Barbara Bechtel, Midwife

Brooklyn, New York, United States

An alumna of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, midwife Barbara Bechtel studied nursing and earned a bachelor of science and master of science. To further her passion for supporting pregnant, laboring and postpartum mothers, she enrolled at Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in Hyden, Kentucky years later. Upon completion of the program, Barbara Bechtel graduated with a certificate in nurse-midwifery and became board-certified as a midwife.

Among her first positions was as a registered nurse at Ball Memorial Hospital in the labor-and-delivery unit. Within six years, she was promoted to head nurse of the department and later, a family nurse specialist for the healthcare facility. Ms. Bechtel was also a former independent prenatal class instructor and an instructor of nursing at Ball State before entering the field of midwifery.
Ms. Bechtel honed her skills as a midwife at birthing centers throughout Indiana. She worked for the Expectations Birthing Center in Muncie and owned Nurse Midwives of Indianapolis.

Relocating to New York, she accepted an interim director position with the Brooklyn Birthing Center. Under her leadership, the organization maintained compliance with American Association of Birth Centers regulations and built a team of skilled midwives and birthing attendants. Today, Ms. Bechtel is the owner of Dahlia Midwifery, and continues to grow her business by offering services ranging from prenatal care to home births.

  • Work
    • Dahlia Midwifery
  • Education
    • Ball State University