The birth of a baby is an initiation and an enormous transition in a family whether it is your first baby or your sixth. If you come away from your birth experience feeling informed, respected and empowered, then I feel I have served you well. It is from this place that I hope you will then feel empowered in future decisions concerning the health and well-being of your family.

The midwifery model of care makes it easy to provide quality care to families, and I have such a good time doing it. I am privileged to meet interesting people, share stories and information, get to know different families and lifestyles, and share with them the beautiful moment of bringing their child into the world. The fun is also in getting to custom make my care to fit your needs as I learn more about what works for you.

Birth is always an adventure, each one is different, and I learn something new from each family and each experience... midwifery definitely never gets boring! Now that I have two children, both recently born at the birth center with midwives, I feel even more deeply the importance of what we offer families. In a word, time. This world moves so fast these days, I treasure the time, stillness and connection with people that my work as a midwife offers to me and to the families I serve.

I did years of doula work before and after graduating pre-med from the University of Washington. This time of providing doula care to new families opened my eyes and my heart to midwifery care and I knew instantly upon attending my first birth that I wanted to be a midwife.

I then went on for my midwifery education at Seattle Midwifery School. I have studied and worked with many different doctors and midwives over the years, and I feel so blessed by my partnership with Valerie, and by the opportunity we have here at the birth center. Puget Sound Birth Center is the perfect peaceful environment for our practice, and we are lucky to have great relationships with many area doctors to consult with as needed to provide safe and satisfying care to our clients.

Sunita Iyer, ND, LM
The concept of 'choice' is ultimately what drew me to midwifery. As a counselor in a residential program for pregnant and parenting teenage women in Boston, I witnessed the frustrating lack of options and choice available to them. When informed choices were offered, that alone was enough to empower, encourage, and transform them from teenagers to parents. It is that same transformation that occurs with having choices and being powerful in our own lives that I want for every mother and family. I love being with families as they welcome their little ones into the world and their lives are changed forever. It is truly one of the most incredible, powerful experiences, and I am so grateful for the opportunity and privilege to witness and hold space for these experiences.

I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago ('98), and eventually found my way to Bastyr University here in Seattle where I graduated as both a licensed midwife and naturopathic physician. In addition to being part of Lake Washington Midwives and working alongside other midwives here at PSBC, I practice as a naturopathic physician providing complete family care. My areas of interest are pediatrics, women's and adolescent health, craniosacral therapy, and therapeutic exercise. I am also a certified yoga instructor and love teaching prenatal, Mom & Me, and kids' yoga classes.

I am yet another East Coast transplant to the Pacific Northwest. I love living in the Seattle area with my incredible other-half, Jean-Paul, and our two dogs and two cats. We feel incredibly lucky to do the work we do in such a beautiful part of the world, alongside beloved colleagues and friends, and amidst an inspired community.