Supporting women through pregnancy and birth has always been my passion. I have had the privilege of supporting over 37 births in the High Level.
 
My journey to becoming a birth doula began in 2007. I was living in Lesotho, Africa and my neighbour at the time was an Australian midwife and I fed off of her passion for birth. She offered for me to come along to one of her births. 
 
As soon as we were with the mama giving birth, I was by her side and supporting her through the pushing stage. She graciously took my hand and we made eye contact. I will never forget that experience, as it was my first time witnessing the miracle of birth and it changed my life forever. The impact of the support I gave to that mama was realized at a later date when I met her again. In a culture where women are meant to bear all in silence, I was able to let her escape from that expectation and help her focus on using the strength she had to birth her beautiful baby. I was a birth doula for her before I even knew what a doula was. 
 
The next year while in Canada I had the opportunity to attend a DONA International Birth Doula workshop. I learned so much and loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, I did not complete the requirements to become certified with DONA, as my time expired and I went back to Lesotho. I did not let that ruin my ambition or my passion to support women in pregnancy, labor, and birth. 
 
I had the opportunity to be with my good friend through her labor and delivery of her baby boy in a Lesotho hospital. To be able to support a single mom through her first labor and birth was so cherished. 
 
In 2015 and 2019 I was able to experience my own pregnancy, labor, and birth. Like all mamas out there I love sharing my experiences. 
 
In 2018 I spent 2 weeks shadowing on a labor and delivery ward in the Dominican Republic. Every minute was such an experience. I knew what to expect as I had seen the inside of a developing country’s hospital before and the treatment of laboring women. Even still it was excruciating to watch women in such a vulnerable state being treated the way they were. What I saw strengthened my passion in believing women should have the access to birth education and support around them through the most memorable time in their lives to make it the most beautiful and empowering experience. 

I feel honored to have been able to support a few families in the area, as their birth doula. The environment and the care are so much different than the past births I have been part of, but there is still so much information that is not provided. Where everyday routine for the hospital staff, is a lifetime memory for the expectant mother.

I completed the DONA International Birth Doula course again in 2018 and I am now a Certified Birth Doula with DONA International. My journey has only begun, and I am hoping to support more expectant mothers through the beautiful process of pregnancy, labor, birth and into parenthood.