Ann Tive LM
Midwife
I was born in 1962, the middle baby of triplets. My family valued education and lively debate. From my parents I learned the importance of being passionate about one’s work. In college, I studied philosophy, science and languages. READ MORE
After college I wanted to combine my critical thinking and problem solving skills with more intuitive ways of knowing and nurturing. Like many midwives, I heard the call of midwifery the very first time I attended a birth. In 1984, I was present at the home birth of my sister’s first child in rural New Mexico.
In 1985 I had my first child and in 1987 I enrolled in the Seattle Midwifery School. After completing midwifery classes and hands on training which included internships in St. Lucia and Seattle, I moved to Bellingham in 1990 and began my practice, Birthroot Midwifery Service. I have served as a clinical preceptor for many student midwives. I am active in the Midwives Association of Washington State, and have served on the Washington State Midwifery Advisory Committee. In 2014 I purchased, renovated, and opened Birthroot Birth Center.
My love for our community and its people is intertwined with my love for my work as a midwife in Northwest Washington. For three decades I have had the unique privilege to assist families and help them grow across generations. I have driven to many corners of the city and county at all hours of the day and night to attend births, or visit a new family. I recognize the important role I play as a community midwife and I actively accept the responsibilities and joys that come with this important work. I am honored to partner with Krissy and Alli as we continue the long tradition of collaborative, nurturing, midwifery care for the families of Whatcom County.
When I’m off call I enjoy spending time as a grandma, and a basketball mom. I also enjoy visiting close family, playing in my garden, and going on adventures with my husband and teenaged daughter.
Krissy Jacobson, LM, MSM
Midwife
I am an Ohio-born convert to these Pacific Northwest mountains and seas. While studying biology at Seattle Pacific University, I learned about the heart-centered medicine and craft of midwifery. READ MORE
After training and working as a doula, I graduated from Bastyr University’s Master of Science in Midwifery program in 2018 and became a Licensed Midwife.
I am full of gratitude to spend these years of my life dwelling in the liminal human traditions of the childbearing years. I believe how we are born matters deeply. This transitional time of life holds such capacity to heal and empower, and it must be tended with evidence-based information blended with traditional wisdom and instinctive witnessing for new parents to be supported in winding their own stories. As a midwife, I see my role as an educator and facilitator to help families navigate this path in an active, grounded way, in order to nurture intuitive space to hold new life. I also hold a Certificate in Botanical Medicine from Bastyr, and value the way incorporating local plants and spending mindful time outdoors can aid this in gentle ways.
I joined the Birthroot team in 2019 after finishing my studies working with local practices, and have loved growing new roots in Whatcom county. I love this community and its passions for simple, sustainable living on the backdrop of this rich land. In my free time, I enjoy sailing, swimming, and surfing around the islands, working with my hands on home or kitchen projects, and foraging in the woods on long walks with my partner, Matt and dog, Pippi.
Alli Watkins, LM, MSM, CPM
Midwife
As a native to Bellingham, I feel fortunate to practice as a midwife in the community I grew up in! Being one of six children and the daughter of a family physician, I have many fond memories of my mother’s pregnancies and my father’s stories of caring for people. For this reason, health care and the childbirth process have always intrigued me. READ MORE
I graduated from the University of Washington in 2008 with a degree in environmental science and minor in public health, and a plan to go to nursing school. I had attended my sister’s hospital birth in 2007 and when she decided to have a home birth in 2009, I started to look into midwifery. I applied to the Seattle Midwifery School (SMS) and was accepted shortly thereafter. In 2010, SMS merged with Bastyr University and we became one of the first classes in the country to graduate with a Masters of Science in Midwifery.
During my time as a student midwife, I was mentored by many different midwives and attended approximately 140 births. I became licensed in March of 2013 and opened a solo practice in Fairhaven shortly thereafter. For the past 11 years I have attended over three hundred births for families throughout Whatcom and Skagit county.
I live in Bellingham with my husband, Corbin and our four children Ulysses, Fiona, Oslo, and Noelle. All four of my children were born at home with midwives. Experiencing midwifery care as a consumer has only solidified my support for out of hospital birth for those who seek it. As a midwife, I am passionate about meeting families where they are at, empowerment through education, community awareness about midwifery, and fitness in pregnancy.