Anya Wait

She/Her

I've been surrounded by birth practically my whole life. It all started during college, when I worked at a local birthing center right after having my first child (in 1991!). From there, I trained as a home birth midwife alongside my husband, an OB - talk about a dynamic duo! I practiced midwifery across Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, and eventually settled in Wisconsin in 2000, where I dove into the Madison birth scene. I ran a busy midwifery practice, only hitting pause to welcome my fourth and fifth babies. Yep, I was growing my own family while helping others grow theirs!

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In 2008, my passion for babies and families took a creative turn into newborn photography. From wrangling tiny humans to perfecting tricky lighting, I was hooked! It wasn’t long before I added birth photography to my skill set, capturing those raw, breathtaking moments of new life. Along the way, I began offering informal doula support to my photography clients—it just felt like a natural fit!

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Tragically, in 2010, my husband passed away, and I found myself creating a new life for myself and my children. Despite the challenges, I embraced the opportunity to reinvent myself, blending my midwifery expertise, doula magic, and photography skills into a unique offering. By 2020, I decided to make it official, expanding my services to include both birth and postpartum doula care.

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Now, whether I’m supporting a birth, helping parents through those first sleepless nights, or capturing life’s most precious moments, I’m all in for the journey. And yes, I proudly call myself a badass doula, showing up with heart, humor, and a whole lot of love!

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 Get in touch with Anya​​

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Website: https://birthside.com/

Email: hello@birthside.com