Corinne Friedrich
The practices and traditions of midwifery, handed down between women for centuries, have been of great interest for me since I was a young girl. I always felt inexplicably drawn to the subject; perhaps my parents talk of my own natural home birth sparked my interest, or maybe it was attending my brother’s birth at the age of four. Whatever the reason, I have intuitively been moving toward this direction for most of my life. As an aspiring midwife, I plan on applying to midwifery school after gaining more experience and insight as a doula.
As writing was another strong interest of mine, I majored in Journalism in college, and minored in Women and Gender Studies. While remembering and listening to the stories and rich life experiences from women of all ages in my life, and from my research in Women and Gender Studies, I began to see that my strongest interest lay not in climbing the corporate Journalism/Public Relations ladder, but in helping women in childbirth; and more specifically, in natural childbirth.
Although each woman is unique and each birth can be carried out in a variety of ways, I feel that the option for natural, undisturbed birth is not being weighed fairly. Indeed, many women are still not aware that this choice exists. I feel that I am here to help change that status, and to give women access to all choices when it comes to childbirth. It is one of the most sacred and intimate ways that I may be of help to my fellow woman, her partner, and her family.
I received my labor doula training from Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon, and I am eager to serve my clients in every way that I am able. My other interests include spending time with my husband, hiking with our enormous dog, writing, reading, sewing, camping, and discovering restaurants with personality in the Portland area.
Training and Education
Labor Doula, Birthingway College of Midwifery, 2010
NACEF Conference, 2010