Mary Anne Richardson, CPM-TN, EMT,RN (Licensed Midwife) Since August, 1994, Mary Anne Richardson as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) has been asissting couples with births in the Nashville Area. During that time she has trained and worked in hospital settings, and in the homes of clients. Her experience with birth includes management of: breech, twins, shoulder dystocias, VBACs, and hemorrhage. She has dealt with placenta previa, placenta abruption, retained placenta, cord wraps, and velamentous insertion of the cord. In 1997 she founded Tender Beginnings and was the sole midwife for much of that time. She is active in providing education to other midwives and students to improve midwifery care for mothers and babies across the country. In pursuit of her passion to improve the reputation of midwives Mary Anne has served two terms as the President of the TMA (Tennessee Midwives Association) as well as other positions on the TMA board and still serves the TMA as a legislative liaison. As a legislative liaison she worked tirelessly, along with other midwives, to legalize CPM/Home birth midwifery in the state of Tennessee by successfully lobbing for three different bills through the state Legislature. She has served two terms on the Council of Certified Professional Midwives a division of the Department of Health state of Tennessee as Vice-Chairperson and the Chairperson. Currently she serves as the consultant to the Council of Certified Professional Midwives reviewing complaints to the Council. Mary Anne currently sets on the board of NARM (North America Registry of Midwives) and is the Director of Accountability for this organization. While caring for families as a midwife and monitrice, she maintains three TN State licenses and she is currently active in providing education to other midwives and students to improve midwifery care for mothers and babies across the country. She has presented courses to students in local universities and colleges about midwifery. She was honored to serve as the Keynote presenter at a “Empower Your Birth Conference”. She has developed and presented courses for midwifery students and midwives, some of which have been accredited by MEAC (Midwifery Education and Accreditation Council) and a presentation at MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America) a international midwifery conference. Mary Anne has also been an Instructor at the College of Traditional Midwifery. Her most current MEAC accredited class is “Stick ’em up IV Therapy”
Certified Professional Midwife (1998)
Registered Nurse (2006)
EMT (2001)
Tennessee Midwives Association tation
English
Tender Beginnings is a teaching practice that has been servicing the Nashville area for over 22 years. This Tennessee midwifery practice offers complete prenatal care for a safe homebirth. The midwife, Mary Anne, Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), also offers professional monitrice (doula) services for a “homebirth in a hospital” experience in the middle Tennessee area. Our service area is a radius of a one hour drive time from our office in Eagleville. This area includes Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Spring Hill, Smyrna, Shelbyville, to name a few cities. We have two offices; one in Eagleville & one in Nashville. Do to COVID-19 the Nashville office is closed at this time. In addition, we provide the service of some HOME VISITS. The philosophy of Tender Beginnings is that all couples should have their choice of birth sites to include water birth and be allowed to make informed decisions with the care of mother and baby in mind.
I have been lucky to have been able to use Maryanne with Tender Beginnings for 2 babies! There is no one else I would rather have had. She is extremely knowledgeable in so many departments. She has an EMT and RN background that really sets her apart from other midwives. She is confident in her work and abilities that gave me such a peace of mind and a comfort in knowing that myself and my baby were in the safest and best hands. While both of my births were different, I had an extreme peace each time having Maryanne and her team there. My prenatal care was very thorough. There is a reason it’s hard to get in with her- everyone wants to use the best! :)
- Amanda W.
We used Mary Anne and her team for a home birth in October 2023, and they were absolutely amazing! Mary Anne's depth of knowledge and true expertise in the field of midwifery were such a comfort to rely on throughout the process. There was not a single moment where my husband or I doubted our trust in her and her team to guide us through the pregnancy safely and achieve our goal of a healthy delivery at home. We learned so much throughout the process, so when it came time to deliver our son, we were completely at ease. She and her team arrived quickly, quietly, and professionally. They brought in their equipment and got to work without disturbing my coping methods. My husband was still my primary supporter and was able to remain focused on me without interruption as they were peacefully in the background guiding us through the process. We truly cannot say enough good things about our experience with Tender Beginnings! It was an amazing journey and more than we ever could have hoped for with a home birth. Thanks to them, we confidently had a safe, healthy, peaceful, happy, beautiful home birth and my body was able to do exactly what it was designed to do! We will forever sing their praises and be grateful for this experience.
- Alli A.
Mary Anne has been the most wonderful care provider. She is both professional and loving while taking care of both momma and baby. I could not recommend her highly enough. Her experience and knowledge of the latest research continually showed just how amazing she is when I would ask her any questions.
- Brittany H.
There are NO words to describe how much of a wonderful, redemptive, incredibly powerful experience we had working with Mary Anne and the Tender Beginnings team. Our first birth was extremely traumatic and we knew we had to make a change the second time around. I switched from my normal OB care to Mary Anne at 21 weeks and my only regret is that i didnt do it sooner. Mary Anne made us feel heard, safe, and empowered. We loved each visit. Our second baby had an EXTREMELY quick labor (2.5 hours from start to finish) and magically, Mary Anne arrived 4 whopping minutes before our daughter made her appearance. She stayed a few hours to make sure we were all okay, ran all the routine exams, and tucked us in before heading out. She is a baby magician and we are so so so thankful for our experience with her. If we decide to have any more babies, she will 100% be my first call.
- Ashley B.
I can not recommend Mary Anne enough!!! She & her team have been amazing during my birth. This was my 3rd pregnancy but 1st home birth. If you are looking for a midwife that will listen to you, and talk with you, one that will help educate you then you must use Tender Beginnings!!!
- Katelyn R.
I had a really great experience with the Tender Beginnings team! Though my pregnancy had some unexpected surprises, they handled everything with so much knowledge and guidance. I felt very safe and cared for. This was my fifth birth, but first homebirth, and it was truly the best birth experience I've had. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to walk with this team through my pregnancy and birth.
- Rachel S.
My husband and I had the best experience with Mary Anne and her team at Tender Beginnings. Our second baby was born safely at home in our bathtub with Mary Anne and her team by our side and it was a beautiful, empowering, and peaceful experience. We felt supported every step of the way, from our very first appointment to even days after I gave birth. Mary Anne is professional, safe, and extremely knowledgeable. She is truly the best of both worlds. Medical knowledge but also having a holistic approach to care. My postpartum was a breeze compared to my first baby. Her postpartum instructions were beneficial and helped me heal quickly. We’re so grateful for Mary Anne and her team. If you’re considering a home/water birth, I highly recommend Tender Beginnings. You’ll be in amazing hands.
- Chelsea B.
I had both my first and second births with Mary Anne and the Tender Beginnings crew. From the moment I made my first appointment to my final postpartum check-ups, their team guided my husband and I with an abundance of love and support the entire way. During both experiences I looked forward to the prenatal appointments and felt fully prepared and confident when it came time to give birth. Through the whole process the sincerity and genuine care Mary Anne, Donise and Holly had for my health and the well being of our babies was always evident. Any questions or fears that came up during pregnancy, birth and even postpartum were answered with immense wisdom and encouragement. Any time a choice had to be made Mary Anne always explained everything thoroughly so that we could make informed decisions. Every member is truly called to what they do and it shows! We were beyond blessed to have such a phenomenal midwife, doula and team!
- Morgan H.
I’m not sure I could ever put into words how amazing Maryanne Richardson and her team at Tender Beginnings truly is. I can’t thank God enough for orchestrating my first home birth experience to be with Maryanne. Truly, she is God sent! Each prenatal appointment was so patient centered and intimate. She made sure my husband and I were more than prepared and answered each question we had. She is so knowledgeable yet she is able to explain everything in a way that was extremely understandable. The birth experience itself was one I will never forget. Maryanne believes in you and helps you believe in yourself! I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else by my side! In fact, I wouldn’t let her arm go at one point because just her presence alone was helping me during birth. I love her so much and cannot recommend her enough. If your considering home birth and want to go with the best care, then choose the best there is!!
- Amanda W.
My experience with Mary Anne and the Tender Beginnings Birth Services team was outstanding. Mary Anne and her assistants are extremely knowledgable, caring, and highly skilled in their work. I felt supported throughout my pregnancy and in labor. I enjoyed my prenatal visits with this team - it felt like visiting friends at each checkup.
- Amy S.
Mary Anne and her team at Tender Beginnings are exceptional. She is extremely knowledgable and thorough, always making sure my husband and I had all the information we needed to make informed decisions about my pregnancy and birth. As a first-time mom, I felt very safe with Mary Anne, knowing she had the depth of experience to help us navigate anything that might come up. I also trusted she would refer us to additional medical care if needed; which she did with great care, knowledge, and compassion Due to some unforeseen complications with my birth, I needed to transfer to the hospital, and Mary Anne stayed by my side, advocating for me, explaining options and procedures, and offering her expertise and support. I would not have wanted to do it without her! Additionally, her team of associate midwives are gems; compassionate, kind, and encouraging. I am SO GLAD I chose Tender Beginnings for my birth!
- Miriam H.
Maryanne is the best midwife out there! She is so knowledgeable and compassionate! Iv had three babies with her and would use her again! My pregnancies have gotten to be more and more of a struggle and still she works with me and has the best care. I’m not looked down upon and cared for In the best way!! She is worth it all!
- Katelyn S.
I am deeply grateful for the excellent care I received from Tender Beginnings Birth Services! I had only seen OBGYNs and experienced natural birth at hospitals in the past but for my third child, my husband and I wanted to explore midwifery and home birth. We could not have been more pleased with Mary Anne Richardson and her staff. At every step of the process, I benefited greatly from the excellence and expertise of this team. Mary Anne has a vast knowledge of pregnancy and birth and a wealth of hands on experience that made me feel secure and at ease. I was treated with dignity, compassion, and sincere encouragement. This was, hands down, my healthiest pregnancy and the confidence I felt entering into labor and delivery was unmatched in comparison with previous births. On the day of my home water birth, everyone was attentive to my needs, respected my requests, and offered much needed advice and encouragement. When my son was not in an optimal position for birth, they effectively used a rebozo sift and he was born soon after with no tearing. After the birth, they did all the necessary steps for caring for me and my son and they put a big emphasis on rest. I truly think that their care and guidance helped me tremendously in having a healthy pregnancy, a great birth experience, and a speedy recovery. I highly recommend Tender Beginnings and I definitely plan to do home birth with them for any more children I am blessed to carry.
- Nikki W.
When I found out I was pregnant with our third, I was initially uncertain of whether I wanted to have a home birth or not. Would it be safe? Could we afford it? Could I have a water birth? (Our first was born with a midwife group within a hospital, and our second in a birthing center). I did my research, however, and am so grateful we came across Mary Anne and Tender Beginnings Birth Services! Mary Anne's expertise and care for her work in her field are exceptional. I consistently left appointments feeling more peaceful than when I arrived, and learned SO much during this pregnancy that I wish I had known with my first two! This pregnancy was a much healthier one than the first two, and I largely attribute that to Mary Anne's care, education, and accountability throughout my 9 months. Tender Beginnings Birth Services provides top notch care--setting standards in the practice of midwifery, and training numbers of midwives in the area. If you are looking for a safe and beautiful birth experience with a professional home birth midwife, look no further...Just make sure to call before she is booked up!
- Juliana Lindsey S.
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