Whispering Heart Doula Services

"When we first found out we were pregnant, we were both excited and very anxious for the arrival of our baby. We always envisioned a natural birth, so we researched and were so comforted when we found our answer – a Doula. We met with her, who made it clear from the start that her job was not to question our wishes, but to ensure they be carried out to the best of our ability. Through her questions and our conversation, we knew in our hearts, it was Joanne we would have as a guide.

On the day of our labour when my water broke at 10:30am, my husband called Joanne to let her know we were ready! Joanne breathed us through the surges and when we arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital I was already 4cm dilated. During active labour, Joanne was encouraging, supportive and most importantly kept me focused on the original goal of natural labour If Joanne wasn't part of our birth, I don't feel I could've gone on without an epidural, which was one of the most important decisions for me. For that dedication, we are forever grateful.

At 7:05pm we were elated to announce the birth of our baby girl - Isabella Nicole. We had such a personal experience and felt like Joanne helped carry out our best wishes, while allowing us to focus on our new family. We have no doubt that our next birth will involve Joanne. She is an important part of our family.

UPDATE:
With Joanne by our side to guide us through another natural labour, Sophie Grace joined our family 26 months later.

Darren, Sarine, Isabella & Sophie H.

"We weren't sure at first if we wanted a doula at our homebirth or if we wanted just the two of us. However, we are so glad that we hired you. You made our birth so much better, and helped Alex to help me. I really don't think we could have stuck out such a long labor without you. You were there with us the entire time, were always helpful, nice and went above and beyond. We are really grateful.

Thanks again - we'd definitely recommend to friends to get a doula, and specifically we'd recommend you.

UPDATE:
We're happy you'll be our doula again as our second child arrives."

Rebecca, Alex and baby Martha

"From the moment I met Joanne, her calming nature made me feel more relaxed. The fact that she has twins experience and twins in her own family made me feel more at ease since she was familiar with the challenges parents face when caring for two newborns. She was very easy to talk to and a fantastic listener. She always offered practical advice, which was very much appreciated – especially when dealing with the emotional roller coaster that follows childbirth. She was always reliable, punctual and easy to communicate with.

When it came to the twins, they instantly bonded with Joanne. Her warm and compassionate nature had a calming effect on both Adam and Ariana. With regards to caring for the twins, she offered suggestions on how to deal with different aspects of their development, but did not try to force her views upon me. When my approach differed from her view, she was respectful and supportive of my decision and didn’t make me feel like I had made the ‘wrong’ choice.

Having worked with several doulas prior to Joanne, it was clear that Joanne chose this line of work because it is what she loves to do. Her passion and commitment to provide the best care possible are what make her so good at what she does. We can’t thank you enough for all your support and guidance!"

Roula V.

"To do not just a 'Job' but something you love is one of the most rewarding things in life, and to be helped by someone who feels this way is amazing! My husband and I are really glad we chose Joanne as our postpartum doula because of her calming thoughts and good nature. My husband refers to Joanne as 'the baby whisperer'.

I always found Joanne good to talk to when I had something on my mind, both for personal matters and regarding Michael’s development or well-being. She offered calm, practical advice and is a good listener, which I really appreciated.

I always had the impression she liked to help and that made it much easier for me to ask her to do things. She is a very straightforward person and I also found it easy to communicate with her as an "employee". Joanne always respected my wishes as far as Michael’s needs and was concerned and supported me in a non-judgmental way. At the same time, I noticed that she would bring her own commons-sense approach. She is very sensible and I trusted her completely to cope in an emergency, although luckily none ever arose! She is totally honest and thoroughly reliable.

....As Michael’s father, I agree with all of Catherine’s comments. I always found Joanne to be good humoured and good fun. Michael obviously adored Joanne from the first day they met!! More importantly for me, Catherine trusted and liked Joanne. She was, therefore, more relaxed, used her time off from Michael without having to worry about him, and this gave her space to do things for herself. I would have no hesitation in recommending Joanne."

Catherine & Kevin B.

"Thank you so much for your support and assistance in helping bring our son into this world. He means everything to us and we are so grateful for your kindness.

Sincerely,

Karyn & Dave"

"We chose Whispering Heart Doula Services for the births of both of my children. The selection of the right doula was especially important to me as I had planned natural home births in each case. (As you might imagine, a planned natural home birth entails much more involvement and commitment from the mother’s personal support caregivers than a hospital birth.) Joanne rose to the challenge admirably on both occasions. She provided me with resources that helped me to formulate a birth plan which aligned with my values, while remaining pragmatic about the uncertainties in any birth event. She respected my wishes regarding activities during early labour (hiking, prenatal yoga, bath), and took the lead when I was no longer able to clearly articulate my needs in active labour. She was a calming presence during transition and kept me focussed on the task at hand when things got particularly intense. Throughout, Joanne kept me as relaxed as possible, which helped to ensure that my labour experiences were relatively short, leaving me with more energy to enjoy my babies. Joanne also took care of me in the immediate aftermath of the birth, which allowed my husband the opportunity to bond with the newborn infants at a crucial time. Her follow up visits were most welcome for the encouragement and breastfeeding tips. Joanne stays in touch with clients long after the babies are born, and her sincere interest in others is evident in everything she does. I would definitely engage Joanne again, and recommend her to others without hesitation."

Jenn S.

"Joanne was a very calming presence at both babies births in this family."

Wendy W., Midwife

"Joanne was a huge help - Very knowledgeable and caring!"

Jeannie & Jerry

In May of 2008, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. As a single parent, and not wanting to place stress upon friends and family, I invited Joanne; as my doula, into my daughter's birth and into my home. She was wonderful! Joanne gave me the help I needed, the breaks I required, and the advice I wanted. At the same time, Joanne respected my independent streak, ideas, and my family unit. If I have another child one day, I will not hesitate to hire Joanne again. I value her knowledge, sensitivity, and friendship.

Melanie M.

I was really excited to be expecting my first child, but very nervous at the same time. On the recommendation of a cousin I started to research doulas, what they do, and how they can help. It seemed like a wonderful idea, so my husband and I met with, and then hired, Joanne to be our doula. It is a decision that we will never regret.

Joanne helped to allay any anxieties prior to the delivery. We discussed what we would like our delivery to be like, and how we would deal with the unexpected. She helped me to understand that my body was built to carry and deliver a baby. She encouraged me and my husband to work together as a team. We both felt confident and prepared for our little baby to arrive.

When the big day finally did come Joanne was there to help us through it. She arrived at our house very early in the morning and helped us to decide when it was time to go to the hospital. Once there Joanne was encouraging and supportive of our birth plan. We wanted to take things one step at a time, and deal with things as they occurred. As the pain became more difficult Joanne was able to coach me, and help my husband to coach me, through it. In the end I had a natural delivery and I am very pleased with how we all worked together to bring baby Louisa into the world. It was an amazing experience, and I will most certainly ask Joanne to support us with any future deliveries.

Janice T.

Dear Joanne,

Eric and I wanted to thank you for your services during the birth of our daughter Hailey. From the moment we first met you, we knew that you were someone we wanted by our side during the birthing process. Having you assist us during labour really helped us to feel at ease, especially since you took the time to explain what was happening. Thank you also for your post-partum services, especially with breastfeeding. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you!

For all of the expecting parents considering Joanne’s services, we highly recommend her!

Cheryl & Eric

"We had an excellent experience with Joanne and I would definitely recommend her. She worked with me to manage the pain (did a great job there) and helped me stay calm and focused on my goals. She also had excellent suggestions for the breastfeeding issues I had (and visited with us after the delivery) and was more helpful than the lactation consultants I was referred to at the hospital (and I saw more than one). If I have another baby she'll be there with us!"
"Wouldn’t have made it through natural birth without you Joanne"

Neve G.

"Joanne was very dedicated to both my own and my husband’s needs and stayed with us through a lengthy labour & delivery."

Sophia S.

"Joanne helped my husband and I so much during this time. She is amazing"!

Romi S.

"When I have tried to describe to friends what Joanne did for my husband and I at the birth of our son Nicolas, I usually start off by using adjectives like warm and reassuring, kind and respectful. The truth is, the reason we first decided to find a doula was because both of our families live out of town. What we found in Joanne was the kind of care our parents would give us, with a whole lot of skills and expertise. Joanne helped us prepare for the birth of our son and get our bearings and build our confidence once he was born. During the early stages of labour I really felt she was there for me and helped us make what we felt were some tough decisions about changes to our birth plan. She was also very supportive yet respectful of my husband and his role in the birth. I find it hard to put into words what Joanne did for us during this very special time, but suffice is to say that I would highly recommend her to anyone."

Sincerely,

Ali, Eddy and little Nico

"Kelly and I made a good connection with you as soon as we met and we’re very happy that we chose you as our Doula.

At our prenatal meetings, your helped us prepare. When labour began, you met us at the hospital in the middle of night and when labour stopped, you stayed positive for us. After a few days, many attempts at induction, our emotional ups and downs and lots of phone calls to you, we were so glad you arrived as labour began again in the early morning hours. Thank you for guiding and encouraging me through the contractions.

When the doctor decided I’d need a cesarean, you helped me with that too. It meant so much to us that you were able to be in the operating and recovery rooms with us. During the surgery you talked to me, helping me to stay calm. In the recovery room when you placed Giovanni on my bare breast, it was amazing to watch him actually inch his way up and to latch onto my breast himself. Incredible!

It’s good that we told you about Kelly being queasy and leaving the prenatal classes during the birth film. We were worried about how he’d be at the birth of our own baby. It really helped that you knew. You reassured him and gave him the confidence to be able to be in the operating room and to watch as the doctor delivered our son. We are both very grateful for that.

Thank you so much; you were a great team leader!

Sincerely,

Maria and Kelly D."