Mika McKinnon

5/24/2021

Like all first-time mums, I was excited and a bit terrified about labour and birth, a mixture made even more uncertain by being pregnant during the pandemic when so many normal resources were inaccessible.

No exaggeration, Shania saved my birth experience.

Before the birth was everything you'd hope for from your doula—knowledgeable, friendly, non-judgemental, reassuring, with quick, clear communication. But where Shania really shone is when things went wrong. I had one of those  traumatic births where everything was going fine until it really, really wasn't. She listened to me, helped me stay calm, created space for my voice to be heard, and helped my parter understand what our options were as the situation worsened.

What I didn't expect was how much I relied on Shania after we left the hospital with my baby. She was encouraging as I learned how to parent, taught us tricks about babycare we couldn't get with so much shut down during COVID, but most importantly, helped me find a solution when my midwife wasn't providing adequate care. She reassured me that my expectations were reasonable, that what we were experiencing was not normal, and helped us navigate how to find a new care provider. She gave me a sense of safety when I needed it most. Looking back six months later, I am so eternally grateful.

If you're debating if a doula during a hospital birth is worth the money: it is. If you need to know someone will have your back when you can't stick up for yourself, it's Shania.

Carra Patterson

2/8/2021

Shania was the absolute BEST! From our first meeting she was attentive, caring, & provided a wealth of knowledge & expertise. She made me feel empowered, grounded, & well informed every step of the way. I can't imagine what my birthing journey would have been like without her support on our birthing team. We are so grateful & HIGHLY  recommend Shania! 

Christa Strand

1/23/2021

Shania was so key in guiding me through my most positive birth experience. Shania prepared me for what to expect in the early birthing process so I knew when to call her and my midwife. She sat with me through the very early hours of the morning soothing and encouraging me through each contraction. Her comfort and presence allowed me to stay home for as long as possible. Shania was knowledgeable and provided additional information every step of the way to allow my husband and I to make informed decisions. It felt like having another family member there to support us.

Riya Terese Cherian

1/6/2021

My husband and I hired Shania as our postpartum doula being first time parents. Before hiring her, we weren't so sure about hiring a doula at all, but now we can say that it's easily the best decision we made. She was very professional, prompt and punctual in helping us with our newborn. We had originally planned to hire Shania's service for only one week but later extended for three more weeks, which speaks to her quality of work and how much her support as a doula meant for us. We remember there were instances where she had other unexpected commitments with others being a birth doula for them and still she was able to manage her scheduled visits with us.
Besides being a great doula, we found Shania to be a kind, considerate and friendly person that we were happy to have around. We highly recommend Shania to anyone who is looking for a professional doula.

Chaitu

1/4/2021

It was our pleasure connecting with Shania for my post partum care for our baby girl. As new parents, and with our family unable to travel due to the current restrictions, we needed help from the get go and Shania showed up on our first night at home and answered our questions and took excellent care of the baby. Thanks to her support, we were able to grab some sleep for a few nights. We feel lucky to have signed up for her service. Shania's friendly nature, flexibility and experience reflected in our smoother transition to parenthood and we greatly appreciate her help and wish her all the very best. Thank you Shania!

Linda Vo

1/2/2021

Hiring Shania as a birth and postpartum doula was the best decision I made as a first time mom.

Shania was warm, knowledgeable, and a vital part of my baby's birth. She was there to help me deal with labor pains and she knew what I needed when I didn't even know. It was reassuring to have Shania present through every stage of my labor as my husband and I are first time parents. She showed my husband how to coach me along the birth & made sure he was looked after as well. I pushed for 30 mins and did not tear. I have to attribute this to Shania's positive & calm nature because it made the entire birth environment so positive and allowed me to focus on pushing.

We also hired Shania for postpartum help and she was an amazing sounding board. Providing guidance, advice and tips. We (and our baby) fell in love with Shania! 

Jan and Ravi

7/30/2020

Shania has been a god send for us. She is kind, positive and very encouraging in tough situations. I love how she came into the labour room and took charge when my husband and I were struggling. I was much more relaxed when she was around helping me breath through my contractions and didnt judge me for getting an epidural despite wanting a medication free labour. She is an excellent post partum doula as well. I had trouble lactating, and thanks to her quick thinking and wise judgement of letting me sleep, I was able to unwind and breastfeed the next day. She is a strong, independent and very cheerful person. We highly recommend her. 

Alicia

3/7/2020

Shania was an integral part of our labour experience, we truly couldn't have done it without her!  From the very beginning, she was friendly and professional.  Her communication via text was great throughout my pregnancy, I always felt supported and no question was too silly to ask (this was my first pregnancy, so everything was new and scary).  Most importantly, she was incredible at the hospital while I laboured.  Late in my contracting, she's the one who suggested I get in the tub for a while (this saved me, as I had been up labouring all night) and when I struggled to grasp the concept of pushing, her coaching is the reason I was able to get it done and quite quickly too!  She was helpful, reassuring, and she's absolutely a big reason why I was able to have such a positive birthing experience.  Shania is an amazing Doula and we are so thankful she was there with us!

Erin Emiru

3/5/2020

We chose Shania as our doula based on intuition that she was both capable and a “good fit” and we were not disappointed. She was with me when I felt I needed her during my long labour and also stepped back when appropriate. I remember when I was close to delivering saying, “I want Shania here.” And she came. She is very knowledgeable and counseled us in accordance with our wishes and our needs at each proposed intervention. Without her help we would likely not have achieved our desired vaginal birth without an epidural. Shania is kind, supportive, encouraging, nonjudgmental, and loyal. We strongly and highly recommend her. 

Grace

2/13/2020

I’m really happy my husband and I chose Shania as our doula – she was relaxed, easy-going yet confident and a great resource of information pre and post-delivery. In the end I had to get an emergency c-section and since my husband couldn’t stomach seeing me undergo the procedure, Shania stayed with me instead, keeping me calm. I’m actually glad she was with me for the c-section instead of my husband – because of her reassuring and calm nature, she was able to help me keep my nerves at bay. I highly recommend Shania to anyone looking for someone who is very informed, down-to-earth yet caring and warm. 

Kimberly Cooke

12/20/2019

Shania has a wonderful and comforting energy about her that made my husband and I feel like we were working with a friend. This was our first pregnancy and I was especially nervous about my labor. Shania was incredibly confident and answered all of our questions and suggested several resources that we could familiarize ourselves with leading up to the birth. She even provided me with exercise recommendations to strengthen my pelvic floor for birth, as well as referred me to a pelvic floor therapist in order to get me back into shape afterwards. 

During my actual labor, Shania took charge in the delivery room and was my total advocate. She communicated with the nursing staff on my behalf while I was unable to throughout my contractions, to ensure that I remained comfortable and so that my husband was able to stay by my side to calm and encourage me. I think that Shania was just as much a support to him, as her confidence reassured him that he was being a great asset in the delivery room too!

After our daughter was born, Shania followed up with me several times to check in and make sure that we were adjusting well. When I expressed concerns about breast feeding, Shania not only brought over a book on the topic, but she took the initiative to reach out to a lactation consultant and booked an appointment on our behalf. The compassion that she showed towards us makes me recommend her to anyone looking for a doula, without hesitation.