Melissa Ballman
Birth, Bereavement & Postpartum Doula, CMT
http://doulamatch.net/profile/8318/melissa-ballman
Melissa is a Stillbirthday Certified Birth and Bereavement Doula and a Certified Massage Therapist serving families throughout South Central Minnesota. Along with her formal schooling and training, she brings her knowledge and expertise of babywearing and cloth diapering to her services.
Melissa became passionate about self-defined,
family-centered guidance and support during pregnancy and birth over 15 years
ago, and began attending births as a Labor Assistant in 2004 with friends and
family. Physically and emotionally supporting and comforting them, and
assisting to create a safe and uplifting space as they labored and worked hard
to bring their babies into the world was inspiring and validated that providing
support to women throughout pregnancy and birth was her calling. After taking a
break to start her own family, Melissa returned to birth work in 2013 and began
her birth and postpartum doula certification training through Birth Arts
International and completed her birth and bereavement doula certifications
through Stillbirthday in 2014. She co-leads the Mankato Area Babywearers group
and is currently working towards a hypnobirthing doula certification.
When Melissa isn't attending births or babywearing meetings, she enjoys
spending time with her husband and 3 children, gardening, camping, traveling,
sewing, yoga, live music, performance arts, dinner dates with friends, and
being active in the local birth and gentle parenting community.
