Amy Silva has always recognized the importance of being part of a network of doulas who understand the complexities of supporting clients during childbirth.
The London, Ont., doula’s need for community was reaffirmed last year when she was in court as one of 17 victims of Kaitlyn Braun, the Brantford woman who pleaded guilty to faking pregnancies and fraudulently receiving doula services. throughout the province.
Braun, 26, received two years of house arrest, but pleaded guilty to new charges earlier this month and has not yet been sentenced.
Meanwhile, his previous victims have bonded over their shared experience; Since then, some have formed a collaboration of 51 Ontario doulas who specialize in childbirth, postpartum, end-of-life care and other disciplines.
“I chose to lean into the doula community and find people who support me, and I can be that person for other people as well,” said Silva, founder of the Collaborative Doula Collective. “It has been vital for some of the doulas who have gone through the court case to really feel supported in a safe space.
“As a profession, sometimes doulas aren’t always collaborative and can be a little competitive, so what I really wanted to highlight is that we can work together as doulas and have that community of people to lean on.”
a birth doula it’s a Trained professional who supports clients before, during and shortly after childbirth. They also help with grief and trauma from pregnancy loss, but they are not health professionals who deliver babies and do not have access to medical records or equipment. While doulas have certifications with different organizations, they are not registered with a regulatory or governing body.
The group seeks to bring together doulas from different backgrounds to learn more about various specialties and how to best advocate for their clients, as well as serve as a support system for doulas facing professional challenges.
“We often work independently as doulas, going to a client’s home alone, which is wonderful, but it lacks the critical piece of someone to debrief with about a difficult shift or birth experience,” said the doula at London area, Seanna Hayes.
The court case ‘lit a spark’ in the community
Although some of the class members, including Hayes, were involved in the Braun case, most came together to find community.
“The situation with Kaitlyn didn’t make this happen, but it may have lit a spark that then we all worked together to fan the flames and say if we’re going to be here together, we might as well do it right,” Hayes said.
“We realized how much we all longed for this sense of community, we caught the spark and decided not to let it die. We’ve really used our connections with each other to drive us to build our own village.”
Last March, Braun received a suspended sentence in a Brantford court after pleading guilty to 21 charges, including fraud, indecent acts, false pretenses and mischief for pretending to have experienced pregnancies and stillbirths between June 2022 and February 2023.
Braun would reach out to doulas on social media to seek help in case of pregnancy loss and stillbirth. She told them that her pregnancies were the result of sexual assault and that she did not have the support of her loved ones.
This story is the subject of a new CBC and BBC World Service podcast: The scam: Kaitlyn’s baby.
Earlier this month, Braun pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice in Hamilton to two new charges of obtaining by false pretenses less than $5,000, two charges related to harassment and failing to comply with a suspended sentence order while under arrest. domiciliary.
Hayes said Braun was her first client and the ordeal traumatized her, but she has since developed a thorough vetting process for clients seeking her services for free, including being referred by midwives or fellow doulas.
“A big part of doulas’ work is the mutual trust we gain and gain with our clients,” Hayes said. “The vast majority of people seek doula care, not to exploit anyone but to get the support they need.”
Lisette Weber has been a practicing doula since 2022 and, although she was not a victim of Braun syndrome, she organized group therapy sessions with other doulas during the case. He said it’s important to work with other like-minded professionals who help each other in the field.
“You need people who understand what it is to be a doula. Although it’s not a 24/7 job, you get involved in people’s lives and journeys as they become parents, so it was important to have safe places to land as a collective.” “said Weber, a doula in Waterloo Region.
Weber hopes to learn from other doulas, including how their different modalities connect to better help clients, she said.
The collective will meet in London for its first conference in May. Silva hopes it will be an opportunity for doulas to connect and grow together, while learning how they can improve their practices and learn new skills.
