CBS Midwifery | Owned & Run by New York City Midwives Since 1982

Barbara Sellars, CNM

The International Day of the Midwife

May 5, 2019

For forty years I have had the privilege of practicing midwifery, an endeavor more rewarding, demanding, and just plain fun than anything else in my life except motherhood. Thank you all for being a part of it - I have such wonderful memories!

As I midwife, one practices every day, in the same way a musician or an athlete, a yogi or an artist must practice. I would have happily continued to practice, learning new things and meeting new people, but the nights and the years caught up with me.

A year ago I stopped attending births, but have had the continuing pleasure of seeing clients for well-woman health care needs. Unfortunately, the office where I was subletting space at a very reasonable rate was closed at the end of March. Efforts to find affordable part-time space, suitably equipped, have been futile. WeWork doesn’t seem to have gyn exam rooms.

While I will no longer be practicing midwifery, I will always be a midwife. The email, texts, and phone calls will still reach me, and I maintain client records until the youngest child turns 21 years old, or it’s been more than 7 years since you were seen for other than pregnancy care.

Please stay in touch - I love seeing your photos and sharing your news. I will be gardening, traveling, and studying French.

Love and best wishes,
Barbara

Blog

Barbara Celebrates Her Father’s 92nd Birthday

On July 10, 2016

By Barbara

Barbara went to Tulsa, Oklahoma the first week in July to celebrate her father’s 92nd birthday. It was a great family party! Barbara’s sister Daphne recently retired as a physical therapist in the Chicago suburbs & has moved in with Dad, so he’s in good hands. But as you can see, the patriarch of the Sellars family is doing quite well in his ninth decade.

Barbara in Lisbon & Porto

On June 7, 2016

By Barbara

Barbara spent the last week of May in Lisbon & Porto with an old friend, staying in AirbnB apartments in both cities. She met the challenge of all the hills & stairs in both places, ate great food, & toured many palaces, castles, & churches. Thanks to Nicole who took call for 10 days straight to make this possible!

Barbara in Portugal, where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean

Barbara & her friend Sandy in Lisbon

Grandkids in Gotham

On March 24, 2016

By Barbara

Barbara recently had the pleasure of visits from 2 of her grandchildren. Kieran, 16, spent his Spring Break in NYC & his sister, Kendall, 19, was in town for environmental activist training. They overlapped by one day & were happy to see each other, since Kieran is in high school in Tulsa & Kendall is working in Richmond, Va. Kieran & Barbara went to the Museum of Modern Art & the new Whitney, saw “School of Rock” on Broadway, worked out together at the gym, & had pedicures together (that was his idea!) Kendall wanted to go to MOMA too (good thing Barbara is a member) before she left for Japan where she will meet her Aunt Jen & cousin Clementine for Clementine’s Spring Break.

Kendall, Barbara & Jackson Pollack

Kieran & Barbara at the gym

Goodbye and Good Luck, Houda!

On March 17, 2016

By Barbara

Many of you have had the opportunity to meet the Danish midwifery student who observed our practice during the month of February. Houda Bourid will finish her midwifery education in Copenhagen after one more semester of study. While in NYC, she was able to sit in on the Birthing Center class and prenatal yoga classes at the hospital, Mary Eikeseth’s childbirth education class, and Elaine Keller, CNM’s office hours for a day, as well as participate with Nicole and Barbara in seeing CBS clients for 4 weeks. She was very interested in the scope of midwifery practice here, which is much more extensive than in Denmark. We are happy to be able to foster good relations between midwives of different cultures, and hope we have contributed to Houda’s knowledge of midwifery in this country. While born and raised in Denmark, Houda’s family is originally from Morocco, so Barbara and Nicole now have an open invitation to visit Rabat!