Hello! I’m Breanna. I live in Ottawa East with my husband and daughter, and speak French and English. I’m a doula, health and wellness leader, photographer and writer. I wear many hats but have only one divine mission: protect the birth space and advocate for women, mothers and their families.
My passion for doula work started when I was very young. I was always fascinated with birth and motherhood. Before I was old enough to go to school, I watched birth shows every single week day during lunch time waiting for my older sister to get home. During the summer, I would rescue abandoned pregnant cats in our farm town, set up a dark, safe and quiet area in our home for them to birth, observe their labour and tend to the mom and kittens. Always the babysitter in my family, I took care of children as soon as I turned twelve. During my teenage years, I taught dance lessons for a local dance company and was in charge of the youngest group: three and four-year-old dancers. After high school, I moved to Edmonton, Alberta where I had many different jobs while getting my Personal Fitness Training diploma. One of these jobs was taking care of a newborn and her older brother. This newborn needed special medical attention as she was born with a cleft lip and palate. Her recovery took longer than anticipated and I got to be there every step of the way. I loved being part of her healing journey and early life, from her first few months Earth-side to her first steps, as well as being there to support her sibling with such a big transition. It never occurred to me that I could do this work officially, as a doula! When I moved back to Eastern Ontario, I gave fitness classes for a local gym and started a class called Mommy & Me: pilates for moms with their little ones in a baby carrier. I was looking to connect with new moms, give them something to look forward to outside of their home, offer support and allow them to meet other new moms as well. This was of course my favourite class and my most adorable clients. I switched gears and moved to Ottawa in 2018 and I got hired at CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) while I studied journalism and writing. There, I worked supporting patients and families in several departments like Medical Imaging, Outpatient Mental Health and Intensive Care for almost four years. Though working in a children’s hospital does come with its challenges, working with families and kids was once again a place that felt like home to me. My passion only grew. Living far from our hometowns, my husband and I started doing research to see what we could find for external support in the city should we choose to grow our own family. We all hear “it takes a village,” but for many of us, especially in these times, our village is far away or non-existent. So I stumbled upon doula work and completely fell in love with all-things postpartum support. While I do have a full-time career as a first responder, I had been pondering on launching my own doula business on the side. The more I researched healing from my own childhood trauma before growing a family, the more I knew that not only would I highly benefit from hiring a doula when my time would come, but I would also love to show up as this support person for my community.
It was on Christmas Eve 2022 during the big snow storm that the Universe spoke to me: on one of my shifts as a first responder, I ended up on the phone with a mom who couldn’t make it to the hospital on time due to the blizzard, and ended up delivering her baby all by herself at home. I heard that baby’s first cry and that mom’s life change forever. Though I couldn’t see it, I heard and felt it. I wanted to rush over there and help mom care for her new baby and make sure she had all the support she needed. This was the final sign that doula work was the right path for me. So I enrolled with DONA international the next day and became a trained doula in January 2023. I am registered with The Association of Ontario Doulas. I am continuing my education to better serve you and recently acquired my Lactation and Infant Feeding course certificate. I bring in extra perks with my experience in the fitness and health industry, as well as my journalism and photography training.
I gave birth to my daughter in December 2023 and during my own home birth story, I experienced first-hand the immense benefits of doula work when my doula stepped in and advocated for me on multiple occasions. I would not have had the birth I envisioned and dreamed of if it was not for her dedication to my birth plan, her trust in me even when I was so defeated, and her passion for her work. My doula made me a better doula. My postpartum journey was positive and wonderful and I credit the birth I was able to achieve, unmedicated and with minimal intervention. I would not have been able to do that without an educated advocate by my side the entire way. The only difficulty I faced postpartum was with nutrition and supplementation following a post-birth hemorrhage, a second-degree tear, general nutrient depletion and 12+ months of breastfeeding. I learned so much sitting across from doctors and naturopaths desperate to rebuild myself and feel better. If I had someone offer me one link that directed me to a personalized prenatal or postnatal vitamin that met all of my needs, as well as other high-quality supplements that would replenish me, I would have suffered a lot less. So I did that for you! I partnered with the best company of supplements I could find after weeks of research and have created a storefront with all of my recommendations. Dr. Shaklee actually invented the first multivitamin in the United States in 1915, and his name is behind the trustworthy, top-of-the-line company of health products I fell in love with and partnered with for you. Through Meology, you get to fill out a questionnaire that personalizes your vitamin daily packs (with your name on it!) which will evolve with your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. You will also have access to the entire line of clean products for a healthier life inside (nutrition) and out (beauty and home). Click this link to shop my favourite products!
For more information on doula services, this link will lead you to all my info and the inquiry form.
My purpose, aside from being a mom, a wife and a devoted advocate serving birthing persons and their families with my whole heart, is to educate on my philosophy of healing the postpartum home to heal the world, and tell everyone I meet about the importance of inside-out health, wellness and what I call preparenting. This is the recipe for planting healthy seeds in our mind, body, soul and womb in preparation for motherhood that will shift us into gratitude for the rain and leave us surrounded by postpartum flowers.
I can’t wait to connect with you!
breannaflis@gmail.com
@postpartumflowers