Julia T

11/30/2022

Barb was an incredible support for us during the birth of our daughter. She took the time to get to know us, our preferences, and our hopes for the birthing experience. Barb brings her joy, calm, and knowledge into each meeting which I really appreciated. I felt listened to and cared for each step of the way. Thank you Barb!

Bridget C

11/29/2022

I cannot begin to express how valuable it was to have Barb with us during the birth of our first child. Barb is humble, sassy (in a great way) and a master at her trade. After our intial meeting with her, my wife and I knew she was a great fit for us. If you're considering a doula I'd urge you to seriously consider Barb. Never did I feel like I wasn't safe or supported during the birth and I knew should I need it I had a professional advocate in Barb. It's important for your partner to feel supported too. And I know the day would've been more traumatic and stressful for my wife had Barb not been there. Thank you Barb, we'll appreciate you forever! 

Ingrid

11/28/2022

I am forever grateful that we were able to have Barb as our Doula. She was a calm and confident presence and I greatly appreciated her honesty. During labour, she constantly reassured me that I could make it through each contraction and give birth to my daughter. I don't believe that I could have had the home birth I wanted without her support.

She also helped me process the birth of my first child, which for numerous reasons, did not go the way I had hoped. Having Barb as a Doula for our second child was healing and empowering for me and helped me to make peace with my previous birth experience. 

Lastly, I want to say that Barb was also great with my three year old. Our family talked a lot about Doulas and Midwives and Barbs visits helped prepare our eldest daughter for the arrival of her sister. 

I wouldn't hesistate to recommend Barb as a Doula. 

Dominique Gall

3/29/2022

Barb brings a wealth of birth and postpartum knowledge to her practice, along with her warm, gentle, and motherly nature. My husband and I instantly connected with her, as she put us both at ease and supported us in all of our inquiries. Barb is a kind soul, the type of person who will help keep you grounded and calm, which was what I needed throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey! Very easy to get a hold if by phone or text anytime I reached her. She is very professional while making the experience feel relaxed and comforting. Highly recommend Barb. 

Taryn

4/12/2021

I'm a first-time mom and felt both excited and nervous about giving birth -- we loved Barb from our first meeting. She has a very calm and grounded energy, which really appealed to both my partner and I. She was able to come over for home visits before the birth, and both times it felt like we could chat forever. I felt comforted knowing she had been to so many births, and that she was a mother herself. She really took the time to go through the details with us and answered our questions.

We ended up having a scheduled c-section, and I was sad about it. Barb really made me feel supported when I had trouble deciding what I should do, and that meant the world to me. Because of COVID restrictions I wasn't able to have her with us for the birth, but she made it clear that she was available to use via phone, text, zoom, whatever. She was such a good listener, and provided such positive and judgement-free feedback and options. When we needed help with breastfeeding, she recommended a consultant and also came over with her to help, which was great.

Barb is just a lovely human, an excellent doula, and I can't recommend her highly enough. 

Sylvie

3/31/2021

I can't imagine having a home birth without Barb!  She contributed to a wonderful birth experience. Barb guided me through the contractions with breathing exercises and vocalisations, which I found to be extremely effective. She was also supportive of my partner and mom who were present.  Barb was respectful and comforting. If we have another child we will definitely use Barb again.  We highly recommend her!

Natalina

3/23/2021

I felt a connection with Barb right from our first call—her easy demeanour and sense of humour really hooked me! She is calm and funny, and has a beautiful approach to babies and birth.

While we were planning our home birth, Barb was our steady guide, getting to know us, helping us to think about and set boundaries, and providing levity and insight into birth.

When the plan went out the window and we ended up in hospital, Barb was calm—reassuring—supportive—a real rock to both myself and my partner. What a wild ride birth is, and I am so thankful we had Barb to be there and keep us on track when things felt really hard. We even laughed during! I wouldn't change a thing.

I felt fully heard, held, and supported. I can’t thank Barb enough. Miss you, Barb! xo

Alyssa H.

2/9/2021

Working with Barb was such a comfort to my partner and I as we approached the birth of our first baby. We had planned for a natural home birth, and in the pre-birth visits Barb was diligent in learning our birth preferences and getting to know us as people, as well as sharing many techniques and tools for pain management (including loaning her TENS machine). Barb was available via text or phone after each prenatal appointment with our care provider and helped us with decision making along the way. In the end, we had a hospital birth and Barb was so helpful in keeping me relaxed, managing my pain and needs, and coaching my husband on how to be a better coach, too. Barb has a great sense of humor, an open ear, and a calm maternal demeanor that allowed our family to feel heard, held and supported through the twists and turns that accompanied our birth journey. We are very grateful for the support we received from Barb and would definitely recommend to others. 

Mercedes

2/6/2021

Speaking as a first time mom who was unsure of whether or not a doula would truly be worth the money, I can now confidently say YES a thousand times over. Barb has been one of the most grounding and supportive people I've had around me during my pregnancy. She helped to settle my anxieties around birth by walking through possible scenarios with me and getting a feel for my preferences. My husband, who was also quite anxious as a first time dad, describes her support as invaluable and grounding.

Even though my birth did not go quite as I expected (don't they all!), Barb provided amazing physical and emotional support throughout my labour. I felt less alone knowing that I had someone who understood the emotional aspect of birth and how to best advocate for myself within a hospital environment. Even my doctor commended her support and said I was lucky to have her. She went above and beyond afterwards, visiting me at home multiple times and suggesting resources when breastfeeding was a struggle. She is a very down to earth woman with kids of her own and a lot of valuable life experience. With Covid, Barb was also able to offer flexible options like zoom and phonecalls where needed. My husband and I cannot recommend her highly enough, especially for first time parents.

Megan Harris

8/7/2020

We have known Barb prior to her helping us as a doula and were extremely happy with the help she provided to us. Due to visitation restrictions in light of covid-19 Barb was unable to be present for the birth of our son, however she was very supportive and accessible via video calling and text messaging to answer any questions and provide guidance and advice during this exciting yet challenging time. Barb was always available for advice any time of the day or night. Barb was an integral part of our birth planning and post-natal care helping with a smooth transition to our new family life. Barb is a kind and caring person who goes above and beyond to ensure both parents and baby are well taken care of. We are forever thankful for all the support and guidance to help us acheive the best possible birth, even in these unusual circumstances. We would highly recommend Barb to any one looking for a doula.

Leila

3/23/2020

Barb was a wonderful doula who made our birth experience even more positive than it would have been. She took lots of time in the weeks before my due date to get to know my partner and me, including asking many insightful questions that helped us think about and prepare for labour and delivery. She spent many hours at our apartment while I was in labour, and generally provided a very calming, grounding presence. She seemed to intuitively know when to make a suggestion or an adjustment, and when to just sit back and let my partner and I be in the moment together. I'm sure that without Barb, we would have gone to the hospital much earlier than necessary/ideal. But with her here, I did most of my labouring from home, which was what we wanted. 

At the hospital, Barb and our midwife seemed to work as a great team. Her gentle, relaxed energy was very reassuring. I felt incredibly supported, safe, and cared for throughout the entire experience.

Lindsey Pattison

3/3/2019

We loved having Barb as our doula. Her care and experience was invaluable through out my labour for both me and my husband. We appreciated the prenatal visits where we got to know Barb and she got to know us and our birth plan. She is a wealth of knowledge and experience as well as a lovely steady and calm presence during labour. We would use her again in a heartbeat and highly recommend her!

Jules Van Vliet

6/19/2018

Barb is a committed, experienced and nurturing Dula. A fairy-godmother-like birth expert. She knows from Her clients, her family and her own life what it is like to be from a remote community and have to travel for birthing services and was very supportive of our family through the process: visiting is in ukee, lending us resources, bringig Us breakfast after the birth and being an overall great team member. She was able to help us ask the right questions through the process and point us in the right direction to answers without being too imposing. As one of the vida duals she has access to excellent suppor. Barb is very caring and lovely. She is a great choice especially if you are from Haida Gwaii or Tofino/Ucluelet.

Jamie Deutekom

10/5/2017

Barb has been at my side for the births of all three of my children. She has been a source of knowledge and comfort. I have been fortunate enough to have three successful homebirths and Barb's experience and understanding of a woman's needs in labour really helped me through each of them. Barb was invaluable in her ability to suggest different and helpful positions, strategies for coping with pain, and providing encouragement to carry on. Especially in my first labour, but also in my third, it was immensely helpful to have Barb present as she arrived and provided support before the midwife arrived and helped provide support and coach me through the earlier stages of labour.

I strongly believe that the services of a doula help provide a woman, and her family, with the best chance to have a positive and more empowered labour, which will help set the tone for a much more successful postpartum recovery- Barb did this for me, three times, and I am ever thankful.

I was fortunate to not require interventions, but I was quite confident that Barb, myself, and my partner understood what our preferred outcome and our plan was during childbirth and in the early postpartum period. I was put at ease knowing that Barb would be an advocate for my wishes, and that I would not act out of panic or without considering my choices carefully. Barb was a source of comfort, strength and confidence.

From the perspective of my partner, he appreciated the knowledge and expertise that Barb imparted to us, and was very grateful to have a person to assist with providing support during, and perhaps more so after the birth of our children. My partner was able to relax and be present for all the moments after birth, while Barb did a fantastic job helping settle us in with our new family member.

We highly recommend Barb as a doula.

Marjorie Gaulin-Riffou

11/28/2015

From the first time we meet Barb we knew the match was perfect. Barb is a very easy going person, very caring and very knowledgeable. Although we hadn't initially set out to have a doula, now that we have lived the birth of our son Benjamin with one, I have to say we were very grateful to have her as part of our team.

We had the opportunity to meet with her twice before we made our way to the hospital. At each visit she provided us with great information, great handouts and suggested great resources online and around town in Victoria. She reassured us about the whole birthing process and reviewed some technics that we could use to help us out during labor. She also reminded us multiple times that she was available to answers our questions or to reassure us if we needed her support at anytime. She was very easy to reach which we appreciated.

During our time at the hospital, Barb was there to support both my husband and I. She suggested multiple different positions and helped me with breathing which was essential in keeping me going. Her support throughout the process was essential in keeping me calm and relaxed; it was evident that she truly cared. She was also there to reassure us when we ended up needing an epidural and going in for a C-section.

After the birth of Benjamin, Barb came by to visit at the hospital to assist with breastfeeding or any other concerns we had. She also came by to visit us in our home 2 weeks after the birth and even provided us with some meals. Thank you again for that :)

Overall, we could not be happier with the service Barb provided. We would not hesitate to recommend her to friends and we will without a doubt contact her when we decide to expand our family.

Thank you again for everything Barb!!! We truly appreciate your help and support throughout the entire process. Keep doing what you are doing because you are amazing at it!

Marjorie, Lucas & baby Benjamin

Charlotte Jolley

7/6/2015

We didnt hesitate to ask Barb to be our doula again, for the birth of our second child.  This time around it was even more important for us to have a doula and someone we felt comfortable with as my mother was not able to attend the birth and my husband had just had back surgery.  Barb really came through and was a great support, coach and comfort to me in labour and we had our beautiful baby girl at home in June.

Erin Edler

6/16/2015

Barb is a close family friend of ours and that came in handy when managing certain family members during the birth. ;) Barb was very calm and that was a great help leading up to and during the birth of our baby boy. She provided a lot of great information and I felt like she truly cared about both my husband and I, and helping to bring our baby into the world the best way we could.  I would highly recommend Barb as a doula.

Devon Armstrong

12/5/2014

Hiring Barb to be my doula was the best decision I could have made for my birth.  She was very caring and informative, and did her best to find out what made me feel comfortable.  This was my first birth, and it helped me feel very secure in having a home birth.

Before the birth, she clearly outlined the stages of labour and birth, as well as techniques to help deal with pain, and provided different remedies for before and after the birth.  Even though many of the techniques turned out not to be needed, it was a great comfort to know that she was prepared with a variety of techniques and tools.

During the birth, she was a wonderful calming influence, making sure I was working with the pain management techniques properly and changing positions as needed.  I feel that this was a large part of why my natural delivery went so smoothly.

After the birth, as we were at home, she was very helpful in cleaning up and even put dinner in the oven!  We definitely felt well taken care of.

I highly recommend Barb as a doula, and hope to have her attend any future births I may have, as well.

Sincerely,

Devon Armstrong
A very satisfied customer, and a happy new mom!

Rebecca Olson

5/21/2014

It really helped me to feel more comfortable going through the birthing procedure.  To be not as scared on doing the wrong thing or forgetting important steps that must be done.  It was great how easy it was to contact Barb and for her to provide a phone number when she was out of town.  Also happy she lent me a DVD that went through the helpful aids when going through labor.

Jennifer Last

4/13/2014

Barb was an indispensible part of my birth team. She lent a patient and understanding ear to all of my concerns leading up to the birth, took the time to get to know me and my wishes, and offered her extensive knowledge and experience as a doula and a mother to help me make decisions. When my husband was away for work and looked like he might not make it home for the birth, Barb was a huge emotional support for me, helping me to deal with the expected and unexpected alike. During my labour she supported not only me physically and emotionally when i needed it, but also my husband. She was never intrusive and worked seemlessly with the midwives and my husband. Because of her encouragement and guidance I was able to have the natural, intervention free birth that I wanted, even when i thought i was going to give up. Barb is intelligent, respectful, and calm; she is a trove of wisdom and has a lovely sense of humour. I would highly reccomend her to anyone looking for a doula whether for a home or hospital birth, because I know she'll be there for you no matter what heppens, just like she was for me.

Nadine Collison

4/7/2014

Barb was matched to us through the Military Family Resource Centre for the birth of our second child. She was kind, open, understanding and very supportive. She met with me for as long as needed to get to know me, my family, and my desires for this pregnancy and labour. She even met with the hypnotherapist I used for birthing so she could coach me better during labour.

My labour was both long (4 days of on and off contractions) and short (about an hour with only 10 minutes of pushing once things got going). I changed my mind from having a home birth to going to the hospital and she was supportive, nonjudgemental, and understanding. She met us at the hospital and I was already in transition - she was a ROCK to both me and my husband. She coached me through an extrememly fast and intense labour and helped me focus in a way I couldn't have done by myself. She has an extensive "bag of tricks" to help women in labour - but we didn't have time for them.

Both my husband and I were impressed with her empathy, professionalism, and warmth. I highly recommend her to any woman going through pregnancy - whether it is your first or your sixth - she can help make the experience better for you!

jamie adrian deuteknee

3/26/2014

Barb was our doula and helped us to welcome our first child into the world in early March.  As first-time parents we were unsure of how we would our labour would go, and were quite anxious about the whole process.  We were introduced to Barb who agreed to be our doula, and we could not be happier that she took us on.  Barb provided us knowledge, comfort and confidence beforehand.  During labour she was invaluable.

From the perspective of the new mother, she provided me with in-depth knowledge that allowed me to feel as comfortable as possible while labouring.  She was able to suggest changes, provide support and encourage me throughout the labour.  After the birth, Barb was also incredible- she helped us capture some family photos when we were all comfortable, provided advice on breastfeeding, and shared in our excitement at becoming new parents.

From the perspective of the new father, Barb helped me to be a better support during labour.  Barb reminded me of plans we had for the labour and suggested ways to be more helpful, involved and at ease.  Barb also provided a crucial set of extra hands which was immensely helpful, both during and after labour.

We cannot thank Barb enough for her help and support.  Barb took the time to get to know us beforehand, followed-up to ensure that the final months and weeks of pregnancy were going well.  She helped us a great deal and it was a pleasure to have her be a part of our child's birth.

Ashley Pappano

11/6/2013

We decided on a doula because we just moved to Victoria and we have no family here. Barb became exactly that during this most special time in our lives. Our visits were very informative and prepared us for the big day. My labour was very intense due to back issues and Barb was my life saver. I could have never been successful having a drug free labour without her. The support and knowledge she gave my husband was also amazing. He felt very confident knowing she was there and was able to focus more on me. Barb was simply amazing and I would recommend her to everyone I know having children.

Charlotte Jolley

6/19/2013

Barb’s experience and care really shone through during my marathon labour with our first child. She was a fantastic, tireless supporter throughout and seamlessly fitted in with the rest of my birth team; my midwife, mum and husband.

She knew exactly what was needed; be it massage, words of encouragement, guiding me with coping techniques or just being there for moral support. The breathing pattern she showed us really helped me manage without any pain medication for a long time.

Even though circumstances meant that we had to change our birth plan; the people and support around me meant that my birth experience was still an amazingly positive one. Barb, with her warm character and unjudgmental attitude, was an integral part in this. She has become much more than our doula and we look forward to many years of friendship.

Dejah Busch

3/4/2013

We were extremely pleased with our decision to have Barb as our doula for the birth of our first child. After meeting with her on multiple occasions, prior to labour, we knew that when the time came we would be in good hands.

My labour was long, but Barb was there every step of the way. She not only coached me, but also my husband, who otherwise might have panicked. She helped me relax and manage my pain throughout the whole labour, and kept me calm when things got intense. She also helped us cope when complications arose, and we had to reconsider our birth plan.

I cannot express how grateful we are to have had someone like Barb by our side. She exceeded our expectations, and I could never imagine going through that experience without her.
 

Dave Reynolds

2/17/2013

Our decision to work with Barb for the birth of our first child may have been the most important choice we made.

Barb was able to fulfill many different roles and be an impactful source of support for both my wife and I. While the entire birthing “industry” is built around support for mothers to be, my perception is that there is little or no consideration for the difficulties some fathers have in understanding their role and in managing the intense emotional pendulum that swings during the final days of pregnancy and the first days of parenthood. It is in this area that Barb made a huge contribution to my experience.

She helped be as supportive a partner to my wife as I could be in the days leading up to labor. Knowing that she would be there with us took away so much of the worry that I wouldn’t know what to do or how to help my wife. She actively participated in comforting my wife through 30 hours of back labor and showed me how I could help as well. When complications arose and stress levels sky rocketed, it was Barb who helped me cope and allowed me to remain focused on being there for my wife.

Both my wife and I are eternally grateful for all that Barb has done for us. We hope to add to our family in the future and when that day comes, Barb will be at our side.