About us...

Melissa Herod - Birth Doula, Post Natal Doula, Birthing From Within Mentor

Melissa is honoured to be supporting parents as they journey down the path of parenthood.   Melissa's passion for birth began in childhood as a direct result of her mothers work supporting and educating parents in having a positive birth experience.  Her passion grew as she immersed herself in the world of women's reproductive health care while volunteering and working at The Midwives Collective of Toronto, volunteering as a labour support coach with teen parents at Jessie's Centre (now the June Callwood Centre) and volunteering at Mount Sinai Hopsital in the High Risk Pregnacy Clinic and Reproductive Biology Unit. 

Melissa's love for pregnancy, birth and babies combined with her deep desire and passion to support and nurture positive life experience led her to doula care.  Her specialized honours degree in Kinesiology and Health Science, background in sexual health education, training as a birth doula, post natal doula, Birthing From Within mentor and accupressure for labour give Melissa a solid educational foundation to base her care on.  Melissa's soothing voice, grounded energy and positive nature supports parents as they birth and parent in whatever way is "natural" to them.

Deanna Blanshard Rumsey - Post Natal Doula, Hypnobirthing Practioner

Deanna’s passion for supporting pregnant women and their partners began following the positive birth experiences of her own daughters.  Witnessing women giving birth alone and unprepared as a student nurse led her to believe that birth was a painful and frightening experience and she approached her first labour with fear and anxiety.  She became highly motivated to find a “better way” to birth and sought out Lamaze classes in a neighboring community. As a result, she and her husband approached birth feeling excited and confident in their abilities to apply the coping techniques they had learned and practiced to their own unique experience. This important shift in her attitude and beliefs about birthing led to a lifelong career in women’s reproductive health care, and as a community health and wellness consultant.

Her belief that every woman and her partner would benefit from the same opportunity led her to found the Lamaze Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Sheridan College. Over the years her experiences as a childbirth educator, labour and delivery and postpartum nurse have given her a profound confidence in women’s ability to successfully birth in a supported, caring and nurturing environment. She sensitively supports and coaches partners, recognizing when to step in and when to allow them the space to enjoy the miraculous process of becoming a parent.

It seemed only natural when her daughter Melissa approached her about creating a doula practice together that she would bring these skills forward to this unique partnership. She has completed training in acupressure for labour,  Birth and Post Natal Doula care, Birthing From Within and as a HypnoBirthing Practitioner. She is also the proud mother of four adult children and grandmother of four – soon to be five grandchildren. Her background creates a unique opportunity to tailor her care and support to her expectant parents and postnatal clients and families.