Susanna

7/10/2023

Jackie was an absolute asset to our birth experience. We had a long labour - 4 days - and Jackie managed to support us through so many key moments (including late night hospital visits), while also taking care of herself to ensure she could show up for us when we needed her most. She was incredibly at ease, helpful and professional in the hospital environment and was able to help us liaise with the midwives, nurses and the OB through it all. I think I was most impressed by her ability to know when to step in and offer just the right kind of support (whether emotional or otherwise) and when to step back and let my partner, the nurses or others do their thing. Her wealth of experience really shone through in these moments! She also  made it very clear to us that we were her priority and she was able to be with us until our baby arrived (eventually by c-section), and she was there to set us up for our first night together and ensure we got her latched on my breast for that first breast feed. Jackie's experience, confidence and professionalism was so helpful, and we are so grateful to have had her as a part of our birth team! 

Sonya Wilson

10/31/2022

Jackie has been a family friend since I can remember, I live in Powell River, B.C so a bit of a trip away, I had a rough go with my pregnancy with being very sick so the time. When the ending was near I had 4 weeks left and things took a turn, I had to get flown out of Powell river with my partner, and was met at Richmond memorial hospital by my mom and Jackie. As a first time mom in that situation after losing 2 previous pregnancies, the fear inside of me was horrible. Jackie helped calm that fear, having my mom, and my partner as my support system and Jackie as my doula made my labour and birth that much easier, Jackie was calm, and incredibly helpful, went above and beyond in helping bring my beautiful baby boy into this world who is now 5 months old, I could not have gotten through delivering my son with out Jackie there guiding me through the chaos, I can not recommend Jackie enough!   She is absolutely amazing and incredibly knowledgeable 

Krista and Paul

9/19/2022

Jackie is the calm, kind, baby whisperer you need in your life! We hired Jackie after realizing how hard postpartum is, especially for first time parents. Jackie always brought a calming  confidence into our home, and our daughter took to her right away (including lots of smiles, even though she wears a mask which we appreciated!). She offered lots of great advice, text support and supplementary books and props, and gave some excellent recommendations for other professionals to help us with my daughter's medical condition. I would highly recommend Jackie for your doula needs. 

Chauntel Watts

9/18/2022

As first time parents we were very nervous about the labour and delivery process. We had wonderful family support and attended prenatal classes, but our best decision was hiring Jackie as our doula. She provided support and education prior to our birth, through her prenatal meetings and via text, and made our birth experience one that honored everything in our birth preferences. As a first time dad, my husband was so grateful for Jackie's support and guidance during the labour and delivery process. Jackie was available for the many questions and concerns I had after delivery as an anxious first time mom - from questions about healing to worries about breastfeeding. "Auntie Jackie" will always be a part of our little girl's life now and we are so fortunate to have had her compassionate, caring support through all the stages of our journey to becoming first time parents. If we are fortunate enough to be able to hire Jackie for our second birth we will feel so lucky! 

Lauren Andrews

6/13/2022

Jackie exudes compassion and care for both mother and baby.  She gives a lot of her time from the very first intro meeting to the post partum meeting, it's a lot more than the extraodinary help she provided during the hospital labour!

We didn't physically meet JAckie until she showed up at the hospital when I was already in labour (this was an exception due to the cirucmstances of the labour, normally she comes to your house first).  Even though we hadn't met, I was already moaning in pain and she immediately jumped right into it, and I immediately put my trust in her.  

I gave birth at BCWH.  We had in our birth preferences that I wanted to ASK for pain medication (unless needed for life saving interventions such as emergency c-section).  The labour proved extremely painful (back labour) and while I'm sure it was tempting, she let me get to my own limit first where I then asked. She was extremely involved the entire time, literally helping me when I vomited or letting me hold onto her during transition phase.    She was gently directive with my husband who trusted her and had his own "labour" / transformative experience that day.  She worked wonderfully with the L&D nurses in the room too.  I was somewhat worried how a hopsital birth with OB delivery would work with a doula, but I think this is a match more women could consider!

Jackie even helped us give our son his first bath when she came over for the PP visit and gave us some useful tips on sleeping!  She very clearly cares about her families she serves.

I will guarantee you will feel incredibly supported during your labour with Jackie as your doula. She also has a facebook group for Moms:)

Thank you, "Aunty Jackie" - Lauren, Ryan, and Baby Everett

Brandee Mills

4/25/2022

Working with Jackie from Blessings & Births has been a wonderful experience. We connected with her right off the bat. She was always available to answer any questions, give her advice and provide evidence &/or research based information when required. Now at 4 months of being a first time mom, with my many questions, Jackie doesn’t mind me reaching out for help or to ease my mind.

Jackie prepared us well for what we may expect during labour & helped us come up with a fitting birth plan. But things, of course, did not go according to plan. I ended up having a very fast labour, with our little guy’s arrival giving us quite the scare. I believe if Jackie wasn’t with us it would have been much more traumatic. She stayed with me while my husband, the midwife, nurses & doctor were tending to the baby. I was/am so happy she was there with me. She was very comforting, giving me just enough info so I wouldn’t freak out, ensuring me everything was going to be ok with our baby. (To us it was terrifying, but is an often occurrence with newborns).

Jackie also puts together fun gatherings/outings for us moms and little ones, which I find fantastic as my circle of friend’s babies are now all grown. It’s great to have somewhere to go and do things that are baby friendly.

I am very grateful for Jackie and we highly recommend her. 

Alecia Jordan

4/9/2022

We couldn't have done our birth without Jackie! She not only is super experienced and knowledgeable but kind, caring and easy to be with and get comfortable with quickly - which is definitely needed when you're going through something as vulnerable as birth. She put both of our minds at ease through an otherwise intimidating process. She also provided exceptional postpartum care and I felt peace knowing I had help when I needed from someone I could fully trust. 

Geraldine

11/11/2021

As soon as we met Jackie, we knew that we wanted her to be a part of our birthing experience. She was passionate, knowledgeable, caring and responsive. Although we had planned for her to assist us with labour at home, it progressed incredibly quickly and we drove to the hospital sooner than anticipated. She met us in the parking lot and helped us make our way to the maternity ward. Her caring and confident nature provided a sense of safety in what was otherwise a very chaotic experience. If and when we have a second baby, we will definitely want her by our side again!

Kayla

11/8/2021

Being a single mom, I don't know what the outcome would've been like without Jackie. She was so helpful and knew what she was doing to help keep me calm and present through labour & delivery. Even postpartum with all the questions and concerns I had she really helped ease my mind through everything. 

Sonia Prasad

9/17/2021

I am a single mom by choice and really wanted to have a doula and my mom as my support team when I gave birth. I read Jackie's reviews and after a quick conversation I knew she would be great. She sounded strong and gentle, exactly what I wanted and when the day came she was exactly that. I am SO grateful for Jackie!! I honestly had the best birth experience and a huge part of that was how safe Jackie made me feel. It went exactly as I wanted, getting to the hospital fully dilated and having the baby right away. She helped mitigate my pain with her doula tricks. She also helped guide my mom to support me in the way I needed, without me having to ask. I loved my birth experience. If possible, I highly recommend hiring Jackie. Thank you Jackie, you will always be in my heart 

Brittany Rodney

9/16/2021

Jackie.... gosh. I don't think I can sum up just how incredible she is!!

Jackie is compassionate, caring, polite, courteous, knowledgeable, and all around wonderful!!! She was 100% the calm in my storm and I cannot recommend her enough! 

When (IF) we have another baby, I would not think twice about having Jackie there again. She is amazing and made labor not so bad. When I was ready to give up, Jackie was there cheering me on assuring me I could do it. Wow what a feeling to have someone like her in your corner. 

When I asked for anything Jackie would jump to assist me, even if it was just a sip of water. I know this is her job, but she was so HAPPY to help, it really made a difference. When I didn't understand something, Jackie gladly explained it to me and made sure I fully understood what was happening. My daughter needed to be looked at right after birth by the Pediatricians and while that was happening, Jackie stayed with me and assured me everything was ok, which definitely calmed me! 

I am so thankful you were there for us! We love you Jackie and thank you for everything you do!! ? 

Nicky

5/4/2021

During this uncertain time of covid. Having jackie by our side was a blessing.  As being first time parents. Me and my husband knew nothing about child birth. Jackie was just one text away when i had any doubts. So she saved me so many hospital trips. She made us aware about our rights and choices. Rhythm  is 10 months old now. She will soon start listening to birth stories. Jackie will always be part of it. I will always be grateful for her support and warmth ??

Mia

4/29/2021

When we found out we were expecting baby #2, my partner and I decided that the first thing we wanted to do was to find a Doula to be our support through pregnancy and delivery.  Our first birth experience was really traumatic, and so we were hesitant to commit to having anyone along for the ride this time, but Jackie erased that hesitation after our first conversation.  

Throughout pregnancy, Jackie made sure that we had all the resources we needed to make informed choices.  If we had any reservations about anything, she was available to help us work through our hesitation.  She was a coach, a cheerleader, and an all around amazing support to have.  

When I went into labour, Jackie was here to help me move my body to get baby into position and keep productive contractions coming.  When labour fizzled out that first time, she was there to tell me it was ok to be sad and angry, but that I also needed to be patient and trust that my body would know what to do.   When baby decided to come for real, Jackie was right beside me, a constant support and comfort to me while my body did big and unfamiliar things.  She took AMAZING once in a lifetime photos that captured the beauty of our home delivery and that I will treasure forever.  

I know that I would have struggled to get through this pregnancy and delivery without Jackie's strong support and kind spirit.  She has a way of making you feel loved and respected that just makes everything you're worried about melt away.  My partner and I cannot recommend Jackie enough to anyone looking to add a Doula to their birth team.  I'll forever be grateful for the help she gave to our little family. 

Alison & Tom

4/29/2021

I cannot begin to express how grateful Tom and I are to have had Jackie be apart of our birth expericene of our first child Timothy.

My partner and I had decided on a home birth and by the time I called Jackie and she arrived at our home I was well into active labor. My contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and I didn't know what to do with myself. Everythig I learned during my pregnancy went completely out of my head and my partner was concerned (he didn't know what to do either). As soon as Jackie arrived she took charge and started talking me through each contraction. She'd ask me what I wanted and I remember saying "I don't know," because I had no idea what to do with myself. I had never experienced anything like that. She kept my partner calm and involved by giving him tasks to do to help prepare for the delivery. 

I was feeling the urge to push before either of the midwives had arrived and she helped me keep calm and focused on not doing so.  Luckily it wasn't long before a midwife arrived checked me and it was pretty much time to start pushing. 

I was so tired especially by the time I started pushing and didn't think I could do it. But Jackie was there holding my hand talking me through each contraction and push. Helping me stay intune with what my body was telling me to do. She was an incredibly reassuring presence that everything that was happening was normal. Everytime the midwives told me he was almost out I would look at Jackie for reassurance. She stayed with us after he was born making sure the Tom, Timothy and I were settled and doing okay.

I knew I wanted a doula to be there especially for my partner, but I underestimated how much I would need her. I'm so grateful to Jackie for keeping me calm, reassured and focused. I could not recommend Jackie highly enough. We could not have asked for a better birth experience and i know much of that has to do with Jackie being there for us.

Renee

4/26/2021

Jackie was the perfect Doula match for my husband and I! We were expecting our third baby, and wanted to hire a Doula especially during these Covid times to help us advocate for ourselves and be that extra level of support. Jackie's presence was calm and encouraging, and gave us the confidence to navigate the intense hours leading up to and after having our baby! She was an incredible support pre and post baby as well, and we look forward to continuing to foster our relationship! Jackie will always hold a special place in our hearts! 

Aine Coombs

3/8/2021

Jackie was exactly who I needed when I needed it, and I would so highly recommend her to anyone who is wanting to plan as best they can for a seamless experience; especially if it’s your first time! There were a lot of things I needed reassurance with before, during and after the birth, and Jackie was always so available and empathetic. All her experience and knowledge was definitely evident. She was warm and comforting to both myself and my partner, and so professional with the staff at the hospital which was exactly what we needed as first time parents- someone who knew our preferences who we could trust to speak up for us both. She really did make all the difference to us and I don’t know what we would have done without her.

Dayton Frost

1/17/2021

From my personal experience I could not recommend Jackie more. Jackie was my rock in the single most stressful experience of my life. As a first time father, I was told that watching my wife go through labour would be difficult for me to handle, but I never expected it to be that tough. Thankfully Jackie was there for me to lean on and borrow her level headedness that was needed to be the best support person I could be for Taylor.

We added Jackie to our birth plan quite late in the game with only a few weeks left to our due date. Although the short window of time to get to know eachother, Jackie was able to find away to ease our stresses right from the get go. She brings compassion, strength and expert knowledge which quickly creates a comfortable relationship to work with. 

A lack of knowledge can create great stress, but borrow knowledge from my experience, with Jackie you're in good hands. I can only hope she's available to help us with out next kiddo ! 

If you're waffling on the idea of a Doula or not. I can say one thing, money comes and goes but a quality birth experience is a once in a life time opportunity and with Jackie your birth experience will be exponentially greater.

Beckett Parker Frost - Dec 31 2020 10:17am 10 lbs 1 oz

-Dayton Frost

Vicky and Andy

1/14/2021

In the beginning we didn't think we need a doula. It turns out, having Jackie as part of our birth team was one of the best decisions we made for the birth of our first baby!

As our midwifery clinic strongly suggested hiring a doula, we decided to do so, for "insurance". I was always pretty open to pain management, so with the pain gone, I wouldn't need much support right? Well, I had forgotten the fact that labour begins way before you could get pain management! Jackie coached us through the contractions with different exercises at home. I have no doubt those exercises helped the labour progress quickly, in turn we avoided being diverted to another hospital. Her experience and knowledge in the process was very reassuring, it took away the uncertainty so I could focus on getting through the contractions. Honestly I don't think I could do it without Jackie's strength and guidance.

After the birth of our son, my husband and I immediately recommended Jackie to a friend whose due date was in 2 weeks. They told me the same thing afterwards, that hiring Jackie was the best decision they made as well. If you're on the fence now, stop thinking and have Jackie on your team, you won't regret it!

Dayton & Taylor Frost

1/13/2021

My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of having Jackie as our Doula. Her presence during the birth of our son Beckett was absolutely invaluable. My birth did not go how I had thought it would go, but isn't that just the way life goes. Jackie's calm voice, tools and tricks to help manage pain were extremely effective!! If we didn't have Jackie there I feel like my husband and my stress level would be through the roof! It definitely would not have gone as smoothly as it did. Having her by our side was worth every penny ??

Do yourself a favour and hire Jackie to be your guide/coach through your labour, you will not regret it.

She will forever be in our hearts and memories for the our very first miracle. 

We are forever grateful for your care.  

Thank you.

Love from Dayton, Taylor & Beckett Frost.

Tim Bishop

8/23/2020

As a couple expecting our first child and initially planning for a home birth, Jackie's help preparating our birth plan put me at ease and prepared us for what I felt was any eventuality.

The importance of which materialized when there were complications and we were made to deliver in hospital where, as a first time Father her support and direction was absolutely invaluable to me. I cannot understate the importance of her help to us, and I would highly recommend her service to anyone. 

Thank you so much Jackie,

Tim, Sarah and Marigold.

kristine Khan

8/22/2020

Miss Jackie storms is the best doula.she handle it like a pro!supportive,friendly ,compassionate and very professional.before my due date she tried to connect and communicate and that's the effort she have to connect and to know me well.she even offered that she can pick me.up once I need to go hospital since i  dont drive.she have luggage bag with all the stuff that I can be used,like blanket ,socks anything that I can use at the hospital when she arrived.she even texted me how I feel and how am I doing before and after the delivery, that's why I feel very comfortable with her.until now if I have a questions she immediately answered,her advising are on point and she is cooperative as well.i can't believe her professionalism...shes there for me for how many hours at  the hospital,she tried to make.it easier for me ,she even demonstrate exercise while lying in the bed and at.the big ball.every women when in labor  is difficult but you made it easier .thank you! ...

If I would have a chance for my no.4 baby? Definitely will contact the best doula! Jackie storms

Sandeep Kaur

5/12/2020

She is very supportive and helpful. She came to our house to help us during that hard time. As we have no family here with us, me and my husband were scared and worried. But she was with us like our family. I feel like my mom was with me at that hectic time. We met on the day of my delivery and a lovely bond is formed between us. We are really thankful to her. We can never forget her support and help. Thank you Jackie so much! You are such a lovely and generous person..........??

Sandeep and Gagan.

Katrina

5/9/2020

As a first-time mom, I was pretty nervous about the whole labour and delivery process. My husband and I had Jackie as our doula, and it was honestly the best decision we could possibly have made. From our first contact, all the way to after giving birth, I knew that I could contact her if I had questions. On the day of, she arrived more prepared than I could ever have anticipated. She even brought straws to make it easier to keep me hydrated! She had me do a variety of things, from sitting on an exercise ball (which she also brought) to walking sideways up and down the stairs. Although I remember hating doing those things, I absolutely think that they caused my labour to progress beyond the latent labour I’d been in for several hours.

Jackie has an incredible demeanour — calm, gentle, firm, knowledgeable, and immensely encouraging. Every time I said that I couldn’t do it, or didn’t want to (I vaguely remember saying something along the lines of “I’ll just keep him inside me forever”), she helped to reframe the pain of contractions as the thing that would get baby out. I struggled to be positive during labour, and so it was helpful that she was able to be positive for me.

Having Jackie as our doula also meant that my husband could take on a more encouraging role, rather than trying to give me directions and guide me through the process. (This meant that I swore at him much less than I otherwise might have.) She could also tell when we definitely needed to go to the hospital, which was sooner than my midwife had initially advised. If not for Jackie’s knowledge and expertise, we may have gone in to the hospital too early or too late.

I would 100% recommend Jackie to any and every mom, but especially first time moms. Her support throughout was essential. I don’t think my delivery experience would have been nearly as positive without her guidance and encouragement.

The Davis Family

9/20/2019

The birth of our first child was the most amazing, trans formative and important moments of our lives. It was also one of the most stressful, scary and chaotic moments of my life. As the husband I found myself worrying about meaningfully supporting my wife during this momentous event.

She of course was going through extreme mental and physical pain and stress in order to bring our son into the world. But, instead of being overwhelmed or feeling completely lost and without any ability to support and help my wife, I felt empowered and guided by the wonderful Jackie Storms our Doula and saviour!

Her knowledge, positive attitude and energy along with a calm and collected demeanor enabled me to be a useful contributor to my wife’s labour. It was such a relief having her there to provide us with information, options and alternatives to move things forward in a healthy, calm and natural manner. She came prepared and thought of everything we might need. My wife was also appreciative of Jackie's attention. To the small details like covering the hospital surfaces my wife needed to sit or lay on and making sure her dignity was still intact by helping to cover her up while walking through the hallways. 

I cannot imagine our labour without Jackie’s warm presence and guidance. She was absolutely instrumental before labour as well. Providing a horde of additional information and options after each major visit with our Doctors. As a side note, Jackie was also great with our furry family member. He was always sad to see her go! 

I was very skeptical of hiring a doula before our son’s birth but was completely won over by Jackie. Will never forget her tremendous positive impact on this amazing life experience. We are extremely greatful. 

Andrea Sian

5/18/2019

There are not enough words to describe how wonderful Jackie is. She was everything I didn't know I needed. Her knowledge her patience, strength, love and presences helped me through the toughest moments of my life. She was able to calm and reassure me and guide me through what a birth plan was a month before and then helped me throw it out the window when my baby needed me to.
Having someone to help support me, to support my partner in a hectic time is worth so much more and I am so happy that I met her and had her as my Doula. I sincerely wish I had met her 4 years ago for my first child. ?

Ashley Womack

5/18/2019

For baby #3, my husband and I decided to have Jackie join us on our journey. We felt we knew pretty much everything we needed to know from the last two kiddos, but still wanted to ensure we had someone there supporting us so we could just focus on each other and the baby. I very much wish she could have been there for our other pregnancies!! She was so calming and serene. She didn't once 'handle' me or tell me what to do, she was just respectful and positive the entire time. My hubby is very dependent on direction from me to know he is doing the right thing, but I couldn't be that assurance for him while going through contractions. Jackie talked him through everything he would need to know and looked out for cues that he was stressed or anxious and helped him find his calm, which calmed me in turn! It was SUCH a beautiful, blessed day. Jackie is incredibly kind, calming, attentive, knowledgeable, joyful and humble. We were so honoured to have her with us and I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone considering doula support. I can't even write this without tearing up as I listen to our son cooing beside me. He’s such a beautiful, happy boy and we both believe this is due to the peaceful setting he was born into, something made possible by Jackie. ??

Luville Manalo

5/18/2019

Being a relatively new immigrant and no other relatives in BC, having Jackie around helped me and my husband a lot even if it was a scheduled Csection (but delayed for 12 hours!). She brought calmness and organization, and really answered our questions, our what ifs, and shared her experiences and knowledge. Very warm person, and very generous in sharing "herself" to my family. Thanks so much, Jackie!