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

A Wonderful Week in London

On June 21, 2015

By Barbara

Just got back from a wonderful week in London with my youngest granddaughter, Clementine, who is 12. Lovely weather for boating on the Thames, which she loved. We went by water to the Tower of London one day, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich the next, and to Kew Gardens the day after that. We saw “Billy Elliot” and “Wicked”. But her favorite experience of the whole trip was the exhibit at the Hayward Gallery on the South Bank, which involved shooting down a helical slide 3 stories high on the outside of the building. I did it too! (and did not have a heart attack!). Thanks to Nicole for taking care of everyone so well while I was away – she spent a LOT of time at the hospital!

Vacation in Mallorca, Spain

On June 8, 2015

By Nicole

We recently had a fantastic vacation in Mallorca, Spain. A dear friend got married in the countryside on a gorgeous estate overlooking olive and almond groves surrounded by friends and family. Eleanor thoroughly enjoyed herself; she was elbow deep in paella at the rehearsal dinner, danced the night away with her daddy at the wedding, and swam in the chilly but beautiful pool the following day. Prior to the wedding, we spent several days enjoying morning coffee on the veranda, exploring tiny Mallorcan villages tucked away in the mountains, hiking to a secret cove, and soaking up the Spanish lifestyle of sangria, olives and siestas. What fun!

M.O.B.

On April 16, 2015

By Barbara

Barbara was the happy M.O.B. (mother of the bride) on April 11, when her daughter Jen married Tim O’Reilly in a ceremony on the Linden Terrace, in Fort Tryon Park. There were 210 friends and family gathered to fete the couple at the sunny if rather chilly exchange of vows, and we all danced and ate and partied until late at the reception at La Marina afterwards.

Barbara, daughter Jen & her husband Tim at the wedding reception

Clementine, Kendall & Kieran top off the wedding festivities with homemade butter pecan ice cream at Grandma’s house, after midnight

A Weekend in Virginia with My Granddaughter

On February 23, 2015

By Barbara

Just back from Charlottesville, Virginia, where I visited my granddaughter Kendall, a freshman at the University of Virginia. Snow snow snow there all day Saturday – lovely, but tough going. We decided against a visit to Monticello (next time!) and the official tour of the university was cancelled, so I got an unofficial tour from Kendall. Thomas Jefferson’s “Academical Village” is beautiful. Kendall’s aunt, my younger daughter Jen Pahlka (founder and CEO of Code for America) came down Saturday night after a speech in DC. By that time the snow had turned to sleet and the roads were ice-covered, so we had a perilous trip from the train station after picking her up! But it was great to be able to have dinner and then breakfast the next day with both of them. My journey home on Amtrak featured snowy fields and forests under blue skies all the way up the NE Corridor. I love train travel!

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