My journey begins with the knowledge I have acquired as a mother of four children.  With each pregnancy came new challenges, but also opportunities to learn new techniques and strategies for successful family management!  I was trained and used Lamaze in all four hospital births. Pregnancies, labor & delivery, as well as personalities, of each child were very different.  I experienced labor as short as 5 hours and as long as 22. Two babies were posterior with accompanying back labor. Two started with spontaneous rupturing of membranes (one in the car!). The first was an induction. All four babies were successfully breast fed, but not necessarily easily breast fed!  I was very lucky to have positive birth experiences mainly due to a fantastic husband and obstetrician who valued and respected the natural process of birth. I work hard to make that a reality for every family in my practice.  As a stay at home mom for 22 years, I assisted friends and family with home organization in preparation for their new arrival, time management, infant care, breast feeding support, and personal care for recovery, as needed. I’ve worked in the legal field, office management, tax preparation, sales, retail management, entrepreneurship, and professional volunteerism.

I am a Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula CD(DONA) PCD(DONA) with DONA International, Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Certified Belly Bider, Professional Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, and Direct Entry Midwife. I began practicing as a Postpartum Doula in 2008 and attending births in June of 2010. The first birth I attended as a working Doula was a VBAC, Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section. This birth was immediately followed (within hours) by a family welcoming their eighth!

In 2014 I caught the Home Birth bug and began my Midwifery Career. N.E.A.R To You Doula became N.E.A.R. To You Midwifery and Doula in May of 2018. 

I feel honored and blessed to have worked with so many wonderful families (400 and counting!), midwives, and OB’s in 2008-2022. Continuing education is very important as standards of practice are always being updated by professionals.

Areas of interest, training and certification include:
-Hypnobabies
-Waterbirth International
-Spinning Babies
-Independent Childbirth Educator
-TENS
-TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. TENS is a safe, non-drug method of pain control for back pain in labor.
-doTerra Essential Oils
-Aromatouch Massage
-Placenta Encapsulation
-Neonatal Resuscitation Trained
-Belly Binding                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -Vaginal Steaming                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        -Emergency Skills for Home Birth Midwives
-Qualified Mental Health Specialist 2013-2014
It has been a very rewarding experience teaching, mentoring, and “Doulaing” for young brave women who are recovering from chemical addiction. Everyday their strength, commitment, and perseverance inspires me.

I am a member of DONA International, Natural Birth Project, Team Midwife, Birth Professionals of America, My Best Birth, Doula.com, DoulaMatch.net,  NaturalBabyPros.com, American Pregnancy Assoc.,
Twitter @neartoyoudoula & Facebook-Rachel Mueller or @N.E.A.R To You Midwifery. Pinterest-neartoyoudoula, Instagram @near_to_you_midwifery
Please feel free to join my private group- Coffee and BIRTH Talk with Rachel & Co.