Hi Ottawa, it’s good to meet you!
My name is Stephanie Hammond-Conte
Born in this city, I am a mother of 2 older children and I have 2 grandbabies. I have been working with children & families for over 30 years. I was acting as a Doula before I knew what a Doula was. I come to the table with support, inclusivity, awareness, communication skills, a helping hand and 100% commitment to giving you the best birth and postpartum experience that is within our control.
I happily serve Nepean, Ottawa and the surrounding areas.
Coming soon! My certification as an Infant Family Sleep Specialist and Lactation/Breastfeeding Educator
The Role of a Doula
A Doula is someone who supports, empowers, instills self belief in the women they care for, their families and their support systems. A Doula listens, encourages and reminds women what they are capable of. A Doula is the one who is there to help be your voice when you aren’t able to or can’t muster the words, is a champion who naturally jumps in to help and know exactly what you need. A Doula is someone you can trust to bring nurturing, love and compassion.
A Birth Doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to expecting parents before, during, and after childbirth.
A Postpartum Doula provides valuable support in the postpartum period by assisting new parents with emotional and physical recovery after birth, as well as providing guidance and education on newborn care. This may also include referrals to other healthcare professionals if needed. Postpartum Doulas offer encouragement and a listening ear during a time when emotions can be particularly raw.
The work of Doulas sets the foundation for women and families to build a strong society and make the world a better place.
“People will forget what you said, will forget what you did
but they will never forget how you made them feel”.
~ Maya Angelou
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Supporting the process
I am very excited to assist you in your birth and/or postpartum Period. This is a time where the family needs to form some routines and may need some physical and/or emotional support with this.
My heart is happiest when I am working with families from pregnancy to seeing families fly on their own. Whether you are doing this with or without a partner, a same sex partner, have a single baby or multiples, no what your household situation looks like, I come without bias or judgement. Whether you are looking for birth support, postpartum or both, I come with the evidence based knowledge, resources and experience to support you. No matter what the scenario, my commitment to you is always the same and is for every family I work with. I will support you during the day, for overnight support or both.
Pregnancy and birth come with joy but at times can come with some fear, anxiety or frustration so it doesn’t surprise me how many people find themselves online with ‘Dr Google’. I would much rather provide you with information to help you feel less overwhelmed in your process. With such a wide variety of technology/products available, trying to make sense of it all can be challenging. I will provide you with product knowledge, help you set up your space and can help you simplify it all. I am here to steer you into the direction where you feel empowered to do it on your own. Births look different for everyone and I will be there for whatever it brings from the beginning to the end.
I feel that the postpartum period can get overlooked by some care providers and that leaves mothers and families feeling lost and without direction. You come home with your new bundle and somehow find yourself alone and not knowing where to start. I would like to replace ‘Dr Google’. During the postpartum period there are so many questions and I am hoping to answer them for you.
Bottom line is…..I can help🤍
You might feel like your motherhood
journey has more questions than
answers
What does my baby’s birth look like when I imagine my special day?
How can I move past feeling overwhelmed?
I am feeling alone and confused, what can I do?
Who can I talk to, who understands?
Where can we find support for my partner to best support me?
I can help create a plan to answer your
biggest questions
deciding how you want your birth to go can be daunting, especially if it is your first baby. i WILL ASSIST YOU IN COMING UP WITH YOUR BIRTH WISHES
I will listen, comfort, offer suggestions all the while giving you an unbiased experience. This is very important to me. This is your journey so I would like you to be in control and in the driver's seat. If you are unable to use your voice, I will advocate for you to respect your wishes and your plan but I will never speak for you.
Sometimes postpartum work is just taking twin babies out for a stroll while mom takes a much needed break.
Options for Working Together
Prenatal Services
Prenatal visits are important and will allow us to prepare for your birth the best way possible.
Including 2 prenatal visits and create a birth plan as well as a back-up plan(s). This is meant to make you feel empowered and confident going forward. Sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned so I feel it is important to prepare by creating a plan B.
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Birth Services
Every client will get a virtual complementary consultation. If you decide to hire me, it is important to know you can reach me at any time so I will be reachable by text, telephone, WhatsApp, FaceTime or email. I will be on call at 37 weeks and come to you in early labour to assist you with natural pain relief, comfort measures and be right by your side for whatever you need. At an in person birth, I will be with you every step of the way no matter how long it takes. My support extends until 2 hours after your birth if you need me there.
In the event that I am unable to come for unforeseen circumstances, I have a reliable and like minded Doula for my backup which you can connect with in pregnancy.
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Postpartum Services
Whether you have had your first birth, second or more, they are all different in their own way. I will come to your home (or hospital if needed) daytime or nighttime to support you through this transition. This can be an overwhelming time for some people. I am here to guide and support you no matter what the circumstances. I have experience with multiples and this is an area where all hands on deck are needed. Here are some of the areas I can help with:
- Single or twin support
- Infant sleep education
- Provide resources if needed
- Overnight support to help parents get the rest they need
- Prep meals, prepare snacks and make sure you are keeping hydrated
- Support feeding without any judgement
- Problem solve any newborn behaviours that may be concerning to you
- My ECE degree allows me to provide support with siblings in the home
- Run last minute errands
- Help with laundry
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