Mari Stewart

Aloha! My name is Mari Stewart.  I was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from The Kamehameha Schools.  I was very fortunate to be raised by a stay-at-home mom and a hard working father.  I stayed home with my two children until I was hired as a Flight Attendant with Hawaiian Airlines in 1984 until my retirement in 2000.

 

Since 1975, I have been involved in various arenas of birth work and hundreds of births as a certified Doula.  I am also a Certified Childbirth Educator and am currently finishing my studies and practicum as a Senior Apprenticing Midwife.

 

The love of birth must be in my blood as my maternal grandfather graduated from Rush Medical College in Chicago and came back to Hawaii to open a private obstetrical practice in 1920. It is recorded that he still holds the record for the most single- handed deliveries in Hawaii. With an average of 40-50 babies a month, he reached a total of over 15,000 solo deliveries before he passed away. He was the first intern of Chinese ancestry at Queens Medical Center in Honolulu and was also selected in 1941 as a fellow in the American College of Surgeons.

 

Although my grandpa passed away six years before I was born, I grew up sitting at my Nana’s feet to hear story after story of “The Doctor’s” amazing birthwork. I clearly remember telling my Nana, when I was 13 years old, that one day I would follow in his footsteps and become a Midwife. It has been my greatest joy to see how it has all come to pass!

 

Besides experiencing two of my own unmedicated births, my life changing trophy has been assisting in the delivery of my five grandchildren Hunter, Dakota, Elias, Levi, and Isabella.

 

As a lover of learning, becoming a Placenta Encapsulation Specialist® was a natural progression for me in encompassing yet another aspect of birthwork. I am forever grateful to Jodi Selander and the Placenta Benefits Team for the level of excellence in training and support they provide. I am honored for the opportunity to service our island families with excellence!