Doula Support
What is a Doula?
A Doula is a trained companion who supports people through a significant reproductive health-related experience, such as childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or stillbirth.
Our Birth & Postpartum Doulas are trained to help families connect with evidence-based resources so they can ask great questions and make informed decisions about their experience.
We serve as a bridge of communication between you and your provider, lifting you up to help you find your voice and advocate for the very best care.
Two Doulas are Better Than One
One of the distinctions of Sound Birth Services is our commitment to offering premier, professional support to growing families in the Comox Valley. That’s why we’re pleased to be working as a doula team!
How does it work?
If you hire Sound Birth Services to support you at your baby’s birth, you get two doulas for prenatal care and one doula at your birth! You’ll interview us as a team and we’ll support you prenatally as a team – going on-call for you the moment you hire us!
This means you’ll get the shared wisdom, experience and support of two doulas. One of your doulas will be at your birth; not a stranger or a back-up doula that you have never met before, but someone who you know and with whom you have complete trust and confidence in.
We share an on-call schedule and are each other’s back-up support. This shared call schedule allows us to give you our very best selves, rested, ready and fresh.
Helpful for You!
By having two prenatal appointments conducted individually by each of your doulas, you will form a relationship with each of us. Our clients find it helpful to have the ability to connect with each doula individually prior to birth so that at the time of birth, they feel completely confident and comfortable.
Furthermore, you know that if your birth goes longer than planned, you will always have a fresh doula ready to support you. Though we have not had to switch doulas mid birth (even in 24+ hour births!) our clients find it comforting to know that a long birth will not impact the level of care and support they receive from their doulas.
Your doulas bring two sets of experiences and skill sets to the table. Along with their equally deep wisdom and passion in pregnancy, labour and birth, Pamela offers child development and lactation knowledge, while Jody offers postpartum wellness and infant care knowledge to provide a well-rounded experience of care to you and your family in your pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
Having 2 Doulas also means there is a built in back up system. You will not need to worry about your doula not being able to be at your birth due to a personal obligation or emergency, because at least one member of your team is always available.
Helpful For Doulas
With having a partner, each doula is also able to be supported. We rely on our doula partner for support just as much as you rely on us for support! Your doulas are always in communication with one another, either about birth, client requests, or a postpartum issue, and have developed a deep sense of trust in the other. We know that we can still be present for our families because a reliable and trustworthy doula is available for our clients.
By having a partnership that works wonderfully well together, you will know we also work flawlessly with you and your partner. You’ll continue to get the amazing level of care and support you’ve come to expect from Sound Birth Services.
Doulas For Aboriginal Families Grant Program
The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres and First Nations Health Authority are proud to jointly offer funding to cover the costs of certified doula services for expecting Aboriginal families. We are honoured to be approved doulas within this program. For more information: click here.
As Doulas, We Do Not:
Perform any clinical tasks
We do not perform clinical tasks such as blood pressure, fetal heart rate or vaginal exams. We don't prescribe or administer medications. We are there to provide only evidence-based information, physical support, emotional comfort and advocacy.
Project any of our own beliefs onto your experience
Your birth desires are important to us and our role as your doulas are to support you in a way that doesn't include our own beliefs or opinions. Our guidance in your pregnancy, labour and birth are free of judgement with only a positive birth experience for you in mind.
Make decisions for you
We will help you get the information necessary to make an informed decision. We will also remind you if there is a departure from your birth preferences so you may discuss it with your caregiver.
Speak to the staff on your behalf
We will discuss your concerns with you and make suggestions, but you or your partner will speak on your behalf to the clinical staff.
Now booking due dates in
October 2023 and beyond!
Sound Postpartum Doula Services
with Jody
*for current clients only
As more and more people learn about the valuable role of a Birth Doula, the services of a Postpartum Doula are less commonly known. Jody is certified as both a Postpartum and Birth doula. The roles of each are different, but blend well together.
Postpartum Doula support can be invaluable in helping families adjust to this delicate postpartum period. Having non-judgmental support in this time, can really help an entire family be at ease with adjusting to having a new baby in your home.
As a Postpartum Doula, Jody works with your family after the birth of your child and services are generally carried out through scheduled chunks of time. Just like birth support, postpartum support is very individual and based on the most important needs of your unique family. Jody offers her services to families during the period of newborn until one year of age.
Services Include:
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Postpartum emotional support surrounding becoming a parent, birth outcomes and the nuances of life at home with a newborn.
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Sleep support, which can include helping parents get a quality rest while Jody cares for your baby, or education around infant sleep.
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Meal preparation, whether it be preparing a meal for that visit, or to be eaten later in the day, or to be frozen for later. Jody can also make several meals to be made to store and be eaten later. Recipes would be chosen by you and I am capable of making most dishes and making any adjustments to cater to particular food restrictions that may exist.
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Infant care education.
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Sibling support.
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Infant feeding support and education, such as breastfeeding, bottle feeding, burping, pumping breast milk.
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Light housekeeping duties, such as tidying, washing dishes, sweeping, vacuuming, putting a load of laundry in, taking out garbage.
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Self-care support, watching baby while you get a shower or tend to other self-care needs.
* Services are not limited to those listed above
Fees
Postpartum Doula services are included in our Full Services Package or added on after your birth and billed by the hour.
$30/hour for a minimum of 4 daytime hours. Shifts are scheduled ahead of time and require no more commitment than one shift at a time. Your needs are determined during a complimentary consultation meeting with Jody.