All Birth.

I couldn’t recommend Kathleen enough. Her support throughout pregnancy and postpartum was extremely helpful. As a first-time mom she provided great perspective and normalized the things we were experiencing. Kathleen’s presence during labour helped to keep me calm. With how things progressed she was there to help both my husband and I navigate the labour experience. Kathleen is very knowledgeable and was a great resource for us.

Still in awe that I was able to have a VBAC and beyond grateful to Kathleen for being instrumental in this, I cannot recommend her enough!

I was just three weeks away from my due date with my second child, and contacted her on a whim thinking there may be a small chance I could have a VBAC. I had just gone through a very stressful few months, had no time for prenatal yoga, did not drink any raspberry tea or do the usual things others would do to prepare for a natural delivery. I was also not the best candidate for a VBAC and was told by medical professionals that I shouldn’t even bother trying, but Kathleen changed my perspective from our first meeting. We only had three sessions together (since I contacted her so close to my due date), but my thinking went from “I’m probably having another c section” to “this might be a natural delivery”.

She set up the hospital room to make it feel calming and peaceful which was a game changer, and I got to 10cm very quickly. After two hours of pushing I looked at Kathleen and said “I don’t think I can do this” to which she said “yes you can” with so much sincerity that I actually believed her. The doctor on call that day was getting impatient and was preparing to send me in for a c section but I continued to focus on Kathleen’s guidance and tuned out the negativity around me, and within the hour my baby girl was born!

Our family will be forever grateful to Kathleen for taking me in at the last minute and helping me achieve what I, and everyone around me, never thought I could!

I’ll start with I cannot say enough words to express my gratitude for Kathleen. She was and still is today the best support person for my partner, myself and our little one.

I could not imagine the experience of labour without Kathleen. She brought the best energy, guidance and all around support on the day of. Leading up to the birth and after, we were able to bounce thoughts, feelings and questions with ease. Always feeling we were listened to and presented with options to make the bumpy road of parenthood much easier in that precious transition period.

I would highly recommend Kathleen. You will not be disappointed and it will set you on the best path forward for the life change that is about to come.

I would give 10 stars if I could! Kathleen is a woman who has found her calling and her passion for women taking back birth into their own hands will help you have the birth you desire. My first child’s birth was a completely different experience…different care provider, different doula. I came out of that birth feeling belittled and broken due to my care provider’s demeaning comments and forceful nature. We were fortunate to have Kathleen present for our second child’s birth. Even though it did not go to plan I have come out of this one feeling empowered and proud. Kathleen is well respected in the Kelowna birthing community and for rightful reasons. Her years of experience will be what helps you get through transition and when you think you can’t go on. She is empathic, a fabulous listener and has a great sense of humour. You will not regret having Kathleen by your side for your birth!

Kathleen is such an incredible doula, we feel so lucky to have had her by our side throughout the journey of becoming parents. She is a huge part of our birth story as well as our prenatal and postpartum experience. I honestly couldn’t imagine doing it without her. With Kathleen’s calming nature and extensive knowledge she made us feel empowered, confident and informed going into our labour. We will be forever grateful for the bond we shared with Kathleen and for the guidance and support that she gave to us. I can’t recommend Kathleen highly enough she has left such a beautiful imprint on our lives.

The All Birth centre has also been an amazing hub of knowledge, support and community. I really admire Kathleen for all the work that she does, it is so valuable and important.

Kathleen was instrumental throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. She was a listening ear, a calm pillar of strength, and a wise maternal voice through challenging moments.

Her support in my most difficult moments allowed me to follow my intuition, and to find calmness in the most chaotic of times.

I will forever be grateful for her knowledge, resources, kindness, calmness, and love throughout the most sensitive time of my life

“If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it”. - Dr. John H Kennell. Kathleen is an angel on earth. She guided me through my first pregnancy and a very unpredictable labour and delivery. Without Kathleen, I wouldn’t have felt empowered in my strength nor would I have felt confident in my knowledge of the options available to me. Although my birth experience turned out to be a lot different than what I had envisioned, Kathleen’s presence and unyielding support made it peaceful, powerful, and always kept me feeling in control. I call Kathleen my “birth therapist” - throughout all of the emotions and trials that popped up during the nine months of pregnancy, Kathleen was there to support me however I needed. She has the most empathetic, calm, and wise disposition and always made me feel heard and validated my every concern and question. My pregnancy and birth experience were surreal in the best way possible and I owe it all to Kathleen. I wish every mother could experience her nurturing guidance - she was certainly made to be in this profession. I would recommend Kathleen to any expectant mother in search of supported and holistic care in their pregnancy and I can’t wait to work with her again. ️

From the moment we met Kathleen, we felt heard, supported, and loved; she truly prioritizes relationships with her clients in crafting a beautiful birth. Taking our birthing goals (we felt it was more appropriate than a rigid plan) into account, Kathleen helped us prioritize certain aspects of my wife's (the gestational parent) delivery based on what she learned through getting to know us. She was careful to not push anything on us or pass judgement, but rather offered excellent personalized suggestions or ideas when warranted. While my wife's birth did not go as planned (emergency c-section), we both think fondly of the preceding moments before our son came earth-side. Kathleen's calm energy, love, and professionalism are unmatched and a large part of the reason we felt so grounded during labour. Thank you Kathleen, we love you!

Kathleen is worth her weight in gold! My partner, always the frugal saver, didn’t think we would need a doula. However as this was my first pregnancy I persisted. After having the most peaceful and powerful birth thanks to Kathleen, my partner began to tell everyone that they not only need a doula but they need Kathleen as their doula. Kathleen took the time to talk to me about my wants, my fears, and what I should expect during the postpartum period. I felt supported through the whole process and knew if I had any questions that Kathleen would have the answer. She was by my side the whole time during the birth, coached my partner on how to help out, brought me back to my breathing and kept a calming vibe throughout the room. Thanks to Kathleen’s hard work I had the birth that I had been envisioning my whole pregnancy.

When I got pregnant I was interested in getting a doula but wanted more information. Kathleen graciously met with me and my husband and explained her role and how she could support us. After meeting I knew I wanted to work together. The initial cost of hiring a doula seemed intimidating but was 100% worth it! She was supportive during my pregnancy and the birth. Because of her, my husband and I were able to enjoy the process. I’m so grateful we hired a doula and even more grateful it was Kathleen because she’s amazing!

Our experience with Kathleen was so incredibly positive, we adore her! My hubby was a doula skeptic at first, and now we are both SO grateful for Kathleen and highly recommend all families to work with her. She's a calming, intuitive presence with a great sense of humor and a wealth of knowledge. She really helped both myself and my husband feel as prepared and confident as possible in the pregnancy and birth journey. As a new Mom, I actually was able to enjoy my labour process and step into my power as a woman. I loved giving birth, and felt a strength and connection I have never experienced before. I credit this largely to our time with Kathleen and her ability to help us view the pregnancy and birthing journey in a different way than we usually are exposed to in our culture. She did this while still respecting our fears and concerns along the way. She supported my husband and I both individually and as a couple, as we navigated this new terrain. We felt seen, heard, loved, and empowered. We look forward to continuing to have her as a part of our birth team as our family grows

Kathleen was an integral part of my labour, delivery, pre and postpartum experience. She was knowledgeable, dependable and kind. I appreciated her caring demeanour and her willingness to adapt to help me figure out and meet my birthing goals. Her nonjudgmental and encouraging advice helped me to prepared for labour and delivery. I was so thankful for her presences at the birth of my son and know that I would not have had the smooth experience I did without her help.

I'm so glad that Kathleen was a part of my birth. I would 100% recommend her for anyone with concerns about natural birth with minimal intervention. She has a wealth of knowledge and she's a wonderful person.

Kathleen is amazing! She made us feel safe, heard and respected. She gave us helpful advice about everything we asked, was incredible during our baby’s birth and is always there for us. She is an advocate, a professional and a friend. We also loved her birth class. I have not one negative thing to say about her or her work!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Kathleen! Kathleen was my doula and I also took her birth course. Kathleen is such a reliable, supportive, comforting, knowledgeable and safe person. I am so happy that she was my doula. I don't know what I would have done without her. Thank you for everything Kathleen!

This review is for All Birth's prenatal class, hosted via Zoom due to COVID. I have heard incredibly positive reviews of Kathleen as a birth doula so I certainly don't want my review to detract from that (as it sounds like this is where she really shines!) - however, I do want to comment on the prenatal class for any future parents who may be considering it.

In all fairness, I recognize many people are still getting used to Zoom as a result of this pandemic. It was evident that Kathleen did not feel comfortable on this platform which impacted the quality of the course (e.g. Using a chalkboard that was illegible due to lighting; struggling to position her camera to showcase various scenarios; underutilizing functions like chat, breakout rooms, screen sharing, etc.). She seemed nervous throughout and would probably have benefited from a Powerpoint or similar aide to organize herself.

Zoom challenges aside, Kathleen struggled to stay on topic and follow through with her train of thought. It was unclear whether she had a planned agenda for the day (aside from break times) as she would lose her place in her sentence or concept often, mentioning something she was planning to discuss.and then never actually discussing it. She spent a lot of time talking about what a limited amount of time we had together, rather than utilizing said time to share actual information. I do believe Kathleen has great intentions and really cares about her clients; that said, I would not suggest this class to the majority of people I know.

I took this prenatal class at the advice of my midwives as I am a first-time parent and wanted to ensure I was as equipped as possible for birth, alongside my husband who will be my support partner. However, I can confidently now say that if you have done a basic level of research, you are unlikely to learn anything new in this day-long session. I would suggest utilizing your care provider for questions in tandem with a well-researched site instead (I like Evidence Based Birth as it provides a clear overview of existing studies and subsequent data to help you weigh your own decisions).

If your better half is making you consider a doula and more importantly Kathleen just do it! My wife and I leaned on Kathleen more than I would have thought when my wife first talked me into it. She's a total rockstar and I'm glad we worked with her. I was reluctant at first but I can't say enough good things. She just makes the whole process less stressful and educated us so well. She saved us many hours of sleep, brought calm to the chaos and saved the two of us from disagreements. Worth it!

Highly recommend Kathleen’s prenatal/ birth and baby classes! A relaxed learning environment with evidence-based information.

Very informative, to the point, a relaxing atmosphere- a very good class held by Kathleen. We left calm and definitely with some structure what to do before, during and after you give birth. Highly recommended!

We had the most wonderful birth experience and I believe Kathleen had A LOT to do with it. As a first time mom navigating this unfamiliar experience can seem overwhelming but Kathleen really made me feel comfortable and even excited to give birth (crazy I know haha)! The service she provided us before our baby arrived, during my labor and after was so amazing. She also was a great support for my husband as well. She made him feel really at ease. Words can not describe how appreciative I am of Kathleen and her knowledge around everything babies! I would HIGHLY recommend Kathleen to anyone thinking of hiring a doula. You will not regret it!

I attended one of Kathleen’s prenatal classes with my partner. It was a full day and worth every penny to attend! She is passionate and put a lot into her knowledge-sharing, with details and hands-on demonstrations. My partner and I feel a lot more confident about the birth process because we understand how things might unfold, why/when. We feel so much more prepared. Our obstetrician would not be able to help us this way. I highly recommend attending for any expecting couple or single person.

Friends of ours recommended we hire a doula to guide us through the journey of welcoming our first child. We are so glad we did, but more importantly we're glad we found Kathleen Stanford Baker! The entire experience of becoming parents was made better when Kathleen became a part of it. She brought immense knowledge to our one-on-one meetings during my pregnancy - answering questions and offering information - and made my husband and I feel much more mentally prepared for what was ahead of us. She was a guiding light throughout labour when my plans to go without medication wavered with every contraction. After birth, Kathleen again proved how invaluable she was with home visits, check-in texts and phone calls, a shoulder to cry on, a cheerleader to celebrate the wins with and much more. Although we only spent a short while getting to know one another, she felt like a best friend at the end of it all. We can't thank her enough and she'll be one of the first people we call when we become pregnant again. ️ you Kathleen Stanford Baker!

Kathleen made all the difference with our birth experience. Her support extends far beyond the labour, and as first time parents we’ve very much appreciated and valued her insight. She is incredible at what she does!

Kathleen was an incredible support for our journey into becoming a new family. We loved the relaxing and informative prenatal class she offers, even met another couple that we continue to connect with as we all become new parents. Kathleen was an integral part of the birthing process. She supported both of us before, during and after the birth. We couldn't imagine having went through this experience without her.

I had to get induced almost 3 weeks early, which was extremely unnerving. However, Kathleen was at the hospital within 20 minutes of calling her the night of induction to help support us. She was empathetic, calming, caring and was there when we needed her most.

Birthing a child is something you'll never forget. Having a doula like Kathleen will help to make it a positive experience that you'll remember for a lifetime. It's well worth the investment and if we have another child, will do it again in a heartbeat.

Sincerely,

Bailey C

In life, you are lucky to meet some truly exceptional people and for me, Kathleen is one of those people. Kathleen was my doula for my second and third children. After a stressful first birth experience, she was exactly what I needed. She gave me the reassurance and confidence that I needed for each pregnancy and throughout my labour. She truly listens to you concerns, fears and wishes for Your child’s birth. Her calm presence and ability to determine when to take charge or step back, are exactly what I needed. She really encourages support from ones partner and Stepped in when I needed that extra support. Throughout pregnancy, she often checked in to make sure all was well. She was present through the initial postpartum period as well, not only checking on physical health of myself and baby, but emotional and mental health as well. I really feel that I have found a friend in Kathleen, and I don’t think you could ask for a better individual to be by your side as you endure the most difficult, magical and empowering moment of your life!

I can't say enough about Kathleen. From the first time I met her, to the birth of our daughter, she was there for us. My husband works out of town and unfortunately wasn't able to be there for her birth and Kathleen was there to make sure I was ok with dealing with the emotions of that and every step of the way when I went into labor and up until delivery. My labour and deliver was 2 days long and did not go as "planned" and she was there by my side the whole time with my midwife. But it didn't stop there, she continued to come see me and my daughter to make sure I was ok emotionally, physically, and the adjustment of my first child.she continues to be supportive and is not only my Doula but a friend now and I feel I can ask her anything any time. I reccomend her to anyone I know having a baby and I will be using her going forward.

Prenatal class:
The All Birth prenatal class is a lovely way for pregnant women and their labour partner to prepare for their little one's arrival. Kathleen provided practical, evidence-based information that helped me (and especially my husband!) get oriented to the reality of labour and birth. We learned practical techniques to manage throughout labour and the newborn stage. I looked back at the binder materials many times in the days leading up to the end of pregnancy. I highly recommend All Birth's prenatal class!

Doula services:
I feel tremendously lucky to have had Kathleen support me as my doula. Her support and encouragement were so valuable, particularly during seemingly never-ending prodromal "early labour" that lasted four days. She provided support and care that surpassed my expectations. Her services were an ideal complement to my midwifery care, filling in and coordinating with that care seamlessly. If you are pregnant and considering doula care, look no further! Kathleen and All Birth are outstanding!