Tajanpreet

3/19/2024

I am soo glad I came into contact with sonja and she guide me through out my pregnancy even when i didn't hire her, not paid her. She shared her knowledge with me. she is not only a great doula with tons of experience but also a great person inside and out, her guidance encouraged me to have natural birth without any single intervention it was possible because of her guidance, she supported me through out my labour even living outside of the Calgary she came right away when we called her. She bought so many gifts on my postpartum appointment, i love her. She is the best Doula in the world :) Anyone wants to have amazing birthing experience, Sonja Dame is the best person you can get the care with.

Victoria Wells

2/17/2024

Sonja is amazing. She really was there with me every step of the way. I really didn’t know what I wanted for a birth experience … I went in blind and she was able to provide so much insight and completely without judgement.

I ended up having this amazing birth at the birth center all thanks to resources that she provided. She is so calm and collected and I could not have asked for a better Doula. I honestly could not have done it without her.

She provides prenatal classes as well and although I didn’t use them as I had already signed up through AHS I really wish I had.

All I can say is she made what was a very unknown and sometimes scary experience, very calm and was always there for support anytime I had questions she was just a text or call away.

Sanaya

1/17/2024

Sonja was a true gem during and after the birth of our baby boy! She made the whole experience comfortable and personal. Her prenatal sessions were informative and reassuring. Sonja's techniques for handling contractions were a game-changer, and her calm demeanor was exactly what we needed.

Postpartum, Sonja continued to be a lifeline. She assisted with breastfeeding concerns and patiently addressed our questions and worries as first-time parents caring for a newborn. Her support went beyond the delivery room, making our entire journey with our baby extra special. We highly recommend Sonja for her expertise, care, and unwavering support throughout this incredible chapter of our lives!

Rachel Agren

9/15/2023

Sonja was an absolute blessing for both my birth and pregnancy. She is incredibly knowledgeable, supportive and on your side! Her childbirth education is top notch filled with information and a safe space to ask questions about things your unsure of. Right from the get-go Sonja was supportive of what I wanted for my birth and never made me second guess my decisions or made me feel "dumb" for what I wanted. Due to some very unexpected things that happened surrounding my birth, Sonja wasn't able to be there in person, but was still able to support me virtually! Her calmness was extremely reassuring to me and just having even her voice come through the phone helped ease some stress. I will always be so thankful to have had her support throughout it all!

Skyler Everett

7/9/2023

I honestly don’t know what I would have done without Sonja by my side during my labour/birth. My labour lasted 3 days and she was such a blessing through it all. Her calm energy, patience and extensive knowledge helped not only myself but my husband’s as well. Not to mention she was such an amazing advocate for me. I would recommend her to absolutely anyone. Thank you Sonja!

Dee Lee

5/20/2023

Sonja went above and beyond to support me during my pregnancy and birth - I could not have asked for a kinder‌, more knowledgeable, and more attentive doula. She was always available by text and via phone, and spoke to me EXTENSIVELY about my fears, hopes, and options. It was incredible having such a knowledgeable birth worker in my corner. I was truly blown away by just how much Sonja knows about birth - not only does she teach a child birth education class, but she also has tons of tricks up her sleeve to help your labour progress smoothly. I could not recommend hiring her more - you will be in VERY good hands!!! I felt so empowered during the entire process, from pregnancy to birth, thanks to her. She's trained in spinning babies (i.e. techniques that help get your baby in the optimal position), is vbac certified (through the vbac link), and is constantly seeking continuing education surrounding child birth. Birth and doula work is a genuine passion for Sonja, not just a fleeting interest, and it is so clear in the way she supports you. As a cherry on top, she took amazing photos/videos of my birth and baby that I will forever cherish, helped me get settled after the birth was over, and brought me an adorable basket full of goodies a week postpartum. I could not recommend her more highly, and if we have another, will 100% be working with her again!

Alyssa Olichny

3/25/2023

Sonja attended my birth in December 2022 as a backup for my original doula. She was very resourceful and had lots of helpful suggestions to help me cope with labour and get things moving. She was also readily available after the birth while my baby was in the NICU and provided lots of information to help me make the best decisions for my little one. I would highly recommend her! 

Kyle

2/19/2023

Having Sonja as our Doula really helped both Alanna and I out during the whole process of before, during and after child birth! I really had no idea what to expect since this is my first baby. Sonja every step of the way answered all of our questions and doubts. Sonja gave us a lot of heads up on potential risks and questions that people would be asking us at the hospital. I was extremely nervous for what my role as a father would be at the hospital and even after! Sonja helped me through the whole experience! Whenever I was in doubt, she always had an answer! I feel like a confident dad now because of her help!! I would suggest to anyone who has had a child or not, with ptsd about giving birth or not, to have a doula with them! It's amazing to have another person always having what's best in mind for you near by. Thank you so much Sonja!

Katarina

1/19/2023

I had the opportunity to have Sonja at the birth of my first child. Sonja is very knowledgeable, personable and has a calm warming personality.

I loved having her at the birth. I would highly recommend Sonja to all of my friends and family and plan to hire her again for the birth of my second. 

As an added bonus, Sonja took the most amazing photos of the birth. 

Leila Samahnejad

12/7/2022

From the very second I met with Sonja, I realized she is the doula I want to have for my son's birth! She is so humble, professional, and kind! I highly recommend her to anyone who needs an advocate and seeks professional and non judgemental support. I had a very difficult experience with my first child's birth not having a doula present and soem other complications, but this time with Sonja's help and care, I was so confident that things would go well. My husband was not able to be present for the birth of my son unfortunately, but Sonja covered nearly each and every moment of it for him and supported me as if my husband or my mom/sis was actually were present there! I was aiming for a natual birth but was too worried that my baby would be vacumed same as my first one. Sonja was comforting me through the whole process and encouraging me that I was doing it and empowered me a lot. The photos she took and the video clip she made for us was amazing too. I would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart and wish her health and happiness! :)

Chelsea Drake

7/17/2022

For my third pregnancy, I enlisted the help of the Sonja  as I wanted to be more informed and involved in the labour and delivery of my baby. After two less than ideal hospital births I chose to have Sonja present at this birth; I honestly wish I could go back in time and have her support me through the deliveries of my first two children. It’s impossible to truly describe how wonderful the experience was with Sonja there to guide me through my labour by supporting and empowering me. I was able to deliver this baby in a calm, peaceful setting without an epidural or extensive  pain medication - something I never thought I would be able to do. 
Having Sonja present was just as much as a benefit for my husband as it was for me. Sonja was able to offer him guidance, on how to better support me and make the " unknowns " he may have been experiencing a little less scary for him with her support . 
My husband and I were truly touched at the photos Sonja took while in the hospital and a little video clip the moment my son was born, weeks later it still causes me to tear up  I am so greatful for Sonja and the services she has provided for me, and my family  

Britt

6/23/2022

Being that this was our first baby, Sonja’s support prior to birth, during birth and postpartum put both my husband and I at ease during the wild ride that was our daughter’s birth.

Firstly, Sonja was extremely supportive and responsive during my pregnancy, answering all of my questions using research, facts and past experience.

Next, my labour. Let’s just say my labour was LONG (40+ hours) and Sonja was by our side for the whole thing. This included coming to our home in Cochrane when labour first began, driving to Canmore, staying in Canmore at a hotel and then spending another full day/night of labour in the hospital with us. Like a lot of births ours did not go to ‘plan’ and Sonja was there to support us through all of the uncertainties. At one point near the end of my labour, my husband and I were both exhausted physically and mentally and the doctor was talking to us about options going forward. Knowing our birth wishes, Sonja helped us through the decision making and helped us to think clearly, even through our exhaustion.

Once we were home from the hospital Sonja came to visit to debrief the birth. Since the birth was long with some complication we greatly appreciated talking through it with Sonja. Additionally, Sonja left us with some very specially momentos for both our daughter and my husband and I to remember the special day, which included a letter to our daughter explaining how she came into the world and photos she had taken throughout my labour.

From the prenatal support Sonja provided, the support during my long labour and the postpartum support, Sonja was a crucial part to bringing our little one into the world. We would 100% recommend her to anyone looking for a Doula.

Thank you Sonja!

Sarah Roos

5/6/2022

From the begginning of my pregnancy, I knew that I wanted to experience a natural birth but have the option of using medication if needed. This is the main reason I decided to look for a doula.

To me, a natural birth is all about the mindset and atmosphere. From the first video call with Sonja, I knew that her calming presence was exactly what I was looking for. On her first visit, she was able to, unknowingly, impress my husband and he went from thinking that a doula was a just an extra expense to bring grateful that he would also have support on the day of. She was always available to contact and gave me tips and information at all hours. When it came to the day I delivered, she was an invaluable help from giving me ideas for different labor positions, to showing my husband how to do the double hip squeeze, but most of all she was able to keep the calm atmosphere in the birthing room I wanted. When the atmosphere shifted, she was able to get my husband and I some needed space for just the two of us to keep the oxytocin flowing. The only way I was able to mentally stay in the zone was because my husband and Sonja provided such amazing support. She also communicated my complete birth plan to the hospital staff so I didn't have to worry about what would happen when it came time to push. As a bonus, she also took pictures so my husband could concentrate on being there for me.

Sonja is the kind of doula who makes sure you have complete support in your decisions right from the start, a calm birthing atmosphere, and the ability to concentrate on the birth of your baby without any worry. She also makes amazing Lactation cookies!

Would hire again. Maybe for a home birth next.

Chelsea

3/14/2022

I cannot say enough amazing things about Sonja! My little one came early via emergency c-section and decided to shake things up right away! In the first two weeks of his life we had 2 hospital admissions and I was struggling. After the first hospital admission I reached out to Sonja for Postpartum Support (mainly overnight support). Not only was Sonja prompt, but she took the time to get to know me and my needs, as well as my spouses and my little ones. I was dealing with bad D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex), an infected c-section incision, Postpartum Anxiety and Depression, and extreme Sleep Deprivation. Sonja came in with an ample amount of knowledge not only  regarding the care of my little one, but also about care for me during this very transitional time. I am still dealing and working through the PPA and PPD and she still continues to be a massive support even on the days she is don't providing in person support. I would HIGHLY recommend Sonja as any type of support that you need/want during your pregnancy and postpartum journey.

Sneha

3/7/2022

Sonja is a fantastic birth and postpartum Doula.

She was a great help during my baby's birth, constantly aware of what I might be needing to get through the pain and labor. She also advocated for using a breathing technique I was comfortable with despite the nurses insistence on a different technique. Her presence was comforting for both me and my husband. During labor, she also checked in with my husband to see how he was faring. Would definitely recommend Sonja as a birthing Doula and we are grateful that she was a part of our birthing journey

She is also our primary Postpartum Doula and has offered several nights of support to help us get through the initial days and weeks of postpartum. As first time parents, her guidance has been invaluable. Her suggestions with feeding and calming the baby have been working well. My husband, the baby and I feel comforted in her presence. 

Simone Sevilla

2/2/2022

We are so happy we had Sonja as our doula for the birth of our first child! From our first meeting via Zoom to the prenatal and postpartum visits, she offered a wealth of information to help both me and my husband prepare for the birth we wanted and feel confident going into it, even when I went into labour over two weeks early and my labour kicking off in an unexpected manner. She was a calm and steady presence during labour and delivery, helped my husband feel involved, and was a wonderful advocate for my preferences and suggesting I try different positions to keep labour progressing. Ultimately the birth of our son was a truly positive experience, in large part thanks to Sonja. I also appreciated how she checked in regularly with me throughout my final trimester and the few first weeks postpartum and offered such great encouragement to me as a new mom. We highly recommend her!

Susan

12/23/2021

Sonja was my birth doula for my second child. From the very first conversation with her, I felt like she was the god sent to support me in these uncertain times. She had been very supportive  throughtout my pregnancy answering all my queries and understanding my concerns. She is informative and knowledgeable with so many techniques on how to labour and cope up with the pain during labour. She was my primary support person during my birth and She did her job extremely well. More than just a Doula, she is an amazing person.

I would highly recommend Sonja for anyone who is looking for some support and care during and after delivery. 

Samantha Shields

12/20/2021

The moment we hired Sonja as our doula I felt more at ease about our baby's upcoming birth. It was wonderful having someone outside of my midwives to ask questions. When I developed a medical issue late in pregnancy Sonja was able to calm my fears because she had first hand experience with the issue. 
Sonja was also great in the first days after I gave birth. She helped us get organized and learn how to use all the baby things (Moby wrap, pump, ect). It was incredibly helpful and I highly recommend Sonja to anyone about to give birth or looking for postpartum help. 

Carine B.

11/7/2021

Deiciding on Sonja as my doula was one of the best decisions I made during my pregnancy. She is very knowledgeable and resourceful and was always available to answer any questions I had no matter what time of the day. As a first time mother and a new Canadian I had a lot of them. She is passionate and enthusiastic about pregnancy, birth and everything related to mom and baby. She was reliable and always very caring throughout my pregnancy. When my water broke at 3 am she answered my call immediately and was ready to meet me at the hospital, in fact she arrived there before me. I loved how she supported my husband showing him how to comfort me and being by his and baby's side while I was being checked up during recovery.  I would definitely recommend her to anyone seeking support and use her services in a future pregnancy. 

Myranda Burton

11/1/2021

Sonja was amazing!

She made us feel so comfortable and was a very calming presence. She has so much to offer to help you with your pregnancy and to educate you on the birthing process. I have never felt more at ease with someone, especially in a very stressful situation. I don't think I could've handled myself as well as I did without Sonja.

My partner and I would highly recommend her to anyone who is about to have a baby. I honestly can't thank her enough for everything that she did for us and helped us through.

April

10/31/2021

Sonia was a great support for my first pregnancy. So full of information helped me prepare for the birth of my son immensely.

Ashten

10/5/2021

We recently got the opportunity to work with Sonja, and as my husband and I are both first time parents, it was amazing to have her both pre and post labour/delivery. She has a wealth of knowledge and could easily answer all the questions we (mostly myself) had. She checked in with me often to see how I was doing, and was available to talk to my husband when my contractions first started. Sonja was a calm presence when my labour took a turn, and she also kept checking in with my husband to make sure that he to was OK, which I greatly appreciated!

We loved working with Sonja! 

Whitney

10/1/2021

Sonja was so extremely helpful during our very long and emotional birth experience. She provided amazing emotional support and encouragement for both myself and my husband and was excellent at providing ideas for pain relief and positioning. She advocated on our behalf with healthcare professionals and was wonderful at navigating that landscape. We felt so comfortable with her straight away and are very happy we decided to hire her for doula services. 

Melissa

6/5/2021

From the very first moment I met Sonja I knew that she was going to be the perfect addition to my support team.

Sonja has a very uplifting personality and is very laid back, I love how it was always comfortable to be in her presence. 

I knew that if I had any questions or concerns that Sonja had an answer, there were a few times where I was at a loss with discomfort through the last trimester and she was able to flood me with amazing resources and techniques to try to relieve the discomfort.

while labouring Sonja was so easy going and able to help me to better understand what my body is going through, for the most of my labour I felt as though it was not real and she helped me to understand that it was true labour and encouraged me to rest while could.

I cannot imagine having a home birth without my amazing doula Sonja, she has so much knowledge in supporting a labouring momma, there was not a single moment where I didn't feel empowered by her words and assistance, we tried a few different positions that she had suggested until we found what worked for my body. 

Sonja was amazing before during and after my delivery, I will forever be grateful for her amazing assistance in bringing my little boy into the world. 

I highly recommend Sonja to anyone looking for a knowledgeable laid back support person. Absolutely amazing woman she is!

Jayne

4/28/2021

I honestly cannot describe how amazing it was having Sonja in our lives for the experience of having my first child. She was so knowledgeable, answered any and all questions, no matter how obscure, and she adapted to our ever changing situation flawlessly to give me ultimate confidence in my delivery.

Its obvious from Sonja's personality and demeanor that this is something she is so passionate about and that really becomes apparent in her role. I have a spinal condition as well as mental health issues and with both counts she went out of her way to research how to create the best environment possible to make sure things went smoothly and with the least negative impact on me. 

The moment she came out to assist in my labour I felt in safe hands, and she enabled my husband to feel completely in tune with me throughout. She prepared us perfectly with tools, tips and tricks from the beginning.

She taught us so much about what to expect and the professionalism, knowledge and kindness she showed me and my family was above and beyond anything I could have expected from a doula. 

I will 100% utilize her services for our next child, and would recommend her to anyone and everyone expecting. 

Aleah

4/16/2021

Sonja, was has been a blessing to me. She is very knowledgeable, supportive, and encouraging. After my first traumatic cesarean birth I went searching for extra support and I found Sonja, she made me feel confident in myself like I could do anything and our bodies were made for this. During labour she was a rock she helped me through breathing and different positions, she made me feel confident and  secure. Because of her exceptional support my birthing experience is something I look back to as the most euphoric empowering days of my life(natural and completely drug free). She was at the birth of 2 of my children, and if I have another she would be the first person I would call and recommend to anyone who is giving birth.

Madison Schaufele

4/16/2021

I absolutely love the care I am receiving from Sonja Dame. She is very knowledgeable about everything pregnancy and birth related. I believe we have a good connection and I trust her with any information or questions I may have. After two previous miscarriages I have been high anxiety throughout this pregnancy but Sonja has been so caring and helpful. I have no doubt that she will make my birth experience a positive one. I would recommend her to anyone questioning the care of a doula!