Chelsea Bootsman
Red Deer & Central Alberta
Birth Doula, Body Ready Method Practitioner, Breastfeeding Educator, Childbirth Educator, Photographer and Videographer
Availability:
Currently not taking clients.
Doula Experience:
9 years, with many clients supported prenatally, and during labour and birth.
Experience includes;
Twins, special needs mothers, relinquishing mothers, home birth, stillbirth, VBAC, cesarean section, high-risk birthers, single parents, and teens.
Also spent a week as a volunteer doula at a hospital in Honduras.
Doula Trainings:
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Birth and bereavement doula Certified (Stillbirthday)
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Birth doula workshop (DONA)
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Body Ready Method Certified (One Strong Mama)
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Full spectrum fertility, birth, and postpartum doula (Bebo Mia)
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Breastfeeding Educator (Bebo Mia)
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Spinning Babies workshop
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Rebozo for birth workshop (Gena Kirby)
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Psoas for Pregnancy and Birth (Core Awareness)
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Crisis Pregnancy
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Freebirth (H.E.R.B.A.L doula trainings)
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As your Doula:
I know how important every role is in the delivery room (whether that’s in the hospital or at home), and I am not there to replace anyone, but rather help everyone work as a team, making sure you feel supported and encouraged during the entire process, while also helping partners feel confident in their role of support.
I have a huge passion for pelvic and muscular roles during pregnancy and labour, as well as fetal positioning. A priority for me, as a doula, is educating prenatally and helping my clients prepare both their body (balancing pelvic muscles to encourage optimal fetal positioning and engagement) and mind (working through fears and learning how to fully relax and breathe), to help ensure that they are able to put their best efforts forward, in order to have a positive birthing experience, however the outcome may look.
As your photographer:
I really enjoy just being a fly on the wall and documenting people as they are. My strong suit isn't in posing people, but rather in just following their own natural movements, and then looking for the moments and angles that are most flattering or emotionally engaging. Even the most beautiful of moments are easily lost or forgotten, but photographs and videos can spark these memories and bring them back. They can also be healing in the best of ways.
"You will never regret taking the photos, but you will always regret not taking the photos."
In The Birth Space
My doula style:
I like to keep busy, cleaning, organizing, continually quietly assessing situations and coming up with plans - like if I suspect a baby might be malpositioned, based on contraction pattern or where the contraction is felt by the birther (in the front or in the back), then I will have my clients do a series of activities to try to get baby properly positioned.
I'm a hands-on doula and love to help with hip squeezes, counter pressure, and massage, while also giving suggestions for frequent position changes. I'm not very vocal in the birth space, and I'm also not a very comforting "motherly" type - I'm more of a "best friend" straight talk, coaching, but also sensitive when I need to be, kind of doula, while giving you space to make decisions for yourself, based on information provided.
What do I do for you?
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Pregnancy: Questions, concerns, or just need someone to talk to? I'm here for you with resources in hand.
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Prenatal Education: In your last trimester, I come to you and teach you a private childbirth education class.
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Body Prep Workshop: Whether you are overdue or in early labour and looking for ways prepare your body, I will come to you, and go through my body prep workshop.
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Birth Support: When you go into labour, I will join you from the time you call me in, till one to two hours postpartum. I suggest labour positions to help make you more comfortable, and activities to encourage better fetal positioning.
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Advocate: I help you and you partner feel more in control of YOUR birth, making sure you voice your concerns, ask appropriate questions, and know what your options are, for labour and birth.
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Partners: I will guide your partner, allowing him/her feel more confident in how they can help you (this is important, because most partners don't fully understand how to help, or what they are and aren't allowed to do. If your partner needs to go home and rest, or let the dog out, I will stay with you.
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I bring the calm: Flameless candles, music, dim lights, massage, hip squeezes, counter pressure, all you need to do is find your happy place!
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Postpartum: After you have your baby, I try to stay with you for a little while, to make sure you've had something to eat, and help with the first latch, if you need it, or to simply just clean.
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Everything in between: Birth can be messy and demanding. I will make sure you are well watered and fed during and after labour/birth. I will bring you warm blankets, cool cloths, help you feel as comfortable as possible. For homebirths, I will make sure your home is tidy and you have a load of laundry going, before I leave.
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Photography: The birth of your baby will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life, so I can capture those first moments for you to treasure.
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I've been married for 16 years
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I currently homeschool my kids and I love learning alongside with them!
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I'm a problem solver by nature.
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I'm an introvert, but love being around others - I've been forcing myself to be more extroverted.
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I used to volunteer at the Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Center and have a huge heart for what they do and offer.
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I have 4 kids between the ages of 8-15 years old.
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I developed and sold a clothing business called Gracefully Birthed.
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I love 80's and 90's rap and hip hop.
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I'm naturally more artistic than I am athletic.
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I have another business, designing and drafting clothing patterns, called Socialite Patterns.
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I went to college for costume cutting and construction (costume making for theater).
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In 2019, I had the privilege to spend a week working as a volunteer doula in Honduras.
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I'm a Christian, am far from perfect, but always try to own up to and learn from my mistakes.
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I used to train on lyra and do partner acrobatics at my gym (before covid), and I highly recommend everyone try aerial arts at least once.
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Helping birthers and families have a more positive birthing experience, fulfills a huge part of me.
A few things about me
