Testimonials
"Where to begin...I am so grateful that Courtney was a part of our birth team in bringing our beautiful baby girl Earthside. From the moment we connected with Courtney, I knew that I wanted her present at our birth. Courtney always made us feel so nurtured, safe, and at peace. The quality of care provided by Courtney was outstanding.
When looking back at our birth, one of my distinct memories is the arrival of Courtney, I felt a sudden calm and reassurance knowing that she was there. Courtney provided support and guidance in helping our vision of our dream home water birth become a reality. Courtney did a beautiful job of holding space throughout our pregnancy journey and literally held me during our birth.
Courtney's attention and care on our journey continued into the postpartum period where I continued to rely on her knowledge and care for both myself and our baby. When reflecting back to the birth, I feel blessed to have had Courtney's love and energy there. Courtney is able to bring her loving, nurturing, and present self while attending births in the utmost professional manner. I can truly say that we felt so cared for under the attentive and loving care of Courtney. We love Courtney and cannot recommend or thank her enough for her love, guidance, and support on our pregnancy journey."
~ Natalie
"I cannot fathom our birthing experience without the shining light that is Courtney Stern.
When it was decided that we’d be bringing our child into this world at home, I can honestly say I had a few reservations. We live in a small box canyon, 9,000 ft. above sea level and approximately 70 miles from the nearest hospital. Home births in Telluride, Colorado are rare and finding the “right” midwife, or any midwife for that fact, even rarer.
When I first met Courtney, she brought a calming tranquility to my somewhat nervous soul. We discussed her recent clinical schooling and the true passion she shares for her work. I couldn’t help but be impressed. More importantly, I felt an innate connection to her wonderful demeanor and outlook on life. I can whole-heartedly say that Courtney solidified my waning confidence in the home birth realm.
Our home birth was nothing short of magical. I remember the exact moment Courtney arrived, in our small one-bedroom apartment, the morning of the birth. My wife had been in active labor for a couple hours and her body was ready to push. She was perched atop the porcelain goddess, the most comforting place at the time, when we heard the door open. I whispered in her ear; “Courtney is here.” In the midst of all her pain and pleasure, she smiled. I could feel a weight lift from her shoulders as she relaxed into my arms.
Palmer Ostara Watenpaugh was born at 9:03 AM, at home, healthy and happy. We had a successful and truly beautiful water birth. Courtney and our other midwife Tawnya Schiebel were a perfect team. They gave us the space we needed to experience the wonders of birth together, while maintaining a watchful eye. Their encouragement and peaceful aura were exactly what we needed. From a clinical standpoint, they performed flawlessly. While checking vitals during contractions, they never strayed from the plan. Courtney and Tawnya remained calm and present, allowing my wife the necessary time and effort to birth our child naturally. It was an absolute honor to have Courtney at our dream birth.
If you have the privilege to get the opportunity to work with Courtney Stern, do not pass it up. She’s an exceptional midwife, a loving and caring mother and a thoughtful and compassionate soul."
~ Elliot
"None of it was possible without your support, comfort, and seemingly effortless guidance. Tom was extremely grateful too and would have been lost without your presence. This I know!"
~Clarissa
"There aren't many times in your adult life when you're presented with a brand new situation. When you are, you can feel inexperienced, scared, inadequate, and uninformed, despite your best intentions. Having someone who knows the ropes and has been through the process countless time is absolutely vital. Having that person also be as caring, warm, supportive, loving, and communicative as Courtney makes her irreplaceable."
~Ryan
"I really cannot say enough positive things about Courtney. How is it possible to put into words the gratitude I feel for Courtney for being with my husband and I as our precious baby entered the world? As a physician, I though I knew what to expect. As it turns out, I was wrong. Looking back on my medical training, I learned by observation a single way to deliver a child. Courtney taught me that there are options and that with a little bit of preparation, I could have the birth that I wanted and that I could and should be in charge. And, in fact, that is exactly what happened. With Courtney's guidance and love, we asked questions and we made decisions and at the end of it all, I look back feeling that everything happened just perfectly. The experience was exactly what we wanted and I look back at the memories with intense joy.
My husband and I feel so blessed that Courtney came into our lives. We are forever grateful. I find myself telling friends that I could not have done it without Courtney, but I know that is not true. Courtney taught me that my body was designed to give birth and that it knew what to do. However, I know for sure that the experience would have been completely different without her and it would not have been nearly as blissful. Thanks Courtney! We Love you!"
~ Lindsey
"To sum it up, companionship, experience, strength, calm, and a lighthouse in a storm. Courtney was all of these things and was definitely worth the investment."
~ Josh
"Without Courtney, there's no doubt in my mind that I would have ended up having a regrettable birth experience like so many women unfortunately do. Instead, I was able to birth without fear with my husband by my side and experience the joy and ecstasy that comes along with birthing naturally. I cannot completely authenticate what her presence meant to us as we started our new family. Her love and support was a gift greater than any present we received in the weeks following our son's birth. Thank you Courtney! Thank you!"
~ Ashley
"Courtney was very calm, even when I WASN'T, and she helped me to relax (as much as possible) during a very intense time. From when I first met her, Courtney has gone above and beyond to be a helpful and informative part of our overall pregnancy experience."
~ Leslie
"Courtney was fully present in listening to our intentions and desires about the birth and she really helped create and hold the space for our smooth, completely natural birth to take place even in the hospital setting. She was fluid, filling in any gaps in a situation and anticipating needs very proficiently. Her calm fortitude and gentle reminders helped me breathe down into the experience, keeping it very smooth and very speedy! Courtney had a way of being in the birth experience while empowering me to own it. I was able to surrender into it gracefully. Words aren't enough to say how grateful I am for Courtney's strength in holding that very blessed birth space for our family as it was growing."
~ Lisa Marie