"I simply cannot say enough good about The Art of Birth, and Dana more specifically. Initially my husband and I were unsure if a doula was the right choice in terms of the support we were looking for in the labour and delivery process. Now I can say with confidence I will never have a baby without the support of a doula. It was the best decision we made in preparing for our baby’s arrival. Meeting with Dana before baby’s birth helped both my husband and I feel mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for what was to come. While I was struggling through early labour following an induction, everything changed the minute Dana walked in the room. Her voice cutting through all of the noise was exactly what I needed to be able to stay focused and have a very positive, beautiful birth experience. With Dana’s support, I walked away feeling so empowered. Dana went so far above and beyond what we were expecting not only in supporting L&D but also throughout my pregnancy and with postpartum recovery and breastfeeding. Dana will always hold a very special place in all of our hearts. She is simply wonderful as both a doula and a person."
~Stephanie and Travis 2024
"The best decision we made during our pregnancy was to hire the Art of Birth doulas. After experiencing a traumatic first pregnancy and birth, we knew that we needed to seek out support for our second. The Art of Birth doulas go above and beyond with not only their expertise but their kind words and emotional support. We had Dana as our doula for our birth and she was absolutely phenomenal. As the birthing person, I felt an instant connection and trust in her. Her encouraging words, gentle touch, soothing voice and advocacy for my needs and wants was more than I could ever ask for. We feel so fortunate to have had the support of Dana and the rest of the team. This birth was more than I could ever hoped for and I have this beautiful team to thank for that! 10/10 would recommend this team to any pregnant mama! "
~ Kylie and Ryan 2021
"I can say without a doubt that having the support of The Art of Birth doulas was instrumental in helping me achieve the empowered, peaceful birth I had hoped for. I knew from the first meet and greet that this group of doulas were everything I wanted for support during my second birth experience. The time they took to hear the story of my first birth, in order to understand where I was emotionally and physically, going into my second delivery meant a lot to me. The Art of Birth doulas provided invaluable support to me in the weeks and months leading up to my birth, and helped me to manage and overcome my fears about the upcoming birth. When the time came, and my labour started, it was Dana who was at my side, coaching me through every wave and contraction. Although I had given birth before, the experience with my second son was completely different than my first, it was much calmer, and I attribute that to the compassionate, knowledgeable presence of Dana in my birth space. One of the most valuable things Dana did for me while I was in labour, was to include my husband in the support process. Truth be told, my relationship with my husband at that time was strained at best, but with some reassurance from the team prenatally, and from Dana while actively in labour, my husband was able to be an active support person to help me through the delivery. Dana was able to identify what support I needed in any given moment, and then guide my husband to step in and be the one to comfort me. When all was said and done I felt truly accomplished in how my labour unfolded; I got everything I wanted out of my labour, and then some! I cannot thank Dana and the rest of the team of The Art of Birth doulas enough for how they helped me and my family as we welcomed its newest member! I will be forever grateful for their support, and would absolutely recommend them to anyone who desires to have a more fulfilling, peaceful, empowered birth experience!
I cannot say thank you enough!!
Victoria & Tom
"Hiring the Art of Birth Doulas to be part of our journey to become parents was such a good decision and something we would strongly recommend to anyone having a baby. We had private in-home childbirth classes with Emily Reid. We were able to learn a lot about the birthing process in a short amount of time and in the comfort of our own home. Learning about the stages of labour and tips for labouring in advance really helped to make the whole experience less scary. Gordana “Dana” Valente was the doula on call the day we were scheduled for a last minute medical induction. Dana’s support that day was exactly what we as new parents needed. She provided advice via text / phone in the early stages of labour. When things progressed, she met us at the hospital when we arrived, and stayed with us until after we had settled into the recovery room with our newborn daughter. She seemed to know exactly what we needed, and provided this support in the most caring way. My husband is not at all good with hospitals so it was particularly helpful that he had someone to lean on throughout the day so that I could focus solely on birthing our baby. A couple weeks after our daughter was born, Dana came to visit, and we discussed the birth. Having a detailed chat about how the birth went with someone who was there for the whole thing was very reassuring. Hiring the Art of Birth was honestly the best money I have ever spent in my life and I really can’t recommend their services enough."
~Nicole, Clayton & Baby Lucille
"In the age of self-help, there is every mommy manual and baby bible imaginable. Coupled with too much well-meaning advice, I was a pretty frazzled soon-to-be mum. One thing I knew for sure, it was that my pregnancy marked the beginning of a special time in my life ... starting with growing the wee little bean, leading to labour and culminating with my child in my arms. I didn’t know what to expect or what to do but I knew I wanted to honour this time. So I sought out The Art of Birth doula services to help me through the many months to come. I’m so glad I did. The Art of Birth doulas were heaven sent. They were able to “meet me where I was” in terms of my birth plan (I had no plan) and help my partner understand the challenges we would face during the next several months. These women were a source of strength who gave me a safe space to express my concerns or ask questions without being judged. They helped me do what I needed to do in preparation for our baby, and wanted to do during labour. Together with my midwife, they formed a team where one could focus on the well-being and safe delivery of the baby while the other could focus on the well-being of the mum (and clueless dad). I felt stronger and more calm with my doulas by my side. Thank you ladies for all that you did!!!" ~ Lisa, Chris & Baby McKenna
"It was truly amazing to have Amanda as my doula, and so incredibly impactful on the overall energy and mood throughout the entire birth of my son. The calm and collected emotional and physical support while walking me through every step of labor, sans epidural, was invaluable, and wouldn’t have been the same without her. Just knowing I didn’t need to think about anything and could completely focus on working through every contraction made it all so smooth. She knew what I needed even sometimes when I didn’t quite know what to think- whether it was cutting up little bits of peanut butter toast or rubbing my arms and talking me through the worst of the grinding pain. I would work with her again in a heartbeat, and am so thankful to have had her as a part of this world changing experience!" -Abigail
Baby Elliot 2 days earthside
"We couldn't have been happier with our decision to hire Emily as our doula. I was expecting our first baby and wanted a homebirth. Emily met with me and my husband a few times before my due date and we talked about pregnancy, childbirth anxieties and planning for baby's arrival. We also took a one day childbirth class with her that was very informative and helpful. When the big night came, after a few hours on our own, we called Emily to come over. What I remember most about her presence during my labour was her calm demeanor and soft soothing voice. She was supportive of whatever I wanted to do and whatever I needed most in the moment. She was a very gentle and compassionate person to have by my side during labour and delivery. After our son was born, she helped me get cleaned up and brought me food and drink. She was a great addition to the team of midwives as she paid us several more postpartum home visits to help out with breastfeeding. Not only is she a kind and caring person, but also as a childbirth educator she knows a ton about birth and babies! Throughout the whole thing I had lots of questions and they were always met with helpful advice and reassurance. When we have another baby I would love for Emily to be my doula again." - Rosanna, Norm & Baby Elliot
"I had the great privilege of having Amanda support me during all three of my birth experiences. The counsel and guidance she gave, both technical and emotional were incredible and made each one of my experiences of childbirth truly enjoyable. My husband and I are eternally grateful for her support and highly recommend her to every expectant mom we know!" - Holly
"I had an amazing experience with Melissa as our doula! She was extremely helpful during my labour with my son. Melissa responded to my call promptly and came to help at 4am! She brought a very positive vibe and I really appreciated her hands on help and advice for my husband to keep him involved too. She made me feel comfortable, powerful and in control. I would definitely recommend her! All the best with with your experience."
- Rose
"We were so incredibly grateful to have had Amanda's attentive and nurturing support during the births of our three children. She was incredibly motivating, encouraging and compassionate during labour and delivery, and approached everything with a positive attitude and a great sense of humour. Something that made us feel comfortable and at ease. It is very apparent that she is passionate about the birth experience and we truly feel fortunate that she was a part of ours." - Tracy & David
"My husband Peter and I decided to have Melissa attend our birth of our first child. She happens to be our cousin, so initially Peter wasn't sure about having a family member present. I had a good feeling about it, so I convinced him to give it a shot. We couldn't be more happy with our decision. She helped and advocated for me every step of the way through my labor. Without her I wouldn't have been able to stick to the birth plan. She was there to keep me calm and you could sense that she's passionate about childbirth. Can't wait to do it all over again in the future!"  - Erin
"My husband and I couldn’t be happier with our decision to have Melissa present at the birth of our son. Being new to the province we have no other family around for support. I was quite nervous as to how my husband would be able to look after our toddler and also be a support to me throughout my labour. So we made the decision to have a home water birth and hire a doula. I contacted Melissa at 430am and she arrived at our home shortly after. Not only was she an amazing coach and support to me but she also coached my husband on how to help as well. She even helped keep our son occupied when my husband was trying to focus on me. We were nervous that our son might be scared at seeing me in pain but she made him feel comfortable and even encouraged him to cheer me on. I can still hear him saying “You can do it mama!” Melissa made me feel in control and helped me concentrate on my breathing, which I truly think made all the difference in my delivery. We aren’t sure if we’ll be adding to our family in the future but if we do I’d feel very lucky to have Melissa at our birth again!"