North State Midwife Naomi Bjorgan – Delivering Exceptional Service For Local Mothers-to-Be

Photos by Mikalyn Zacharias, Three Moons Doula

“From the moment we met Naomi, she was very welcoming,” says Lauren Duckett. Lauren’s second child was born at the Redding Midwifery Birth Center in May 2022 under Naomi Bjorgan’s care. “Every time I went to an appointment with her, she sat down and talked to me and made me feel so valued.”

A licensed midwife and the owner of Redding Midwifery Group in Redding, CA, Naomi delights in helping mothers like Lauren welcome their babies into the world. “As a child, I used to scour my mom’s nursing textbooks. I was particularly fascinated with pregnancy and birth,” she recalls.

While she was pregnant with her second child, Naomi began to seriously explore becoming a midwife. Just ten weeks after she gave birth, Naomi and her husband, Chad, moved their family to the Philippines, where Naomi gained her clinical experience while participating in a US midwifery education program. The family then returned to their home in Canada before immigrating to Washington in 2012 so Naomi could practice using her US-based license. In 2016, Naomi, Chad, and their six children moved to Redding so Naomi could join the Redding Midwifery Group, which she now owns.

A natural teacher who leads with her heart

Neel Bulchandani, a holistic chiropractor who shares many patients with Naomi, describes her as “a natural teacher” who “navigates difficult situations with responsibility and mature wisdom.” Neel says Naomi stays on the leading edge of best practices to ensure moms and their babies get top-quality care. “Naomi is someone I can rely on to make informed decisions and referrals,” he says, “and that’s a hallmark of an excellent and humble practitioner and person. She leads with her heart, with her mind, and she’s an invaluable advocate for the many families in Northern California and beyond who have birthed with her.”
Lauren Duckett personally attests to all these accolades. Lauren’s first child was delivered via caesarean section because her obstetrician feared the baby’s head was too large for a natural delivery. “My husband and I are big people; I’m six foot and he’s 6’2” and our kiddos are huge too,” Lauren explains with a chuckle. Delivering via C-section was not what Lauren wanted, but at the time she felt she had no choice. Naomi, however, “never once doubted my body could birth a big baby.” Lauren’s daughter was born at 11 pounds, 8 ounces – bigger than her son had been and tied for the biggest baby Naomi has helped deliver. “I got to deliver my baby the way I wanted to and the way my body is meant to deliver a baby,” Lauren says. “Naomi’s care is just phenomenal. She has just such a calm demeanor about her.”

Naomi Bjorgan (top; and bottom with infant Preslee Duckett) works with pregnant mother Kelsie Pane.

Out-of-hospital births mean better rest after the baby is born

Naomi says she loves offering midwifery services because out-of-hospital births allow mothers more freedom and choice in the birth process, as well as better rest after the baby is born. She encourages moms to move around during labor, rather than lying in bed. “The design of a contraction is to make you uncomfortable so you move, and when you move it moves the baby into better presentation so you progress more effectively,” she explains. She also loves including fathers in the delivery process. “My motto is dad put the baby in there, he should help get it out!” she quips.

Balancing an on-call lifestyle with being a wife and mother is challenging, Naomi freely admits. Her favorite way to end a long day is to gather around the dinner table for quality time with her husband and children: Noah,17; Jordan,15; Dasha,12; Jonah;10; Micah, 8; and Benjamin, 6. She looks forward to creating more balance once she is no longer the sole midwife in her practice – a day fast-approaching as her apprentice, Mariah Van Dyke, CPM, anticipates completing her licensure this year.

Mariah was in the middle of her midwifery training program when she joined Naomi at the height of the pandemic. “Midwifery care became very popular all of a sudden, as women were giving birth in the hospital while their support system was being locked out,” she explains. When she offered to help Naomi, Mariah says, “She welcomed me with open arms into her practice and into her home to meet her children and husband, and they’ve all been just like family ever since.”

Compassionate, holistic healthcare

Mariah describes Naomi as “super spunky. She’s a really tiny person, but she’s so mighty. She dedicates her entire life to her work.” Mariah admires how Naomi offers “compassionate, holistic healthcare to women of any religion and socioeconomic status. It doesn’t matter who you are walking through the door; she treats everyone with the care they deserve.”

For Naomi, offering compassionate care flows out of love. “When you do something you love,” she says, “you just intuitively will carry joy in it, and that’s going to carry hope and joy around you to the people you’re serving.”