We are pleased to introduce you to Victoria Mayfield,
the Birth Center's newest midwife.
Welcome Victoria! We are so glad you are here!
What inspired you to become a midwife?
I was born at home, as were all of my siblings. This meant that I grew up thinking it was normal for all women to have natural labor and for babies to be born at home. Also, the midwife who delivered me was also my dance teacher (from ages 2-16), so needless to say I thought she had the best life ever. Dancer by day and baby catcher by night. What could be better!?
As I grew up, my eyes widened to the "real world" and I was sure that I'd go to medical school. Being a doctor would be most fitting for my math and sciency brain, and my type-A personality. Again, what could be better!? Well, what was better was one day waking up to realize that the perfect melding between my, for lack of a better term, "hippie," "birth is normal" upbringing and my motivation to work in healthcare was nurse-midwifery. I fundamentally believe that the foundation to a healthy life begins in the womb, and even for some women, it can begin with a pregnancy. I also have seen that healthy communities are rooted in healthy birth. This has inspired me, as these principles have inspired me to be where I am today, doing what I love to do!
Can you tell us a bit about your own family?
My long-term partner and I do not have any kids yet, but we do have a cat baby. I tell him all the time that I love that cat more than I ever thought I could ever love a non-human... It gets me daydreaming about how insanely wonderful it will feel to one day love a human child more than I ever imagined was possible! Some day....
Otherwise, my family is big and wonderful. I have 3 full siblings: a sister who is a super smart fish biologist, a brother who is a bearded brewer for Ordnance Brewing (check them out!), and a younger sister (and best friend) who works with at-risk high schoolers and is an amazing runner (winner of this year's Eugene Marathon!). My mom and little brother live in Ashland. He is 10, and was born when I was in high school (did I give away my age?). Ezra is wonderful and one of the best "mistakes" to happen to our family; he's this amazing little mini-adult. Having a newborn in the house when my siblings and I were at such a formative age served as good birth control, but it also made me fall even more in love with small humans! All my siblings were all at his birth. My Dad is a FNP who is currently living on the Oregon Coast.
What are your favorite things about providing care at the Birth Center?
I LOVE meeting families, and especially the families that have a rich history with the midwives in this practice. It's wonderful and special to be at births where a sibling who was born into the same space or to another midwife is present. It's humbling to feel that I have walked into this place that is a fixture in so many people's lives, and to feel welcomed and embraced. This place is a family in its own right. I also LOVE being with women who face labor with bravery and determination, and being with women who hold on to keeping birth sacred and normal. I am constantly in awe of a woman's strength!
What can you share with us that we may not already know?
I'm a knitter and quilter. My preferred project is baby hats! I make them all the time to have on hand to give away! I've been running my whole life; I'm mostly into ultra-distance trail running. This summer I have two 50k's planned. A fun bragging right I have is that I was team captain of our state championship cross country team in high school. I went to Willamette University and studied Exercise Science, so that may be considered my area of interest in pregnancy. Shortly after, I attended OHSU for my BSN and Masters of Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery. Prior to working in this field, I worked at Crater Lake clearing and building trails for the Park Service for 6 seasons!
