Welcome to Nurturing Births Doula Services!
My name is Samantha Alphonso and I am a birth doula. My love for helping women during pregnancy, birth, and in the first stages of motherhood has grown from my long-term fascination with women’s issues, as well as from my own experiences with becoming a mother. It was during my first pregnancy, in 2009, that I first learned of the doula profession. The doula I hired had been to only one birth before mine and she was amazing! I was impressed with her knowledge and she just seemed to know all the right things to say to encourage me and how to physically comfort me through contractions. After having such a positive experience, I wanted to be able to help other women the way I had been helped. However, it was not until after the birth of my daughter, in 2012, that I started working towards becoming a doula. Once I had adjusted to being a mother of two children, I started training to become a birth doula through Childbirth International and I received my certification in 2015. I am now a certified doula trainer for Childbirth International, where I enjoy teaching and mentoring new doulas who are working towards achieving their certification goals.
Education and Training:
- BA – Honours Anthropology, University of Guelph, 2007.
- MA – Public Issues Anthropology, University of Guelph, 2012. My thesis focused on women’s rights to bodily freedom, women’s work and labour migration in Nepal.
- Birth Doula Certification – Childbirth International, 2015.
- Doula Trainer Certification – Childbirth International, 2015.
- Hypnobirthing Course, 2012.
- Undisturbed Birth Lecture Series – A Mother’s Touch Doula Services, June – July 2013.
- VBAC Lecture Series – A Mother’s Touch Doula Services, February – March 2014.
Volunteer Work:
- I volunteer weekly at Michael House, a non-profit organization that provides shelter and support to young and homeless women during their pregnancies and early postpartum period.
- I am a peer leader for the Shelldale Guelph Community Health Centre.
- I am currently training to become a facilitator for Birth Trauma Ontario, an organization dedicated to providing peer support to women who are recovering from a traumatic birth experience.
Skills and Interests:
- Writing
- Belly Dancing
- Painting and Puppetry
- Applying Henna Tattoos