Melissa Dorr, Midwife Originally from the USA, I completed my studies at Bastyr University, Washington in 2002 qualified as a Midwife and Naturopath. I moved to New Zealand in 2004 and began working as a staff Midwife at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland. In 2007 I became a self-employed Midwife in a homebirth collective because I wanted to provide continuity of care and be able to incorporate naturopathic therapies in my practice. Over my 11 years as a Lead Maternity Care provider I taught childbirth education classes, mentored midwifery students, completed a Homeopathy course, obtained a diploma in Acupuncture, and worked as a rural locum for the New Zealand College of Midwives. In 2014 I left New Zealand to travel with my partner. During our travels I have met with many midwives around the world learning about the cultural influences on maternity and newborn care and birthing rituals. I worked as a facilitator to foreign midwifery students while living and working at ACAM, a Mayan birthing center run my Mam-speaking midwives in the western hills of Guatemala. Having really enjoyed that experience I worked in a similar situation at a birth center in Denpasar, Indonesia. This past year I volunteered at a refugee camp on the Greek island of Chios. From there I went directly to Bangladesh for further volunteer work with refugees during the Rohingya Crisis. These international experiences were challenging and rewarding both personally and professionally but they left me more passionate about Midwifery than ever. Some of my other interests include yoga, hiking, swimming, cooking, and photography. I am happiest spending time with my family and being a mum to my 2 year old son.
