Nicota Marten

2/23/2024

Having Madison as our doula during our first birth experience was just magical. Words can not explain how truly special and incredible this woman is. She supported and prepared my significant other tremendously. Without her, I really don't think he would have been able to cut the cord or even be in the moment and not completely check or pass out lol. My birth plan could have not gone as perfect as it did without her because despite the whole complete other world I was in, wanting to give up and do what the doctors and nursings were trying to push for, she believed in me, she believed in my strength, she stepped in the most respectful way which lead to them stepping back allowing her to bring me back and just do my thing. She was just such a huge huge HUGE help and support to not only me, my baby, my boyfriend but my mom and the whole birthing team. The doctor loved her, we loved her& truly don't think it wouldn't have went the way it did without her. It was perfect & she was perfect. There's not enough words to express how grateful I am to her. Highly suggest her to be apart of your journey. 

Jessica

12/20/2023

Madison was an incredible doula supporting both myself and husband during pregnancy, labour and postpartum. This was my second pregnancy/birth and I had an idea of what I wanted to do differently. Madison supported me in visualizing my dream birth. We would chat before each of my Drs visits to go over any questions I had for the Dr and would debrief after. This was so helpful! She also supported me with navigating my stress and previous birth trauma as things came up through my pregnancy. I cannot recommend Madison enough, and my husband was also so impressed with the level of engagement and support she gave us. My son loved her too! Madison's energy is so warming and comforting, I really felt at ease when she was present and it made a difference knowing she was holding space for us. 

Andrea

12/19/2023

Madison is a true wise woman and I can't speak highly enough of her - her support and wisdom throughout my pregnancy and birthing experience were invaluable. She helped to get my partner completely onboard with an undisturbed physiological homebirth (who previously only new medical births), and supported me to feel informed, embodied and powerful throughout my journey. I love Madison's approach of trusting the process and the body's wisdom - she would often help affirm what I intuitively felt and guided me to expand my trust in self which was such an amazing gift for motherhood to come. At week 4 postpartum Madison lead me through a meditation and yoni steam, it was such a beautiful cermonial way for me to reflect on my past 10months and close the birth portal. I had the birth of my dreams; at home, in a birthing pool, with just my partner and Madison present and I am eternally grateful. Madison will always hold a special place in my heart and family.

Shanaia

11/27/2023

Madison is an incredible Doula. She holds a presence that is loving, grounded, calm and full of wisdom. I felt confident in my birth, because she trusted that I had everything I needed within me, and she offered anything else I needed with such grace. Resources, information, insights, questions, supplements, nutrition advice etc. anything that supported my birth was provided. She made me and my partner feel safe, seen and she supported our visions with clarity. I highly recommend working with Madison and her team. She is devoted and highly saught after and her presence made all the difference in my birthing experience. 

Sydney

3/21/2023

Having Madison with us during our first birth journey was an absolute dream. She provided an abundance of knowledge and education around the birth process to both my husband & I so we felt prepared and informed well before baby made their debute. During the birth I could not imagine doing it without her. She was an integral part of the birth team. She managed to find the perfect balance of being present while providing space so it felt like it was just my husband & I in our birth bubble. I'm eternally grateful for the moments after the birth when Madison was looking after me while my husband was with our new baby. I felt her love & support when I needed it the most. We are so honoured to have her with us during this incredibly special time.

Adell Z

11/16/2022

Madison held such a calm, feminine presence during the birth of my son. When I felt as if things started to get hard Madison was there as a grounding female force.

Her presence is unmatched, she is truly a wonderful choice to support you & your baby in safe passage through the birth portal. She will stand behind you in whatever decision you want to make for yourself & your baby.

She is also an excellent holder of information on physiological birth, she is there to educate and help you work through any fear you may be holding.

During my postpartum I was treated with love and care and truly felt able to rest and relax with my baby.

Highly recommend this wild woman ??

Christine

11/15/2022

It is hard to describe the calming energy and presence of Madison with words. I came across her online when I was searching for a doula. I had interviewed a couple of others, but I knew from our very first virtual meeting that she was the one.

She carries within her feminine wisdom that greatly helps with the natural and spiritual process that is giving birth. She is the perfect counterbalance to the typical medical experience of navigating pregnancy with midwives "within the system". She creates and holds space for you, she listens and observes, she gently guides, and she reminds you of and helps awaken your own power within. 

When we decided to try for baby, I was just exploring the possibility of a home birth (I was hesitant as I had no knowledge of or exposure to it). The individual meetings with Madison, as well as the village gatherings she hosted with other women like me, helped me decide on it, educate myself about it, dream and envison my dream birth, affirm it and work through my fears around it, and ultimately, made my birth story one that makes my heart sing every time I think about it. It was all life changing to say the least, for me and my partner, and I am positive that this experience will help us both in our parenthood journey and beyond.

Chelsea

11/15/2022

My partner and I were trying to conceive and I was seeking a support person for my journey into motherhood. The universe brought me Madison and I knew she was the perfect person to hold my hand in this journey.

Prior to conceiving our son, she helped me heal and release worries from my past miscarriage in her womb healing sessions.

She helped me form my unique birth plan as a high risk hippie and held a safe space through the obstacles I encountered along the way. She consistently made herself available to lend an ear or for provide additional time with prenatal yoga or healing sessions. I was able to look to her in delivery as my advocate in the hospital knowing I could trust her guidance.

After birth she came into our home and provided healthy meals, light housework, snuggles with our bub and gave me some healing support as well. Madison is a gift from the universe. We are forever grateful for her. 

Birdy & Ishi

5/20/2022

We were looking at a few doulas, when Madison was highly recommended by a good friend. Upon meeting her, we were immediately convinced to look no further. She brought invredibly calming energy, she was confident and knowledgeable, so we felt safe having her there for this important day. She carried herself as a professional but warmth and a friendly nature radiated from every part of her being!

Throughout my pregnancy, I had to navigate a sea of recommendations and interventions. Turing these down could have created a great deal of fear; however, between doing our own research and having Madison there to reassure us and confirm our findings we felt supported and confident in our decision-making every step of the way. For every bit of fear that was created, Madison nurtured my soul with energy that helped me trust in the beautiful process of birth. Her private prenatal yoga sessions were also a godsend! They didn’t just help me move my body, they connected me to baby and made my heart feel lighter—I highly recommend these sessions during and after pregnancy.

For our birth, Madison helped my husband create my dream space, setting up a tub, twinkle lights and soothing music, as requested. During labour, she was a silent observer, gently reassuring me that my body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to and providing a much-needed break for my husband to nap. She was beyond helpful with the cleanup, leaving our space spotless and making us feel cared for. She also captured the most magical video of baby’s birth.

We can’t recommend Madison highly enough. She embodies all that is calm, peaceful and nurturing and our baby’s birth wouldn’t have been the amazing experience that it was without her there. Thank you Madison, you are an angel!

Heather Paine

5/1/2022

Madison is a wonderful Doula. She was with us for six months after our son was born. Her calm kind energy is very nurturing to have around the home. She is reliable and is comfortable holding space for you during emotional times. We would highly recommend Madison as a postpartum Doula.

We all miss you here xx

Lindsey

4/16/2022

This past Boxing Day, I was beautifully blessed to experience the birth I had spent many years dreaming of, and it was because of Madison and her calm, loving spirit that I was able to surrender to the process with full confidence and trust in my body.

Not only did Madison synchronistically enter our lives at the perfect moment, she firmly created a sacred container to hold me in through my entire pregnancy. Throughout my journey, she empowered me with knowledge and vital resources, and she was there for me in every moment that I needed support. Madison spent quality time creating a potent connection with my husband and I, and she dispelled my doubts as they arose with her graceful presence and soothing words. During my birth experience, Madison gently held me in her care. Her watchful, quietly supportive presence made me feel safe to surrender completely and ride the waves to birth my baby.

Madison is a true angel. She is everything I dreamed to find in a doula and more. She will forever be an integral element in our family’s story, a dear and beloved friend, and a cherished member of our spiritual family.

Shereen Bourke

1/2/2022

My husband and I were expecting our first baby and we knew that we would need help navigating our way through the last trimester and birthing process.  Madison was highly recommended by a coworker who had used her services months before and was extremely happy. 
 

After our initial consultation with her, my husband and I were both assured that she would be the perfect addition to our birthing team. Our original plan was to birth in hospitalbut after discussing our options, we happily made the decision to have a home birth, which aligned more with our life and our vision of bringing our baby peacefully into the world.

The at home prenatal and yoga sessions were not only informative but very convenient and gave us the chance to properly prepare both physically and mentally for the big day. The meditation sessions were also a great plus as I was able to listen to them several times which calmed my nerves about the upcoming birth.

From the time my water broke to the time our beautiful baby joined us, Madison was a pillar of support. From making sure the birthing pool was the right temperature, making sure I was well hydrated, making padcicles, making sure my husband got rest, there was no task too big or too small for her to take on. Her calming disposition and positivity really came through during the birthing process. With her experience, she could recognize when I was in doubt and needed encouragement. Madison was with us for over 50 hours while I labored and it was apparent that assisting women during childbirth is her calling. We can’t express enough gratitude and appreciation for her and the important work she does.

Kathy Wong

12/15/2017

We met Madison only four days before our baby girl arrived, but we felt at ease and comfortable with her knowledge and expertise right away. She was professional, calm and friendly, which was demonstrated throughout our labour & delivery.

At the hospital, doctors & nurses were about to perform their routine checks on me, but Madison was always questioning and ensuring the processes they were suggesting were necessary. She was always thoughtful of our wishes to have a natural birth and ensured that the doctors & nurses did not impose any procedures that were not necessary. She took the time to explain the pros & cons to us anytime I didn’t know if I should do what the doctor was suggesting. With Madison’s experience, she was able to request for more time for me to labour (on more than one occasion), which was key in our successful and natural birth delivery.

My husband was expecting help from our doula, but the support Madison provided surpassed his expectations! She was awesome at the hip squeeze and applied it at the perfect timing during contractions. She also took turns with him when they performed “shaking the apples” technique which worked miracles for our baby to get in position for delivery. She also helped us take memorable photographs.

She was patient and encouraging, helping me visualize and keeping me calm throughout the labour process.

We highly recommend Madison who will be invaluable at making a memorable positive birthing experience. We are so happy to have Madison a part of our baby girls birth!

Emily McGill

9/21/2017

Madison Desjarlais was present for the birth of my first child, Wynn Rose at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. My husband and I met with Madison a couple of times early on in the pregnancy to get to know each other and generally assess whether we all would be a good match. Madison made us both feel comfortable and encouraged as we discussed the type of birth I was hoping to have.

One of my biggest fears was that the medical staff would want to push an intervention that I was uncomfortable with or didn't know anything about, but that I would be unable to advocate for myself or stop to think about it. I felt so much relief going into labor knowing that Madison knew us and was on board with our wishes and our general outlook for labor and delivery, I felt like we could relax and focus on the task at hand, like she was going to looking after us.

During the actual labor and delivery Madison was quiet and reassuring. She was a support person for not only myself but also for my husband. The two of them took turns applying pressure and heat to my lower back and I generally felt that I could ask her for anything or conversely ask her not to do something. She made it clear there would be no hard feelings in labor and delivery!

Madison is knowledgeable and her presence feels warm, calming and accepting, all of the things I wanted to help me bring my first baby into the world.

Carli Wager

9/18/2017

Madison's loving and motherly nature is exactly what I needed when I went into labour. She was my right hand girl. It was a stressful experience due to certain circumstances but having Madison there was the miracle I needed. She was prepared for everything that came our way during the birth. She handled everything with grace. She soothed me .. massaged me .. offered me the comforting words I needed to hear. Madison was my saving grace and that day would have been one hundreds times harder without having her by my side. The world needs more angel Doula's like her !

mindan gunther-moore

9/17/2017

Madison attended the birth of my second baby. During birth and in the first hours after, a mother isn't super aware of the things going on around her, but when I think back to that day there are these bright snippets of Madison intuitively doing just the right thing at the right time. Being close when that was needed, giving space when that was the right thing to do. Offering her warm personality completely at all times. My daughter arrived a week early and in the first few moments after the birth I mentioned to no one in particular that I had meant to get a cake, a birthday cake, for the baby so that my 4 year old son would have a special treat on the day of the birth. Moments later Madison entered the room with a beautiful "cake" of fresh fruit that she had foraged for in my kitchen, cut up and arranged, and decorated with a lit birthday candle that she had brought with her. We all sang Happy Birthday to our few minutes old daughter and it is a memory I will never forget. It is an example of the type of person Madison is and the type of work she does. She heard there was a need, didn't make a big deal about asking if she should do something, she just thought of the right thing to do, made it happen, and created a lasting memory. I was lucky to have Madison be a part of my birth experience and now a part of my life.