Meet Colleen

Colleen Rittenour graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1983 and worked for the next five years in obstetrics and prenatal/postnatal care. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time. She had the privilege of delivering all five children naturally with great providers—the first three with an OB/GYN and the last two with a midwife. She spent the next several years raising and homeschooling her children. When they entered college, she began working for Unify Community Health here in Spokane doing prenatal/postnatal/newborn and infant care. Most of these visits were done in the homes of refugee families from all over the world. She loved working with the refugees, but over time she became more acutely aware of the need for natural birth to be placed in the hands of more women.

In July of 2016, she began her midwifery training with the National College of Midwifery. She worked for one year with a preceptor in private practice and then joined Spokane Midwives, a local birthing center, for additional training. There she had the opportunity of working with four different midwives all of who contributed significantly to her training. Both experiences gave her the opportunity of providing midwifery care as the primary provider. In the early spring of 2017, she arrived in Sugarcreek, Ohio to spend a month with a midwife who provided care primarily to the Amish. She learned the skills of delivering babies by kerosene lamplight with no running water, amidst an atmosphere filled with devoted love and service. It was there that she gained a passionate love for rural midwifery.

Colleen has a love for family (married 36 years, 5 children, 4 grandchildren). She also enjoys outdoor recreation, gardening, hiking, lifestyle/nutritional education, and women with their amazing and influential roles as wives and mothers. She looks forward to meeting and getting to know each one of you.

EDUCATION

• National College of Midwifery
  Associate of Science in Midwifery

• Walla Walla University
  Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Nedley Health Solutions
  Depression recovery program: trained facilitator
  Depression recovery from a medical, psychological, and lifestyle perspective

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING

• Washington State Department of Health
  Licensed Midwife
  Registered Nurse

• North American Registry of Midwives
  Certified Professional Midwife

• CPR Certification - Adult and Child

• Neonatal Resuscitation Program Certified