frequently asked questions

Consider the cost of other experts you’ve hired throughout your life…how much did you spend? Imagine your wedding day without your coordinator. Your home renovations without your contractor. Most will agree these resource people were well worth the investment. When it comes to the biggest moments in your life, it’s no time to cut costs: hire the experts!

Resource people help guide you, minimize your stress, give you the inside scoop, and make sure you get the best experience. The day you give birth will shape you for the rest of your life. So shouldn’t the same type of investment apply? You deserve to feel well supported in this journey!

We use the term “birth coach” because we are trained Labour & Delivery Nurses and because we offer premium services that go beyond those typically offered by other doulas. Think of The MTL Birth Co. as a “doula plus” service (similar to a doula, but with added perks). Some of the elements that set us apart from “traditional” doulas include:

• The services we offer (comprehensive support and education, all our services are 1-on-1, private, and tailored to your needs)

• Our background and qualifications

• Our balanced perspective and approach (both holistically and medically-informed)

• Evidence-based information

• The level of professionalism we provide

See the comparison table for more details. The best way to see if any doula is the best fit for you is by meeting! Contact Us to schedule your free consultation.

As your birth coach, we are here to provide you with emotional, informational, and physical support throughout your pregnancy and birth.

Emotional support means we are your personal cheerleader! We provide active listening, encouragement, reassurance, acceptance and a caring ear whenever you need it. Pregnancy and birth can be challenging, so we’re there for you every step of the way.

Informational support means we can provide you with all the knowledge you need to help you make informed decisions about your own body and baby. This includes prenatal classes, but also suggestions for pain management and labour progress during your birth. We can also help to explain medical procedures before they occur (we make sure your questions are answered and things are explained to you).

Physical support means all the “hands-on” help a traditional doula provides: massage, counter pressure, purposeful positioning in labour, helping create a calm birth environment, and way more! We provide these comfort measures directly, and most importantly, we teach your partner how to use these techniques too!

For details about everything that’s included in our different birth coaching packages, see Packages & Pricing.

Any pregnant client wanting a positive, empowered birth in the greater Montreal area is eligible! All birth coaching packages are available starting at 18 weeks of pregnancy. For clients wanting support from day 1 of their pregnancy, an Early Pregnancy Support package is also available.

Yes! There is SO much to navigate during labour and birth whether you decide on medication for pain management or not.

When choosing an epidural, it is still crucial to have bedside support to ensure that you are comfortable and that your labour progresses as smoothly as possible. ​Even if your pain is relieved, you will still benefit from emotional support and ideas to promote good progress and to minimize negative effects.

There is endless misinformation about epidurals out there: we can help you sort it all out and get the facts straight! (When should I get an epidural? How does it work? What are the benefits and side effects? etc.)

Absolutely, yes! We LOVE supporting an unmedicated birth. Time and time again, evidence shows that you are more likely to achieve your unmedicated labour goals by hiring continuous labor support. Wanting an unmedicated birth is only the first step...you need to prepare! (You wouldn’t run a marathon without training first, right?!). Let’s get you equipped with all the tools necessary to achieve your goals.

Unfortunately, no birth worker can ever 100% guarantee attendance at a birth given the (very unlikely!) possibility of unexpected circumstances (illness, death in the family, pandemic restrictions). However, to make sure we have the best chance of attending your birth, we take no more than 2 or 3 “due dates” per month. Being at your birth is the absolute BEST part of our job, so we would never miss it unless we absolutely had to! In these circumstances, clients would be provided with a back-up birth coach (also a nurse) who can provide equivalent services.

Not necessarily! Contact Us and we may be able to tailor a package based on our availability and your goals.

We always highly recommend the Gold Package because it offers the most comprehensive preparation and support. It is all-inclusive! If you consider yourself “type A” and want to know “everything about everything” this is the package for you.

If you aren’t interested in investing as much time in prenatal prep but want excellent coverage of all the basics (and beyond), the Silver Package may work best for you.

If you are 36 weeks and beyond, we would suggest the Bronze Package because of time limitations, but contact us for your options.

If you want all the prenatal prep and education, but don’t feel like you need or want the in-person presence at your birth, then “The Prenatal PhD” Package is right for you.

A good place to start is by Contacting Us with your specific situation and we can help you choose the services that best fit your needs. We offer a free initial consultation for all packages to determine if we are a good “fit”.

YES! We cannot stress this enough! Often we encounter patients who opt for a “I’ll just wing it” approach to labour. Being flexible is great, but getting prepared and informed BEFORE facing the challenges of giving birth is crucial to your ability to make informed decisions, reducing the risk of birth trauma, and to having a positive, calm and empowered experience (not to mention it can improve health outcomes for you and baby!). You don’t have to look back on your birth thinking “I wish I’d known”...take a prenatal class!

For birth coaching clients, we also believe in spending time getting to know you before we are present during your labour. You and your partner must be comfortable with your birth coach since birth is a very intimate moment! This means a time investment prenatally.

Although online courses are readily available and cost-effective, they do have several downsides:

• They can’t address local practices (many courses are U.S.-based, and don’t necessarily reflect the reality of giving birth in a Canadian hospital or birth center)

• They usually don’t give you personal access to the instructor

• You don’t get the opportunity for personal advice or feedback

• They’re impersonal and don’t allow you to ask questions related to YOUR unique concerns and pregnancy

In contrast,The MTL Birth Co. classes:

• Offer personalized, customized content

• Are engaging and interactive

• Include up to 10+ hours of in-person prenatal preparation at the time and place that suits you!

• Provide you with information that’s as detailed as you want

• Are taught by a nurse who knows you by name, gets to know you and your partner, addresses your specific needs/questions/fears/concerns, and supports you throughout your entire pregnancy

Partners are often neglected in the pregnancy and birth process, but they are usually your biggest source of support and an underused valuable resource! Partners can often feel stressed and unprepared to face labour and birth, just like you. The MTL Birth Co.’s prenatal sessions are designed to prepare BOTH of you for labour and early parenthood. You are in this together! We don’t “replace” your partner and will always respect your intimacy as a couple during labour. The MTL Birth Co. is here to help you and your partner work as a team.

Let's meet! Contact Us to set up a free initial consultation for us to get to know each other, for us to learn your needs and goals and to answer any of your questions. If you feel comfortable and confident that we are a good “fit”, once you sign your contract and provide a deposit, services start and we are available to you 24/7.

Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not cover prenatal classes or birth coaching (doula) services. However, more and more employers are offering flexible wellness & lifestyle coverage with which you may be able to claim The MTL Birth Co.’s services. We highly recommend checking your plan for coverage information. Receipts are issued for all services provided. All packages can be paid in instalments. Contact Us for more details.