The Birth Nurses
Kyla Byl
Founder
RN, BSN
Certified Birth Doula
I started Northwest Iowa Birth Nurse because I felt there were gaps in the system that educated and supported women in labor. I loved being a nurse in labor and delivery, but I wanted to do more. I desired to provide education and help women and their partner understand what is happening to their bodies in pregnancy and how to make informed decisions throughout pregnancy and birth.
. I received my associate nursing education from St. Luke’s College and my bachelors of nursing from Dordt University. I have been working as a nurse since 2018. In the summer of 2021 I became a certified birth doula through Childbirth International. I have continued my birth education by attending Spinning Babies workshops and Bundle Birth Nurses Physiological Birth course. My passion truly lies in education. My favorite part of my job is educating parents about their options throughout pregnancy and birth. I love getting to educate and support my birth doula clients throughout their pregnancy and labor. I have had the opportunity to support women in many different settings through many different kinds of pregnancies. My passion to advocate and educate on true physiologic labor grew even more with the birth of my daughter who was born at home with a panned homebirth team in fall of 2023.
I now enjoy most of my time staying at home raising my daughter, but love being able to still work as a birth doula and nurse on the side.
My free time is mostly spent with my husband and daughter, as well as friends and extended family. I love listening to podcasts, getting lost in a good book, and enjoying the sunshine when Iowa weather permits,
I feel it is a true honor to be invited into a birth space as it is so intimate and sacred. I have big dreams and goals for the future if Northwest Iowa Birth Nurse to provide woman with the tools to feel confident, educated, supported, and empowered throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Ashtyn Hoekstra
RN
Certified Birth Doula
I have worked as a nurse in the clinic or in the hospital, at a rural critical access hospital since 2013, and have found my true passion is labor and delivery. As well as having such a positive and empowering experience through the birth of my 4 children, I discovered supporting women in the birth space was my passion. I believe every women deserves a birth that leaves them feeling strong, empowered, and respected. The birth of a baby is one of the most influential and sacred times in a families life, and I wanted to assist women in making that experience become their reality. I have received my certification through Childbirth International in the Fall of 2021 and have continued my education through Spinning Babies International. I have gotten the opportunity to attend many different kinds of births. Births at rural hospitals, large hospitals, worked with midwives, maternal fetal medicine specialists, family practice provider, been a part of labor inductions, spontaneous labor, births with and without epidurals, high risk and low risk women and pregnancies. No matter what kind of pregnancy and birth you have I want to help support you every step of the way.
When I am not working or being a doula, I am busy enjoying life with 4 kids and my pig farmer husband since 2013. As a family we love being outside on our acreage and tagging along with dad to the pig barns. My personal hobbies include running/exercising, cooking, drinking wine, and spending time with friends and family!
Makenna Moser
RN, BSN
Birth Doula
For as long as I can remember, it has been a dream of mine to work in labor & delivery and postpartum. After completing my Associate degree of nursing at Northwest Iowa Community College and my Bachelor of Nursing from Northwestern College, this dream of mine became a reality. I became a nurse in 2020 and since then, my passion for women’s health, labor and delivery, and postpartum has grown tremendously. In 2022 I was honored to be awarded Northwest Iowa Nurse of the year by the Northwest Iowa review. I am currently receiving my doula certification through Childbirth International. I have been able to attend Spinning Babies workshops and the Bundle Birth Nurse Physiological Birth course to grow in my education of physiologic birth. I believe it is a priority to help women become educated and feel empowered throughout their birth experience. Being a part of and invited in someone’s birth space is truly an honor and so special. Pregnancy and birth is an exciting time in family’s lives and I feel it is important to promote a positive experience, no matter what kind of pregnancy or birth you have. I am so excited for the opportunity to serve the community through this roll. My hope is to build a close, strong relationships with my clients and help create a positive birth experience. I thoroughly enjoy educating parents so they are able to have the information, validation, and support needed to advocate for oneself throughout pregnancy and birth. I strongly believe that every women deserves to feel empowered throughout their birth experience.
When I am not working as a nurse or doula, I love spending quality time with my husband, family, and friends. My husband and I enjoy watching anything sports and traveling.
Brenna Anema
RN
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Certified Placenta Encapsulator
I’ve always said from a young age that I wanted to be a ‘baby nurse’ when I grew up. I didn’t know exactly what this meant until I started working as a Labor and postpartum nurse. I received my associate degree in nursing from Northwest Iowa Community College. I have worked as a nurse, since 2016, now in a rural hospital. I quickly became very passionate about all thing’s moms and babies, but education about postpartum, breastfeeding and feeding infants is my love. After having my first birth experience that didn’t go as I planned, I quickly discovered the need for compassionate lactation support, care, and education during the postpartum transition to parenthood. Through my experiences, I discovered my own unrelenting passion for giving new parents the support that they want and confidence they deserve in their new journey. That is how I decided to pursue a career as a lactation consultant to continue to support other women. After the birth of my second child, I officially became an IBCLC and started up The Milk Bar. I am honored to work with families every day during this life-changing time and I am grateful to have the opportunity to make a difference. After becoming an IBCLC and joining Northwest Iowa Birth Nurse I became interested in the benefits of placentopathy postpartum. In the Spring of 2022, I became a certified placenta encapsulator and am excited to bring the benefits of placenta encapsulation to the community. When I’m not working as a nurse or IBCLC, I’m busy with my children and husband. I enjoy spending time outdoors, at the lake, and being with friends and family.
