Pregnancy and postpartum are transformative experiences, and I quickly learned that having a supportive network of experts made all the difference. While friends and family play an important role, there’s a unique sense of confidence and peace that comes from building a “village” of trusted professionals who guide you through the physical, emotional, and mental changes that come with motherhood.
From my midwife and doula to a naturopathic doctor and therapists, I sought out practitioners who understood my needs and values. They helped me navigate this journey with care, compassion, and expertise, making the experience far more empowering and less overwhelming.
My pregnancy was difficult and I attribute most of that due to stress. Doing too much. How did I think running a storefront, online store, managing staff, consulting, prepping for my leave and starting to teach an undergraduate Corporate Social Responsibility class was a good idea while pregnant? 🙈
Here’s a look at the village I built and how these professionals supported me every step of the way.
I highly recommend Encompass Health & Wellness for prenatal and post natal care.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy - Laura Holland was who I saw (Nadia is amazing too)
Massage Therapy - Erica Pisciotto and Kaitlyn Kelly
Naturopathic Doctor at Willow Wellness Dr. Cecelia de Martino
Genesis Midwives (I called as soon as I found out I was pregnant)
Registered Social Worker (Therapist) Jess Crowe and she’s amazing! And you can claim it on your benefits.
Doula from KOA Birthing - Christine (seriously soooooo worth the investment, honestly if I could do it over again I would hire her again.)
Balancing Birth To Baby Class at Blue Heron Midwives (we had it on our Google Doc gift registry and my husband found is to valuable it mare us realize we needed a doula)
Osteopath at Aligned Health - Nate Enns (he helped me with my chronic mastitis! And everything in between) and Naomi has been assisting with my treatment for most of it.
Chiropractor - Dr. Tara Hosie
Physiotherapy - Back Works (I got carpal tunnel in both wrists during my pregnancy). I've worked with Eoghan Landy in the past but he was booked solid, and for my pregnancy I saw Jonathan Godfrey.
La Leche League for breastfeeding support and community and it is virtual, people from all over tune in once a month and they have ongoing one-on-one support and I cannot reccomend this enough!
EarlyOn - Sleep workshop we did with Luna only a couple weeks old. Also the Transitioning to Parenthood virtual program (but really it should be called Transitioning to Motherhood because my husband Gary was the only Dad)
I hope this helps you feel supported in this huge transition. Let me know in the comments if you'd like to hear more about my experience.