Elisa “Ellie” Weatherbee is a Certified Midwife who loves to provide comprehensive and compassionate midwifery care. She completed her master’s degree at Thomas Jefferson University in PA. Before joining Midwives of NJ, Ellie provided full-scope midwifery care as part of a collaborative OB/GYN practice for 5 years. Her patient reviews are outstanding and show proof of how caring and thorough she is.
Before becoming a Midwife, Ellie completed an OB/GYN residency program in her home country, Venezuela, in 2014, where she practiced for a short period before coming to the United States. Deciding between redoing an Ob/GYN residency vs becoming a Midwife was not an easy task. However, the more she learned about midwifery in the US, the more she fell in love with the profession. While completing her midwifery program, Ellie realized that the best clinical care is one that combines the best of both worlds: providing up-to-date, evidence-based care while understanding the physiology of the human body and respecting the normalcy of labor and birth. She believes that individualized care places each patient at the center of their care, respecting their wishes and beliefs, while recognizing when a process falls out of the norm, acting accordingly to prevent complications. Ellie embraces the holistic approach of midwifery and is passionate about participating in the transformative experience of parenthood for her clients. She also loves to provide comprehensive Gyn care during annual exams and problem visits, as well as preconception and contraceptive counseling.
One of the aspects of her career she enjoys the most is being able to provide continuity of care. Besides being a Midwife, Ellie is certified as a Surgical Assistant, which allows her to accompany her patients to the OR when complications arise. Being bilingual in English and Spanish also allows her to provide uninterrupted care to Hispanic populations, minimizing a huge barrier that exists in the healthcare system.
Ellie enjoys being an advocate in the advancement of midwifery in New Jersey. She has been a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives since she was a student, where she has volunteered for multiple positions from Student Representative to being a member of its board as Vice-President. She is also a member of the Committee of Midwife Advocates for Certified Midwives at the national level.
In her time off, Ellie thoroughly enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, whether that is going on a road trip, playing games, or just enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa on a rainy or snowy day during family movie night. She loves dancing to good music and practicing yoga and pilates.
Ellie is excited to be part of the Midwives of NJ team and to expand her scope to the out-of-hospital birthing community. She believes this is where midwifery care happens at its best. “Women birth best when they feel comfortable in their own space, without interruption, feeling empowered and supported by those who they trust most”.