Meet Ashley Buono of Womb Blossom in North Miami Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Buono.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
History how you got to where you re today:
This path is my life’s work. I choose to offer service to express my passions, I believe in ways that catalyze love and respect for the earth and all life. It is all about making this the best life for us and our future generations, in this way, herbal medicine and birth work found me.

Much of my budding life I spent advocating environmental issues through outreach and service-learning projects for students. I came to Miami to be more involved in social justice and access to a healthy life in a complex system. I worked in collaboration with Lotus House organizing health fairs and was part of a monumental project to erect a free clinic at Miami Rescue Mission in Overtown. I oversaw all clinic operations until I went to nursing school. About ten years ago when I started nursing school, midwifery sparked, I knew one day I would be serving in this way.

I began birth work as an apprentice in 2013 attending births with Aixa Amankay Acosta a sister birthworker, dear friend, and mentor in many ways, and I began my journey. I was trained by Traditional Doula Arts as a birth and postpartum doula as well as a placenta specialist. I continue to evolve my understanding of social justice and botanical medicines as part of my practice. I am a Registered Nurse and have been working in the emergency room for nine years. I created my company called Womb Blossom to offer botanical products, placenta services, and ever-evolving support services to people through the ceremony of (re)birth. I have reached the open path to attend midwifery school and will soon provide a deeper spectrum of womb care in the many seasons of life.

Has it been a smooth road?
I continue to lay firm roots, however, it is a balance and process of growing with a heart-centered intention. Everything must have its place in this beautiful harmonious collaboration- family, school, work, home, motherhood, travel, health, and happiness. I continue to see confirmation in my vision; the right opportunities are always showing me the way. I am grateful for all the support from my community, family, and all the birthing families I have witnessed. I honor the traditional midwives, healers, and people all over the world with profound generational birth wisdom who have planted and seeded this path. Such advancements and over-medicalization of birth can be an obstacle of our time, however I value the importance of the traditional wisdom while respecting its roots.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Womb Blossom – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
As a doula, I am constantly growing as a care provider and a person. It is one and the same. I always learn new dimensions of this work and of myself as we (the birthing family and me) embark on the intimate journey of creating space to stand in power and birth a child. I am so grateful for these experiences. As a doula, I focus on connection and respect for each person’s journey. I focus on how each unique person feels comfortable, supported, safe, and empowered. Care for each person is different however, I include blessing ceremonies, herbal support, Reiki, meditations, techniques and great educational resources of the birthing process to clients.

Birth is a ceremony of life, and postpartum is an intricate part of this ceremony in my practice. I value the medicine of the plants to aide this ceremony in any capacity. I utilize plants to clear space, to allow sweetness and relaxation, for blessings, bonding, for wound healing, and womb healing. Plants go hand in hand with birthwork and make a big difference in the healing process after birth when mixed to soothe healing tissues, provide nutritional boosts, and so much more.

In my birth and postpartum doula training, we learned traditional modalities that accompany birth and postpartum from all over the world. I have also done my own traveling and studying with grandmothers, healers, and sisters to learn more about plants, womb healing, rebozos in birth and postpartum, and closing the birth space after the 40-day cuarentena (lying-in). Much of this knowledge comes from Mesoamerican Indigenous ways. This is a learning process and I intend to always be willing to learn in a humble way these important wise ways people were traditionally cared for.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
A lot of growing power is involved right now, as I am in school to be a Certified Nurse-Midwife. My service to birthing people will expand to midwifery care, wellness and womb care throughout life. With this level of practitioner, I intend to fulfill the root of my calling and bridge more into the community where service, education, and quality compassionate care is needed.

Pricing:

• Traditional Birth Doula & Postpartum Doula, Placenta services, Botanical care and Blessing ceremonies
• Everything is customized to the individual and pricing varies
• All services are available individually

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wombblossom.com
• Phone: (317) 522-8187
• Email: wombblossom@gmail.com
• Instagram: @wombblossom_birth

Image Credit:
Zura Lagarde

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