Kristen Bernard, RN, Midwife, CST

Kristen Bernard is a midwife, nurse, craniosacral therapist and mother of two. She began her midwifery training in 1987  in New Hampshire and later traveled to England where she attended a 3-year midwifery training through the University of Bournemouth. While living and working at the hospital, she attended over 250 births there and worked as a NICU nurse.

After returning to the United States, she worked as a baby nurse, and then completed the necessary training in the US to become a registered nurse (RN). In that capacity, she worked in Labor and Delivery at Baystate Medical in labor and delivery and the NICU before joining River Valley Midwives in 1997.

Kristen is truly a "baby whisperer".  She offers not only fantastic practical advice to the families that she works with but also insight into the suble cues and informtion that babies give us so that we can better parent them.  Kristen knows the "tricks and tips" and will help you feel confident about welcoming your baby. 

Cranosacral Training:

Kristen has an extensive background in massage therapy and specializes in newborn craniosacral therapy.  Returning to the states after college she took the first CST training with the Upledger institute in 1994 and proceeded to practise on any and every willing body (including the babies with whom she was working as a baby nurse in Manhattan).  After 2 years and well over 100 treatments under her belt, she felt familiar with the cerebral spinal fluid pulse and the movement it creates throughout the body. She completed level II CST training and learned the basic releases for a newborn.  In 1999 she completed level III CST training with the Upledger Institute in Somatic Emotional Release.

In 2005 and 2006 she had the oportunity to study with a British osteopath named Clair Dolby who specializes in working with newborns and their parents.  Clair uses the biodynamic technique of craniosacral therapy which focuses on the subtle emotional-physical aspects of a newborn based on what type of birth she or he had. Kirsten now integrates these teaching into her practice.

Kristen has successful used craniosacral therapy to treat babies with nursing problems, colic, post-brith stress and numerous conditions.