Birth Doula/Photographer
Michelle Rountree
Trained Labor Doula
May 9th- 11th 2013
About me
Professor's Assistant
Sociology of Reproduction
My Training
My Story
I am a young woman: born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Despite being a "city girl," my heart has wanted to live in New Hampshire. After graduating from a Progressive high school, I went to a private college in Western Pennsylvania for a year. After leaving Geneva College, I went to Stony Brook University for two years, and graduated with a B.A in Sociology. I focused my studies on gender
studies and reproductive rights. I received an internship to help mange the social media and minute for a growing doula training organization, Doulas Training International. Very soon after starting to work for them, they offered me a doula training right in New York City. This was all during my final semester of college. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish that training, even if I had read the books, and been to several births. I am currently working on finding a DONA workshop and beginning school to become a midwife.
My Philosophy
I believe that every woman has the right to have information about her pregnancy and delivery. I believe a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body. I believe that a woman has the intellegance to weigh information and descide what is best for her family.
As a Christian woman, I believe I am called to serve. As apart of my faith, I believe I must be able to humble myself and give someone all of myself. No matter how little energy I may have in a particular day, I must be able to give my client the full presence of myself.
We were so pleased to have Michelle work with us as a birth photographer and a doula during my birth this past month ( March 2014)
Michelle came to my home in Feb. to take some pregnancy shots that were fun and creative. During my birth, she was there taking photos and also showing support during my labor, which was in fact super long
( 12 hours), she was at my hospital right away and stayed the whole time. Even when I decided I was going to have a c esction she came with us
( my Husband and I ) into the operating room when my birth wasn't progressing to the way I wanted it to be and took some fablous shots which I must say made me cry ( in a awesome way) She is calming, assuring, helped my Husband and I connect during the process. She made us laugh, refocused my attention on things when I was in pain, helped me breathe right through contractions. Seriously it was one of the best decisions my Husband and I made, to hire a photographer and a doula who could help and capture those moments. Pre, during and Post Partum MIchelle and I would often text back and forth and we would message through email she would always respond so quickly. Michelle is ethustiac, fun and informative about the birth process and her photos are great to have to remember the process ! :)
-Laura M.