MY INTENTION

It is a profound privilege to be a part of your network of support during this momentous time and I believe that all bodies deserve access to pregnancy and postpartum care that is grounded in respect, consent, and integrity. As a birth worker, my intention is to offer emotionally-attuned, culturally-affirming, trauma-informed practical care to support the birthing person.

What is a Doula?

While the word “doula” actually originated from the Greek word for “female servant,” wise people in communities have been supporting births for millenia. Dana Raphael coined the term “doula” in 1976 to describe a woman who supported birth and assisted with the birthing person with chest/breastfeeding their newborn. The term doula has come to mean a “trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their client before, during and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible (DONA International).”

Doula care can have a positive impact on the well-being of the entire family and has been linked to improved outcomes for the birthing person and their baby, including: shorter labour, increased spontaneous vaginal births and decreased caesarean/belly births, decreased use of instruments in vaginal births, decrease of any analgesia use, improved infant Apgar scores and more positive feelings about childbirth experiences.

OFFERINGS

COMPLIMENTARY MEET + GREET

This is a no-cost (read: free) 20-minute meet and greet for us to meet and discuss how a doula could support you along your journey and whether I’m the right one for you. During this time you can tell me about how you envision your pregnancy support, learn more about doula care and understand how I practice.

PREGNANCY + BIRTH

If you choose to work with me as your birth doula, I will be available for ongoing support throughout your pregnancy. We will meet for two prenatal visits at your home, in my office, or through a video call (whichever is easiest) to talk about your birth preferences, your birth team, how you want to be supported, and creation of a postpartum plan.

From 38 weeks gestation until your babe is born, I’m on call for your birth, whether it happens in the hospital or at home. I arrive as you need me in early labour, and support you throughout your birth until you are ready for alone time with your people. Following your birth, I offer two home visits within the first 40 days. If you would like additional support during your postpartum period, you can also have additional postpartum care.

POSTPARTUM CARE

Nourishing the parents during this tender and vulnerable time is as important as nourishing the newborns. Everyone in the new family could use a little extra care, attention and love, but it can be hard for the single-family unit to cope with the newness and tend to themselves. You don’t have to do it alone and this is where postpartum doulas can support.

Postpartum care can include: caring for your newborn while you rest, caring for your other children with you rest, preparing meals for your family, support you with newborn care (ie. bathing, feeding, changing), drawing an herbal sitz bath for perineal recovery, emotional support as you process your birth

It takes a community.

NATUROPATHIC CARE

If you would like to weave in naturopathic care, including pelvic exams, prescription of supplements and herbal medicine, acupuncture, evaluation of labwork, homeopathy, etc. this will fall under naturopathic care and will be billed as such. Please see my fee schedule for naturopathic medicine.

BIRTH + POSTPARTUM PLANNING

This is an option if you don’t need the hands-on care of a doula, but want support on navigating birth and postpartum.We talk about your options, your rights, how you want to make decisions during labour, pain management, as well as preparing a postpartum adjustment plan.