Our Volunteers | Birthing Families Foundation

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!

Laiken Pratt (she/her they/them)

Laiken (they or she) is a white settler person living in Victoria and working in reproductive health and harm reduction. hey are a postpartum doula and general volunteer with BFF. Besides being a doula, they also work in food justice and harm reduction in the community.

Outside of work they enjoy recreationally hanging with babies and friends, laughing, and eating candy. Doula work and BFF became a part of their life during the pandemic when seeking supportive community and committing to service was the best way to get through.

Madison Chessae

Madison (she/they) is a white settler cis-woman. She has been practicing as postpartum doula since 2020 on the traditional territories of the Esquimalt, Songhees and the W̱SÁNEĆ people. With recognition of how colonialism has deeply affected the birth world and parenthood, Madison works towards decolonization using her compassion and skills to listen, believe and support families.

Madison came into this work through her passion for early childhood development and community care.

Madison is a parent of twins who works in crisis response, as an educational assistant as well as a postpartum doula. You can often find her exploring trails, paddling or drinking a cup of tea. She has been volunteering with The Birthing Families Foundation since 2021.

Gina Johnson

Gina is a birth doula, postpartum doula, and full spectrum doula. She is also a classical singer, tree planter, and is a queer white femme person. In her doula practice, she strives to help you feel seen, heard, and safe. Each pregnant person has their own needs, and she is here to support you in those needs!

She does not ascribe to the idea that your body was “made for reproductive experiences”, but is passionate about helping you feel empowered throughout your reproductive experiences. Birthing Families Foundation is passionate about inclusivity, accessibility, and quality care. That is why she loves being part of BFF!

Leah M.

Leah is a mama of 3, lover of animals, sunshine, and being outdoors! After having worked in the Mental Health field for 10 + years, she decided it was time for a change. As a fitness enthusiast, it felt like a natural progression to move from fitness participant to fitness instructor, even though she is not a fan of public speaking.

Leah started with her group fitness certification, then expanded to gain her personal training certification. She also took my love of supporting humans and trained as Birth and Postpartum Doula. This is where her true passion lies. The joy it brings Leah to connect with folks and support them through such an extraordinary journey fills her cup daily. Walking alongside families, through their journey of pregnancy, labour, the birth of their little human, and then getting to support them in the early days of parenthood is truly magical.

Candice May

Candice is a birth and postpartum doula living in the quaint community of Cobble Hill, Vancouver Island. A mom to two amazing kiddos, it was the birth of her second child that lead her on the path to becoming a doula after suffering alone with severe postpartum anxiety.

Candice has shifted her doula work into more postpartum centered care with a focus on creating community and support networks with the families she serves. In her (very limited) spare time she loves expressing her creativity with art, crafts and small interior design projects.

Raini

Raini (they/them) did their doula training in 2021 with Mothering Touch. They are proudly queer, fiercely into anti-opression work, and very greatful to live in Lekwungan Territory.

They are also an archaeologist, a farmer, and a dog parent. They are super excited to be a part of the Birthing Families Foundation to help individuals and families throughout our community with birth, post-partum, and abortion support.

Sarah Halfkenny

Sarah Halfkenny (she/her) is a queer and biracial birth doula, living gratefully in the unceded and traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ.

After the birth of her first child, Sarah felt called to assist other birthing people as a doula. She believes that empowered birth experiences have a direct positive impact on the transition to parenthood, and strives to assist birthing people and their families in accessing evidence-based information, in self-advocacy and in shared decision making with their care providers. Sarah is passionate about building community and supportive networks.

Sarah enjoys listening to podcasts, chasing creative pursuits, and getting outside with her two and four legged children.

Kylie Spring

Living in Nanoose Bay, with her three daughters and husband, Kylie is a stay-at-home mom with a passion for community care.

She spends her free time creating art, singing, trying to successfully grow a garden, all while unpacking childhood trauma and rewriting her narrative.