Melek Oz is a licensed midwife living with her family in South Austin, Texas. She moved to Austin in 2001 to attend the University of Texas where she completed both her undergraduate studies and law school before discovering her calling to serve birthing families.
Melek started attending births as a doula in 2012, and studying midwifery and apprenticeship in 2014 . During her clinical training, she had the privilege of serving many clients and their families in several home birth practices and birth centers in both Texas and Utah.
Having experienced both cesarean births and a peaceful home birth after two cesareans herself, Melek has a special passion for cesarean prevention as well as supporting clients seeking VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean). She has been very involved with the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) since the birth of her first baby, having served as the blogger for the national organization as well as formerly acting as a leader of the local Austin chapter. In a popular blog post, she also coined the now widely utilized terms “VBAC friendly/VBAC tolerant” many use to describe providers supporting people seeking VBAC. Melek is also committed to midwifery as social justice and reducing the great disparity in outcomes for women of color and our babies by increasing access to the midwifery model of care for all.
Melek started attending births as a doula in 2012, and studying midwifery and apprenticeship in 2014 . During her clinical training, she had the privilege of serving many clients and their families in several home birth practices and birth centers in both Texas and Utah.
Having experienced both cesarean births and a peaceful home birth after two cesareans herself, Melek has a special passion for cesarean prevention as well as supporting clients seeking VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean). She has been very involved with the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) since the birth of her first baby, having served as the blogger for the national organization as well as formerly acting as a leader of the local Austin chapter. In a popular blog post, she also coined the now widely utilized terms “VBAC friendly/VBAC tolerant” many use to describe providers supporting people seeking VBAC. Melek is also committed to midwifery as social justice and reducing the great disparity in outcomes for women of color and our babies by increasing access to the midwifery model of care for all.
Image courtesy of Heather Gallagher Photography