Because sharing stories is empowering...
Maternal and Infant Health Canada
Don't miss this webinar replay.
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An Anthology of Canadian Birth Stories: Inspiration and Essential Guidance for Parents, Parents-to-be, and Healthcare Providers
by Laura Pascoe (PhD, CD) and Angela Douglas (Author)
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For people to learn more about this book and why birth stories are so important, and such a key way to learn and understand the power of centering perinatal care around birth givers.
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Please join Maternal and Infant Health Canada (a global public health collaborative devoted to improving wellbeing of the environment, young ones and those who identify as women) and the Global Women’s Health Network (an alumni group of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Takemi program in International Health) for a webinar by Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist, Mahmuda Rahman Khan. The webinar is open to all and free of charge. We host webinars every two months. All welcome!
Buy a book and give doula support to low-income family.
All writers and contributors are giving their royalties to DSF to contribute to affordable doula care. We thank them profusely.
Available on Amazon and at Indigo
Too often, birth givers and those who support them head into birth with only negative and fear-inducing stories to guide them. This book changes that and provides a much needed and empowering guide for expectant parents and families, as well as for health providers on the front lines of birth. An Anthology of Canadian Birth Stories centres on the voices of those who birth and the unique, authentic, and powerful wisdom they have across a diverse range of birth experiences. Collected through an annual Birth Story Writing Contest held by the Doula Support Foundation based in Kingston, Ontario, this book is a celebration of birthgivers and their support teams and offers well-crafted, intense, vulnerable, and real stories of Canadian birth givers from coast to coast to coast.
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To further support birth givers, this book also provides evidence-based information about perinatal care, written by experts in the field of perinatal care. This includes:
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a short history of evidence-based perinatal care
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information on health provider and birth setting options,
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evidence on doula support
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understanding the unique challenges and realities that Indigenous, Black, and other people of colour face birthing in Canada
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reflection on human rights and perinatal care
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the beginning of breastfeeding
Birth is so much more than a medical event—it is a critically transformative event in people’s lives, and an event that every birther remembers forever. These stories bear witness to what a birth can be in Canada, and where more work is needed to ensure a positive birthing experience for all.
Listen now to our online book launch event, recorded September 2023. This beautiful conversation was led by
Dr. Robbie Davis Floyd, internationally known birth and midwifery expert. You will also hear two birth stories read
by their authors. It's a gift to read real birth stories — it's a privilege to hear them read.
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Robbie Davis-Floyd (Guest host)
Dr. Laura Pascoe (Lead editor for book, host)
Angela Douglas (Author of "Worth it" birth story and writer)
Brittany Oliver (Author of "Birth Plan" poem and midwife)
Dr. Michael Klein (well known and respected family physician who wrote the foreword for the book)
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Recording length: 55 minutes and 54 seconds.
Birth Story Sharing Circles
Feel the solidarity...
and don't miss the music performance at the end!
With Jenn Grant, singer-songwriter
With Kim June Johnson, singer-songwriter
Discover all the writers who are the winners of the 2019 and 2020 Birth Story Writing Contest. Some are emergent writers, some wrote this one important story, but all will engage you on an extraordinary journey.
They are from everywhere in Canada!
We are so happy to present the contribution of some great minds of Canada with Michael C. Klein, Karen Lawford, Chandra Martini, Jack Newman and Teresa Pitman, and doulas from the DSF into the Essential evidenced-based guidance for birth.
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This section complement the stories and answer the most pressing questions people may have regarding some initial choices during their birthing journey.
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