It was fall 2015 and I had just begun my doula journey. I had 2 small kids at home and had just returned back to work after a maternity leave. You see my desire to support women and families in the most vulnerable of times was nothing new for me. It was a very natural transition as I have spent the past 16 years working with a local Edmonton not for profit agency that serves children and families.  

Working in a career where you meet people where they are at, and provide options and support to guide them towards their best future, is a lot like doula work.  Just like the families I work with YOU are the lead in YOUR birthing journey! Gone are the days where you have to sit back and let birth happen. YOU get to be an active participant in your birth. And that is so very powerful! 

Through the years as I have grown as a mother and a doula I have come to learn time and time again the impact that mental health has on your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. I support from a lens that safety and support are the 2 most impactful pieces of your journey onto parenthood. Its okay, heck even encouraged, to share your mental health story while we are meeting.  As  well as hold space and listen to you, I always have a plethora of amazing local perinatal support practitioners to refer to. Let's build that village together!

 

In the past 8 years since I began to "doula" we have welcomed two more children to our family. For a grand total of 4 children (3 boys and 1 girl)!  We have had 3 hospital births and one home water birth. I have continued to expand on my doula knowledge base by continuing my education to best be able to work with you and your family. It started with a strong calling to learn about the placenta and continued to grow to another birth doula and postpartum doula certificate, Childbirth education training, rebozo training, TENs training (which are included in my services) and When Survivors Give Birth training. I have expanded on my lending library and have over 100 books to lend to our clients on topics from fertility, pregnancy, birth, infant sleep, breastfeeding, postpartum, early parenting and more!!

 

Through my own pregnancy journey and my calling to the doula world, a few things have become so clear to me. That is why, as a doula, I always strive to provide you with the emotional support that every family needs during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. For expectant parents like you, this chapter of your life is big! You matter and your experience is important! You deserve to be heard, you deserve to be respected, you deserve to be valued, you deserve to feel safe and treated with kindness and genuiness. And that......that is what you will get upon booking with Edmonton's own Down to Earth Birth Services.

 

XOXOXO

Whitney Clark