Andrea Maya Johnson
Bastyr University, Washington, USA
Andrea Maya Johnson, CPM, BA
Master’s in Maternal-Child Health Systems, Bastyr University, WA, USA
Birth Assistant, Puget Sound Birth Center, WA, USA
Midwife, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
mayamidwife@gmail.com
I believe that everyone deserves a wonderful individualized care, filled with love and informed choice in all stages of life, including pregnancy, childbirth, after birth and new family phase. I was born and raised in Brazil, and when I started Midwifery school in 2008, I didn’t know what to expect. In Brazil, the best Universities are public, free, and strongly research oriented. After an extensive process, I got approved to the best public University in South America, University of Sao Paulo, and currently the only one offering a college level direct-entry midwifery program in Brazil. I have been involved with evidence-based care in midwifery since. In 2009, I became a Doula, Prenatal and Baby Yoga Instructor, and Shantala Baby Massage Instructor. My passion for the mother-child binomium has grown since then. I have volunteered as a Doula and Yoga instructor while attending Midwifery School, and I learned the meaning of empowerment as I observed women become mothers.
The maternity care experience that I have started inside both public - free care - and private health clinics, as well as in public birth centers which offered doula and perinatal services, prenatal care, childbirth and postpartum care. During my practice in Brazil, I have recognized two different types of care between public and private, which included psychological violence, obstetrical violence, sexism and racism against women. Living this experience, made me invested in building a solid evidence-based foundation to my practice and advocating for women’s rights and choices.
I moved to United States in 2012 pursuing my dream to further my studies and get a Master’s degree in Maternal-Child Health, which I believe will help me become stronger in my advocacy for the pregnancy care every woman deserves. Since moving to Seattle, WA, I got a Doula and Childbirth Educator training through Simkin Center at Bastyr University and will be starting my Graduate studies with Bastyr University in July, 2016.
Along with Puget Sound Birth Center, I am currently pursuing my Certified Professional Midwife –CPM certification as a foreign trained midwife through North America Registry of Midwives – NARM, as well as her Washington State license. I also work as a doula and birth assistant for birth centers and home births.
Links
- Bastyr University
- Puget Sound Birth Center
- Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de Sao Paulo