Kelly Maslen, RHN

Birth, Postpartum and Night Doula, Holistic Nutritionist, Lactation Educator, Personal Chef, Placenta Encapsulator

I am a birth and postpartum doula with eight years nutritional counseling and four years as a personal chef. I have combined these three professions to create Simply Healthy Family, a health integrated service that supports women from preconception to birth, and postpartum recovery.

Each birth is unique. You don’t know what to expect and every woman has different needs. As a doula, I can tailor my services to each individual. As long as it takes, I will be by your side providing emotional and physical support from the start of labor until the birth of your baby, and the postpartum period. I understand the importance of nutrition during and after pregnancy using natural foods.  I guide women and their partners through the child bearing journey by suggesting meals plans, healthy food preparation, supplements, exercise, and labour options. I believe the development of a child’s immune system begins in the womb and relies heavily on the nutrition provided by the mother during pregnancy.

I am a graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and Childbirth International, and have taken culinary arts at George Brown College. I have dedicated my life to helping families that seek an alternative health solution. I also spent time in Africa volunteering with adults and children suffering from AIDS, trying to make a difference in their lives, showing love, compassion and providing nutritional education. I continue my support here in Toronto, helping single mothers, refugees, and newly arrived immigrants achieve a healthy and positive birth experience.

 

Catherine Cameron

Birth, Postpartum and Night doula, Birthing From Within Educator, Reiki Practitioner and Craniosacral Therapist

I am a Certified Doula and an Advanced Childbirth Mentor through Birthing From Within®. As a combined birth and postpartum doula I have supported all types of births and transitions  including home and hospital births, medicated and non-medicated labours, cesarian births, and HypnoBirthing® parents .  I am passionate about the emotional journey of becoming a parent and this is reflected in the care I give to the families I am honoured to work with.

I believe that prenatal preparation for parenting, and support during birth and early postpartum can help strengthen family connection and ease the transition into parenthood. My own parenting path has led me to seek out and acquire the skills to guide and support others through this amazing and often challenging time.

I have been in the support field since 2001, providing informational support to families as an early parenting book specialist at Parentbooks (independent Toronto bookstore) and also offering mom-to-mom peer support in the areas of family communication, conflict resolution, and mindfulness.  I am a licensed Holistic Practitioner specializing in Reiki and Craniosacral Therapy, and love the way these healing therapies can help families explore calm, balance and mind-body connection in preparation for birth, parenting, and self-discovery..

I am blessed by all the families that have invited me to join them on their journey.  With much gratitude and love I thank you for all that I have learned.  My heart continues to expand from being part of these wonderful experiences.

April Kowleski

Birth, Postpartum and Night Doula, Lactation Educator, Holistic Nutritionist and Reiki Practitioner

I have 2 children, a girl age 14 and a boy age 7. Plus a huge extended family with lots of kids. I became fascinated with pregnancy and birth while pregnant with my first child. I loved being pregnant and was absolutely empowered by her birth at home with two lovely midwives. It was during this time that my interest in nutrition took off and eventually led to becoming a Holistic Nutritionist. My second child was born in hospital in Germany. Not quite the same experience as the first but still amazing and empowering.

I was South Africa helping my cousin with her 10 day old baby a few year later when I realized that I had found my life ́s purpose. I loved helping her and her husband with the transition to parenthood and figured I should make a career out of it.

Before all that, I worked at the Hospital for Sick Children for 15 years. I moved overseas with my family where we spent two years living in Italy and 7 years in Germany. I studied there to become a doula. While in Munich, I volunteered in the refugee camps helping Nigerian women have their babies. We moved back to Toronto in August 2011 and since then I have been working with Kelly at Simply Healthy Family.