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The only birth doula program that will guide you through everything you need to know to make the tough birth and postpartum decisions... Without facing the BIG CHANGES of motherhood and postpartum all on your own.
Supportive Starts will give you everything you need to:
✨Have a pregnancy and birth that makes you happy...
✨Grow a community of like-minded people (experiencing the same struggles!)...
✨Confidently navigate bringing home baby...
And create the happy, healthy, calm postpartum that fits your dreams!
You feel alone in your pregnancy and birth (even if you have lots of family and friends) and you want be supported through this HUGE CHANGE while having all of those niggling worries listened to and answered...
You don't know what you don't even know, and you want someone to give you a starting point so you can make the birth and postpartum decisions that are best for you...
And even though you are SO EXCITED about becoming a parent, you want a birth doula by your side....
You don't want to spend your evenings scrolling social media and finding confusing advice... instead, you'd rather have evidence-base information, and make your own decisions about what is best for you!
Yeah, me too.
Trust me. So many people are asking the same things.
Your pregnancy and birth are a time of learning. You can find yourself in new ways. You can have make the tough birth and postpartum decisions. And bring home baby feeling confident, self-assured, and ready to take on any challenges you may face...
And when you join Supportive Starts, I'll hold your hand every step of the way, so you won't spend a single second thing, "Wait, what am I supposed to do?
But that won't be your story... because my birth doula clients are:
✨ Only saying "yes" to their perfectly aligned pregnancy and birth options...
✨ Confidently building support communities with other expecting parents...
✨ Making birth and postpartum decisions that adapt to the unexpected...
✨Setting boundaries that fit their values and lifestyle goals...
✨Never falling prey to the social media chaos of misinformation...
✨ Growing into the people that they always wanted to be...
Each month for your pregnancy, you'll join me (Kelsey!) and your cohort (2-3 people due the same month) to chat about all things pregnancy and birth.
You can read all the books in the world, but if you don't have PEOPLE on this journey with you, you won't know where to turn when things get hard. If you build open, non-judgemental relationships, you will always have people to rely on.
We'll answer those questions keeping you up at night, and you'll learn how to:
And you'll build great friendships along the way.
Around the 34th week of your pregnancy, I'll make sure you feel confident navigating your birth. You'll get a 1:1 two hour in-person visit, where we can talk about your personal birth preferences, birthing positions, and pain management. I'll walk you step-by-step through the possibilities, so you can decide what is best for you.
From your 38th week of pregnancy onwards, I will be on 24/7 call for your birth. Night or day, when you go into labour, I will be there. No matter what happens, or what you decide, I'll:
Plus... once your baby arrives, I'll stay with you until you are settled together, helping with the first feeds or whatever you may need.
It wouldn't be life-changing if I didn't walk you through every single phase!
Once you are home with your baby, I'll help you settle into your new life, from debriefing the birth with you, to helping with diapering, feeding, and basic infant care during a three-hour in-person visit.
And of course, I'll help you get some sleep if that's what you really need.
Get excited, though because your cohort will still be around, each with their own lessons and learning to share!
We will do three MORE monthly cohort calls postpartum. Because this is all about being in it together. And the time we need each other the most is after the birth.
Whether you are brand new to the baby thing... or maybe you've been around babies since you were one yourself but you still find yourself saying "Okay, but what do I even actually do to plan for my birth"... "to make sure my doctor listens to me"... "to find awesome mom friends?"
I want you to know that you're not alone. No one teaches you that you're long terms success as a parent is as much about what happens BEFORE you give birth as after.
All I can say is that if a "perfect birth" automatically could set you up for an amazing, easy postpartum, there'd be a whole heck of a lot more relaxed first-time moms out there!
Through building a career as a birth researcher... and then again as a doula... I know that having an ENJOYABLE postpartum requires reliable information, support, and sometimes even hand-holding.
AND THAT'S WHY COMMUNITY IS AT THE HEART OF THIS PROGRAM.
In addition to the cohort calls and in-person prenatal, birth, and postpartum support-- you'll have full access to GROWING TOGETHER: a free pregnancy support community. Pregnancy and birth should never be lonely, and now you won't have to walk the path alone.
✅ You trust yourself to make the right decisions for you, when you are informed of all the options...
✅ You are an expecting parent, and you are looking to make new connections and friendships.
✅ You're excited to become a parent, but you're still not sure how you feel about all the change coming-- you want rock your postpartum and not the other way around!
❌ You aren't open to new relationships, or learning from your peers.
❌ You already know EXACTLY what type of birth you want to have, and aren't open to planning for possibilities.
❌ You are looking to be rescued, or saved, because you really don't believe you can give birth.
I'm the founder of Collective Care, and the mastermind behind this Pregnancy and Birth Support Program.
I moved to Sweden in 2017 to do birth research... and it changed my entire life. I saw first-hand what a HUGE DIFFERENCE it makes for women to have community support throughout ALL of their birthing journey-- pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. So I quit my "real job" in 2023 to be a birth doula full time.
I literally wake up excited because I get to spend EVERYDAY supporting women to have comfortable births, and make the tough birth and postpartum decisions... AND I'M GOING TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH DOING IT TOO!
I promise there will be no details left out. You and me? We're bestie now. You get all my juicy birth, postpartum, and parenting secrets.
Know you can be the best mom in the world AND follow your dreams at the same time... AND when you join Supportive Starts, you'll get there so much faster than you ever imagined.
Book a 30-minute chat with Kelsey! We'll talk about what you want out of your pregnancy and birth and how I can support you in making the best birth and postpartum decisions for you. This chat is a chance for us to get to know each other better-- I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!
After our 30-minute chat, I'll send you a copy of the contract for you to review. This will include the specific terms of my support, my on-call schedule, and the payment plan you decide to opt-for. Take your time and think about it. I'll follow up with you 3-5 days later.
Once you've signed on, I'm your birth doula!! I'll get you up to speed on the cohort call schedule, guide you through signing up for Growing Together (if you haven't already!), and make sure you have all the resources, support, and guidance you want to make the birth and postpartum decisions you;ve got to make.
✨ Access to the Growing Together Pregnancy Community
✨ Unlimited text, call, and email support throughout your pregnancy and birth--and 3 months postpartum!
✨ Monthly Cohort Calls with Kelsey and 2-3 people due the same month as you!
✨ 1:1 Prenatal Visit to discuss YOUR BIRTH YOUR WAY
✨ 24/7 On-call Support from Week 38
✨ Back up Birth Doula Support (just in case!)
✨ COMPLETE birth doula support from early labour to 3 hours postpartum
✨1:1 Postpartum visit to debrief, and support you bringing baby home
✨3 monthly cohort calls postpartum
✨ALL OF MY RESOURCES, TOOLS, HANDOUTS, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
Note: In-person birth support is available for clients in Halifax, Bedford, Dartmouth, and the surrounding area. Virtual birth support is available on a case by case basis.
Value: $2994
Please reach me at info@collectivecare.ca if you cannot find an answer to your question.
I do! You can find my other birth packages on the Birth Support Page. This is great support, and is life changing for many people! I offer Supportive Starts to help my clients build strong supportive relationships that will continue after they leave my care. To do this, I start working with my clients closely from the day they join Supportive Starts. If Supportive Starts isn't what you are looking for, I'd be happy to support you through my other birth packages.
My other birth packages include two prenatal visits (1.5 hours each), birth support, and one postpartum visit (2 hours). This means that your face-to-face relationship with me in those packages is usually about 5 hours, outside of your birth! With Supportive Starts, you get up to 12 cohort calls (1.5 hours), a 2 hour prenatal visit, and a 2 hour postpartum visit. This means that we will be spending much more time getting to know each other-- 22 hours!
Yes! I can offer a small number of full and partial scholarships for Supportive Starts each year. If you KNOW Supportive Starts is the program for you, but finances are a factor, complete the scholarship form here. I will let you know within 14 days if I can offer you a full or partial scholarship.
Anyone! I believe that Supportive Starts is most beneficial for first-time moms/pregnant people. This is because a lot of the material we cover focuses on emotionally and mentally preparing for birthing, and discovering how you want to birth. That said, everyone deserves community and supportive birth. Parents with other children, partners, and fathers are more than welcome.
Absolutely! Relationships take time to build, so I suggest joining early in your pregnancy to make the most use of your cohort calls. That said, if you can join whenever works for you.
Unfortunately, I am not able to offer discounts to those who join later in their birth journey.
Yes! Supportive Starts include one 1:1 prenatal visit, and one 1:1 postpartum visit, as well as your birth. You can also reach me 1:1 at any time during your birthing journey by phone, email, or text.
Nope! Anyone, anywhere can join Supportive Starts.
If you live in Nova Scotia, outside of the HRM, I am happy to explore with you how I can support your birth in-person. Book a 30 minute chat with me, to discuss what this looks like.
If you live outside of Nova Scotia-- good news! You can also join! I support births virtually as well. Book a 30 minute chat with me, to discuss what this looks like.
Before becoming a doula, I was a birth researcher for 14 years. I worked on research projects about infertility, the medicalization of childbirth, pregnancy experiences, motherhood and mothering, and how pregnancy and birth happen in different places around the world. I have a PhD in Reproductive Anthropology and Gender Studies. My last major research project was about experiences of pregnancy and birth in Sweden. I did research by spending time with pregnant people and their families.
I did my certification as a birth and postpartum doula through Doula Canada. I have also completed training in perinatal mental health, supporting water births, and pelvic physiology.
Yes! I am happy to provide proof of insurance, as well a Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check on request.
To protect the privacy of my clients, I do not offer direct references-- I will not give you past clients contact info. I will provide testimonials from previous clients upon request.