A Mother Is Born
We could not have felt better supported leading up to and during the birth of our son. Kris is very well known in the community and we were able to experience first hand, why this is. Kris has a lot of experience and is a wealth of knowledge. She is calm, confident and truly loving. She is also very supportive of various individual birthing and parenting styles. I have never met anyone who can remain so unbiased while being supportive of different views and choices. Due to her abundance of experience, she provides confident answers to all questions, birth related. It is amazing how many choices parents actually have during pregnancy, labour, delivery and once the baby is born. In some cases, decisions have to be made so quickly. Kris was there to help us anticipate these decisions/choices and best equip us to make the right decision for us. She also was there to ensure we felt confident to advocate for ourselves. This is something that is so so important. I have so many mom friends who did not use a Doula. Some did not have the best birth experience and I believe some just did not know that they had options or were too afraid to have a voice. I know this would have been us if we did not have Kris. We felt so prepared.
We loved the fact that we got to meet with Kris on several occasions and build a relationship prior to the birth of our son. We clicked right away and during our meetings I quickly felt as though I was chatting with a friend. Being first time parents, it was so nice to have someone go over all the “in-and-outs” with us, when it came to the birthing process. If we did not have Kris, I feel that the last couple of weeks would have been so stressful. I would have agonized over what was normal, when to call the midwives and overall what to do when labour started. Instead I knew I could contact Kris at anytime. It also gave my husband peace of mind.
My husband and I decided to have a home birth and were so happy with the overall experience. Having Kris at the birth provided a sense of calm. As soon as my labour started, Kris came right over. She was here for the 12 hours of labour as well as several hours after. Once our son was born, she even made us breakfast in bed! It was so lovely to be able to simply enjoy our little guy and be so well taken care of.
Kris came with essential oils, TENS machine, birthing pool and many other aids that assisted in my labour. I can attest to the fact that a Doula is worth every penny. Kris is one of a kind!
-The Waffles, March 2018
We have had the privilege of having Kris with us for the birth of our son and our daughter. They were two completely different experiences, and Kris was incredible during both of them…
My son was my first and it wasn’t the “ideal” birth… my labor was long, I ended up asking for an epidural, and when he first came out it took him about 5 minutes to actually start breathing because he had swallowed his meconium. It was a scary experience all around. Kris was one of the only good memories I had from the labor experience before finally holding my son in my arms.
When we became pregnant with my second I knew I couldn’t do it without Kris. I was scared from my previous experience, and yet hopeful that it could still be a beautiful birth. Kris really encouraged me not to avoid thinking about my labor and delivery, but rather read stories and prepare myself mentally for how I could deal with everything differently. The birth of my daughter was quick, quiet, peaceful and sooo enjoyable. And Kris was a huge part of that!
A few specific things we REALLY appreciated and why we would recommend her:
- We could ask Kris all our questions, before and after baby.
- She really knows her way around the hospital so it was amazing having her drive there with us and take us up to the labor and delivery ward.
- She did hip squeezes when my contractions really started getting bad, they helped so much!
- She video taped the birth which after the fact I was really thankful for!
- She brought me toast with peanut butter right after the delivery, probably the best thing I’ve ever tasted!
- She is such a gentle and kind-hearted person that took the time to care for us through the whole process, she was truly amazing.
~Stephanie and Brandon Walker, May 2018
My son was my first and it wasn’t the “ideal” birth… my labor was long, I ended up asking for an epidural, and when he first came out it took him about 5 minutes to actually start breathing because he had swallowed his meconium. It was a scary experience all around. Kris was one of the only good memories I had from the labor experience before finally holding my son in my arms.
When we became pregnant with my second I knew I couldn’t do it without Kris. I was scared from my previous experience, and yet hopeful that it could still be a beautiful birth. Kris really encouraged me not to avoid thinking about my labor and delivery, but rather read stories and prepare myself mentally for how I could deal with everything differently. The birth of my daughter was quick, quiet, peaceful and sooo enjoyable. And Kris was a huge part of that!
A few specific things we REALLY appreciated and why we would recommend her:
- We could ask Kris all our questions, before and after baby.
- She really knows her way around the hospital so it was amazing having her drive there with us and take us up to the labor and delivery ward.
- She did hip squeezes when my contractions really started getting bad, they helped so much!
- She video taped the birth which after the fact I was really thankful for!
- She brought me toast with peanut butter right after the delivery, probably the best thing I’ve ever tasted!
- She is such a gentle and kind-hearted person that took the time to care for us through the whole process, she was truly amazing.
~Stephanie and Brandon Walker, May 2018
Kris is AMAZING! We approached Kris very late in our twin pregnancy seeking some post-partum assistance on Tuesday evenings. Kris met with us immediately and showed tremendous enthusiasm for also assisting with the labour, having never been involved in a twin delivery. Kris eased our concerns over what we saw as a financial burden taking on a birth doula, and was a massive part of what became an incredibly smooth and complication-free delivery of two healthy babies. Liam and Rylie spent 12 days in the brilliant Kelowna NICU and Kris was there every bit of the way, coming for regular visits and sending encouraging and messages of support throughout. We retained Kris' services for two months following our babies coming home and could not have been happier with investing in her expertise and wealth of support. Thanks so much Kris!!
Alex and Sarah, April 2018
Alex and Sarah, April 2018
Dearest Kris, you made my birth dream come true! Thank-you so much for your support, especially in calmness. As you were, I became and the birth was beautiful. Thank-you so much.
~Anna C March 2018
We are so grateful for Kris and her support through this process. She is knowledgeable, experienced and right in line with my beliefs about the sacredness of childbirth. I am especially thankful for her ability to quell any fear and put us totally at ease. It’s a beautiful and powerful thing to be supported by a woman with so much reverence. Thank you Kris!
~ Catherine D April 2018
~ Catherine D April 2018
Kris is an amazing doula. I didn't quite know what to expect being pregnant for the first time and found it super helpful to go through the different positions that would help with pain and understand the stages of labor and how the process may go from laboring at home to eventually going to the hospital.
I definitely had an ideal birth in mind, hoping to do the majority of labor at home before going to the hospital and having a vaginal birth. However, my birth plan did a complete 180 on us! My little one was 2 weeks overdue and I was still not going into labor even with all the natural interventions we tried. We ended up having to get medically induced, which still didn't get me into active labor after 36 hours of it! Having Kris there every step of the way to talk through all the decisions we had to make from natural ways to get the birth going, to being medically induced, to manually breaking my water, and the eventual emergency c-section was incredibly invaluable. It's hard to put into words our sincere appreciation. After a long 4-5 days of medical interventions, our little one finally made his way into this world and am so grateful that Kris was there for us every step of the way. Thanks so much Kris!
~ Selena DeVries January 2018
I definitely had an ideal birth in mind, hoping to do the majority of labor at home before going to the hospital and having a vaginal birth. However, my birth plan did a complete 180 on us! My little one was 2 weeks overdue and I was still not going into labor even with all the natural interventions we tried. We ended up having to get medically induced, which still didn't get me into active labor after 36 hours of it! Having Kris there every step of the way to talk through all the decisions we had to make from natural ways to get the birth going, to being medically induced, to manually breaking my water, and the eventual emergency c-section was incredibly invaluable. It's hard to put into words our sincere appreciation. After a long 4-5 days of medical interventions, our little one finally made his way into this world and am so grateful that Kris was there for us every step of the way. Thanks so much Kris!
~ Selena DeVries January 2018
Kris was awesome and VERY affordable! We had really high expectations from her because our doula with our first was super good but was unavailable at the time I got pregnant with our second! And she surpassed our expectations!!! Highly recommend her and have recommended her to anyone I hear that’s pregnant! She was a great resource while pregnant even though this was our second she still gave us lots of new tips, tricks and info!! I really appreciated how she took the time to figure exactly what my husband and I wanted out of our birth in this case we really wanted my husband to be more hands on involved as in him supporting me in different positions and pain relief techniques etc! Plus she has a tense machine you too!! (Not all doulas do!) Kris really made sure that the way I wanted my birth to go was the way it happened. She also got some great pictures and videos of the whole experience! Her postpartum support was great as well! She even did my dishes, folded laundry, took out trash, changed babies bum, played with my older son so I could have some time with the baby. All in all she was an amazing resource, help, friend and definitely an asset to the birthing team!!! Being her client was an absolute honour. <3
~Sami and Seth Turkovics, March 2018
~Sami and Seth Turkovics, March 2018
Kris was an amazing support for us leading up to our due date, during and after the birth of our daughter. She went above and beyond what we expected from a doula,
working closely with us to customize our birth plan, while being sensitive to our needs. She offered a wealth of experience, knowledge and attention to detail and we are so grateful that we found her.
Clea and Gideon December 2017
working closely with us to customize our birth plan, while being sensitive to our needs. She offered a wealth of experience, knowledge and attention to detail and we are so grateful that we found her.
Clea and Gideon December 2017
I am incredibly thankful for Kris!
I always knew I would want a doula if I were pregnant, but my husband and I live in Kelowna without any family or support, so when we found out we were pregnant I didn’t really know where to start. I did quite a bit of research, which eventually led me to Kris and I was pleased to find out she was available for my birth. I knew she was the one I wanted to meet with, but I was even more surprised than I expected—she was extremely personable and lovely to be around, I felt like I was chatting with a friend. If there was one thing I wanted from a doula other than expertise (which she absolutely has), it was someone I felt completely comfortable around, and that is the essence of who she is. My labor and birth would not have been the same with out her; she was literally the best decision I made regarding my birth plan. Aside from her extraordinary support during my entire labor and my son’s birth, she is also wonderful in the postpartum care. She gives amazing breastfeeding help after baby arrives, along with answering any sort of weird question you may regarding yourself or your new baby. I’m eternally grateful and would recommend her to anyone! Thanks, Kris, you rock!!
- J.P December 2016
I always knew I would want a doula if I were pregnant, but my husband and I live in Kelowna without any family or support, so when we found out we were pregnant I didn’t really know where to start. I did quite a bit of research, which eventually led me to Kris and I was pleased to find out she was available for my birth. I knew she was the one I wanted to meet with, but I was even more surprised than I expected—she was extremely personable and lovely to be around, I felt like I was chatting with a friend. If there was one thing I wanted from a doula other than expertise (which she absolutely has), it was someone I felt completely comfortable around, and that is the essence of who she is. My labor and birth would not have been the same with out her; she was literally the best decision I made regarding my birth plan. Aside from her extraordinary support during my entire labor and my son’s birth, she is also wonderful in the postpartum care. She gives amazing breastfeeding help after baby arrives, along with answering any sort of weird question you may regarding yourself or your new baby. I’m eternally grateful and would recommend her to anyone! Thanks, Kris, you rock!!
- J.P December 2016
My husband and I were having our first baby. We were nervous and didn't know what to expect. We had heard about doulas for the first time a few months before my due date. A friend of ours said it was the best money she ever spent explaining you could put no price on the incredible support she got during labour. Knowing I was very anxious about the whole process I decided to start researching doulas and interviewing them to find the right fit. I met with 7 doulas and knew immediately that Kris was the perfect match for us. Energy is very important to me and Kris has this calm, knowing, experienced but empathetic and patient way about her. She was so knowledgable and personable. She often shared her own personal experiences with her four kids to help me understand some of my own fears and questions. She was vulnerable and real and I felt like this was really someone I could trust during one of the most important moments of my life.
We had three pre-natal visits. They were super informative. I always left feeling encouraged and empowered at the end. I decided not to take pre natal classes because of how Kris met all my needs and answered all my questions.
During labour Kris was amazing. She helped me through my contractions. She kept me informed and calm. Because of Kris I was able to labour in the comfort of my own home for 90% of it.
She showed empathy, gave me strength when the pain was bad and kept me informed so I knew that what I was feeling was normal.
Between helping me with the tens machine, head rubs, holding my hips, helping me breath I have to say the pain was manageable! This is coming from someone whose husband describes them as a low pain tolerance.
At the hospital, I was so well supported. I was open to taking drugs if I needed them and with the help of Kris I had an all natural birth. This is a fact I am very proud of! Just because I totally thought there was no way I could do that!!
(There is nothing wrong with taking drugs, but holy cow, I didn't take ANY drugs!!!)
The after care was so important to me as well. Kris came three times post partum. She helped me breast feed, eased my fears and brought calm when I was worried.
Again she shared her own personal stories to help me and we shared a couple of teary eyes moments together as we express our love for our kids.
My birth plan went exactly according to plan if not better. I give so much credit to kris for this. But even if things went off the rails I know there wouldn't be anyone else better equipped to walk me through any tough situation.
Doulas are invaluable.
Kris was irreplaceable.
Hope you choose to have her on your birthing team and hope your labour and birth were as beautiful as mine.
Ashley, Luc and Beau
March 2016
We had three pre-natal visits. They were super informative. I always left feeling encouraged and empowered at the end. I decided not to take pre natal classes because of how Kris met all my needs and answered all my questions.
During labour Kris was amazing. She helped me through my contractions. She kept me informed and calm. Because of Kris I was able to labour in the comfort of my own home for 90% of it.
She showed empathy, gave me strength when the pain was bad and kept me informed so I knew that what I was feeling was normal.
Between helping me with the tens machine, head rubs, holding my hips, helping me breath I have to say the pain was manageable! This is coming from someone whose husband describes them as a low pain tolerance.
At the hospital, I was so well supported. I was open to taking drugs if I needed them and with the help of Kris I had an all natural birth. This is a fact I am very proud of! Just because I totally thought there was no way I could do that!!
(There is nothing wrong with taking drugs, but holy cow, I didn't take ANY drugs!!!)
The after care was so important to me as well. Kris came three times post partum. She helped me breast feed, eased my fears and brought calm when I was worried.
Again she shared her own personal stories to help me and we shared a couple of teary eyes moments together as we express our love for our kids.
My birth plan went exactly according to plan if not better. I give so much credit to kris for this. But even if things went off the rails I know there wouldn't be anyone else better equipped to walk me through any tough situation.
Doulas are invaluable.
Kris was irreplaceable.
Hope you choose to have her on your birthing team and hope your labour and birth were as beautiful as mine.
Ashley, Luc and Beau
March 2016
Kris was a phenomenal doula for us. She provided excellent pre-natal support both with in-person meetings and email/text questions. With her guidance we were able to develop a birth plan that I believe greatly contributed to a very positive birth experience for myself, my husband and our little one. During my labour she was a calm and reassuring voice always making sure I was being looked after while also providing gentle and effective encouragement. At one point when I was focusing on simply making it through each contraction, she reminded me that we were working to "get that baby born". This small cue helped me to focus on movement and positions that moved my labour along. After our little one entered the world Kris was a comforting and helpful presence, capturing some beautiful candid photos while giving our family time to bond. Her post-natal care was excellent as well, providing Breastfeeding support and answering the dozens of random questions that come up in the first few weeks of parenthood. I truly treasured Kris' visits even if it was just chatting over coffee while she held the baby and my arms got a break! Because of Kris' excellent care and support I have recommended doula services to every expectant mom I know and Kris in particular to anyone in the Okanagan.
- N.Y. August 2016
I am incredibly thankful.
- N.Y. August 2016
I am incredibly thankful.
My husband Dave and I were surprised to find out we were pregnant early last year. Neither of us have our families close so we felt pretty overwhelmed with never having been in this situation before. Our good friends highly recommended Kris, as she was their doula and had nothing but great things to say about her. I was a bit hesitant at first, as I hardly knew what a doula was. However, looking back on the last 9 months, and even the care after our daughters birth, both Dave and I are so glad we chose Kris. From the very first time we met her, we felt like old friends. Never did it feel like she was a stranger or anything. I could tell she was passionate about what she does, and having 4 kids herself, I was more than happy to have her a huge part of our birthing journey. It was such a relief for Dave and I to be able to call her late at night as I was in labour at home, and have her drop everything (mostly her sleep) and come be with us to help me labour. She was with us every step of the way, and we just felt super supported by her. If ever I had concerns or questions, I loved the freedom I felt to text or email her, and have her reply with an answer or if she wasn't sure, always found a way to get an answer for me. It was nice to have an extra voice in the hospital. All in all, our experience with Kris exceeded our expectations and I would highly recommend her to anyone who is considering a doula at their birth
-A.G. October 2015
-A.G. October 2015
Thank you Kris! We were so thankful to have you distract us, massage, move our items to our room and support us through Jessie's birth. We appreciate your being available via text, and for being on call for this birth for so long. We also appreciate your flexibility with all the changes that occurred along the way, knowing we had the best team ready to go was the best I could have asked for.
-A.H. October 2015
-A.H. October 2015
We had met Kris through another doula during our first pregnancy, so when we found out we were expecting our second child I knew she was a perfect match. Her outlook and personality was very similar to our own and my husband and I both felt very comfortable with her. During our visits, I felt like I was with an old friend or a sister; I was able to be myself and comfortably talk about the intimate details of labour/delivery.
During labour she was very reassuring and helped both myself and my husband stay calm. She was amazingly helpful after I delivered my boy; helping with the little things I didnt event think about! Her experience and genuine care for us truly made the difference. My husband was able to be involved without fear, knowing she was there to help in every way.
Her post-natal visits were life-saving! The extra set of hands were so relieving. She made great suggestions for my breastfeeding difficulties plus I could enjoy a nice hot shower knowing my baby was taken care of!
I would highly recommended Kris to my friends and family, she is such a beautful person inside and out!
-J.H. June 2015
During labour she was very reassuring and helped both myself and my husband stay calm. She was amazingly helpful after I delivered my boy; helping with the little things I didnt event think about! Her experience and genuine care for us truly made the difference. My husband was able to be involved without fear, knowing she was there to help in every way.
Her post-natal visits were life-saving! The extra set of hands were so relieving. She made great suggestions for my breastfeeding difficulties plus I could enjoy a nice hot shower knowing my baby was taken care of!
I would highly recommended Kris to my friends and family, she is such a beautful person inside and out!
-J.H. June 2015
Matty and I wanted to thank you for all your help during our pregnancy, labour, and delivery. We can honestly say, it would not have been the same without you. We will not forget your support, care and experience. As new parents, it was difficult to envision what the labour process will be like, but we can honestly say, we feel that the experience could have been stressful and worrysome without a knowledgeable, seasoned, and caring Doula to gently hold our hand and guide us throughout the process. Your support was pivotal and ensured we were able to focus on the beautiful miracle of the birth of our Daughter without having to worry about all of the medical static going on around us. A true advocate in our corner that we trusted.
Your support was invaluable – not only as a labor support person but also as someone helping us make decisions throughout our pregnancy and aftercare. You seem to have a gift of knowing intuitively what kind of touch feels good at any given moment during labor. My husband, who was skeptical at first because he had never heard the word “Doula”, is now the biggest advocate because you allowed him to be an active and calm supporter during our 25-hour labour. After we brought our daughter home, it was so comforting to see you come through the door and guide us through the first few days of caring for a newborn.
Your presence during our Daughters birth and allowing us to make informed decisions means the WORLD to us.
- L.C. April 2015
Your support was invaluable – not only as a labor support person but also as someone helping us make decisions throughout our pregnancy and aftercare. You seem to have a gift of knowing intuitively what kind of touch feels good at any given moment during labor. My husband, who was skeptical at first because he had never heard the word “Doula”, is now the biggest advocate because you allowed him to be an active and calm supporter during our 25-hour labour. After we brought our daughter home, it was so comforting to see you come through the door and guide us through the first few days of caring for a newborn.
Your presence during our Daughters birth and allowing us to make informed decisions means the WORLD to us.
- L.C. April 2015
When finding out we were expecting I knew I wanted someone at the birth to support my husband and I. Although we have very loving family, I felt more comfortable having someone there who was not only educated in the birthing experience, but had been through it herself and was specifically there to support us in whatever capacity we needed. I found Kris through a friend who had hired her as their doula. After our first meeting I could just tell she was someone who passionately cared about people and I knew I wouldn’t regret inviting her to share in our birth! She provided pre-natal visits, with both my husband and I, in which we were able to talk about our concerns, questions, and the overall labor experience. She is an amazing listener, giving her input and feedback, and ultimately letting us take the direction we felt led. I think one of my greatest concerns was not knowing how I would handle labor and whether or not I would be supported if I ended up wanting to have drug support. For some reason I always thought having a doula meant you “had to go all natural”. Again Kris is amazing with giving her input, but ultimately supporting you in what you feel most comfortable. So when I opted for the epidural during labor I felt fully supported and taken care of even in that decision.
My husband absolutely loved having Kris’ help! There are so many things to think about during the labor process, and getting to the hospital, etc. He was so thankful to have a support person there for himself so that he could just focus on me. She was great through the whole labor experience, from the beginning phone calls to when she actually arrived at our house and we headed to the hospital. It was great to have someone to show us where to go, find more pillows when we needed them, and communicate with the nurses when we were "in the zone". It was a rather long labor and she was incredible at sticking it out with us and keeping a positive and caring attitude the entire time. We had a pretty scary experience when our little guy first came out and wasn’t initially breathing (he ended up being totally okay) but even through that she remained calm and focused on keeping us calm as well.
Even after Finlay arrived she came to our house a few times, offering to help with the laundry or whatever we needed. She was so thoughtful caring in those first hazy weeks! The biggest thing I can say about Kris is that she LOVES people, and I am so thankful she was there to love us through the whole experience. I really do recommend her to anyone I know is expecting!
-S.W. January 2015
I have now had 2 babies and both times used a doula. And each time, I remember thinking the same thing during labour, "I could never do this without a doula!" Thanks to Kris, I was able to stay positive and reach my goal of having a drug free delivery. Having someone there who knows the correct breathing and massage techniques took a lot of pressure off my husband. He was able to be there for me without the stress of trying to figure out how to help me. That was Kris' job and she excelled at it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her and if I have another baby I will definitely hire her again!
-F.K. 2014
-F.K. 2014
When I first met Kris I felt like she "just got me", and made me feel at ease. Through out my pregnancy Kris continued to be a big support and was there whenever I needed her. During my labour, she was attentive, supportive, and beyond caring. Kris met all of mine and my husband's needs. When things turned during my labour she stayed calm, and was there every step of the way. After our son was born, my husband and I continued to say how we couldn't have made it through the labour process without Kris. She truly was a key element in my birthing teaming. I can't say enough great things about Kris !
-K.M 2014
During my pregnancy with my first child, I was nervous and unsure about what I wanted for my birth support and experience. When I chose midwifery care, I was immediately more comfortable with my options in regard to pregnancy and birth, and getting a doula was a natural next step. My labor progressed very quickly, and Kris was there every step of the way prior to, during, as well as afterwards. Her warm and casual manner put me at ease immediately, and getting to know her through this challenging process has been a joy. She's shown me that being a great doula is about more than just birth support- she made herself available as an emotional support as well!
-A.M 2014
-K.M 2014
During my pregnancy with my first child, I was nervous and unsure about what I wanted for my birth support and experience. When I chose midwifery care, I was immediately more comfortable with my options in regard to pregnancy and birth, and getting a doula was a natural next step. My labor progressed very quickly, and Kris was there every step of the way prior to, during, as well as afterwards. Her warm and casual manner put me at ease immediately, and getting to know her through this challenging process has been a joy. She's shown me that being a great doula is about more than just birth support- she made herself available as an emotional support as well!
-A.M 2014
When I had to be induced two weeks early, Kris was available and ready to help right away. Her calm, straightforward demeanor led my husband and I through the induction, labor and birth with very little to worry about. Not only was she a great emotional support, she also made sure my husband and I were well-nourished throughout the whole process! I recommend Kris to anyone looking for an experienced, friendly and thoughtful doula.
-K.V. 2013
-K.V. 2013
My lovely doula, Kris Bojczuk Loewen. If you're expecting
or thinking of it in the future, she comes highly recommended!!"
-A.M. Kelowna 2014
or thinking of it in the future, she comes highly recommended!!"
-A.M. Kelowna 2014