Portrait of an Artist: Michele Fitzgerald

June 10, 2011 11:21 am by: Rebecca McInroy

Michele Fitzgerald photo by Erin Randall

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Michele Fitzgerald is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) practicing in Austin, Texas, but when you listen to her talk about her work it feels more like you are talking with an artist…and indeed, in the traditional sense of the word artist, that’s exactly what she is. Thirty-two years ago, while performing with her all-female punk band in a leopard print jumpsuit, she was pulled offstage to attend her first birth, and she’s been working at her craft, her art, ever since.

Now, a preceptor and teacher of midwifery as well as a CPM, Michele will tell you that the most rewarding feature of her professional life is the deep connections she forges with her clients and their families through the combination of a solid understanding of the best professional practices in childbirth with her strong intuition, which has become an invaluable part of her practice. Bearing witness to and assisting over two thousand women through one of life’s most powerful and transforming moments demands a broad understanding of the concept of an artist, for Michele is quite literally in touch with one of life’s most creative and essential acts.