Lodestar Holistic - Doula Services & Prenatal Yoga

From the moment we met, I knew we had made a wonderful decision choosing Erin to be our Doula. Erin's extensive knowledge, coupled with her calming presence and gentle demeanor relieved us of our anxiety and reservations during the experience of birthing our first child. She was readily available to answer all of our questions, and listened to us to understand what was important during the birth of our child. It is clear Erin holds her profession to the highest standard. She is professional, accommodating, and an absolute joy to work with. I would highly recommend Erin to any family in search of a Doula.

Having Erin’s caring nature and support before, during and after the birth of our son was irreplaceable. We ended up with a long unplanned induction resulting in many days of on and off contractions. Erin was there consistently whenever we needed her, providing hands on pain relief as well as suggestions to help move labor along. Her presence also enabled my husband to get some much needed rest during those long nights labouring at home. Even though we only met a few times before the birth, the conversations we had felt like ones you would have with an old friend, which was a welcomed distraction while we were waiting for things to progress. We can’t thank Erin enough for the tremendous care and support she provided us while bringing our son into the world.

I was late being referred to Erin as I wasn't planning on having a doula, but due to some unexpected circumstances, Erin was highly recommended to me and I could not be happier that she was. The day I was supposed to meet Erin for some prenatal teaching, I went in to labor. Erin came to the hospital and even though we've never met before this, it was like I had known her forever. She was more then I could've ever imagined. She was great during the entire process. Luckily, I got to have Erin for some time after giving birth. She came to our home and helped me with my daughter, gave me breastfeeding tips, watched her while I had a shower, and helped me emotionally in one of the toughest times of my life. I'll be forever grateful for meeting Erin and everything she done for me and my daughter.

Erin is the most amazing doula (and person)! She is so calm, knowledgeable and she’s funny too! Erin approaches her birth and postpartum (I was lucky enough to have her for both) work with absolute joy-I felt she was born to do this. She had an idea for almost everything I asked and if she didn’t know she took the time to find out. Even more importantly she empowered me to make my own choices and be in touch with my hopes and desires; nothing I wanted was ever judged or questioned by her (and I had some weird ideas;)) Erin was available by text and email, on top of the three meetings she included in her package, and I didn’t end up taking a prenatal course because her support was so thorough. Honestly, as a single (now) mama, I couldn’t imagine doing my labour or postpartum without her. We both even ended up saying my labour was fun! Now that’s a success story.

I am a first time mom and struggled with a lot of anxiety throughout my pregnancy. I had the pleasure of working with Erin as my Doula. From the first session forward, her calming presence and delivery of information immediately supported all of my needs and I was able to begin enjoying some moments in my pregnancy. I felt cared for on a wholesome level that I didn't find in any clinical setting. She involved my partner in our sessions to practice exercises to support a healthy labour and also to work together as a team to have a plan in place for a beautiful birth experience. Erin worked extremely well with the healthcare team at the hospital to ensure everything flowed as smoothly as I hoped. She was a fantastic support through my pregnancy, labour/delivery and postpartum. If I have any more children I will definitely be asking Erin to be my Doula again.10/10HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Erin was an amazing yoga instructor and discussion facilitator. She made all of us feel comfortable so that as we got closer to our births we had a safe place to stretch and move and chat! She was willing to accommodate specific physical needs and adjust her class as needed to suit the needs of the individual women in the class.

As a first time mom, I was anxious about delivery. A friend recommended Erin to us, and I was really glad that Erin was present before and during my delivery room experience. She provided tools to help me manage pain during the birth of my baby boy, and helped manage my husband's expectations and anxieties as well. She was a definite asset and the relief it brought us to have someone who is calm and present with us in the labour and delivery room was immeasurable.

Erin was truly amazing throughout my whole experience. She has a warmth about her that automatically relaxes you and makes you feel comfortable. She was so attentive throughout my labour and delivery to both myself and my husband. She was hands on and always made me feel calm. The labour had some intense situations with the baby's heart rate and she was my rock through it, always in my ear helping me to breathe and remain calm. The preparation that I received for labour and delivery was also instrumental to how smooth everything went and my ability to get through the 23 hours with a smile for most of it. Before meeting with Erin having a baby was one of the scariest thoughts to cross my mind, I thought it would be the scariest experience of my life and the most painful. But looking back I enjoyed every second. I have already recommended Erin to all of my friends who will be having babies soon! She was absolutely amazing and is still always available for my questions! I cannot thank her enough!

Erin is a beautiful soul and we are grateful to have had her in our journey to bring our daughter into the world! Erin was quick to respond when I had questions or concerns. She worked with me on establishing a birth plan that aligned with my values. She is open and supportive of both medical and natural plans. Having experienced past trauma I felt safe with her, she walked me through what to expect and gave me insight into the hospital I would be having my daughter at. Leading up to labour we discussed and practised breathing techniques, yoga/birthing positions and taught my husband how he could help. We talked about what I would like for pain management as well so she could advocate on my behalf. The day my daughter was born and I was in labour Erin walked around the neighbourhood with me helping me through each contraction, I laboured at home as long as I could doing Myles circuit to assist once my water broke she came to the hospital with me. Erin is professional and warm, her presence at the hospital was so valued as she took the worry and stress off me having to advocate my wishes and helped myself and my husband be present in the moment. I can’t imagine having had this beautiful experience without her. (I have never posted a review of anything, ever, and I value her so much that I had to!)

Hiring Erin was one of the most important decisions we made in our prenatal journey. We knew that both being pregnant and giving birth in a remote community meant we could expect very little prenatal support, and the COVID-19 pandemic further reduced our access to prenatal care. Erin worked to support us through several video sessions, text messages and phone conversations - she offered us unfettered access to her vast wisdom, information and support. When we experienced unexpected obstacles we knew who we could message or call for consultation, Erin was always very prompt and thorough in her response. Despite being exclusively a virtual presence - Erin did an incredible job at facilitating an authentic connection. Erin is warm,  quick-witted, attentive and present. She is exactly who you want to be by your side on this precious reproductive journey.