My Doula Journey : Schooling & Starting

With no hesitation, the blindness of youth, and a summer full of waitressing a tourist-filled DT Victoria, I was equipped to enter into the months of classes at Pacific Rim. From the entrance ceremony, and into every new class I was overwhelmed with how “right” everything felt. All my fellow budding Doulas were being broken down and built up right beside me, and every educator was right by our side. I sat in the front of every class, volunteered to be the “pregnant person” at every demo and left every day filled to the brim with validation.

These were my people, this was my place and this was my new path. The sheer excitement and passion I felt drove me through school, building a website and starting off my first company - Pacific North Birth Services.

I started serving families right after my move-in Vancouver and supplemented my income working insanely early mornings at Spud. The glamour was deeply lacking, but my drive just kept pushing me forward. I would scooter off to postpartum shifts, meet & greets and prenatals, leaving each one beaming and thinking “THIS IS MY JOB!!!”.

Soon enough, I was attending births and had connected with Morag (of Apple Blossom Families) as a mentor. Helping me attend my first full birth, all six and a half days of it… Again, my blind enthusiasm heralding me through hard work. Sleeping on the floor of the hospital, supporting Moms and almost catching a baby at home, all deep highlights of my beginnings in Doula work.

After about a year, Marlo found my site and reached out to me to interview me. We met in a JJ Bean, and over a giant icing filled cinnamon bun - she saw me. In all my naive passionate glory, and hired me on as the first Bunky Bambino postpartum team member. I like to think that she knew in that moment, that she would eventually pass the torch to me.