Who is Marilyn Lemos?

I live in Mendocino, California and have two children with Bill Lemos, a secondary English and Environmental Studies teacher. Our daughter was born in our local hospital in 1977 and our son was born at home in 1985.

In 1984 Bill, our daughter and I took a leave of absence from our home and work for 6 months and traveled through Europe and the United States. During the trip I thought about what I wanted to do upon my return to our life at home. Three things became clear to me. I wanted to have another child, I wanted to finish my degree in Psychology and I wanted to be involved in supporting women during their pregnancy and birth.

Upon our return I found work as a receptionist with a family healthcare practice owned by two doctors and a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). They were able to offer hospital and home births and general practice family care. I was completely delighted in my luck of this job opportunity. I was in the middle of pregnancy and birth!  One of the doctors was very active in having me come to home births with her and opened the door to becoming a support person in the profession of helping women give birth. Carla Stange, CNM, FNP joined the practice in 1985. I have had the great fortune to attend many home births and some hospital births over the last 20 years. I have felt fortunate and honored beyond belief to be a part of these families' lives.

I completed my Bachelors Degree in Psychology from California State University at Sonoma in 1986. I became certified as a Childbirth Assistant in 1987 and a Childbirth Educator in 1990 with Informed Homebirth/Informed Birth and Parenting. This organization is now the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators, ALACE. I have continued to be certified each year as a Childbirth Educator and Birth Assistant with ALACE. I work as a receptionist, teach birth classes and assist at home births with Carla Stange, CNM, FNP, owner of Mendocino Family Healthcare in Mendocino, California.