About Queen City Birth Services
Meet Our Birth Center Team
Erin Murphy, CPM, LM
Certified Professional Midwife Licensed Midwife Erin is the mother of five sons, and has been attending births as a birth worker for 17+ years. In addition to attending births in the out-of-hospital setting as a midwife, she provides childbirth education classes, and monitrice services. Erin created Queen City Birth Services LLC in 2018 to help fill the need for resources for expecting families in Staunton, VA and Augusta county. In 2020, Erin opened Augusta County's only freestanding birth center in Fishersville, VA. Erin was born at home herself, and she grew up in a culture that supported the normal physiology and sanctity of birth. This upbringing instilled in her a deep respect and reverence for the profound impact of the birth experience on growing families. She began her clinical midwifery training in 2016, and attended the Academy of Experiential Midwifery Education in Charlottesville, VA. Erin has also earned her Midwifery Bridge Certificate through the North American Registry of Midwives which satisfies US MERA and ICM educational competencies. She is CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certified. By choosing to receive prenatal, birth, and postpartum care with Erin Murphy, you will receive top quality midwifery care, with continuity of care, at an affordable fee. Erin also holds a doctoral degree in music, and teaches part-time at two local universities as an adjunct professor of music. In her free time, she enjoys riding her two mustangs, and farming sheep and goats with her family. 
Cara Shanks,
Birth Assistant Cara Shanks is an Augusta County native that wants to see women and families in this area flourish. Raised with a deep appreciation for family and community, her passion for serving others started young and is still the driving force that keeps her going! She and her husband have two energetic girls that keep them on their toes. Her youngest (1) was born in water at a birth center. That experience opened her and her husband's eyes to how calm and empowering birth can feel. Her oldest girl (4) has already declared that she's going to have babies in a tub one day and mommy can help. Cara's first pregnancy was enjoyable so she assumed labor would be, too. The birth wasn't awful, but she was blindsided by the hospital's "Expectations vs. Realities" of being a first time birther. Her second pregnancy was not easy, but she found confidence in a care provider and out-of-hospital setting that was grounded in informed consent and better supported her. Once she knew how amazing it felt to be supported by an out-of-hosiptal midwifery care team during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, she wanted other people to know they have options, too. She knows how important it is to be taken care of mentally, physically, and emotionally, and be encouraged to make your own choices and follow your instincts. Cara completed the Cornerstone Doula Training in April 2020, specifically for out-of-hospital birth, with the goal of attaining more certifications down the road. She has been working as a doula, providing labor support and postpartum care, since becoming trained. Before getting interested in birth work, she actively volunteered as a Nationally Registered EMT with a local rescue squad for five years. She understands that birth is a natural process and believes everyone deserves respect, honesty, and evidence-based care. At births you can find Cara charting and providing a calming presence to the birth environment. |
Amy Estep,
Birth Assistant Amy and her husband of 13 years have three children together--two boys, 13 and 9, and a daughter who is 2. Her husband is a USMC combat veteran. All three of Amy's births were different, but she realized after the birth of her second son that she found her "spark," and has been interested in birth work ever since. Amy is NRP and CPR certified, and has completed childbirth education coursework specific to natural, physiologic birth to better know how to support laboring families. Amy is excited to work alongside the brith center team while meeting and helping care for area women and their sweet little ones. At your birth you will often find Amy quietly charting and offering gentle labor support should you request it. In her spare time, Amy likes vacations to the beach, geocaching, watching documentaries, and long walks through Target. 
Leah Rhodes, Student Midwife Leah Rhodes is student midwife, working towards her CPM credential. She is also a DONA International trained birth doula offering services to expectant families in Staunton, Augusta County, and the surrounding areas. Leah is an Augusta County native, wife and mother of two. She became inspired to become a birth worker after the planned homebirth of her second daughter. Her journey as a birth worker started in March, 2018 when she attended a birth doula training workshop by DONA International. Leah believes that birth is a natural physiological event that should be trusted and that parents should have control of their care, be able to ask questions and make informed choices. She also believes in honoring the parents and their individual wishes/wants/needs for their own unique birth journey. To supplement her doula training she has expanded her knowledge of pregnancy, labor, and birth thru classes and one-on-one training specific to labor support of natural birth. Leah is NRP and CPR certified. Leah regularly works as an apprentice with midwives in Roanoke--so we don't get to see Leah as often as we like--but when we are lucky enough to have her at births, she can often be found charting, offering labor support, or assisting the midwife. |
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Queen City Birth Services LLC
1610 Goose Creek Rd. Fishersville, VA 22939 540-435-3907 QueenCityBirthServices@gmail.com |
