About Us:
Owner:
Amy Tinney is a Registered Nurse, Licensed Midwife, and Certified Professional Midwife. She is mother to a teenage boy. She earned her Midwifery license from the California Medical Board in 2009. Amy has worked with mothers and babies since 1990. She has worked as a Registered Nurse in clinics, hospital settings, and in home health. During her work as a Nurse she attended over 2000 births both in and out of the hospital. She also worked with clients as a Doula/Monitrice, childbirth educator. Amy’s path to midwifery included an apprenticeship in a busy home birth practice in Los Angeles, CA. Amy’s apprenticeship included attending families beginning with prenatal care through birth and postpartum with over 70 new babies. Her extensive previous birth related experience allowed her to progress faster than usual through her apprenticeship. In addition to her hands on apprenticeship experience, Amy completed her Midwifery education with The National Registry of Midwives (NARM) and the National Midwifery Institute's (NMI) Challenge process. Amy teaches Nursing and Midwifery students as well as other care providers, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise. Amy's experience as a care provider for women combined with her love for the beauty and sacredness of birth makes her a uniquely intuitive and confident care provider.
AONC Staff Midwives:
Sarah Shealy is a Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and mother of two amazing girls, both born at home. She has served women and caught babies in both home and hospital settings since 1995. She has practiced in Connecticut, New York, Utah, and California. Sarah has caught over 800 babies during her career as a Nurse Midwife, and attended countless more. She has also assisted in over 120 c-sections. Sarah's Midwifery education began at Yale University. At Yale, there were few opportunities for out of hospital birth experience and she sought out a local direct entry Midwife who was generous enough to mentor her in the art of homebirth. Another CNM with a homebirth practice offered mentorship and a CNM was her first partner in a homebirth practice in Colorado. Sarah has worked with low risk and high-risk women, in community and private practice settings, in and out of the hospital. She is an expert in normal birth and passionate about supporting women and families in their choices whatever they may be. Recently her love of the art and science of lactation prompted her to become a Lactation Consultant. She is especially fascinated with the postpartum experience in our culture. This extensive experience she has had with women in different settings brings a quiet observant knowing to her style. She is a perceptive and seasoned care provider.
Sarah Unkap is currently a Registered Midwife (RM) and Doula who received her training for Midwifery at the University of Nottingham, UK. She most recently worked in a busy maternity unit in Central London, providing prenatal, labor and delivery and post partum care for women, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She recently decided to make the move to California to be with her husband and to pursue her career in Midwifery. She is currently apprenticing at AONC since September 2010, and her goal is to gain her California Midwifery license and remain with their team. She is passionate about the art of Midwifery and is dedicated to maintaining the safety, sanctity and sacredness of birth. Her passion lies with providing holistic prenatal care and empowering women to believe in themselves and their bodies. Her belief is that each woman has the right to define her own birthing needs and support system, in order to create a unique and personal birth experience for all those privileged to be involved. Her dedication is to provide high quality care tailored to the needs of each woman and their family, enabling informed choice. She delivers care in a manner that promotes individualized and family centered care.
