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

My Dad’s 90th Birthday Celebration

On July 10, 2014

By Barbara

Just back from Tulsa, where the whole family celebrated my father’s 90th birthday with a big bash on July 5th. It was a wonderful party at a mansion built in 1915 -1918 by a local oil baron, and lovingly restored to grandeur by Peter and Dick, who also live there. In attendance was my granddaughter, Kendall, who will be a freshman at UVa this fall (you go, girl!)

We also had a reunion with a family we have remained close friends with since our days in Austin, Texas, in the 70’s, when I was in nursing school at the U. of Texas. Now there are 3 generations of the Parkhills and the Sellars clans. We had a wonderful time on the Fourth of July at my daughter Amy’s beautiful home overlooking Tulsa, from which we could see the fireworks shows of not only Tulsa, but countless small towns nearby. Since it’s legal there, we shot off our own pyrotechnics, too – the kids had a blast.

Next week: family week at the Jersey Shore. Report and photos soon. Hope you are all having a great summer!

My Dad’s 90th birthday celebration

My oldest granddaughter, Kendall, who’s off to UVa for college next month!

Barbara with the Parkhill clan

Summer Fun

On June 15, 2014

By Barbara

The last client with a due date before July 27th has had her baby, and I am almost finished taking call on Fridays for Midwifery of Manhattan. Jocelyn Hart will return from her maternity leave on July 1st, the day I fly to Oklahoma.

There will be a big reunion of my family and another that we’ve been good friends with since our Austin, Texas, days in the ’70s. Now there are 3 generations who will gather at my older daughter Amy’s place on the outskirts of Tulsa for the Fourth of July. The next day we’ll celebrate my father’s 90th birthday with a big bash.

Stay tuned for pictures and a full report.

My week at the Jersey Shore with daughters, daughters’ beloveds, grandkids and my sister Daphne will be July 12-19th. I should be relaxed and revived when I’m back on July 20th.

Have a wonderful summer!

The “Traveling Circus” Vacation

On April 3, 2014

By Barbara

What a perfectly wonderful family vacation in March! Thanks to all my patients who waited until I got back to give birth, and thanks to Midwifery of Manhattan for covering for me while I was away.

My sister, Daphne, flew in from Chicago on Wednesday night, 3/12; my older daughter Amy and her kids Kendall (17) and Kieran (14) arrived Thursday night from Oklahoma. My youngest granddaughter Clementine (10) got in to JFK on Friday afternoon, and her mother Jennifer (my younger daughter) handed her off to us a couple of hours before our flight to Paris.

A New Midwife at CBS

On April 3, 2014

By Barbara

I am pleased and excited to announce that Nicole Marshall, CNM, is joining me in providing care to clients at CBS Midwifery. I came to know her when she was working under Dr. Ottenheimer, providing gyn care here in the office at 80 Maiden Lane. I loved her positive attitude and buoyant personality, and so did her clients.

When Nicole was pregnant, she chose CBS Midwifery for her care, so we became closer through those 9 months and the birth of her daughter Eleanor in November, 2013. Nicole shares my philosophy that birth is a normal process and that women can be trusted to know what is best for them.

She will be working very part-time in the beginning – in order to meet our clients, she will share office hours with me on Thursday afternoons for a few months, before she starts seeing patients on her own. We anticipate that she will take call one day a week starting in September, 2014. You can read Nicole’s bio under “Meet the Midwives” – she is an experienced practitioner.