The SHORT STORY--I am leaving to South Dakota mid Sept to the end of October/ beginning of November to finish out my midwifery schooling that I started August 2021. I am up against the timeline now of the possibility of needing to finish prior to the beginning of December to graduate prior to January 5th. Thank you so much for considering helping me

The LONG STORY--
Hello! My name is Emily Colson, and I was born and raised in Missoula, MT. I have a loving and supportive husband and four beautiful children between the ages of 9 and 13.

I have always been interested, even as a young child, in the more “crunchy” things in life. When we were pregnant with our first and second children, my husband was in the Army, so we used the Army hospital for their births. They were good births, and I was labeled “textbook perfect” throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

When we came back home to Missoula after the Army, I knew I wanted home births for our next children. I loved giving birth to all of my babies, but having a home birth was just extra special. Even though I was done having children after my own four, a fire had been started and I knew that helping women give birth was something I wanted to be a part of, even though I was done having my own children. I loved learning about birth and sharing what I learned with anyone who wanted to listen.

In 2019, I became a doula when a friend of mine invited me to attend her birth and encouraged me to take the next step. In 2021, I applied to Mercy in Action College of Midwifery after realizing that I loved the education aspect of obstetrics the most.

I struggled for two years to find an apprenticeship, as the midwives in my own town did not accept students. Eventually, I found a midwife, Jazmin Hieronymus, three hours away from me in Bozeman, MT, who was willing to take me under her wing and begin training me. A year later, in 2024, Julia Weaver in Plains, MT, was ready to take on another apprentice, and I started working with her as well.

Since then, I have been actively learning and becoming more proficient in many aspects of midwifery care and midwifery ethics. I still find education and prenatal care to be my favorite parts of midwifery, along with seeing or placing a newborn baby on Mama’s chest being a very close second.

If you had asked me in March when I would be finished and able to graduate, I would have told you the end of August. Between mamas having fast births, a preterm baby, and transfers, by June I knew it wouldn’t be until at least December or January 2027—which is just the way midwifery goes sometimes!

Then MEAC withdrew from the USDE. With Mercy in Action, we were told that we needed to be graduated by January 5, 2027. The college may actually have another possible accreditor, but that is not guaranteed.

I realized it would be a good idea to look for an opportunity to go somewhere else for a short time, learn from another midwife, finish some of my numbers, and hopefully help another midwife along the way as well.

Eudine Stevens in South Dakota was recommended to me by a few different friends, and I am so excited about the prospect of being able to learn under Eudine, even for the brief time that we will have together. I absolutely love learning and cannot wait for the opportunity!

The South Dakota apprenticeship license fee is a little difficult for our family to come up with, especially at this time of year. I appreciate with all my heart anyone and everyone who helps me make this opportunity possible.

I know that these brief bios only give me a small opportunity to share a very little part of who I am. I am always happy to chat and spend some time with anybody who would like to sit down and get to know me. 😊

Thank you again, and I hope wherever you are, you are having a beautiful and wonderful day!

Emily