We are here to guide you through this journey to a truly transformational experience.

Our Team

MIDWIFE, OWNER

Dawn Meier, LM

Licensed Midwife

Dawn earned a psychology degree from Wright University in Dayton, Oh. After studying birth trauma and having a c-section with her first-born, she was inspired to facilitate peaceful, natural birth and she became a doula. Shortly after, Dawn was led to become a direct-entry midwife and she enrolled at Manna School of Midwifery and Health Sciences in Bonita Springs, Fl.

Dawn attended many births in homes, birth centers, and hospitals throughout Southwest Florida, Jamaica and Guatemala as a part of her training. Upon her graduation in 2001 she opened a small home birth practice and also began working as a staff midwife at the Family Birth Centers (Naples & Fort Myers)

March of 2005, she took over The Family Birth Center of Naples where she remains the owner and Director. She has studied homeopathy at Florida Academy of Classical Homeopathy and has added many other modalities to her practice over the years. Dawn also enjoys teaching and has been a preceptor for over 40 student midwives and physician assistants, passing on the tradition and practice of the midwifery model of care.

Nicole Gawel, LM

Licensed Midwife

Nicole’s journey in education and birth work is deeply personal. She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from North Park University and later obtained a Master’s in Educational Psychology from Wayne State University. For years, she worked with children and teens on the Autism Spectrum, making a lasting impact.

Nicole’s perspective shifted after the challenging birth of her first child. With midwives supporting her next two births, she found the experience empowering and felt called to help others. In 2017, she moved to Southwest Florida, became a certified Birth Doula, and began supporting families in hospitals, birth centers, and homes. She also taught childbirth education at the Family Birth Center and actively participated in their doula co-op.

Her passion led her to enroll in Midwifery School at IIHCP in 2022. She spent two years training as a Student Midwife at The Family Birth Center, gaining invaluable hands-on experience. In late 2024, she graduated and became a licensed midwife.

From her roots in education to midwifery, Nicole is dedicated to empowering families through one of life’s most profound experiences.