Rose Marie died on July 9, 2015. Serving as a doula was her life, her joy. She didn't believe in God, but she did believe in mothers and children and the mystical bond between them forged by birth. She had a great capacity to love and to give. We her family miss her more than life itself. See her obituary here.

Mike Bertrand

July 30, 2015

I have retired from doula work due to age and poor health. I am, for a time, leaving my my listing in up on this page so that past clients, friends and acquaintances will know my status.

I wish you all wonderful births and, encourage all mothers to hire a doula!

This is not just my job, this is my joy! I respectfully and proudly continue the age-old tradition of women helping women during labor. I have worked joyfully with mothers at both ends of the childbearing years. My clients have chosen a wide variety of birthing styles and options. I will help you explore your expectations and options for your birth. I honor your choices and I will do whatever is possible to help you attain them. I bring my years of accumulated experience to bear as I offer encouragement and support along the way. As a cesarean mother I bring special insight to VBAC and cesarean moms. I have a deep trust in your ability to give birth to your baby. More than anything, your birth is important to me.

Services / Skills

Lending library; relaxation help; labor support at home or hospital; wide variety of comfort measures during labor; private childbirth classes can be arranged to meet your personal needs; non-professional photos and videos. Information packet sent upon request.

Education

BA (Biology, Chemistry minor); graduate studies (Zoology, History of Science); past Certified Childbirth Educator; multiple birth conferences since 1978 conducted by many national experts; 1994, 2001, 2002, 2004 DONA basic and advanced doula trainings; 2008 Advanced Positioning Strategies workshop; several DONA conferences and multiple St. Mary's Perinatal Conferences from 2002 to most recent conference; 2010, Basic Breastfeeding Management for professionals Workshop; 2010, One Day Workshop Hypnobirthing Labor Support Techniques for Doulas; TENS unit training, 2012,

Experience

• Birth doula since 1978
• Charter member of Doulas of South Central Wisconsin;
• Co-founder, current director and volunteer Small Miracles Volunteer Doula Program
• Current ICAN professional member
• Former ICAN board of directors member
• Former childbirth educator with a group practice
• Current DONA member
• 2003: profiled in the Wisconsin State Journal's Know Your Madisonian.
• 2006: received Certificate of Appreciation for contributions to the students of Affiliated Alternatives, MMSD
• 2008: nominated for Our Bodies, Ourselves Women's Health Hero Award, view nomination here
• 2009: received Healthcare Award from Madison Breastfeeding Promotion Network
• 2012: December Jefferson Award recipient

Births attended

Self, two; as doula, 309; as grandmother, one. (I missed by a narrow margin the births of my second and third grandchildren in far away states.)

— August 17, 2014