Meet Abby Vidikan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Vidikan.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After graduating with honors from the University of Southern California, I moved with my husband to Washington D.C. to work in the political world. When I became pregnant with my son in 2011, inspired by my aunt who is a midwife and after watching the documentary “The Business of Being Born” by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, I immediately sought out care with a midwife and looked forward to experiencing an unmedicated birth in a hospital setting. My life was profoundly changed when my son was born in October of that year, and I knew then that my calling was to midwifery, to walking alongside other women as they journey through pregnancy on their path to motherhood.

After moving back to California, I enrolled in midwifery school and quickly became engrossed in my studies, while apprenticing with two busy homebirth practices, attending over 100 births as a student midwife and doula. Two thirds of the way through my schooling, in January 2016 I gave birth to a daughter at home, assisted by my Aunt, who is my midwife and mentor. In September 2020, I welcomed my third child, a second boy, at home.

In January 2017, I received my license through the Medical Board of California. I have worked at two of L.A.’s premiere Birth Centers, but I currently manage a successful private practice that has served hundreds of women and families. Through my work, I have forged relationships and often work in collaboration with many physicians and MFMs, doulas, childbirth educators, and bodyworkers. To date, I have served over 300 families in welcoming their babies into the world.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Shifting focus and diving into an entirely new career and way of life didn’t come without challenges. Going back to school while raising kids, while being on call and ready to jump at a moments notice took some getting used to, but the support of my family and a general resilience to the challenges life presents has certainly benefitted me on this path. Midwifery is now my way of life and I have achieved more of a natural balance, making the road a lot smoother.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a homebirth midwife, my primary responsibility is to provide holistic and personalized medical care to women who have chosen to give birth outside of the hospital. I work closely with my clients and their partners throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods to provide individualized care specific to each birthing woman and her needs as they navigate pregnancy and birth for the first or fifth time. As their medical provider, I also offer all routine diagnostic testing during pregnancy and am there to help inform them of the reasons for testing, the benefits and risks to what we have to offer, to encourage my clients to make informed decisions about the care they are receiving.

My clients know me to be extremely accessible to them, available to answer all of their questions and concerns. My oldest is 11 but it doesn’t feel like that long ago that I was navigating pregnancy as a first-time mom who needed lots of hand-holding, so I want to be that support for my clients. Our hour-long appointments include talking about their concerns, their fears, their plans for labor and birth, while also covering the myriad of ways to help support the pregnant body, to stay low-risk and healthy throughout their pregnancy.

I am most proud of the practice I have built, of the level of service I provide my clients, and the many blessings I get to be a part of as a result of it all. I am forever humbled to have received this calling and to be doing the work of attending to women during this most sacred time.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I called in a few friends for this one because I was really at a loss, and the most common response was that I can make you laugh and cry at the same time 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abbyvidikan.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamidwifeabby/

Image Credits
Monica and Brianna, Shoots & Giggles Photography Rebecca Richter Danielle Nicole Photos and Films