Grace Jose, Founder
Grace Jose, FounderCertified HypnoBirthing® Practitioner, Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist

Grace is a professionally Trained Labour Doula, Postpartum Doula, Certified HypnoBirthing® Childbirth Educator, and an Association of Placenta Preparation Arts (APPA) Certified Placenta Specialist. She is a member in good standing of APPA, and the HypnoBirthing Institute.   Grace is the proud founder of Graceful Birth Doula Services Inc.

Grace has attended over 300 births and has supported thousands of families. She understands the anxiety and confusion that can sometimes be associated with childbirth and becoming new parents. This is why she is so passionate about sharing her knowledge, skill and experience with others during the wonderful, but sometimes overwhelming transitional stage of life. Grace feels that with the proper support, women have a great chance of having a wonderful postnatal experience.

Grace is the proud mom of three adult children and a grandma to three! She volunteers at Heartland, A Church Connected. Grace also loves to play sports and travel. She spends much of her free time supporting her very active family on the volleyball court and Frisbee fields.

Contact her today for more information on how a Graceful Birth Professional can make your birth and transition to parenthood a better one.

Megan Bacci

I used Graceful Birth Doula Services to capsulize my placenta. At first I was skeptical about taking placenta pills as the thought of eating my placenta was odd and unusual. However, after taking them a week after my labour, I instantly woke up with more energy and didn’t suffer from any postpartum depression. I highly recommend Graceful Birth Doula Services to anyone, as they are incredibly professional and efficient.

Megan Bacci

I used Graceful Birth Doula Services to capsulize my placenta. At first I was skeptical about taking placenta pills as the thought of eating my placenta was odd and unusual. However, after taking them a week after my labour, I instantly woke up with more energy and didn’t suffer from any postpartum depression. I would highly recommend Graceful Birth Doula Services to anyone, as they are extremely professional and efficient services.

Mae Caldarelli

Fantastic experience with Graceful Birth. Grace was able to accommodate me last minute with her encapsulation services. The fact that they come to the hospital is so so so convenient you don’t have to worry about a thing. She worked very quickly to turn my capsules around and they were delivered in a cute little package that had useful information and the umbilical cord in a little baggy. She makes herself available via email and text for any questions or concerns and makes an effort to follow up. Would definitely use their services in the future.

Maggie
Maggie Certified Birth Doula

Maggie is a labour and birth doula certified through Birth Arts International. She is a member of the Association of Ontario Doulas. She believes each birth is sacred and that it’s an honour to help individuals and families have the most positive experience possible.
Maggie listens to what her clients have to say and follows their lead in what approach to take during labour. She brings her experience and tools to aid in each person’s comfort,
advocating and helping families find their voice if need be. Her superpower is her calm nature during labour and birth.

Maggie has worked with children for most of her life starting with teaching preschool and then teaching junior kindergarten. She is a very proud mom of three adult daughters and one beautiful baby grandson. Her passions include being out in nature, reading, and
listening to music in her spare time.

Supporting births since 1999

Karen and Marko Juresic

We are so happy to have had Maggie with us during this journey. She made me feel much more at ease throughout the pregnancy, she checked in with me regularly and responded quickly to questions. She provided resources that allowed me to focus on key decisions and provided information to help me make an informed choice. When I went into labour she answered promptly and gave reassurances on if i should stay at home or go to the hospital. When I got to the hospital she was there waiting and when we went into the labour and delivery room she quickly set up the room to be a calming environment for me. Her calming presence helped me feel at ease and she advocated for the birth i wanted. When the OB suggested a different course of action, it was nice to know i could trust Maggie in a second opinion. She was wonderful after the birth as well, taking pictures and helping place the baby comfortably on me. We know we would have been a lot more anxious without Maggie and we are so glad we had her during our journey

Sasha Elford

Maggie from Graceful Birth was incredible to work with. She supported us in late pregnancy to prepare for birth, during labour and delivery, and in the postpartum period. As new parents, I can’t image navigating all of the emotions and challenges of this time without her. Her kind, reassuring demeanor was very calming, and I really appreciated being able to talk through decisions with her. Particularly during labour, it made all the difference to have her with us. Maggie will always have a special place in our hearts as playing an essential role in our daughter’s birth. Thank you to Graceful Birth for connecting us with her!

Maggie from Graceful was absolutely wonderful to work with. In my wife’s words: “the best money we’ve ever spent.”

We met with Maggie twice before the birth, at the hospital during the labour/birth, and will be meeting here again shortly after the birth.

Maggie was so helpful in setting our expectations, providing peace of mind to my wife (and me) throughout the entire process, being our advocate at the hospital, and helping my wife manage the pain during the birthing process.

Highly recommended. I’m sure we’ll be back if/when we have another kid…
Breanna Foo

Maggie was the doula who attended the birth of our beautiful baby girl. After battling infertility, it was important to us that we had someone present who would help us understand our options and help to advocate for our desired birth plan. Maggie was an absolute godsend, I cannot recommend her highly enough. Maggie helped to comfort me while I was in labour, taking the pressure off my husband and helping him be present in the moment instead of being worried. Maggie is incredibly calm and reassuring, and has an excellent toolkit she brings to births to help Moms be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Maggie was also great while I was pregnant, making herself available to answer questions and spending time with us to educate us on what to expect. If you are looking for a warm, caring and experienced individual to support you Maggie is an excellent choice. No question, if I’m fortunate enough to have another child Maggie will be at my side!

Emily Hops

We would like to let you know how grateful we are to have Maggie as our Doula proactively calling and checking in and getting in touch with the hospital on behalf of me. As we are new to Canada we really needed someone so knowledgeable about the system.

Thanks
Maya

Tricia
TriciaCertified Birth and Postpartum Doula

Tricia Bousquet is a disciplined, passionate Postpartum Doula. With over 30 years of experience working with diverse children with varying abilities, Tricia has mastered the balance of caring for and teaching the whole person. A Graduate with her ECE Diploma, a Certified Doula and Certified in First Aid and CPR, she personifies the comfort and assurance required in supporting postpartum families.

As a wife for 24 years, and a mother of five beautiful girls, she is no stranger to the spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical needs of growing children.

Her family fostered approximately 50 children over 18 years (many of which were infants) and supported the families, specifically the mothers of those children during difficult and challenging times by providing a stable environment for their children, some whom were medically fragile.

Being a life-learner is who Tricia is. Whether it be through monthly trainings as a foster parent, teaching her daughters chemistry or engaging in a conversation, you will find Tricia inquiring, kind, friendly, a quick learner and easy to get along with. Tricia is committed to continual personal growth, development and is a positive addition to every environment.

Tricia understands the needs of a new parents and is excited to come alongside them in this wonderful yet unexpected time in their lives, welcoming their new addition into their family.

Certification

• Birthing Supernaturally Birth and Postpartum Certification 2019
• Early Childhood Education Diploma, Humber College
• Infant and Child CPR Certified, 2022
• Currently training with Still Birthday International

Training

• Crisis Prevention Management 2015
• Mental health 2015
• Grief and Loss 2017
• Child Mental health 2018

Specialized in
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 2017
• Crisis Prevention Management 2018
• Therapeutic Parenting 2018
• Adoptions

Tricia was phenomenal. She was the light in the darkness of labour. She coached me from start to finish, helped me induce labour naturally, educated me, was a support system via phone and in person, and managed labour pains. She supported and guided me through a lengthy labour. Her positivity and professionalism have truly made a mark on my birthing journey.

Casey and Jaxon

Absolutely couldn’t have had a better support system than Grace and her team. The doula and night nurse services were beyond my expectations & both ladies played a very important role in helping me prepare for labour & recover mentally, emotionally and physically.

The doula services provided my Tricia was phenomenal. She was the light in the darkness of labour. With her couching me from start to finish, helping me to induce labour naturally, educating me, being a support system via phone and in person & manage labour pains. Supporting and guiding me through a lengthy labour. Her positivity and professionalism has truly made a mark on my birthing journey.

Marianne was my night nurse and I couldn’t thank her enough. Marianne dedicated her nights to helping me get the rest that I needed by caring for my newborn. She treated him as her own, educated me in healthy infant patterns, infant sleep safety & looked after us until both baby and myself were on the mend and able to develope a routine.

Thank you so much for the care and love, definitely glad to make Grace & her team apart of my pregnancy & birthing journey. Would recommend 100%

Aubrey
AubreyCertified Postpartum Night Doula

Aubrey is brand new to Canada after immigrating here from Los Angeles in December 2020. She has always had reverence and compassion for birthers and the process of stepping into one’s new role after childbirth and after her own daughter’s birth in 2018, she decided to focus on making it a career. After working on her own, she trained with Patty Brennan in 2020 to become a certified Postpartum Doula. Since moving to Canada, she has continued working with clients and working towards completing her DONA International Certification.
Aubrey’s superpower lies in her unending energy and ability to support families overnight. Her goal is to provide a haven for the new parents to recharge and reset so they can take on those challenging first weeks of the 4th Trimester. She offers nonjudgmental, unwavering support to help establish the patterns your family feels most confident in.

Aubrey was our night doula from May – July 2022. She was with us for the first 2 months of our daughter’s life. She helped us 3 nights per week for 9 hours per night. She recorded feeding volumes, diapers, pump volumes and a summary of the night in a notebook she left in the baby’s nursery for us each morning.
I honestly don’t know how we would have made it through the newborn stage without Aubrey. Knowing we had 3 nights each week with her made all the difference. For my husband, this meant he got a solid night’s sleep 3 nights each week. For me, it meant just waking up to pump at night and not needing to feed or settle the baby.
In addition to sleep, I looked forward to our chats when she would arrive. We’d debrief on what had happened with me/the baby since we last spoke and Aubrey always had encouraging words to
share. Those first few weeks can be lonely and having a doula to not only take care of the baby but take care of me was huge.
I highly recommend Aubrey, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Congratulations,
Amanda & Rob Chalmers

Aubrey provided doula services for me in 2017 after the birth of my son, Auggie. This was my first child and we had no family nearby, so we decided to hire a postpartum doula to help us adjust. Aubrey helped us both during the day and at night, as needed. During the day she did laundry, dishes, and took Auggie off my hands occasionally so I could nap, shower, etc. She also did an overnight session for us.

Aubrey was warm and personable whenever we saw her. She had a very calming presence and was very knowledgeable and helpful. Aubrey was great with Auggie – we really couldn’t have asked for better. I think any family would be lucky to have Aubrey as their doula.

Sarah Bickel

Winny Shen
 
We have used Graceful Birth twice. The first time we hired a night doula (Aubrey) for the initial couple of weeks after our son was born. It was extremely helpful to have another pair of hands (and a kind ear) as my partner was still working and needed sleep. The second time was more recently when I had to go away for a work-related conference for a couple of days, but the baby was still not sleeping through the night, so I wanted some support for my partner. 
Yaron Shen
Aubrey was fantastic! She joined us for a much-needed week of sleep, and she also gave us a few tips and tricks which helped get our daughter on track with her sleeping. Would recommend 🙂
Kimberly
KimberlyCertified Birth and Postpartum Doula

Kim has a BA Honours in Children, Childhood and Youth studies.

She has over 10 years of childcare and infant experience and after working in a pediatric clinic for 4 years she decided to become a doula. She is a Postpartum Doula trained by Doula Training Canada, and Breastfeeding Counsellor.

Her passion is to provide support to families in need filling the gap left by the healthcare system. She believes that everyone can use some help, especially in the early postpartum days and she wants to be that helping hand. She is committed to supporting families, providing them with resources and helping them create positive memories. She prides herself in her ability to adapt to any situation and provide her clients with the support that they need.

Kim is registered with the Ontario Doula Association, is insured, and has her infant CPR Certification and her Police Record Check (Vulnerable Sector). Kim also has twin experience.

Kimberly has been remarkable for my baby! She looked after my baby for 6 months, from November to June, she took great care of her and even guided us when we needed suggestions. She also helped us to book our pediatrician! Overall she is perfect at her job, and I recommend her wholeheartedly. -S. Chakravarty

Kim was the exact calming and knowledgeable presence that we needed in our home during the first few weeks with our newborn. She is patient, a great listener and a total baby whisperer! We learned so much from her and are so thankful for her checking in on us and answering all of our questions. – K. Christie

Kimberly has been a great help throughout our daunting but exciting journey with our newborn Adam. She provided great help and knowledge that first time parents might miss or not consider. I am sure she will provide excellent newborn help, especially for first time parents. – G. Alcaraz Rojas

Helen
HelenCertified Postpartum Day Doula

Helen is a Birth and Postpartum Doula with 32 year experience in the childcare industry and 18 years experience as a Birth and postpartum Doula. She has worked as a live-in nanny for eight years and has 3 grown children of her own.

Helen’s certifications:

• Still Birthday Certified
• Safe Passage Full Spectrum Doula Certification
• Online First Response Training
• Birthing Supernaturally Doula
• Trauma Informed Care Certification
• CPR and First Aid Training- National CPR Foundation 2021

Volunteer Experience:

• Pregnancy Care Center Toronto
• Vanier Correctional Center for Women
• Sunday School Teacher

What sets Helen apart:
• Spanish speaking
• Spanish Translator
• Wellness Advocate Training ( Essential Oils)

Helen’s super power is her ability to adapt to any situation and provide her clients with the love and support they need.

I have had the awesome pleasure of having Helen as my Doula for my second son Santiago and she has been the childcare worker for both of my children for 14 years. Helen is compassionate and caring and very skilled in the care of young
children. She has worked for me as a Post-partum Doula and her assistance was
crucial during that period. I highly recommend her services to any family.
Paola Charria Parent and Doula Client

We are completely satisfied with Hélène’s services. She is very competent and brings sweetness and calm into our lives! She improved my daily life in the space of two days and I feel more serene in the relationship with my baby. I already understand him better!

Romane 2022

We were so lucky to have Helen present at the birth of our second child. We had actually been matched and met with a different Doula who was unable to be present at the birth and Helen stepped in at the last minute. Even though we hadn’t really had a chance to meet her before that day, she was a wonderful, calming presence during the birth. She was extremely attentive to my needs and she helped me find different positions that worked best. She made great use of massage and essential oils, and she gave great advice when there were medical decisions to be made. She also had a lot of great stories to share which was great for distraction! Having her present truly made for a positive birth experience. She also came for one visit postpartum to help us bathe the baby as well as gave us tips for surviving the nighttime feeds. She is lovely. I highly recommend Helen as a birth doula!

Jenna

I’m writing this letter to recommend Helen Monge as a Doula. As new parents, my husband and I enlisted Helen’s help in the first 3 weeks after our son was born to help us care for him overnight. This was a very challenging stage in our parenting journey as we learned how to care for a newborn and as I recovered from delivery and took on the challenges of learning how to nurse all while sleeping in increments of 1 or 2 hours. It was important to have someone trustworthy and knowledgeable to support us during that time and Helen was the perfect fit for our family.

Helen’s warmth immediately comforted me from our very first conversation. She’s passionate, genuinely caring and extremely patient. I learned so much from her in our short time together and I always felt supported and cared for.

Parenting is a team sport and if you’re new at it you definitely want someone like Helen by your side. I truly can’t recommend her enough or say more great things about how much impact she has had on my family.

Sincerely,

Sarah Hashem

My husband and I got our much needed rest. Helen was wonderful. We will definitely reach out to you when need a doula/nanny in the future.

Thank you for your prompt response and help.

Ferzana

Liz
LizNewborn Care Specialist / Night Doula

Liz is a dedicated and compassionate Newborn Care Specialist with over 15 years of experience in the childcare industry. A passionate lover of babies and opportunities to provide a nurturing environment that supports the best possible outcomes, both present and future. Devoted to gradually becoming less pertinent as each family assignment progresses towards culmination. This by providing times of rest and respite, purposefully engaging, encouraging, educating and equipping parents to build confidence in their instincts, knowledge base, understanding and care as their baby develops. Liz’s pleasant, balanced, and accepting disposition affords parents an assured sense of personal tranquillity and reliable confidence in the expert care being provided and received.

Paola
PaolaCertified Postpartum Doula

Meet Paola, an empathetic and passionate postpartum doula with a wealth of personal and professional experience. As a mother of two, with her oldest child at 20 and the youngest at 11, Paola brings a unique blend of nurturing expertise to her role.

Paola holds a three-year certification in training from BIRTHING SUPERNATURALLY, ensuring she is well-equipped to provide exceptional care. Additionally, she is certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid by the National CPR Foundation, prioritizing mothers’ and newborns’ safety and well-being.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, Paola seamlessly connects with a diverse range of clients. With an impressive 21-year background as an aesthetician, Paola has honed her skills in connecting with women through aromatherapy treatments, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises. Her journey as a postpartum doula stems from a deep-seated passion to assist women during this transformative period. Paola finds great fulfillment in sharing her personal experiences, especially as the mother of a child born with HEMOPHILIA, allowing her to navigate challenging situations with empathy and understanding.

Having faced the difficulties of being a new mother herself, especially when English was not her primary language and without family nearby, Paola can relate to the emotional hurdles that come with motherhood. She recognizes the importance of providing unwavering support to new mothers and those anticipating the arrival of their little ones.

Paola eagerly anticipates meeting your baby and sharing her extensive knowledge, love, and support with you and your family. As your postpartum doula, she is committed to making this significant journey as smooth and joyous as possible.

Carla
CarlaBirth and Postpartum Doula

Carla’s passion for doula care began with the pregnancy and birth of her daughter.
Having worked as a doula for 15 years, Carla has seen many ways that birthing may unfold and has applied that reassuring touch and presence to clients who have birthed at home, hospital with epidurals and through cesarean delivery as well.
Carla encourages parents to make confident and informed decisions during pregnancy, birth & postpartum. Specializing in daytime or overnight support, twin & multiple birth support and water-birthing.
She is also a Traditional Reiki Practitioner who treats and offers the care, comfort and confidence that mothers and families need to get through the initial weeks and months of their baby’s life.
Carla is a twin and multiples specialist, and in the last eight years has focused her care on postpartum support to help families adjust to their growing family.
Carla encourages parents to make confident and informed decisions during pregnancy, birth & postpartum. Specializing in daytime or overnight support, twin & multiple birth support and water-birthing. She is also a Traditional Reiki Practitioner who treats and offers the care, comfort and confidence that mothers and families need to get through the initial weeks and months of their baby’s life.

Laura
LauraCertified Postpartum Doula

Laura’s journey to becoming a certified Postpartum Doula began as a teenager who found cozy corners in bookstores reading and absorbing like a sponge all the information she could get about birth, newborns and becoming a Mom.  After completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a rewarding 30+ year career in special education she took the leap to certify as a Postpartum Doula. Her calm, supportive nature provides families with personal support including infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery, bonding, soothing and baby-care as well as the intuition to meet you where you are and see your needs during the fourth trimester.

As a mother of three Laura understands how important postpartum care is. Providing the support to empower birthing parents and their partners to be nourished, feel grounded and empowered to begin or continue the journey of parenthood is her goal.  She has a personal interest in Postpartum mental health, having experienced a traumatic birth and recovery with her second baby.

As a self-identified lifelong learner, Laura is committed to knowledge and growth both personally and professionally.   In her spare time you’ll find her practicing Yoga, reading historical fiction and exploring the Bruce Trail with her favourite hiking buddies- her husband Matt and black lab Rory.

Lesley
LesleyCertified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Infant Care Specialist, Gental Sleep coach

Lesley stands as a pillar of support and wisdom for families entering the beautiful journey of parenthood. With an impressive 20 years of experience, Lesley is not just a Postpartum Doula but a multifaceted professional committed to enhancing the well-being of new parents and their little ones.

Her expertise includes being a Holistic Sleep Coach, a Certified Night Coach, an Advanced Newborn Care Specialist, and CACHE certified Newborn Care Specialist. Lesley’s dedication to professional growth is evident through her certifications as a Certified Postpartum Doula, trained New Parent Educator, Childbirth Educator, and Birth Doula through CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association).

Lesley’s commitment to the highest standards of care is reflected in her additional certifications, including the PPE Health Care Provider Controls Certificate and the Reducing the Risk of SIDS and SUID in Early Education and Childcare Certificate. Always striving to stay current, Lesley regularly attends workshops and seminars on various topics, ensuring that her practice remains up-to-date with the latest in postpartum care, infant well-being, and parenting support.

Beyond her impressive credentials, Lesley brings a genuine warmth and understanding to her role. Her holistic approach encompasses emotional support, practical guidance, and a wealth of knowledge in newborn care and sleep coaching. Families can trust Lesley to provide a calm and nurturing environment, where her 20 years of experience shine through in every interaction.

Lesley’s commitment to safety is evident in her up-to-date Police check, Emergency First Aid, and Baby CPR certifications, ensuring that the families she works with receive the highest level of care and security.

Experience the depth of expertise, compassion, and dedication Lesley brings to every family she supports. Together, let’s make your transition to parenthood a Graceful and empowering experience with Lesley, your trusted Postpartum Doula.

Cass
CassBirth Doula, Prenatal Yoga Instructor

Cass is an experienced birth doula, Lamaze-trained childbirth educator, and yoga instructor who specializes in perinatal movement.

Cass kept hearing the call to birth work over the years, and finally answered in 2020, after the birth of her son.
Her passion lies within pregnancy, education and perinatal movement. Much of her yoga training has been dedicated to skills that translate back to supporting new families, such as breath work and meditation, restorative yoga and Ayurvedic care for pregnancy.  Cass services the Niagara, Hamilton, Brant and Haldimand areas.

Amazing client testimonials coming very soon

Shantelle
ShantelleCertified Newborn Care Specialist - Travel and 24/7 Support

Meet Shantelle Alliman, an Internationally Certified Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) and (postpartum doula), also known as maternity nurse or night nurse. Shantelle graduated with an Early Childhood Education Diploma from Conestoga College,  after which she obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Child, Youth and Family from the University of Guelph. She has over 15 years of extensive newborn and infant care experience. Shantelle provides overnight/ daytime support to postpartum moms from newborns to 4 months old, and sleep training for ages 4+ months.

Shantelle has been a travel nanny for the past 15 years, a house manager, a doula, a newborn care specialist, and a sleep consultant.

She is passionate about helping families navigate through different transitions through all ages and stages. She is known as the “sleep guru” and really puts emphasis on healthy sleep habits right from day one. She is patient, full of knowledge and a real nurturer.

Experience with:
Twins
Preemies
Tether Oral ties (tongue and lip tie)
Medically fragile newborns
Reflux, Colic, and G.E.R.D babies
HNW/HP experience (fully staffed homes)
Extensive worldwide travel
CREDENTIALS
Certified newborn care specialist
Early Childhood Education
Bachelor of Applied Science (child, youth and family)
Montessori Training
New Parent Educator
Certified holistic sleep consultant
No CIO sleep training
Postpartum Doula
CPR/First aid certified

 

Esther Hazzard, RN IBCLC
Esther Hazzard, RN IBCLCPostpartum Nurse, Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)

Esther is a Registered Nurse and IBCLC. She has 20 years of experience working in healthcare settings with newborns, children and families. Throughout her career, she has worked in the NICU, PICU, adult ICU, and volunteering in Africa! Throughout these years, she has also had the privilege of birthing four wonderful children, two girls and two boys. Her babies’ home births and breastfeeding
are some of her most precious memories.
After working in a hospital setting for so long, she knows how important it is to receive good quality care where the whole person can be cared for. We are more than just our physical bodies, and Esther believes strongly in approaching care in a holistic way. She is passionate about family life and loves seeing other families thrive. Yes, even during toddler tantrums in a grocery store! She loves to come alongside families on their unique journeys and help to guide them so they can meet their goals. This means individualized care, as not every family is the
same. Nothing makes her happier than to empower and equip parents to be the best versions of themselves for their partnership and their children. Teaching newborn and postpartum care,
supporting breastfeeding, time and stress management, and simply hearing a mother’s story can be life-changing in helping a family move from “I don’t know what I’m doing” to “We got this!”
She believes a strong foundation is key, and helping parents build on their own knowledge and
experience will leave families feeling supported, encouraged, and confident!
Esther is undertaking her greatest endeavour to date and homeschooling her four kiddos! She is constantly growing and learning about this dynamic life as a mother. In her precious spare time,
she finds herself drawn to the outdoors, learning how to watercolour, and trying to perfect her sourdough boules!

Nadine
NadineCertified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist

Nadine is a Certified and Registered Ontario Birth & Postpartum Doula, Certified Dancing for Birth Instructor, Placenta Specialist – APPAC, a proud member of Evidence Based Birth and currently volunteers on the board of directors with the Association of Ontario Doulas. Additionally to supporting families in our community, Nadine also makes up part of the Experienced Birth Doula team at Markham Stouffville Hospital’s Alongside Midwifery Unit and loves the opportunity to learn and grow alongside other birth professionals.

After fifteen years working in childcare, Nadine decided to make a career change and bring her passion and knowledge for birth and infant care to the Doula world in 2016. As a child and young adult, Nadine traveled extensively with her family and resided in Mexico for nearly a decade. This unique upbringing has afforded her the opportunity of also being able to offer her Doula services to families in Spanish.

Caitlin Black-Allen
Caitlin Black-AllenLactation Consultant (IBCLC)

Caitlin is a fun loving mother to two spirited little boys and two amazing step-children. Caitlin’s journey as a Lactation Consultant began after the birth of her first son.  His birth had impacted her life greatly. While her son stayed apart from her in the intensive care unit, the best way Caitlin could be a mother to him was to breastfeed him. Their breastfeeding relationship continued to grow and they breastfed for over two years. It was during this time, that Caitlin realized how much of an impact breastfeeding has on both baby and mother and how she wanted to help mothers with their breastfeeding goals.  Caitlin left her teaching career to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).  Caitlin strongly believes in helping mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals.  For Caitlin, there is no greater joy than to watch a mother cradle her newborn and lovingly stare deep into their eyes.

Caitlin’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Education, Lactation Educator Certification through CAPPA, and she is an IBCLC.  In 2015 she joined the Graceful Birth team to expand her reach and offer breastfeeding education and support to families in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Brampton and Milton.

OUR DOULA EXPERIENCES

Welcome to Graceful Birth™. We are proud to offer a wide variety of doula experiences to support you throughout your birth and postpartum journey. Our doulas are trained and experienced in providing personalized care for diverse birthing scenarios, ensuring that you have the support you need every step of the way.

At Graceful Birth™ we understand and respect the individual preferences and choices of our clients. Whether you are seeking an intervention and medication-free natural birth, and exploring alternative methods such as HypnoBirthing®, our doulas are well-versed in these techniques and can guide you through the process.

We also have extensive experience supporting clients with specific medical conditions.
If you are considering a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC or 2VBAC), we offer comprehensive support for both natural VBACs and medicated VBACs. Our doulas can provide guidance and reassurance throughout the decision-making process, helping you make informed choices that align with your birth preferences.

For those interested in home births or water births, our doulas have extensive experience in these settings. We are well-versed in the intricacies of home birth and can provide continuous support to create a safe and nurturing environment for you and your baby. If you choose a water birth, our doulas can guide you through the unique aspects of this birthing method, ensuring your comfort and peace of mind.

In situations where medical interventions are necessary, our doulas can assist you in understanding the process and advocate for your preferences.

We also offer support for clients who choose pain medications during labour, and can help you navigate the benefits, risks, and alternatives associated with each option, allowing you to make informed decisions about your pain management during labour.

At Graceful Birth™, our priority is to ensure that you have a positive and empowering birth experience, regardless of your unique circumstances. Our doulas are committed to providing individualized care and unwavering support, tailored to your specific needs and desires. We are honored to be a part of your journey, helping you welcome your little one into the world with grace and joy.

OUR POSTPARTUM EXPERIENCES

Our Doulas are experienced working with single babies, as well as multiples. Area’s of expertise include: postpartum depression, mom or dad, postpartum anxiety, making a postpartum plan, sleep regressions, difficult family members, older siblings, dealing with pets and adjustments, sleep deprivation, nursery set up, colic, breastfeeding issues, hard to settle infants, baby wearing, couple disputes. Our doulas are experienced working with all families including single parents, as well as 2SLGBTQI+ families. We will provide your family with resources to assist in your transition to parenthood.

FIND A DOULA IN YOUR AREA:

Graceful Birth™ Doulas are ready to support families in their home and in hospitals around the GTA, including, New Market, North York, Ajax, Pickering, Woodbridge, Vaughan, Scarborough, and the Halton Peel Region including: Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton, Etobicoke, Toronto, and Burlington, Ancaster, and Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Bradford and Guelph