Dr. Lauren Olvera, DNP, CNM

Dr. Lauren Olvera, DNP, CNM joined the Allen Birthing Center practice in early 2018, and now serves as Clinical Director of the expanded Allen Midwifery & Family Wellness.

“I discovered my love of caring for women while working as a labor & delivery nurse. I experienced midwifery care for the first time during my 3^rd and 4^th pregnancies, which inspired my desire to pursue graduate midwifery education myself. Being a ‘doctor midwife’ is the culmination of my life’s work, and I enjoy holistically caring for women during pregnancy and across the lifespan.”

Dr. Lauren is a Dallas native and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from Baylor University. She practiced as a labor and delivery nurse for many years before returning to Baylor to complete her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in Nurse-Midwifery. After completing her midwifery education, she practiced as a CNM in the hospital environment with a large, high-volume OB/GYN group. In addition to clinical practice, Lauren is a member of the DNP nurse-midwifery faculty at Baylor University, and has served on various national committees of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). She has also served as an expert consultant for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and acts as a freelance medical content writer for one the top international reproductive and sexual health apps.

“Oftentimes, a provider’s most challenging task is knowing when not to intervene, but to simply be patient and hold space for normal birth.” 

As a component of her DNP degree completion, Lauren designed and implemented a quality improvement project aimed at improving communication and collaboration among birth center, EMS, and hospital staff during emergent birth center transfers. 

While Dr. Lauren dreams of seeing complete integration across birth settings within the maternity care system, above all, she wants women to realize that they have choices in birth. 

“For far too long women have been forced to settle with simply ‘surviving’ labor and birth. A ‘healthy mom and baby’ should be the expected minimum, not the end-all. Midwives know that women deserve more than that. Women are strong and capable, and midwives help women discover this for themselves.”