (DMC) is a collective of Certified Nurse-Midwives serving the Des Moines area and Central Iowa. Our mission is to provide affordable and accessible reproductive and wellness care while partnering with families to create safe, physiologic, empowering experiences in the realm of birth, parenthood, and self care.
Our team of midwives practice full scope midwifery and are experienced in gynecology, prenatal care, birth assistance, postpartum care, lactation, and more!
For us, midwifery is more than simply a career – it’s a calling. Our midwives have received extensive training and certifications to provide exceptional levels of care for every family we serve. We’re proud to have an amazing, dedicated team of midwives to not only help guide our pregnant patients, but to also assist them at every stage of life.
A Look into Our Practice
The work of Des Moines Midwife Collective is one born out of a foundational draw toward justice, a genuine interest in and respect for people, and the belief that all birthing families should have access to quality, compassionate and affordable care.
My (Caitlin) pull toward this work parallels my own journey into birth and motherhood. A journey that began in 2008 and, at times, felt quite lonely. I was living in Wuhan, China at the time and had few English speaking resources available. After a traumatic entry into motherhood which included a c-section, a rocky beginning to breastfeeding, and a lot of pigs foot soup I thought, “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this as alone as I did.” I began to work with La Leche League International, becoming a resource on lactation for English speaking expats in Shanghai, China and I provided doula and childbirth education services, helping expats navigate their way through the Chinese hospital system during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
Our family moved back to the U.S., where our other three children were born, one into the hands of my midwife and two into the hands of their dad, in 2011. Reentry to home countries after living abroad can be isolating at times and compounding this, during our first few years back in the U.S., was our financial situation. We were on Medicaid, and food stamps, and many of the communities I longed to be a part of were closed to those unable to pay cash out-of-pocket.
Those first few friends I met during our first years back in the U.S. I will cherish forever. And, through the support of my family, and various scholarships and grants, I drew nearer to the vision of ‘community for all’ as I worked first toward my RN license, then my Midwifery license, and finally my Doctorate in nursing practice. I was blessed to have spent my first few years of midwifery practice working for an organization that focused on care for the uninsured and under-insured. Many of the women I worked with were refugees, having their babies in the U.S. (a country other than their home country) — just as I had, years ago.
In 2019, I began to see continued patterns of unmet needs in our community revolving around accessibility and affordability in lactation and maternity care. This led to the vision and creation of The Des Moines Midwife Collective; The first free standing lactation clinic accepting insurance in the Des Moines Metro area and the only homebirth midwifery service fully in-network with insurance, including Medicaid, in a 230 mile radius.
For us, this work is our ministry. It is about offering community and relationship to the lonely, a place of rest to the weary, a spirit of welcome to the heavy-laden (whatever their burdens might be). We are a community, inclusive to all, saying, ”here is a place you will be welcomed.”
Meet Our Experienced Certified Nurse-Midwives
Caitlin Hainley
DNP, ARNP-CNM, IBCLC
I have been described as an eternal optimist, tenacious, full of energy. My hair is non-compliant. There are many things in which I find joy. I love reading books and watching movies of all genres. I adore cooking for family and eating good food that others have cooked for me. Exploring nature alone and with my family is a treasure (as are family bagel and board game mornings). We love to travel and we love our Wirehaired Griffon, Merlin. My husband is a gem who has loved me tirelessly for decades. I believe kindness, the restorative power of community, in the stewardship of the earth and in affordable and available midwifery care for all.
Paxton McCarthy
CNM, whnp
I am a 2022 graduate from Georgetown University with a Master of Science in Nursing. I discovered my calling to midwifery early-on during my undergraduate studies at Luther College. I worked as a registered nurse in women’s health for 5 years before returning to complete my midwifery and women’s health nurse practitioner degrees. A native of Illinois, I have made my home in Iowa where I have lived for the past 10 years. While I love empowering families, I also enjoy traveling the world with my husband, losing myself in a really good book, and adventuring outdoors any chance I get. I am beyond excited to join Des Moines Midwife Collective and support their mission in providing affordable, accessible, and quality reproductive and wellness care for all.
Meet Our Team
Holly
Birth Assistant
Holly is a certified birth doula, postpartum doula, and certified lactation counselor. Since becoming a doula 10 years ago, she has had the privilege of supporting hundreds of families on their pregnancy and parenting journey. Holly has a passion for supporting families’ unique wants and needs, and tailors her care to the family she is supporting to ensure that parents feel heard, safe, and respected. Holly recently moved back to the Des Moines area after working with families in Shanghai, and is working towards her RN certification.
Jenna
Birth Assistant
Jenna is a mom to two beautiful little babies, one of which she had the amazing experience of having at home with a midwife. Ever since she was a little girl, she has been fascinated with babies and birth. Now, Jenna is excited to support, witness and assist women and babies during birth.
Arianna
Birth Assistant
Arianna is a certified birth and postpartum doula serving the greater Des Moines area since 2021, with a passion for home birth and supporting families. She has a belief in accessible care for all birthing people. Certified through Northwest Birth Assistants, she is happy to help provide care to families throughout Iowa.
Rebekah
Birth Assistant
Rebekah is a labor and delivery nurse. Before becoming a nurse, she served as a nanny as well as in the doula role whenever possible. Ever since she can remember, she has had a fascination and passion with the miracle of birth and connecting with women and families on this level.
Katie
Birth Assistant
Katie is a licensed practical nurse, massage therapist and mom to four children, three of which were home births. After working on a hospital surgical floor in 2001, she wished that a more holistic approach was used in medicine and decided to go to school for massage therapy, as well as finish her nursing degree from Grandview University. After become a licensed massage therapist and licensed nurse, she continued to massage and help women in the community in areas such as breastfeeding, baby wearing, and attending births as a support person. In 2016 she began her work as a birth assistant, and has been balancing raising kids, massaging and assisting in births ever since. Katie hopes to continue this dream job for many years to come.
Fia
Office Assistant
Fia holds a BFA in art and design from Iowa State University, and a BSHS in pre-medical studies from Mercy College of Health Sciences. She has two children (both born with the help of midwives), loves all things science, and enjoys reading and writing poetry in her spare time. She firmly believes that all birthing people should have access to affordable, quality midwifery care, and is excited to have a supporting role in achieving this mission within the Des Moines community.
We’re Here for YOU!
Pregnancy and childbirth are normal life processes. Our holistic approach empowers families to take control of their health and truly partner with our experienced midwives to create a personalized care plan.