About Island Mamas Midwifery

Dani Dougherty

CPM, LM, BS, PCES

Dani Dougherty is a Certified Professional Midwife and Licensed Midwife in Hawai’i. She became fascinated with midwifery at the young age of 11, when she witnessed the home birth of her little sister. Her mother gave birth to seven children naturally, including two breech babies. Her older sisters also sought midwifery care when they became pregnant, and Dani fell in love with the work while attending their births.

She felt the calling to become a midwife when she became pregnant with her first child, and went on to birth her three children with midwives. She began her midwifery education in 2006 through an apprenticeship at a high-volume birth center, where she earned her CPM credential and attended around 300 births. She has now attended more than 700 births, and has been practicing as a CPM in Hawai’i since 2010.

In addition to the continuing education required for a CPM, Dani is endlessly curious about the human body and always learning. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health & Exercise Science from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, and is a Certified Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (PCES), which means she can help clients prepare their bodies for birth and recover well afterward, with a special focus on pelvic floor and core function.

Away from her clients, Dani is happiest spending time with her family, writing music, paddling on the open water, and building strength through movement. She brings that same joy and rhythm into her care.

What Dani loves most is empowering women, and in turn their whole families. She’d love to hear about your birth hopes. Reach out to schedule a consultation.

Meet our Sister Practice

Aloha Birthing Care

Nina Millar

CPM, LM, RN

Nina Millar has been a homebirth midwife on the Big Island for over 27 years. She is a Certified Professional Midwife - Licensed in Hawai’i. Her midwifery practice, Aloha Birthing Care, has an outstanding reputation with our local hospital,and Nina is a well loved community midwife. She also holds her RN degree, and works for North Hawai’i Hospice. Nina lives in Paulo, and has been happily married for more than 30 years. She and her husband have two grown children, one of whom was a natural breech birth! She also had the honor of “catching” all of her grandchildren, and is a very devoted and lively grandma. We are happy to offer collaborative care between the two practices, and are committed to standing in for each other as back-up midwives, in order to offer the highest standard of care possible.  

Rowen Zwicky

CPM, LM

Rowan Zwicky began her midwifery journey as an apprentice with Nina and Dani and earned her CPM degree through MCU. We are pleased to welcome her as our midwifery partner after many beautiful births and years of working together. Through midwifery, she combines her passions for health care, personal wellness, functional core and pelvic floor therapy, medical science, and community based childcare. She believes that the Midwifery Model of Care has the potential to change our world in a positive way by setting a foundation for holistic and affordable perinatal care. She is also very passionate about surfing, and protecting our oceans and reefs for future generations to enjoy.