Healthy Beginnings Childbirth Services

Karen

When I was pregnant with my first child, my

partner and I spent a lot of time thinking about our choices:

Doctor or midwife?

Hospital prenatal classes or independent?

Doula or not?

Each decision was tough and forced us to ask, what is the best choice for our child? Like many parents, we wanted to learn as much as possible. We had questions about the effects of medications during the birth and what to do instead of an epidural. We wondered what I should be eating, or what exercises I should be doing. We worried about how to breastfeed, how to care for a baby, and my biggest concern, how to avoid post-partum depression. Paul worried about hiring a doula or midwives and feeling left out of the process. We needed a guide and for us, that was our Bradley Method prenatal instructor. The result of our experience was two completely natural births, including Paul not just supporting me all the way through but catching our first baby!

The amazing influence our instructor had on our lives spurned a desire in me to share my knowledge with others so that other couples could experience birth together and strengthen their relationship.

I am a researcher both by training and nature. With over three years experience, I am trained and was certified Bradley Method instructor (in 2008 and 2009) and DONA-trained birth doula. I also volunteer with the Birth Companion Program through Mothercraft of Ottawa. I have a Masters degree in Health Economics and have taught university courses and done many invited guest lectures. My partner Paul has a PhD in Sociology and works in health research for the Federal Government. As well, we are parents to Maisie and Seamus. Maisie was born in hospital and Seamus was born at home here in Ottawa.

I believe this work – strengthening families and preparing couples to experience the joy of birth and parenthood – is the most important work I can do. I am endlessly fascinated by the beauty of every newborn, and the joy of shared accomplishment. I love seeing both the birth of a child and the birth of parents: they amaze me as much as any newborn. Ask my clients – I love what I do. I am energized by a roomful of expectant parents and am honoured by the parents that choose to invite me as a doula into their birth space.

I’d love to work with you as your guide during one of the most important events of your life.

Karen McIntosh, MA, Childbirth Educator, Doula

karen@healthy-beginnings.ca

My Birth Philosophy

I believe that pregnancy, labour, birth, and lactation are normal, physiological processes.

I believe that the birth experience in enhanced by having a woman’s partner trained to offer support – body, mind and spirit.

I believe that birth is an amazing, beautiful, transformative moment in the life of a woman and her family and friends.

I believe it is a benefit to the baby to have familial support strengthened by partnership and sharing responsibility throughout the pregnancy and birth.

I believe normal pregnancy is a healthy state of being.

I believe in the inherent knowledge of birth, instinctual to women.

I believe that birth is a unique time of creation – creation of a new, beautiful baby; creation in the physical

form of the love of a family; creation of strength previously unknown to a woman and her family; and, creation

of a community to support the growth of a new human being.

Finally, I believe that everyone is capable of having a beautiful birth day.