Meet Our Team
Jenny Zaner, LM, CPM
Meet The Midwife
My name is Jenny Zaner. I am a licensed Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) who serves Southeast Michigan. My story began in 2004 when I gave birth to our oldest son at home with the presence of a midwife. I was able to catch my own baby, peacefully with love in a birthing tub. The birth of my son was also the awakening of my new found passion... Birth!
I was filled with excitement, passion, and a desire to share all of the new information that I had learned.
A few short years later, my professional journey into birth work began. I became a Birth Doula who specialized in natural birth, taught private childbirth education classes, and started working my way through a 3.5 year home birth midwifery apprenticeship. During my career, I have trained and worked with many different midwives in Michigan. I am forever grateful for all of the midwives and clients who have all taught me so much along the way.
I believe and trust in birth as a normal physiological process in which both mother and baby are simultaneously working together. They are both sharing in the birthing experience. I believe that care during this intimate time in a family's life should be tailored to their individual specific desires and needs. I believe that every birth, regardless of location, should be a family centered birth. I look forward to working with you through your journey of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.
Jenny sat on the Board of the Michigan Midwives Association from 2016 to 2019
Midwifery Team Support
We believe in a team approach when it comes to supporting our clients. The midwives at It's Your Birth work in collaboration with several different midwifery practices around Metro Detroit. Births are attended by two licensed midwives and whenever possible, a midwifery student/assistant.
Kathleen Ruvalcava
Meet The Doula
There may be many different reasons why you decided to search for a doula. Perhaps you are a first time parent looking for answers to the questions around parenting and birth. Perhaps you’ve done this before -- either with or without a doula, and you’re hoping for a different experience than before, or you loved your last birth and want the same outcome this time. Whatever the reason may be, I’m glad you’ve found me. I’d love to help you reach your birth goals.
After experiencing the birth of my third child at home in 2010 with the help of a team of midwives and a doula, I realized that my passion was in supporting parents during birth the way I was supported. It was such a different experience than my previous two births; instead of being swept up in hospital policies, the birth team gave me the nudges I needed to do my research and make empowered, informed decisions that were right for my family.
As a doula, one of my favorite parts of my job is the fun, informative prenatal appointments I get to have with my clients. These meetings are a time to talk about birth practices of your care provider, explore all your options and help you set your goals for a happy, healthy birth day and beyond. When labor starts, you will be ready to do the work and meet your baby with confidence, no matter whether you are birthing at your home with a midwife, or in a birth center or hospital. After the birth, my job isn’t over; I will continue to support you in your role as a new parent during the 4th trimester.
I am DONA trained, and continue my education regularly so that I am always up to date on the latest studies and guidelines for safe, healthy birth. I would love to support you as you welcome your baby.
Kathleen is also a Birth Assistant and Midwifery student for It's Your Birth Midwifery.