Our Doulas
We are London Ontario’s only certified Doula Centre and combined we have aided in hundreds of births.
Our doulas make Babeeze a leader in our industry:
Jill Ritchie – Founder / CLA(ALACE/ToLabor) CPD(CAPPA) LCCE
- Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula
- Lamaze Childbirth Educator
- Breastfeeding Consultant In Progress
- Baby’s First Massage Instructor
- Happiest Baby On The Block Educator
“Ask me for strength and I will lend not only my hand, but also my heart”
I am the founder of Babeeze In Arms Doula Centre, a mother for over 30 years to five wonderful children, the daughter of an amazing 84 year old mother and sister to seven siblings. The person I am today is the accumulation of all of these roles I have experienced thus far in my life. Babeeze In Arms Doula Centre was a vision I developed early in my professional career as a birth and postpartum doula and then as a childbirth educator. Raising a family of five children brought many rewards and challenges along the way which both humbled and enriched my spirit. I believe strongly in teaching advocacy skills both to my children and to the families I support. I am passionate about supporting new moms through pregnancy, birth and care of their newborn babies. After hundreds of births I still experience a rush of adrenaline every time my pager rings signaling that a woman’s labour has begun. The birth of each newborn holds a special place in my heart. Babeeze In Arms is the first stepping stone for many families as they journey through parenthood. Please enjoy browsing our website and feel free to send us any comments. To read more about my journey click here “The Birth of Doula” and “A Doula’s Inner Faith in Guiding Her Father Home”.
“Consider for a moment the simple but profound fact that you don’t need to learn how to have a baby; Your body already knows how to do that – what we do need to learn is how to relax and cooperate with the process”
~Adrienne Lieberman~
Alyssa Jarvis B.A. Sociology, CPPD (CAPPA) Doula (DONA) In Progress
With a passion for supporting mothers and a love for pregnancy, birth and babies Alyssa chooses to immerse herself in the joy and wonders of creating a family. She believes that bringing children into the world is the most fulfilling and empowering experience a woman can have. As a mother of 3 Alyssa understands both the joys and struggles that accompany a woman in her journey from pregnancy to birth and the many roles a mother and partner must play.
Having 2 hospital births in OB care with interventions and her last baby born at home with a team of midwives and without any interventions she has different experiences to draw from when supporting women in childbirth.
Alyssa holds a BA in Sociology, is a certified CAPPA Post Partum Doula and is currently working towards completion of her Birth Doula certification with DONA.
Maud Rouleau CD(DONA), BSc (Hons) Pharmacology
Originally from a small town in Quebec, she moved to Ontario in 1998 to attend the University of Toronto where she obtained an Honor’s Bachelor in Pharmacology. She worked for the Motherisk program in Toronto for 2 years, counseling women about the safety of drugs and chemical exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and then moved to the London area in 2004 where she continues her work as a French counselor for Motherisk.
My husband and I have been blessed to have three wonderful children, one born at the hospital and the other two at home. I have found there to be nothing more rewarding than being a parent and I love being a mom! I began my doula journey in May 2008 and I am passionate about supporting women in creating the birth experience that they desire through education, encouragement, advocacy and love.
Erin Playford Recreation & Leisure Services (Hons), CLA (Perinatal Specialist Program) Doula (toLabor) Certification In Progress
I am a daughter, sister, wife and mother. I am originally from Stratford, Ontario. After completing high school I headed to Etobicoke where I attended Humber College and graduated with honours from Recreation and Leisure Services. After living a short time in the Toronto area, I moved to London and began working for an area childcare association. After the birth of my daughter I made the decision to stay home. It was from there that my journey towards being a Doula began (even if I did not know it at the time.) It was shortly after the birth of my son that I started taking the first steps forward in that journey. While I could write at length about all the people in my life who helped pave the way to my role as a Doula, I can link all of them with one common trait – each one taught me that all women have the most amazing inner and outer strength and that with education and empowerment, there is nothing they cannot achieve. When it comes to pregnancy, I believe that women need to believe in how amazing they are and that the journey to motherhood is one that they should embrace and travel through with strength and confidence. I also believe in empowering the father/partner to trust in the process of birth. I want them to feel confident in their ability to support her, advocate for her, love her, embrace her and her body’s amazing inner power. I truly feel honoured each time a couple asks me to be a part of their birth. I hold a very special place in my heart and in my life for all the families I have supported. I look forward to supporting more women in achieving the birth they want for themselves and for their baby.
Christi Holmes Birth Doula DONA (in progress), La Leche League Leader, Breastfeeding Educator/Counselor (in progress)
I have had a lifelong passion for supporting women. Advocacy and information are necessary to empower women in their many roles in life and especially in their journey to motherhood. I love being a doula because being in the presence of a woman finding her strength through birth is awe inspiring. Every birth I attend changes me a little and teaches me something new.
I am a mother of two beautiful daughters and they also teach me lessons in life and help me to discover my own strength every day. I had two wonderful birth experiences. My oldest daughter was born in a hospital with a wonderful obstetrician who inspired me to choose this career path. She made such a difference in my journey to motherhood just by having faith in me. I wanted to pay it forward.
Eventually I went to McMaster University and attended the midwifery program. During my third year of school I gave birth to my second daughter with a home delivery that was beautiful, enjoyable and empowering. With the prospect of going back to university a year later I changed my mind and decided that a career change was in order. My passion for birth and informed choice naturally led me to becoming a doula.
Theresa Wellwood
Childbirth Educator (CBE), Birth Doula (CD), Pre Post Natal Fitness Consultant (level 1), Still Birthday Doula (SBD) In Progress, LCCE In Progress
I am a Certified Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator, Prenatal Fitness Consultant, and in training for my certification as a Still Birthday Doula. I also have my Personal Trainer certificate and possess a Diploma in Health Studies. I have a passion for working with the pre & postnatal population on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level and incorporate this passion into my education and prenatal fitness classes.
I am married to my best friend, and the mother of 5 beautiful boys. One of them is an angel. My life experience with my angel Mark has had a profound affect on my life. He has inspired me to follow my passion for birth. I am a Still Birthday Mentor and aim to help newly grieving families identify their own inner strength as they find their way through healing.
I love working with expecting, birthing, and new families and I know that I always will. I find a deep satisfaction in supporting and empowering families during this powerful and profound time in their lives.
Amanda Phillips
Heath & Safety Certification, Doula(toLabor) Certification In Progress
I am a mother of two wonderful children who have helped me in this journey toward being a doula. I am thankful each and every day that they are part of my world. Through many experiences and opportunities in my life as a mother, daughter, sister and niece I have been guided towards an understanding and appreciation of the birthing process. I have a true passion for birth, and recognize the amazing strength that women embody as they bring a new life into this world. I have expertise in the areas of pregnancy, birth postpartum and breastfeeding support. Each and every woman’s experience is different and I am constantly learning both personally and professionally. I look forward to sharing my passion and training as a doula with expectant couples.
Shannon Shewaga R.P.N.,
Certified doula (DONA) BAA Human Services Management
I am a military spouse and the mother of two amazing children. I started my career in nursing shortly after the birth of my first child and I worked in geriatrics for over ten years. In 2006 I graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Human Services Management. I then worked in the addictions field until our final military move to London in 2008.
As long as I can remember I have had a fascination for birth and have read and learned everything I could about it including pregnancy and labour . In 2001, I was delighted to discover the doula world and embarked on a rewarding and life changing first year of exploration. Shortly after “911″ I joined a group of doulas that supported families with men deployed while their spouse was pregnant. I was honored to support these families and could connect with them on a deeper level, as my spouse was also deployed. I will never forget the gifts of this experience or the love and strength of those families, and I feel very fortunate to have been involved.
Since then I have had the privilege of supporting many diverse families from teen parents to parents starting families later in life. In those experiences I have witnessed remarkable growth and the transforming power of birth. I love being a doula and feel honoured and proud every time a family allows me to join them in their journey. I believe strongly that pregnancy and birth are personal and unique. I support individual decisions and choices with information and an unbiased approach.
Tarin Fortin
Child and Youth Worker (Fanshawe College)
BA Childhood and Family Relations (UWO)
Certified Childbirth Educator (CAPPA)
Certified Labour Doula (CAPPA)
I am the proud mother of two exceptional children born in 2007 and in 2010. I spent ten years working with high risk, pregnant and parenting teens at the Bethesda Centre in London, Ontario until its closure in 2012. While working with youth parents and their children my passion for the birth process and for supporting families in the postpartum stage grew. I love being a part of the process that families experience from prenatal anticipation, through the adrenaline of labour and into the joy of the postpartum period. I believe that pregnancy, labour and the transition to parenthood are unique experiences. With knowledge and support both the women and those who love her can feel confident and empowered to make informed decisions that lead to a satisfying birth experience. It is an honour to witness the birth of a family.
