Hello, my name is Doree I am certified as a childbirth educator with ICEA( international childbirth education association), Bates Technical College, and Birthing From Within.

   I am a wife to a wonderful man, Adam Handford. We have six beautiful, Children.

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   My journey into the birth community started when I read a fictional "Red Tent " when I was 18. The story is about Jacob from the Bible and his daughter, who was a midwife. I fell in love with the story and the idea of delivering babies, although I had no idea how to go about becoming a midwife.

   

   When I was 20 I met a women who told me "hey if you are interested in Midwifery you should be a Doula." It sounded fascinating so I looked it up and took a workshop at Bates Technical College.

   After I was married I saw that Bates was offering a Childbirth Education course. It spoke to me and I thought awesome, now I can teach people about labor and birth. Shortly thereafter I became pregnant and all the education I had learned helped me when I gave birth to my first son Vash.

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   Even though I had gained a lot of knowledge, been in births, it was nothing like I had expected it would be going through it myself. It took me four hours of pushing to give birth to Vash. He had is little hand on his head and ended up weighing 10lb 6.5 oz. I like to say I've really never had a newborn.

   

  Ten months latter I was pregnant with Ari, and remember very well how it is chasing a toddler around while you are pregnant. Ari's birth was different than Vash's birth because he came out really fast. Literally my water broke at home and we barely made it to the birth center. He was also a different baby than Vash, he was more difficult because he suffered from colic, re-flux and he never wanted to leave my side.

   Without warning I fell into Postpartum Depression. I had horrible luck with doctors and experienced the stress of not getting the right medication for my body. I was in this depression for almost two years. Going through that experience has made me more compassionate to mothers and has helped me to become a better Doula.

   I have a desire to serve these mothers more than ever. While going through depression I took Birthing from Within class and it has helped me so much to be a better educator and to help me though processing my own experiences.

 

   My third son Lincoln was born 3 yrs after Ari. The labor was great my contractions came ever 10 mins up until he was born, but that little stinker came face first . I am amazed how each experience has been different and each experience has taught me how to be more compassionate.

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Five years later We were blessed with our daughter Zoey she was my first hospital experience. Which was a very different experience from my three boys. We were then blessed with boy girl twins and I had my first cesarean. All of my personal experiences and the experiences I have had as a doula have blessed me with greater understanding. 

   

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a dedicated friend, wife and mother. One of the things that makes me most happy is to be there for people and to help them in their time of need. I am passionate about this work, because I am a mother myself. I have struggled, and learned, and have overcome. I know I can be of great value to parents everywhere.

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