Meet The Team
Lauren Delgado, CNM, ARNP
Lauren is a board certified nurse midwife (CNM) who has been working with women and families since 2015. She was called to midwifery years ago through her love of mission work in countries around the world. She has had the privilege of attending hundreds of births, both as a labor & delivery nurse and as a midwife.
Lauren is a strong supporter of holistic care and believes that optimal health is supported by many practices such as a balanced diet, chiropractic care, acupuncture, exercise, and more. Lauren is currently under the study of Dr. Aviva Romm where she is enrolled in the Herbal Medicine for Women course. She plans to intertwine this education into her midwifery work caring for women in all stages of life.
Outside of her midwifery work, Lauren spends the majority of her time with her family. They love to travel, cook, and spend time outdoors. Her husband (Jose) is her biggest supporter. Lauren & Jose have three beautiful children...1 born in the hospital and 2 born at home. She has an entirely new perspective on pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum time since becoming a mother herself!
Kayla Harajli,
CPM, CNM, ARNP
Kayla grew up in rural, central Iowa and during high school, she spent a semester in Sierra Leone, West Africa. While there, she saw firsthand the devastating reality of gaps in maternal and infant healthcare. Even at a young age, she knew that she wanted to have a part in improving health outcomes for women. With that passion in her heart, she pursued an education in midwifery.
Kayla became a registered nurse (RN) and then a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). In 2012, She returned to Sierra Leone and served as a midwife for six years. In 2018, she settled back in central Iowa and worked alongside home birth midwives while completing her education as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM).
She has had the privilege to serve thousands of women and attend hundreds of births over the course of her career. Kayla feels it's an honor to be using her love of midwifery and experience in women's care to serve women and families in her home State!
Outside of being a midwife, Kayla spends most of her time with her family. She has four beautiful children. She loves to cook, garden, spend time outdoors and travel.
Megan Vance, RN
Megan is a registered nurse (RN), mama to four amazing children, and loves serving her church family alongside her husband.
Megan has been passionate about mamas and babies for as long as she can remember! She has been involved in birth work in Des Moines, Iowa since 2019, working alongside midwives as a birth assistant and as a doula in her own private practice.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching good movies, going on walks, and spending time with her family.
Sarah Grantham, RN
Sarah’s love of birth goes back to her days of nursing school where she spent her preceptorship on a L&D floor at a small hospital. Out of school, Sarah explored other areas of nursing, but after her own pregnancy and the birth of her first son, she felt on fire with a passion for educating, empowering, and supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.
Sarah has been a registered nurse since 2009 and she has had the joy of working in the birthing community since 2018.
She has had the opportunity to further her education to include a Bachelors in Nursing, Nutrition Therapy Master, Certified Lactation Specialist, Professional Doula, and a Restorative Wellness Practitioner.
During her free time, Sarah homeschools her 5 boys, loves to garden, enjoys cooking with her kids, and working on the homestead with her husband.
Alicia Pelzer, RN
Alicia has been in women’s health & the birth world since she got her nursing degree in 2016. To be able to support countless women through some of the most significant moments of their lives is so special and one of the most rewarding jobs for her.
Alicia loves working in the home birth community and supporting women through their journey, providing comfort, education, and empowerment as they bring new life into the world.
Alicia also stays home with her two children, Maren and Gage. Outside of work and home life she enjoys being outside, going for nice long walks, and soaking up time with her family.
Katelynn Walker, Midwife Student
Katelynn's passion for birth began at a young age when she had the opportunity to attend the births of her younger siblings. Watching the compassionate, individualized care her mom received gave her a firsthand look at the impact a midwife can have on a woman's birth experience. Those moments sparked a calling that has continued to grow into a career in midwifery.
Katelynn is currently a student midwife at Midwives College of Utah, where she is working toward becoming a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Through her clinical training, she has had the privilege of supporting families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period while learning alongside experienced midwives. She is passionate about providing evidence-based, holistic care that honors informed choice and trusts the normal physiology of birth. She is grateful to be learning alongside the Heart of Iowa Midwifery team, whose relationship-centered approach to care reflects the kind of midwife she hopes to become.
Outside of birth work, Katelynn enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, visiting coffee shops, training for endurance races, sewing, and hanging out with friends and family.
Natalie Bellairs, RN
Natalie is a passionate and experienced nurse with 8 years of labor and delivery experience in Des Moines. She has had the privilege of supporting countless families through one of life’s most profound moments. Her love for birth and the miracle of new life has been the driving force behind her career. After many years in the hospital birth setting, Natalie loves working in homebirth now. She brings her compassionate care and experience to the intimate, personalized environment of home delivery.
Outside of work, Natalie enjoys hanging with her sweet pup Winnie, reading, getting outside and spending time with friends and family.
Coming Soon - Nov 1st!
Katherine Ward, CPM
Katherine Ward is a wife, mama, and midwife. She was born and raised in the Des Moines area, and currently lives in Altoona with her husband and 3 children. She received the calling to birth work from a very young age. Katherine fell in love with birth while watching “A Baby Story” on TLC and instantly knew she wanted to catch babies.
Katherine began her path into birth work as a birth doula in 2015 and subsequently became a licensed massage therapist with a perinatal specialty, a postpartum doula, and bereavement doula. She began her midwifery studies in 2021 and became a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) in 2024.
Katherine loves to be constantly learning and advancing her skills. She has taken additional courses in Spinning Babies, Dr. Stu’s Breech & Twin Masterclass, Functional Maternity’s Advanced Maternal Blood Work Analysis, BEST’s Suturing Class, among others.
She is especially passionate about nutrition, holistic living, lactation, vaginal breech birth, and supporting women through pregnancy loss.
When she is not attending births or supporting mamas, Katherine is soaking up time with her husband and kids, making music, moving her body, or refilling her cup with quiet moments and good books.