MEET THE MIDWIVES
Sovereign Maternity Care began in SE Tennessee out of a mission to restore integrity and wholeness to maternity care by honoring the autonomy, wisdom, and innate strength of every mother. Through holistic education, wellness-centered care, and a nurturing community, we support families in thriving through every stage of the journey.
Our own experiences helped shape who we are today. We left the medical system, as mothers with much to be desired, and felt pulled into midwifery, where we could build relationships with real families rather than treating them like a number on a chart.
If you are anything like us, you probably like to do things a bit differently than most. You like options and to make choices based on what you feel is best for you and your family. You want to be heard and respected. You want to make healthy choices, not just easy ones. This is what we love about the families we serve, and it is our JOY to give individualized holistic care during pregnancy, birth, and BEYOND.
Grace Welliver CPM-TN, CNP
Natural health has been a lifelong passion of mine since my teenage years, when I first began exploring the body’s innate ability to heal. What began as a love for helping others feel better led me from Massage Therapy school straight into a career of hands-on healing.
I am married to my high school sweetheart and blessed to be “Mama” to four grown children. Each season of life has shaped my perspective and fueled my commitment to lifelong learning and truth-seeking. My personal birth experiences have been wide-ranging - spanning hospital births with both OBs and Nurse Midwives, an unassisted home birth, pre-term and late-gestation babies, NICU care, and everything from 6.5 - 10.5-pound newborns. From experiencing intense back labor to discovering what “front contractions” feel like, every journey has deepened my respect for the diverse and sacred nature of birth.
During my years of raising children, I felt called by God to support women through labor and birth. Witnessing an autonomous home birth profoundly impacted me and clarified the kind of Midwife I aspired to be - one who honors both the mother and her baby in the fullness of their experience. I enrolled in the Ancient Art Midwifery Institute in 2009 and went on to complete multiple apprenticeships, learning under the wisdom and tradition of experienced elder Midwives.
My passion for respecting the baby’s journey was born from my first child’s early health challenges. His story inspired my dedication to honoring the baby’s perspective during pregnancy, birth, and those critical early moments of life. Supporting families through the natural design of birth while upholding a mother’s autonomy remains the foundation of my practice.
A few years into my midwifery career, my own health struggles led me to study Naturopathy, expanding my ability to help others achieve lasting wellness. My areas of advanced education and special interests include twins, breech presentation, VBAC, neuromuscular therapy, neurological development, quantum physics, functional medicine, genetics, fertility, hormonal balance, and cellular inflammation.
Outside of my work in Midwifery and Wellness Consultation, I find joy in homeschooling, spending time in nature, attending church, watching comedians, playing card games, and savoring a creamy cup of cappuccino (with maybe a few lively chickens in the background).
Candice Roberts CPM-TN
(Pending TN licensure validation)
I am a wife and mother with over 20 years of experience supporting women during the childbirth season of life across various states and cultures in the U.S. My background includes extensive training and work as a doula, lactation consultant, holistic counselor, childbirth educator, perinatal nutritionist, trauma recovery counselor, and midwife.
I have been fortunate to accompany my husband throughout his two-decade career as an active-duty soldier, gaining insight into the challenges of life and the importance of healthy living for a more fruitful lifestyle. I have been blessed to learn so much from so many different cultures throughout the years. My passion for plants and teaching extends to using herbs and nutrition to promote the well-being of mothers and their babies.
Outside of my professional commitments, I enjoy homeschooling my children, gardening, creating, reading, and engaging with my community and church.
I believe wholeheartedly in the divine designs of humans, created by a wonderful creator, and that understanding the holistic connections within our bodies enables us to serve one another more effectively and honor God throughout our day-to-day function. My deep compassion drives me to assist women and families in navigating the complexities of the childbearing journey, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy balance. By supporting families from preconception counseling, pregnancy through postpartum, and parenting, I aim to foster connections that enhance both maternal and infant health, recognizing the profound gift that every child represents, even amidst the challenges that may come. It’s such an honor to get to be invited to be a small part of each family’s story.
