Author: Shaunacy

Categories
Canada Labour Doula Mentorship Postpartum Doula Uncategorised

10 Tips for Winter Doula Life in Canada

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Winter is fast approaching, and for some of us we couldn’t be happier. However, if you’re like me, it’s a less than exciting time. Here in Newfoundland, winter lasts about half the year, so we need to put in some extra effort to try to enjoy this tidbit nipply season. As a Canadian doula, we have the extra challenge of navigating birth work through this unpredictable time of year. Here are my suggestions to help you get through these cold months:

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904448393{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Number 1:
Have good winter tires – we can be called to a birth or scheduled for a postpartum shift anytime, so it’s important to be confident on the road. If you’re able to reschedule your shifts if the weather is bad, all the better, but even on a nice day you might be facing some less than optimal road conditions. Personally, I hate spending money on my car, but good tires are an investment in my safety and the safety of everyone else on the road too, and a bit of piece of mind.

Number 2:
Make sure your childcare will still stand if there’s a snow day at school or if the road conditions are really bad – will your sitter or family still be able to get to you or take your child if there is no school? Make sure you have backup for your back up if circumstances change.

Number 3:
Have an emergency pack ready in your car – are you prepared if you get stuck somewhere and can’t get home? Have some extra toiletries and clothes packed incase you need to stay with friends or sleep in the waiting room of the hospital before you get home. I know at the end of a long birth or shift it can be very tempting to just push through and try to get home, but sometimes its better to stay where you are until the roads clear up. Have things packed so you’re ready if you need to wait to get home.

Number 4:
Get outside as much as possible – it can be very tempting to ignore the existence of snow and slush and cold. But for our mental health, it important for us to get for fresh air and some vitamin D. You can try snowshoeing or skiing. Or maybe it just a matter of standing outside your door for a couple seconds in the mornings to start your day.

Number 5:
Pack layers in your go bag – the temperature of a hospital room or someone else’s house in unpredictable at the best of times, but especially during the winter. Pack lots of layers so that you can stay comfortable and your clients don’t need to accommodate you.

Number 6:
Give yourself lots of time for travel – maybe you need to adjust your contract to allow for extra travel time during the winter months. If you live close to the hospital, or if your catchment area for your clients is pretty small, it might not make a difference to your travel time, but make sure you either leave earlier than you usually would or make sure clients know you might take a bit longer, weather depending.

Number 7:
Have some soul warming self care practices – birth work is hard work, both physically and mentally, and self care may look different during the winter months. Make sure you have some ways to fill your cup and keep your heart warm. Maybe you like having a hot bath, or enjoying a cup of tea or really good coffee or stretching your body and mind with a regular yoga practice. Take care or yourself so you can better take care of your clients and your family.

Number 8:
Stay active – We need to take care of our bodies so that we don’t risk injury when we are working with families, be it at a birth or during postpartum shifts. It’s easy to increase how much time we spend sitting when its not so nice out, so make sure you’re doing things to keep your body moving. Yoga, swimming, snowshoeing, skiing, walking on an indoor track, stacking wood are all great ways to keep your body active when its tempting to just stay inside and cozy under a blanket for the next 6 months.

Number 9:
Eat as healthy as possible – fresh fruit and veggies are hard to come by in the middle of winter. To care for our bodies, we must also be conscious of our nutrition. I’m guilty of becoming lazy when it comes to cooking healthy meals. Frozen fruit and veggies are a great way to keep the good food coming without spending a fortune to buy out of season produce. Maybe make some granola bars or trail mix to bring with you to births and shifts so that you’re not tempted to buy junk to keep your body full of fuel.

Number 10:
Learn to embrace it a little – it took me a long time, but eventually I came to the realization that I don’t want to be miserable for half of my life, so I figured out how to, not love, but embrace winter a little bit more. Whether it’s at home, at work or in your social life, do something that helps you to enjoy this colder season.[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904478048{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

We live in a very large and diverse country, even when it comes to the weather. No matter where you find yourselves this winter, I’m sending lots of love and wishes of warmth for you all. Stay safe out there Doula Canada!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1855″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904706244{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]About the author:

Samantha Whitman is a certified Labour and Birth Doula with Doula Training Canada, and the current Provincial Liaison for the province of Newfoundland and territory of Labrador.

Samantha has a history of being dedicated to supporting the families of her community, previously as a paramedic and now as a doula.

She lives in the central area of Newfoundland with her husband and son and enjoys getting outside, hiking, and exploring with her family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories
fertility gratitude

Gratitude: A blog by member Stefanie Blackman

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As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I’m finding more quiet moments to reflect on all the ways in which I’m grateful. I’m thankful for my growing family, our health, our friends, and all of the people who have had a positive impact on me since starting my fertility doula business and journey with Doula Canada.

It was just this year that I decided to pursue a career as a fertility doula and enrolled in the March 2019 self-study Fertility Support Practitioner training with Doula Canada. I am grateful for the online webinars in which my classmates and I chatted about our own experiences with our personal fertility and what we learned from working with clients. I am grateful for the wealth of knowledge and experience provided by our instructor, Caylan Barber, and her unwavering support when we needed it.

It’s been a short seven months since starting my business and not surprisingly, it’s a slow process making my way through this line of work. It’s easy to forget sometimes that part of being a doula is also being an entrepreneur and a business owner. I’m grateful for all the people who have pointed me in the right direction, answered my questions, and who genuinely want to see me succeed in supporting menstruators everywhere. This process has opened my eyes to the possibilities of how I can reach more people and also continue to stay home with my children.

I, of course, could not make this dream a reality without the support of my family and my husband, who may not always understand everything that I do, but understands that this is something that fills my cup and thereby makes me a better Mom and better human being.

Lastly, I love being a doula for many reasons, but being of service to others has opened me up in ways that I never thought possible (I love me a good spiritual transformation!). Learning to make and hold space for others as they move through their own journeys toward truth, letting go of ego as well as what is “right” or what “should be” and instead being present to embrace what is. It’s the most challenging yet most rewarding aspect of this calling and I am eternally grateful and humbled for the way it has changed me.

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”146678″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569859911235{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]About Stefanie:

Stefanie Blackman Fertility is a service-based business that focuses on fertility awareness, menstrual cycle education, preconception and reproductive health, trying-to-conceive support, and specializing in cycle charting using the Symptothermal Method of fertility awareness. The period of preconception is often not given adequate consideration but is a crucial part of the trying-to-conceive journey. As I always like to say, “plan for pregnancy like you would for your wedding.” While I’m passionate about this part of my fertility doula work, my goal with all of my clients is to unveil the power they have always possessed by using fertility awareness to reconnect to their cyclical nature, to embrace and honour menstruation as a sign of health rather than a monthly nuisance, and to make empowered, informed choices based on their reproductive goals.

Starting at the age of sixteen and through my own diverse experiences with hormonal birth control, conceiving two children, and experiencing miscarriage, I have learned just how important the role of the menstrual cycle is in our overall health, and how it can be used as a fifth vital sign for all menstruators. I have a newfound appreciation and love for my menstrual cycle. I embrace and honour my cyclical nature, and I bring this holistic perspective into my work as a fertility doula when educating others on their own fertility and reproductive health.

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Categories
indigenous doula Labour Doula Lifestyle Mentorship Volunteering

Ecuador Doula Immersion 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563461638717{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]It’s here!

A group of doulas, including a number from Doula Training Canada, have started the journey to Ecuador to volunteer and learn as doulas.

A few of our members joined Group One with Wombs of the World and we cannot wait to hear more about their adventures, while others will be embarking for their Group Two experience tomorrow.  Learning and adventure and support await!

Shaunacy, our life-long learning Director, will be joining Group Two and has posted the “must-have’s” of packing for a two week doula immersion program.

Follow along over the course of the next few weeks as we post pictures, experiences, and all our Ecuadorian learning fun!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563461705782{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Suggestions for packing for a two week doula volunteer trip:

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  • Super comfortable shoes.  You will be doing a lot of walking during clinic hours and your time exploring the country you are volunteering in.  Comfortable shoes = packing item numero uno!
  • Journal and pen.  You are certainly going to want to take some time to write down your experiences.  It’s a great way to unwind at the end of a busy day and carve out some time for yourself.
  • Cards with birth/ doula related sayings in the native tongue of the country you are visiting.  This will help you feel more confident in approaching persons who may not speak the same language as you.  It is also respectful to try to speak their language first and can really open up body-to-body trust when speaking isn’t the primary form of doula support.  Having these in Tanzania helped me huge when trying to remember Swahili.
  • Snacks.  I often bring cliff bars and my favourite herbal teas.  If you are a picky eater, or want to eat often, then having a quick “grab and go” snack in your bag is a great idea.
  • A bag big enough for awesome things.  When you travel abroad you often have some exploring days that bring you to artisan markets.  Having the space to grab up a few amazing items for home is a good idea.  Or plan to bring old clothes and leave them there to create space!
  • A doula name badge.  Many immersion programs (like our amazing friends at Wombs of the World) request that you wear a name tag that says DOULA on it during clinic days.  Have fun and create something with your picture, name and DOULA on it.  You may also want to add some of those doula sayings mentioned above onto a lanyard with this badge.
  • Photocopies of your passport, travel documents, and locations you will be staying.  This will help you feel prepared and safe for anything that may pop up (good travel tip in general!).
  • Lastly… an open mind!  Packing and preparing for two weeks away can feel overwhelming when you are heading to a country that you haven’t visited before, and maybe working in environments you are not fully aware of.  Keeping an open mind and remembering that you are there to learn not save is super important.  The opportunities that volunteer immersion programs provide are long-lasting and profound.  Going with an open mind, a lust to learn, and a heart full of compassion is what should fill most of your packing time!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1563462371907{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Interested in learning more about volunteer support as a doula?

Check out Wombs of the World (a great example of a professionally organized option) and feel free to email info@doulatraining.ca at any time with questions![/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories
About Us collaboration community connection Newsletters

Our June Newsletter is Here!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Interested in hearing more about our DTC is moving towards bilingual support, our latest endorsement of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives, and a little gift we prepared for you?

Check out our early June 2019 newsletter![/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”CHECK OUT OUR NEWSLETTER HERE” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F06%2Fdoula-training-canada_-june-newsletter.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories
birth collaboration community Labour Doula

DTC Endorses the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives position statements (2019)

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For Immediate Release: May 31, 2019 (MADOC, ON, CANADA)
 
Doula Training Canada© endorses the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives’ Position Statements on Evacuation for Birth, Indigenous Child Apprehensions, and Forced and Coerced Sterilization of Indigenous Peoples
 
The National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) has released three position statements on evacuation for birth, Indigenous child apprehensions, and forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous Peoples. In the position statements, NACM condemns the:
routine and blanket evacuation of pregnant people for birth and demands the return of birthing services to all Indigenous communities;
over-representation of Indigenous infants and children in child protection services across the country; and
forced, coerced, and involuntary sterilization of Indigenous Peoples.
 
As an ally organization to Indigenous Peoples, and as an organization that strives to do better for Indigenous families, Doula Canada officially endorses the NACM position statements. The Doula Canada’s mission is to improve perinatal, infant and family well-being by educating and supporting professional doulas in Canada and around the world. Doula Canada supports all persons in their rights to bodily autonomy and free and informed consent. We support the inherent right of Indigenous Peoples to birth in their own communities, to access safe and culturally relevant care close to home, and to restore Indigenous birth practices.
 
Doula Canada recognizes that we have a role to play in making doula training and doula services more accessible to Indigenous Peoples. We are committed to respectful, inclusive and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous doulas and health care providers, and the Indigenous families and communities we serve.
 
We acknowledge that Indigenous doulas are ideal companions for Indigenous families. To provide equitable access to doula training and to increase the number of professionally trained Indigenous doulas, we are launching an Indigenous Doula Scholarship in September 2019.
 
The complete position statements can be found at NACM’s website at https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/position-statements/.

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Categories
Equity Mentorship

Supporting Doula Diversity & Access to Care

It is a well known fact that doula training has largely been marketed toward white, middle-class, persons in the past.  The history of Doula Canada is no different, and this something our Doula Canada team has been mindful about shifting over the tenure of our current administration.

In 2019 our organization moved towards recognizing and augmenting our official Equity and Inclusion Policy, as well as created a number of new positions for team members who will help us to focus and execute projects aimed at creating further diversity and support in the doula and childbirth educator professions.

We are pleased to have added male doulas and educators to our roster of members this past year, and look forward to seeing how they buttress their passion for supporting their communities.  There is no doubt in our minds that these men are nothing but incredible people who will make fantastic doulas as they move through certification.

We are also moving beyond Canada to raise awareness and create greater access to doula care.  Doula Canada, in partnership with Wombs of the World, will be working with primary care providers and hospital staff in Tanzania to develop a doula training.   One of our goals of this training is to create job-sustainability and a doula economy that the residents of the Karatu district can have access to.   We have also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a much needed ultrasound machine at the DD Hospital.  This machine will change lives!  For more or to donate visit here.

Of course we recognize there are still a number of communities and persons in Canada who we can do better to support, and our team is devoted to working with our members to create opportunities and reach goals here at home.  Miranda Kelly (Indigenous Doula Consultant) and Renee Curry (Fundraising Coordinator), as well as our administrative team and dedicated Provincial Liaisons will be hosting meetings, seeking funding, and preparing project plans.  If you have ideas we would love to connect!

We want to recognize the important work being done to increase access and inclusion by such organizations as BirthMark, the Association of Ontario Doulas, BC Doulas, the BCAAFC, the Doula Fund, and many others who work daily to create equity in our profession and inclusion and access for all persons.

Equity for doulas, but more important equity for the clients we serve should be a leading thought amongst all doula training organizations, associations, agencies, collectives AND independent doula enterprises.  By embracing an equity and inclusion policy and collaborating with our professional colleagues we can begin to change the space of doula support.  Our space can grow, and it can include access and fair involvement for all.

Do you have an equity and inclusion policy in place?  Has it opened doors to collaboration?
Leave a comment below:

Categories
About Us

Bilingual Support: Meet Bridget Graham

In 2019 Doula Canada has set a goal of supporting our diverse population of doulas and childbirth educators.

One of the main initiatives in this goal has been to hire more bilingual staff… and Bridget Graham is exactly that!

This Nova Scotia residing doula has recently accepted the position of Provincial Liaison for Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Along with our recent partnership with Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, we hope to not only be teaching our programs in both French and English by year’s end, but also be supporting our students in the language of their choice coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Thank you Bridget for joining our team!  We are excited for what is to come.

Learn more about Bridget:

What brought you to work with Doula Canada?
Dès le début de mes études avec Doula Canada en juillet 2017, j’ai toujours trouvé
que l’organisation est superbe. A chaque jour les employées et les étudiants
m’étonnent. Je me compte chanceuse de travailler avec Doula Canada comme
Liaison Provinciale pour la Nouvelle-Ecosse, le Nouveau-Brunswick et le Québec.

 

Describe some interesting facts about yourself!
I currently reside in Halifax, traditionally known as Kjipuktuk in Nova Scotia with
my partner Aaron and our cat, Alice. My hobbies include reading, baking, cooking,
making preserves and knitting. I am currently learning to quilt.


Describe your current job/profession or professional/personal
experience:
I am the current Engagement Retention Coordinator with the College of
Sustainability at Dalhousie University. In the past I have also served as the
Academic Advisor and Program Manager for the College of Sustainability.
I began my journey as a Doula in 2017, and since then I have attended two births
for my certification. Above all, I get the greatest joy from helping and supporting
others so my work as a doula allows me to do just that.

 

Describe any achievements, publications or presentation you have completed to
date.

In May 2015 I received my Bachelor of Arts Combined Honours degree in
Environment, Sustainability and Society, as well as Canadian Studies. In 2017, I
received my Master of Arts degree in Canadian History. Both of my degrees are
from Dalhousie University.

I have presented at the EECOM conference in October
2018 on student engagement via social media.
Describe any personal or professional memberships, certificates or awards you
have received.

I am currently a member of the Nova Scotia Doula Association, as well as a Board
Member for the Midwifery Coalition of Nova Scotia, Abortion Support Services
Atlantic and the Halifax Women’s History Society. I am a Sparks leader for Girl
Guides, I am a member of the Students on Ice Alumni Council, as well as a member
of Global Shapers Halifax Hub, and an advisor for the Alpha Eta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta.

I am so excited for this opportunity and I cannot wait to see what it brings.

 

To reach Bridget please email: bridget@doulatraining.ca

Categories
About Us

Renée Curry: Grant and Fundraising Coordinator

Doula Canada is pleased to have Renée Curry joining our administrative team as our Grant and Fundraising Coordinator.

Renée will be working with Doula Canada to create further opportunities to grow the doula and childbirth educator professional across communities in Canada.  She will be actively seeking fundraising and grant opportunities for both Doula Canada projects, but also for partnerships and our members needs.

Learn a bit more about Renée:

Tell us about why you are excited to be joining the Doula Canada team Renée.

I am honoured to join the Doula Canada Team as the Grant Coordinator. It is evident that Doula Canada is an organization dedicated to the success of its students. Its spirit of collaboration and mentorship is refreshing and its truly Canadian beginning is an added bonus!
What are some things about yourself that our readers may be interested in knowing?
I am married and mother to a small brood of six (6) children. I run on hugs, sticky fingers and coffee. I like to collect half read books on my nightstand and to keep my hands busy with crafting (mostly knitting these days but drawing was once my go-to).
What have you done in your past experiences that have led you to this new role with Doula Canada?
My professional experience includes governmental agencies, unions and not-for-profit sector. I have a background in International Development and Women’s Studies which has a allowed me to research autonomy, agency and traditional birthing practices. I have been practicing as a doula for over 10 years and believe that respect is the key to a satisfying birth experience. I have been lucky to learn from some pretty incredible people including Dr. Jack Newman, Phyllis Klaus, Ina May Gaskin, Gail Tully, and Penny Simkin, not to mention the families I have been privileged to serve.
What work have you done that is related to doula or childbirth education as developing professions in Canada?
Registered Massage Therapist (MTANS), La Leche League Leader, Co-Chair of the Nova Scotia Doula Association, Certified Child Restraint Technician (CPSAC) and member of the International Association of Infant Massage (IAIM). I was the recipient of the Lifelong Learner Award from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy (Halifax) in 2017. Other certificates include: Spinning Babies and Rebozo Connection: The Gena Kirby Method.
Bienvenue Renée!  We are so pleased to have you joining our team.
You can reach Renée at fundraising@doulatraining.ca
Categories
About Us

Indigenous Doula Consultant: Miranda Kelly

Doula Canada is honoured to have Miranda Kelly joining our administrative team as our Indigenous Doula Consultant.

Miranda will be working with Doula Canada to create opportunities and partnerships with our First Nations communities, seek fundraising for collaborative initiatives, and ensure our Doula Canada curriculum speaks to the relationships and experiences of all persons.

Learn a bit more about Miranda:

Why are you excited to be joining the Doula Canada team?

I am so excited to join Doula Canada as the Indigenous Doula Consultant. I love the vibrant Doula Canada community and look forward to the opportunity to contribute to Doula Canada’s excellence in training.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I am of Stό:lō (People of the River) and mixed settler ancestry. I was raised in my home community, Soowahlie First Nation (near Chilliwack, BC).  I carry the ancestral name of Tilyen, and I strive to bring honour to this name and my ancestors by working in service to First Nations and other Indigenous peoples.  I have enjoyed living on the beautiful unceded, ancestral lands of Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples since 2009. I am a wife and mother to two young children.

What has been your experience in the doula world?

I am a birth and postpartum doula serving Indigenous and non-Indigenous families in Vancouver, BC. Prior to starting my doula practice, I worked for ten years in Indigenous Peoples’ health planning, policy, education, and research. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Psychology, and a Master of Public Health Degree.

What are other relevant experiences you feel are important to your new role with Doula Canada?

From 2011-2016, I contributed to the ongoing transformation of First Nations health governance in BC that saw the creation of a first-of-its-kind First Nations Health Authority and the transfer of federal programs and services to the control of First Nations. I have provided guest lectures and conference panel and keynote presentations to wide audiences, including health sciences students, faculty, researchers, frontline health care professionals, and government partners. 

I have previously volunteered with the Chilliwack General Hospital, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Urban Native Youth Association, Vancouver Aboriginal Transformative Justice Services Society, Mavis McMullen Housing Society, Canadian Public Health Association, and the Pacific Post Partum Support Society.

What are you currently involved in?

I currently practice as a member of the ekw’í7tl Indigenous Doula Collective. I am also a member of the BC Doula Services Association. I am proudly certified as a birth and postpartum doula through Doula Canada.

 

You can reach Miranda directly by emailing miranda@doulatraining.ca

Welcome to our team!

Categories
Uncategorised

A New Year. A Proclamation of Purpose.

2019 – Our Word of the Year – PURPOSE. 

In just under four years Doula Canada has accomplished a number of its development and organizational goals.  Our team is proud of its full-spectrum training opportunities, but we are even more proud of the passionate membership we have grown and retained.

Doula Canada.  You are amazing!

Although our goal-setting and development strategies are not set in motion by the dawning of a new fiscal year, we can’t help but get a caught up in the motivational elation a New Year brings forward.

2019.  You are going to bring new adventures!

So, what is Doula Canada going to achieve in 2019? 

Well, time will tell! 

But we begin our the new year with the launch of our Finding Your Centre: The Intentional Doula workshop, and as such are determined to live and teach in the present moment.  At this exact moment I am enjoying writing this resolution blog and enjoying some fine sips of Costa Rican coffee!  That being said, 2019 does have its defined focus.

What is our Call to Action for the year ahead? 

To confer to the world our PURPOSE.

Purpose is defined as:

noun – the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

“the purpose of the meeting is to develop our national alongside doula program”

or

verb – have as one’s intention or objective.

“My purpose as a doula is to positively effect the well-being of our countries future generations.”

The word “purpose” was intentionally chosen as a natural progression of our 2018 pathway “connection.”  2018 was all about building community, making connections, and beginning collaborations.  You can read more about that here at our 2018 Reflection Blog.

2019 will nurture connections and further develop the infrastructure and the programs that will expand our purpose as Canadian doulas and childbirth educators.  It will also be the year that we take our message about infant and maternal well-being outside of our great nation to develop our international voice.

We are Doula CANADA, but we have dedicated members in numerous countries! 

We will be making the space to hold difficult but important conversations with those who are working towards related support goals, and with those who make decisions about recognizing and heralding the work of our modern day support professionals.  We will be asking for more.  We will be asking for admission and appreciation.  We will be sharing our purpose and developing new ways to facilitate the exchange of discourse we hope 2019 will manifest. 

Purpose.  We will not be defining it.  That has been done.  We will be proclaiming it!

With our proclamation that Doula Canada is the Canadian voice for doulas and childbirth educators we will also be launching new programs, welcoming new positions on our team, and assisting in the development of our members goals and aspirations.

Here are some of the new and exciting things launching in 2019:

We will be showcasing our purpose and experience in places and partners in:

  • Federal and provincial ministries related to our professional goals
  • Programs and partnerships related to maternal and infant mental health
  • Fundraising and grant designating bodies who can assist with our Doula Fund
  • Infant and pregnancy loss conferences and affiliated community partnerships
  • Tanzania volunteer program, and other volunteer programs abroad 
  • Costa Rica retreat and alongside doula opportunities (Fall/ Winter 2019)
  • North American conferences (i.e. Evidence Based Birth in Fall 2019)

We encourage our members to contact us with conference opportunities and community partnerships you feel Doula Canada should take part in.

Purpose.  2019 you now have your Call to Action.  May be you be filled with vision, may you be progressive, and may you be always filled with badassery! 

Love, light and gratitude for the adventures of 2019 ahead. 

~ Shaunacy, and the amazing Doula Canada team