Fertility & Pregnancy
For some women, pregnancy is joyous; for others it is frightening; and for yet others it is only an unfulfilled dream.
My husband and I have seven children, two angels (babies who were miscarried), and seven grandchildren. Each and every birth was unique. Some were a little more exciting than others.
I have hundreds of other children out there, too. Children whose mothers I helped prepare for pregnancy, balance hormones to increase fertility, and/or aided and counselled during difficult and tenuous pregnancies. I have children through other mothers who were told they would never be conceived – and yet, here they are.
One of my greatest joys is helping women achieve joyous, healthy pregnancies.
If you are struggling to conceive or having difficulties with miscarriages, deliveries, or breastfeeding, please give me a call or send me an email. Let’s set up an appointment (phone, skype, or face-to-face) and get started improving the chances of you having a baby. My contact info is at the right side of the screen.
I often work holistically with women who are simultaneously working with medical fertility clinics. Many have had several attempts at the clinics, with no success. Then, while they are again working with the clinic, they come to me. We add herbs, do diet work, clear emotional garbage, etc., and many of them end up pregnant and successfully deliver a baby.
I have been interested in pregnancy since I was a teenager. I remember following newspaper articles about a local doctor in the mid-1970s who was run out of town for delivering babies at home. I was infuriated that such a thing could happen in the modern world.
My husband and I discovered we were expecting our first child when we were in the USA going to university. Midwifery was legal there in the early 1980s. We didn’t have medical insurance and no doctor would see us without it. We sought out local midwives who were willing to do prenatal checkups on a pay-as-you-go schedule since we would be returning to Canada several months before our baby was born. We did our first set of prenatal classes with the midwives. I learned so much from them!
When we arrived back in Canada we needed to find a doctor. Back then many GPs also did low-risk obstetrics. Midwifery was not permitted in Alberta, so I went in to the first doctor who was recommended to me by a trusted friend. I took with me a militant attitude and a checklist of what I wanted to happen during the birth. Quite frankly, as I look back on that first meeting, I’m surprised she didn’t throw me out of her office! With only a few minor issues, we succeeded together in delivering baby #1.
That was the beginning of my personal pregnancy history. It wasn’t long until I connected with the midwives who were practicing ‘underground’ here in Calgary. It wasn’t illegal for doctors to deliver babies at home, but the medical association was against it (except in dire emergencies) so doctors simply didn’t do it. Because the midwives weren’t licensed by the province they could have been charged with practicing medicine without a licence. They would deliver babies for women only if they knew them well. They weren’t available ‘for hire’ by the general public. The code phrase they taught their clients to use to call them for a delivery was “Would you like to come for tea today?” That meant labor had started and the midwives’ services were being requested. The law was mostly turning a blind eye to the midwives – as long as nothing went wrong and as long as no one complained, they were safe.
The situation has improved dramatically. Midwives are now licensed for home and hospital births and are funded by the Alberta government. However, they are in short supply, meaning many women still cannot have the midwife-attended birth they want. If you are one of them, I have suggestions that can help you have the delivery you want, even in hospital.
I am an advocate for choice in pregnancy. We’ve had one home birth and several hospital births where we were home within 8 hours after delivery. I’m an advocate for breastfeeding. I’m an advocate for informed choice regarding immunization. I’d be happy to consult with you and help you through the maze of information and misinformation surrounding pregnancy, birth, and child rearing. Give me a call!