Kristen Conroy, MSN, CNM

Kristen graduated with her BSN from Salve Regina University in 1994. She began her nursing career as a labor and delivery nurse at Women & Infants’ Hospital in Providence, RI. Women & Infants’ is a hospital well known for its commitment to research and offering the highest level of care to women and their newborns. 

The nerdy, scientific part of me loved all of the high tech skills I was learning, but I very quickly realized I was even more drawn to the families who were asking for a more undisturbed and low tech birth experience. In addition, I was introduced to Certified Nurse-Midwives who practiced both in private offices and as faculty for medical students and residents.

Within 2 years of graduating nursing school, Kristen transferred to the hospital’s Alternative Birthing Center, an in-hospital low intervention birth unit, working mainly with families who wanted a home-like birth experience. As a member of the Alternative Birthing Center, Kristen was able to provide holistic, family centered intrapartum care, postpartum home visits, breastfeeding support and childbirth education. 

“When I had my children, I knew I wanted to birth in a place that was supportive, and private–that’s hard when everyone in labor and delivery knows who you are! I also knew I wanted a nurse midwife to be my care provider. My first birth was a marathon 20-hour labor with 2 ½ hours of pushing and an OP baby. Of course it was all worth it when I got to see my sweet daughter for the first time. I appreciated the hours we got to spend, undisturbed by hospital protocol, in the immediate postpartum period. When my son came along 2 ½ years later, the labor was quicker and easier, and my midwife gave me the opportunity to catch him myself. I felt so powerful in that moment.“

In 2007 Kristen and her family relocated to Allen, TX. Once the family was settled, she decided it was time to go back to the work she loved, and found Allen Birthing Center. She started working as a staff RN and birth assistant in 2009. By 2012 she made the decision to return to school and become a midwife. 

Kristen graduated with her MSN from Frontier Nursing University in 2014, and immediately joined the midwifery team at Allen Birthing Center. She is passionately committed to providing individualized, respectful and empowering healthcare. 

“Much in the way my midwife gave me the time and opportunity to get through and achieve my first birth and showed me I had the power to catch my second child, I want to show everyone who comes to me for care how amazing they are and help them improve their physical, mental, and relationship health so they can be the best they can be.“