Meet Clavel Rotolo of Everything Mama Baby Fit in North

Today we’d like to introduce you to Clavel Rotolo.

Clavel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had an interest in medicine and women’s health for as long as I can remember. I explored my medical options while in University and began working for ER’s in the North Dallas area as a scribe to trade real-time learning from physicians while charting for them. Throughout that process, I definitely fell in love with medicine but I desired a more intentional relationship with my patients. I explored all the avenues I thought I had which were, MD, PA, RN, but nothing felt right for me. I was approached by a friend who asked if I would come to her home birth as my voice was comforting for her. I was surprised at her request but I did it and there is where my journey began.

I watched a natural birth take place at home in a calm, loving, and safe environment, it was one of the most incredible things I had ever seen. After that night, I began looking into what it would take to become a Midwife. I applied for an apprenticeship with Family Birth Services in Grand Prairie, TX while I completed my studies through Mercy In Action’s education at a distance program. The clinical apprenticeship took 4.5 years, my schooling took 5. While I was finishing my schooling, I found out I was pregnant with our first little cutie pie.

My pregnancy was good for the most part but the delivery was actually horrible. I had midwives and we worked hard at home together for over two days but my little baby was not wanting to come out due to malpositioning, we transferred to a hospital and that experience was horrific. I was not admitted for over 5 hours. I was not given pain medication for over 6 hours, I was told “you’re just a first time mom, things are hard”. The epidural was placed incorrectly and I began having serious adverse effects, vomiting, breathing complications, unrelenting pain, plus continuing labor. In an attempt to improve it they administered more of the epidural medication, which worsened my symptoms considerably. I was given other medications to try and counteract what was happening while another provider gave me more of the epidural medication again causing all of the joyful torture to start again. This type of nonsense continued, a nurse called me 8 cm dilated and was incorrect when she rechecked me again a half-hour later to be 4 cm which is what I had been since I transferred care. The nurse however laughed in my face saying how crazy it is that she missed my dilation. To any woman this is devastating news! This is not something that you laugh off to any patient. These are just minute details to show how far off our patient care has fallen. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there I was told I needed a cesarean when my husband wasn’t in the room and I was unable to respond due to the heavy sedation they put me under from the incorrect epidural. As I am being prepared for my cesarean they are attempting a spinal tap and are unsuccessful, not one time, not two times, not even three times but five times unsuccessful in placing a spinal tap. The doctor starts touching my belly and I can see him preparing to cut me open. I tell him “I can feel you touching me”, so I get put under general anesthesia. My baby girl is born at 9:25 AM but I don’t come around until 6 pm that night. It was horrible to say the least.

I had studied encouraged, served, bent over backwards to help support women while they are doing the hardest work of their lives. I loved watching women find their strength and power in giving birth. I have been so honored to do everything in my power to make any woman of any color, shape or size be as comfortable, feel as valued and respected as possible. All the while my midwives were wonderful the place where I went to seek help to birth my daughter I felt were going to murder me. I was not honored, I was not respected, I was not valued, I was not treated as a human.

My drive for women and women’s health only increased four fold after my experience. I am now more than ever a large advocate for women. I take on doula clients for hospital births to try and help prevent my situation from happening. As a Latina woman, I also strive to educate my other Latinas as any and all women of color have higher mortality rates in childbirth and postpartum.

This mayhem of cruelty to patients by not listening and making biases towards patients is completely unacceptable. Using scare tactics to try and force new mothers into doing what is easier for the staff instead of safer or better for the mother who is laboring is selfish. I have made it my goal in life to provide for women in any way necessary to give them better outcomes in any facet whether that be by education, doula care, midwifery care, or prayer.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing good is ever easy there have been many challenges along the way, my health has taken many hits especially during my midwifery apprenticeship where there are more sleepless nights, living out of my car, eating on the go, and limited family time.

The biggest obstacle I had to face was my personal endurance to finish this race of becoming a midwife. I had a lot of birth trauma personally and needed a break from all things midwifery. I delayed in sending in paperwork and I missed a deadline that has prevented me from being able to take my board exams. I was told I need to complete ten more births in order to resubmit the paperwork needed to complete my application. The paperwork to become a midwife is beyond extensive and particular. This particular form carried all my continuity of care clients, 25 of them, this is caring for women from the beginning of their pregnancies to 12 week postpartum. This took three years of my life on this one form and now I would have to redo 10 of them. My heart was broken and the feelings of defeat were in full swing. This is now a seven years journey and I’m four births away from being complete and able to take my board exams to be licensed.

Everything Mama Baby Fit – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Everything Mama Baby Fit was created while I was pregnant and experiencing all the things I had counseled many women through from a very different perspective. I provide midwifery services, doula services, birth education classes, prenatal and postpartum fitness tips, and consulting on homeopathy care to maintain a healthy low risk lifestyle.

I have created a combination of items and varied supplemental support for all the basic needs a pregnant woman has during her pregnancy per trimester. All the supplements are the best of the best for pregnant women, methylated, organic and completely clean. I have done all the research of the best products so they don’t have to worry. The best prenatal, probiotics, homeopathics, oils, nipple salves and more.

I have taken out the guesswork for future mothers to be able to discuss with me their ailments, which are common and adjusting their new supplements for their needs. Customizable care is what everyone needs as not one person’s needs are the same as the next.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Completing my apprenticeship in 2017, graduating midwifery school in June of 2019. The next best moment will be passing my board exams and being a licensed midwife in Texas.

Nonschool related my proudest moment was becoming a mom alongside my awesome husband.

Pricing:

• The custom made kits will vary from $100-$150 depending on needs
• Midwifery Services $6000
• Doula Services $1000
• Consultation Services $50

Contact Info:

• Address: 1504 Krahl Rd Valley View TX 76272
• Website: www.everythingmamababyfit.com
• Phone: 8177916670
• Email: everythingmamababyfit@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clavelamariz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amariz.c.gutierrez

Image Credit:
Samantha Tollison

Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.