http://www.bluehazelbirthservices.com/

Blue Hazel Birth Services, Calgary, AB (2025)

04/27/2023

Did you take a placenta tour after your birth?

I always joke that this is like the cilantro of the immediate postpartum - people are either 100% into it or 100% "f**k no!" - there usually isn't a lot of middle ground!
Where did you land??

If you did choose to have your provider walk you through it, what was your favorite part? The baby's side of it and the ‘Tree of Life’? Seeing the umbilical cord and where is was inserted? Or maybe it was looking at the amniotic sac and trying to envision how your fresh babe had made that their home all those months prior. I can’t wait to hear!

As for this beautiful family? They did take a journey through their placenta after their birth and I LOVE these images capturing both babe and his placenta - incredible!!

📸 shared with permission
📷 by

04/23/2023

Scenes from a birth 💜

📸 by

04/22/2023

“It takes a village to birth a torpedo”
-

This was my second time supporting this incredible family and honestly, working not only with mom and dad, but Grandma and the incredible midwives from each time has built a beauty and camaraderie that is hard to put into words.

I could go on and on and on about this momma. She is a FORCE to be reckoned with when it comes to giving birth (and all other aspects of her life) and being a part of her births has been a dream. I love and respect her dearly and cannot wait to watch her babies grow.

xoxo

📸 photo shared with permission

03/16/2023

This family. Where can I even start?

I met Katey when I was a fresh, baby doula and it was literally love at first sight. She is the best possible combination of smart, compassionate and spicy AF. She and John were expecting their first baby, and trusted me with their birth. At that time, they had an inkling of what they may be up against, but were still fresh from John's official diagnosis of ALS. Fast forward to late 2021, when I was welcomed back into their lives as babe #2 was on her way. John's progression with this terminal disease was moving swiftly and my time with them was deeply emotional - every single prenatal visit we had resulted in John and I in tears and Katey rolling her eyes at us 🙄 😉 😭

John and Katey, along with their two, beautiful daughters, are now at a turning point in their lives. For John to be able to remain at home under the dedicated care of Katey, some major things need to be changed in their home. The cost of care and renovations to accommodate John remaining at home with his family is substantial, and they need help.
I honestly cannot say more about this incredible family - they have absolutely stolen my heart, and if you have the capacity to give, please, please do.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/financial-support-for-gignac-family

** shared with permission **

03/08/2023

We should probably make sure to celebrate the women in our lives every. damn. day.
But, let's DEFINITELY take time today to do it.

When I'm supporting the absolute raw power of women in the birth space, or sitting with them in the vulnerability of their postpartum, I am in awe.
When I'm working with the other members of the CDA executive over zoom or with my consulting colleagues in a board room, I am inspired.
And when I am at home, with my boys, being a mom, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Because I am a woman, and that is pretty frigging awesome.

Take time to shoutout all the amazing cis and trans women in your life today, and know that each and every day, they, too, are frigging awesome.

02/28/2023

Feeling cute, might delete later IDK

02/07/2023

Exciting new collab coming!!!

01/24/2023

The last few months have flown by! It was so nice to take November and December off from being on-call, and to have a bit of a break from the busy-ness of social media!
Buuuuut - I can’t help but pop in and welcome some new additions!
Looking forward to the last of the winter babies and all the spring babies set to arrive! The next few months are loaded with births and I can’t wait to watch new families grow!!

01/19/2023

I always appreciate when my clients take time to share how they felt about the experience they had with me. This feedback hit a little different though.
I 100% answer to my clients, and their needs, wants and preferences are my top priority. But I also very much believe that by creating a cooperative, collaborative and positive birth environment alongside the care providers who are supporting my clients' birth is a HUGELY impactful way to help them achieve the birth of their dreams.
The way I hold space at a birth can be ego-based, adversarial and combative OR it can be inviting, warm and respectful 🤷‍♀️

Are there going to be times when we, as doulas, work alongside a midwife, nurse or doctor who's style or personality clash with our own? Of course! That is just the way life is - we won't always gel perfectly with everyone we encounter. Regardless, we can act with kindness, courtesy and respect and maintain a high degree of professionalism throughout the experience because we can never know what is sitting behind the perceived lack of connection.

But the opposite is equally true. For every time I have had a challenging experience, I have had an equally incredible experience - this birth was a perfect example. I had the pleasure of working with a brand new nurse who was on her first solo shift - she was so. fricking. happy to have an extra set of hands in the room. I also had the pleasure of working with a doctor who introduced himself to me directly, consulted with me on how best he could support my clients when they were faced with a difficult decision, and shook my hand and thanked me after baby had arrived and he had finished his final check in with my family. He made me feel like a truly valued and important part of the team that day.

Within the doula community I often feel an air of "us vs them" when it comes to care providers, and while I'm sure these feelings are rooted in difficult experiences, I believe that we all have space to come more towards the center. Let's meet each other in the middle, and find the common ground between us - the best interests of our client and the way in which they experience their birth.

“Being my 1st pregnancy I was so unsure how I was going to make it through it all and even more the delivery day was scary to think about. Having Lindsays support helped relieve my nerves and uncertainties.

I don't want to imagine how the birth of our little boy would have gone without her. She knew exactly how to help me emotionally and physically in the best and hardest of moments. She helped my husband through it too. Explained how he could support me and help him not end-up on the floor, haha. He wasn't sure if a doula was needed at the start but he was so grateful to have her there that day.

She is very lovely, caring and attentive. She knew when she had to keep me calm and when we could use a bit of joy and humor to keep us going. She was very professional and all the medical staff and delivery team were so impressed by her. Even after multiple postpartum visits they kept asking and talking about how awesome my doula was and how lucky I was to have her there with me. I can’t recommend her enough.

She helped take pictures and gave us a precious keepsake, a birth story from her perspective addressed to our baby boy. It was wonderful to read and the best way to remember that day. “
- Cindy D.

01/17/2023

Sometimes the simplest moments evoke the greatest beauty.
This momma was one in a million and I will literally never forget her labor and birth. Her experience was instrumental in shaping me as a doula, and I will be forever grateful that she invited me into her space.

01/05/2023

While there may be many reasons that an induction is considered 'medically necessary', reaching your due date IS 👏 NOT 👏 ONE 👏 OF 👏 THEM.

Although many care providers love to start the conversation around induction as early as 39 weeks (sometimes earlier - don't even get me started on "geriatric" pregnancies 🙄) if you haven't had THE TALK by 40 weeks, you are likely in the minority.

Ummmm..... when did we forget that NORMAL GESTATION is anywhere from 38 - 42 weeks??

I wholeheartedly understand and respect that there are times when we do need to induce labor, and we are so lucky to have a medical system that can detect problems and ensure mom and baby are safe and healthy - but in the absence of those scenarios, why are we inducing at 40 weeks?
Induced labors tend to include higher rates of interventions, need for pain medication, and cesarean birth. When a body isn't ready to give birth... it often isn't ready to give birth *shock* and trying to force birth to fit a schedule doesn't always result in the birth we would hope for.

So what can we do?
✨ Asking for extra time and alternatives is always an option - if there are no medically indicated reasons for an induction, request that you be monitored until at least 41+1 (the most common birth- day for FTMs).
✨ Let fear-based or manipulative tactics to convince you to consent to an induction wash right over you.
✨ Ensure you have a great support team on your side to help balance out the BS with evidence-based information.
✨ Listen to your gut - follow YOUR intuition. You know exactly what is right for you, and maybe it IS an early induction. As long as you are making an INFORMED choice that serves YOU best, then that is all that matters!

Want to chat birth support and help build a team to navigate the waters of pregnancy and birth? My DMs are always open - find me there or fill out the contact form on my website. I have a small handful of spaces open before summer and would love to connect!

12/29/2022

Post your annual starts early?? Bold move. You know a January babe is going to arrive early just to make a point!
So happy to help welcome this little one in the wee hours of this morning! Annual stats updated accordingly!

xoxo

12/26/2022

One of my favorite posts to share each year! Although I feel like posting it early is just *asking* for one of my January babies to arrive before the end of the year! 😂

It was another amazing year supporting births throughout Calgary and the surrounding rural areas - I am so grateful for each and every family I was able to meet and connect with. This year has gifted me some of the most memorable experiences of my life and I cannot wait to see what 2023 holds in store.

Much love!!
Lindsey
xoxo

12/26/2022

Sometimes when things start to feel messy and frantic, I have to force myself away from the to-do list and take time to settle… so far this morning that had meant sitting on my mat with a cup of tea. Eventually I’ll make my way to some movement but for right now this is just what it needs to be. It’s still yoga in my books - mind dfulness and breath.
Yoga doesn’t always need to be big, showy and IG-worthy… my practice is humble, it’s low key and void of ego. It works for my body and when I share that practice I aim to make sure it’s accessible for all bodies.

If you feel like that prenatal body, heart or spirit of yours could use some attention come January, you know where to find me. I’m happy to create a space that feels perfect for you.
DM me for more 💜

12/26/2022

Sedona is known for it’s energy vortexes and sacred spaces. We spent two days hiking to various places to soak in the sunshine, views and whatever else the universe had to offer.

The Birthing Cave was one of those spots and as a doula, OBVIOUSLY I had to go there. There are a few different takes on why the cave is named as it is - some say that the Hopi women used to come to the cave to give birth, while others say that the name is given due to the shape of the entrance resembling a certain piece of female anatomy.
Regardless of where the name comes from, many hikers and visitors report strong feelings of feminine and sexual energy while in the cave.

For me, I found the space to be incredibly beautiful and felt drawn to stay there - I was hesitant to end our visit and move on to our next hike that day. I left feeling light and refreshed and know that I will absolutely return again.

Tell me - do you believe that certain places in our environment hold specific energies?!? If yes, where have you experienced them?!?

11/20/2022

Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance - a time to remember those folks whose lives have been lost or altered as a result of transphobic violence 💜 🏳️‍⚧️ 💜

Perhaps this feels a touch "out of place" for a birth doula's content, but for any of those who know me personally, they know that I am deeply connected to the LGBTQIA2S+ community and work diligently to provide affirmative support to all people and families, no matter how I come to be a part of their lives.

As doulas, *if* we choose to support in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, then we must be aware of the potential discrimination and violence that our clients can, and likely will, encounter when trying to access health care. I hate to say it, but even here in Canada, we are woefully far from providing equitable, knowledgeable, respectful and safe care to all folks who deserve it.

Want to learn more? Check out this great article, shared with me by

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/pregnancy-birth-and-fertility-care-need-to-be-more-gender-inclusive-advocates-say-1.5504045

As always... please remember you don't need to understand to be supportive, you don't need to agree to be respectful, and in a world where you can be anything, always, always... be kind.

11/20/2022

Who says you have to labor in bed?
What feels best in your body? How and where can you accommodate that?

Bringing babe earthside is a highly primal and intuitive feat and I love being a witness to how my clients move their bodies during their labor. I encourage them to connect and lean into whatever their physical body is asking them for and I verrrrrry rarely interfere with that. From my perspective, the body knows how to birth the baby, and if we help to support a birther’s physical intuition and quiet down overthinking and overdoing, a body will do just that.

Yes, there are times where we as birthworkers get hints about babe’s position and how we can potentially optimize that or how we can help a client feel more physically supported and comfortable in the position of their choosing and we can offer some guidance there, but otherwise, supporting in the space a birthing person intuitively chooses is 👍

And for anyone worried, we got a nice clean blanket tucked under this sweet momma as soon as she was ready to make sure her floor-based position was as comfortable as possible!

11/20/2022

Did you know?

Doulas DO support cesarean birth. Obviously there is occasion when our clients experience an intrapartum cesarean birth, meaning that they choose or require a cesarean intervention at some point in their labor - when we are supporting their labor as a doula in this space, we just continue on supporting in that space. We help to slow things down, at least on the emotional side of things, we help to ensure our clients have clarity on what their options are, what the risks and/or benefits may be for those options, and hold space as they make their decisions. Most often we wait until they return from their birth and then slide back into supporting through the postpartum timeframe, but occasionally we slip into the OR in place of a partner who doesn't feel comfortable in that space.

But we ALSO support planned cesarean birth! I often get asked how/why/when we do this or what the benefit is. My answer is that the benefit differs for different families and individuals - some really find the value in the prenatal preparation - understanding what to expect before, during and after birth, as well as the intricacies of cesarean postpartum (did you know that I have poured tons of time and effort into creating specific prenatal content for cesarean preparation????)

Others find the day-of support the most valuable -
✨ having someone there with them to ease the nerves and anxieties as they wait for their birth
✨ supporting in the operating theatre and recovery when a partner, for their own very personal and valid reasons, don't feel that they can support in that space
✨ immediate postpartum support, as they are recovering from the effect of their anesthesia while getting to know their brand new little person, establish feeding, and figure out how to move/take care of themselves post-surgery

No matter what style of birth you want/need/envision, there is a doula out there that is perfect to support you through it.

Blue Hazel Birth Services

04/27/2023

04/23/2023

04/22/2023

03/16/2023

03/08/2023

02/28/2023

02/07/2023

01/24/2023

01/19/2023

01/17/2023

01/05/2023

12/29/2022

12/26/2022

12/26/2022

12/26/2022

11/20/2022

11/20/2022

11/20/2022

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share