Heidi Hill

12/15/2023

We had the most amazing experience with Mary-Lou as our doula. From the moment we met I knew she was the one to help us bring our first child into the world. She has the warmest energy which makes you feel at ease instantly and like you’ve known her your whole life. She has over 10 years experience in this field but also has children of her own and grand babies she’s helped to bring earth side. If that wasn’t enough (it totally would be) she used to be a teacher which makes her super organized, gives handouts on everything important and has an amazing ability to explain things in a way that’s easy to comprehend. Our sessions prior to the birth were so educational, I didn’t feel we needed any birth prep classes for breastfeeding etc.

She took the time to get to know us and helped us to find out what was important to us should our plans need to change. She respected everything we had in mind and even asked how much we would want her to remind us of our initial plans in the moment. I felt honoured and respected the entire process.

Our birth experience didn’t go exactly how we envisioned and we ended up needing Mary-Lou for 39 hours. She must have been exhausted but it didn’t show. There were many moments where we turned to her for guidance asking our midwives to leave the room. And moments where I turned to her over my husband for words of encouragement. She was solid the entire time and knew exactly what I needed to hear. Right before my son made his grand entrance she must have seen the despair in my eyes and I will never forget the words she said in that moment which gave me the strength to dig deep for that final push. Without Mary-Lou I think we would’ve ended up like so many others faced with intense labours, in the operating room for a c-section. We couldn’t have done it without her and I would highly recommend her to anyone and everyone.

Tanya

5/10/2023

Mary Lou went above and beyond in helping us during the birth process as well as postpartum. Her experience and recommendations are so valuable and we're so grateful to have her by our side!

Erica & Reynold

1/26/2023

As first time parents, we can’t imagine going through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period without Mary-Lou’s support. She was such a positive presence and a source of calm, comfort and kindness. Working with her equipped us with the tools we needed to approach this major life event with confidence. 
 
In all our prenatal meetings, she was a font of knowledge, answering our (many!) questions about labour and birth thoughtfully and in a way that helped us understand the “why” behind anything we were curious about. Discussions were thorough and never felt rushed. 
 
During labour and delivery Mary-Lou provided hands-on techniques for pain management and supported my partner to do the same. Her presence helped put us both at ease throughout this intense experience. When decision points arose, we were able to tap into knowledge from our prenatal meetings to help inform decision-making, so I felt empowered and confident about the decisions that we made throughout labour. 
 
After our baby was born, Mary-Lou was available by phone or text to answer questions we had about newborn care and consistently provided calm reassurance and helpful suggestions. When my partner returned to work, Mary-Lou’s postpartum services were invaluable for help putting in place routines and strategies to care for baby on my own. 
 
Mary-Lou often said to us that she has the best job in the world. From every interaction with her, it was clear that she truly loves what she does and cares deeply about her clients. We are so grateful that she was part of this experience with us. 
 

Madison and Daniel

8/31/2022

Mary-Lou is a fantastic human being. When my husband and I met her it was instantly clear that she was a perfect fit to have with us on our pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding journey.

Mary-Lou is extremely detailed with every part of the experience. She takes the time to find out what your perspectives and hopes are and then provides a comprehensive education which prioritizes your plan, but also goes over all possibilities and important items. Additionally, Mary-Lou ensured that my husband was very included and educated as well.

During our birth experience there were many things that were not a part of my original birth plan that ended up happening. Because of Mary-Lou’s comprehensive education, as well as her support, I was able to make the best informed decisions. Mary-Lou was a huge part of making active labour and pushing an empowering experience, rather than a potentially scary one. Additionally, instead of my husband being distracted and panicked by the need to document every moment, Mary-Lou took many pictures (live pictures!) which ensured that the birth of our child was documented forever, while also ensuring that my husband was able to be fully present.

Mary-Lou’s breastfeeding education is incredible. Breastfeeding can be extremely intimidating, but Mary-Lou completely removed those feelings. Her support before and after birth made me feel confident in breastfeeding my baby. She also helped me advocate for my baby with the healthcare team when we suspected that a possible tongue tie was impacting his ability to feed (he did end up having a tongue tie and we were fortunately able to manage it right away).

I am so happy that we engaged Mary-Lou’s services for our pregnancy and birth journey. I would absolutely hire her again in the future, and have already recommended her to friends who are looking to expand their family next year.

Heather

8/23/2022

We had a great experience working with Mary-Lou as our birth Doula for our first child. I felt I wanted more of a personal experience while embarking on the biggest medical event of my life to date. I am very happy we made the decision to have a doula and even more happy we selected Mary-Lou. Mary-Lou went above and beyond what my expectations were for a Doula. She offered prenatal home visits to discuss birth plans and share her knowledge on deliveries and post-partam care. I felt confident and excited for our birth knowing we had prepared and had a plan. Mary-Lou was very organized and knowledgable for our visits and I felt I could trust her during my labour and delivery. I have been even more pleased with her continued care for myself and our son with her post-partum care. She has been an excellent resource to ask questions to regarding breastfeeding and caring for a newborn. There is so much that goes into birth and post partum and feelnig you are supported brings confidence and allows you to enjoy this special time. I loved my birth and the newborn phase and I attribute alot of that to having a great resource like Mary-Lou by our side!

Anja Araujo

8/14/2022

My husband and I could not have been happier with Mary-Lou as our doula. She met and exceeded all of our expectations and seamlessly fit herself into our dynamic and supported both of us individually and as a team, both before and during the birth. From the first time we met Mary-Lou, we felt how she radiates calm, expertise, wisdom, and kindness. We liked her most out of all the doulas we interviewed and next came the educational visits she did at our house. We loved learning from the comfort of our own home all about birth, birth preferences, newborn care, postpartum care, and everything in between. She answered all of our questions, and even questions we didn't know we had! I had been reading up on many things and she was able to hone what I knew, as well as explain concepts and the many sides of different decisions and issues in a more general way to suit what my husband wanted to know. I found her intimate knowledge of birth culture in Calgary extremely valuable, especially as first time parents. 

Mary-Lou was particularly valuable at the end of my pregnancy. As I went further and futher overdue, my anxiety peaked and my plans, hopes, and dreams of a homebirth slowly and then concretly poofed away. Mary-Lou was an emotional rock who said all the right things at the right time and kept me sane. When I was worried or anxious, she had the knowledge and the perfect thing to say to calm me down. Unfortunately complications last minute meant instead of having a homebirth, I went into the hospital to be induced and was transferred to the care of an OB instead of my midwife. Mary-Lou did not only provide help with what to expect in a completely different setting than I was expecting, but was immediately available and present to provide us with a loving and familiar face. She was amazing in labour and the perfect support. Her guidance during and after labour was the best part of my birth. Everyone should hire Mary-Lou! 

Zitin and Nina

7/31/2022

As first time parents, we had little to no experience on all that goes in to growing and delivering a precious human being. We both had very busy work schedules and attending all baby classes was going to be impossible for us. We knew our limits and needed a go to person to help answer our questions and be present with us for the birth of our baby girl. We had a few meet and greets arranged with different doulas to find someone we would be 100% comfortable with. When we met Mary-Lou, we knew it had to be her and it was the best decision we made without hesitation. Mary-Lou was more than what we had hoped for. She prepared us for all possible scenarios during delivery and guided us at the hospital so that our birth plan was honored. Mary-Lou provided the support we needed before, during, and even after delivery. She was always readily available and quick to reply. We will forever be grateful for her service. Our plan was to only have a doula for our first birth but we will definitely be contacting Mary-Lou for our next and would highly recommend her to all expecting parents. Thank you, Mary-Lou! 

Tasha and Cole

5/1/2022

We engaged Mary-Lou as she immediately emanated calmness and a vast knowledge about the birth experience and newborn care. It was the best decision we could have made. Mary-Lou came to our home for three very informative and productive prenatal sessions where we learned a ton and got to know each other. As a result, we felt confident and more prepared heading into our baby's birth. 

The level of care, guidance and support we received from Mary-Lou before, during and after labour was above and beyond what we imagined. She played a significant role in our positive birth story and our transition to becoming parents and we are forever grateful. Our midwives went out of their way to mention how much the enjoyed working with her.

We call Mary-Lou our angel and recommend her to all our friends when they are expecting. 

Dana & Morten

1/28/2022

Mary-Lou came to our aid under some unique circumstances. When the doula we had originally hired needed to quarantine around our due date, she arranged for Mary-Lou to take over in her place. So our journey with Mary-Lou began without any preceding meet-and-greet or birth planning sessions and our first in-person introduction happened once early labour had begun and we called her to our home. Despite not having any prior opportunity to get to know us, Mary-Lou was able to quickly zone in on our personalities, needs and preferences and provide amazing supportive care from that moment on. My husband and I found Mary-Lou's knowledgeable and calm presence to be incredibly helpful. She was able to guide us through various relaxation techniques as well as positions to facilitate optimal positioning of the baby. We were especially impressed with her ability to remind us of all of the options available to us at each step of decision-making. She quietly and tactfully checked in with us in a wholly non-judgemental way, ensuring that the next step as suggested by the physician or nurse would still be in line with our own preferences. Once our daughter arrived, Mary-Lou was able to provide an important first lesson in breastfeeding, allowing us to get off to a good start from the very beginning. 

In short, we cannot imagine the story of our daughter's birth without Mary-Lou filling a central role. It was so very comforting to have her support and guidance throughout and we are endlessly grateful for the care she provided for all three of us. We would not hesitate for a moment in recommending her services to other parents who are considering hiring a doula.  

Gillian Johnston

6/25/2021

Mary Lou came highly recommended by a family with triplets and provided us nighttime post-partum services for three days a week after our twins were born. Not only did she give excellent care to our preemie twins, but she supported the whole family with her extensive post-partum knowledge and organization. Mary Lou was critical in helping us navigate the unique challenges of breastfeeding twins and we would not have been successful without her. She is friendly and highly-professional and creates a calm, controlled environment that allows you to sleep soundly. Having support from Mary Lou gave us the extra energy we needed to truly enjoy the ups and downs of our first three months with our twins and toddler. We are so happy to have had Mary Lou on this journey with us!

Stephen and Sarah G.

4/5/2021

It's hard to know what to expect when it comes to delivering a child, especially for first-time parents, which we were. Even the most carefully thought out birth plan can change in a hurry. In our case, things deviated when we went beyond our due date, resulting in a decision to go with induction. 

There was a brief moment in the hospital when, with the induction, we thought that, because we'd have two nurses on hand, there would be little left for Mary-Lou to do. Boy, were we wrong. 

Without going into the details, there were complications, some quite frightening. The hospital's medical team was super busy and we leaned heavily on Mary-Lou to tie things together and provide perspective on what was going on. Complications extended beyond delivery and we were grateful for Mary-Lou's guidance on post-partum care. 

In general, we found that the medical system had us dealing with many medical professionals, but none of whom who could tie everything together and help us navigate the process. That's where Mary-Lou shined, helping us keep our heads through a challenging situation and providing perspective on what was going on around us. 

So thank-you, Mary-Lou. We whole-heartedly recommend your services. 

Deepika Sharma

2/2/2021

Mary-Lou was recommend my really close friend of ours and we are so glad we hired her for our first baby. Our experience with Mary-Lou was nothing but amazing. Her communication is very clear, so no misunderstanding at all! She was always available whenever I needed her before the delivery day and even after.
Mary-Lou and us had three consultations before the delivery. She asked us about our birth plan, guided us on taking birth and babies class, also brought lots of information with her in each meeting. She came well prepared for all three meetings. Also, what we really loved about her was she made sure my husband was included in everything and it just wasn't about me. She asked him several questions and made him really comfortable as well. 
Our baby decided to come three weeks early and Mary-Lou was available right away. She guided us from going to hospital to how to cop with labour by doing different technique or exercises before me deciding to take appedural.  Also, my husband slept through my entire labour because Mary-Lou took such a good care of me and he was able to look after me and the baby after the baby arrived.

After delivery she constantly stayed in touch to make sure me and baby are doing okay.  She even visited us because I struggling with breastfeeding without any cost. Mary Lou is just not a doula I call her my fairy (genie). I don't know what and how my labour would have been without her. We will definitely hire her again for our second baby. She is just so amazing, her energy is so positive and calming. She makes sure you get what you want before, during and after delivery. Any question comes in my mind I still reach out to Mary-Lou and she is happily available. We highly highly recommend hiring her! Believe us and you won't regret it :). 

Leah

1/2/2021

We hired Mary-Lou for birth and breastfeeding support. Mary-Lou was easy to talk to and we felt comfortable with her from the start. As first time parents, it was valuable to have someone guide us through what to expect during labour and delivery and to understand some of the choices and interventions that we might encounter. We felt much more prepared and confident as a result. Mary-Lou took detailed notes during labour and delivery and provided us with a written account of the birth that was great, since it’s hard to remember everything that goes on. After the birth, she provided practical help with breastfeeding positions, swaddling and bathing. At all stages, Mary-Lou was responsive and available to answer any of our questions and to provide support where needed. We have recommended her to others and will continue to do so!

Vanessa V

12/3/2020

We were referred to Mary-Lou by our midwife and after meeting her decided she was a great fit. The pre-birth meetings were useful to discuss goals and birth preferences. Mary-Lou was also able to educate us about a variety of birth related issues. She was knowledgeable in techniques to aid in baby positioning, easing discomforts and labour support. 

Having her present for the birth of our baby gave us additional confidence and support. Although circumstances changed our birth plan, with her and my partner's support it was possible to achieve a positive outcome and a satisfying birth experience.

Jennifer McDannell

11/19/2020

My husband and I both felt so lucky to have Mary Lou on our team! The authenticity of her gentle and loving nature, her sense of humor, and her organized way of explaining things made us feel at ease with her from the start. Mary Lou was always generous with her time, spending afternoons with us to explain the birth process in detail and help us form a birth plan that felt great. She made herself available via text and phone in those tenuous weeks leading up to the big day. During the birth, Mary Lou was a champion for both me and my husband, and was prepared for all kinds of things I hadn't even thought of: birth ball, bone broth, honey. During my labor, she helped my husband know what to do to participate and help in ways he frankly would not have otherwise thought of at all. She stood up for me and made sure my voice was heard in moments when I didn't want to be bothered to speak to others because I was so focused. Mary Lou's genuine sense of wonder for birth was infectious and helped me have the positive birth experience I wanted. After the birth, Mary Lou continued to offer her help and wisdom with breastfeeding and general coping strategies. I can honestly say I miss her (we moved away), and feel fortunate to have connected with her during such a powerful shift in my own life. Thanks, Mary Lou! 

Lisa and Joel Young

11/2/2020

Mary Lou was absolutely amazing and she directly contributed to our ideal birth experience. Her calm, warm and caring presence every step of the way put us at such ease and made us feel prepared for anything. Her getting to know us, what was important to us and how we work meant that she was ready and prepared for how to help us best. She has such a high degree of emotional intelligence and was beyond knowledgeable. These traits not only helped her help us, but meant she was ready to work with all of our medical staff and knew all the right things to ask and help us influence along the way. Her breast feeding expertise was also invaluable. We couldn't recommend Mary Lou any higher. She truly made our entire experience calmer and easier and becuase of that, we were fortunate to have had the ideal scenario play out, but we were ready and willing to accept different outcomes along the way if they happened to occur. 
thank you so much mary Lou for playing such a meaningful role in us welcoming Riley into our family.
??lisa, joel, Riley (and of course Ellie ??)

Ashley Hansen

2/24/2020

Mary-Lou is the sweetest soul! We were so blessed to have her be a part of bringing our girl into the world! She was such an amazing support for my husband and I during our pregnancy, labour and birth and postpartum. She is kind, nurturing, gentle, and so wise. She was always there to answer any questions I had whenever they came up (and there were a lot of questions!) and she was so knowledgeable! We found she was tremendous in helping us navigate some of the big decisions around labour and birth. During labour, she was an incredible support for the entire team (my husband, my midwives, myself...) the entire time -- and it wasn't short! She truly goes above and beyond. She has the biggest heart and genuinely cares deeply for her clients and their babies. If you are looking for someone who will help keep and create a sense of calm, bring wisdom into your space, help you navigate physically and mentally during labour and truly connect with you then Mary-Lou is the perfect fit! She will definitely be a part of the arrival of our future little ones. 

Tory Bishop

10/1/2019

I cannot say enough amazing things about Mary-Lou! From the moment my husband and I met her, we knew that she had to be a part of our pregnancy, labour, delivery and postpartum journey. She guided and educated us every step of the way, was a huge advocate for us during the most vulnerable moments of our lives, and helped make our entire experience a positive one. Mary-Lou's help and support with breastfeeding after our daughter was born was invaluable. She will definitely be a part of any and all of our future children's births. I can't thank you enough Mary-Lou! You are incredible at what you do!