Episode #44: All things doula care with Bronwyn Addico
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In this episode, Rhonda has the pleasure of chatting with her friend and colleague, Bronwyn Addico all about doula care.
Bronwyn Addico (she/her) is the owner of Balancing Birth to Baby, a support company for expecting and new parents that offers prenatal education and Doula support in Southern Ontario, Canada. She has been a Childbirth & Early Parenting Educator since 2015 and a Birth & Postpartum Doula since 2016.
After a difficult birth experience in 2013, she embarked on a journey to become a Birthing From Within childbirth mentor, and spent time in California in the Spring of 2016 to further her in-depth training.
She has supported more than 100 families during their births and early parenting journey. Bronwyn is also a single mother to two wonderful kids.
We’re so grateful to Bronwyn for sharing her story and passion with us!
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LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN EPISODE:
🔹 Check out Rhonda’s Strong at Home Membership
🔹 Balancing from Birth to Baby Website
SHOW NOTES:
(0:49) - Episode intro
(03:27) - What lead Bronwyn down the path to becoming a doula
(05:23) - She shares about her home birth experience with her first child
(07:51) - How her decision to become a doula was cemented after her 2nd birth
(11:45) - How Bronwyn prepared for her births
(12:40) - What is a doula and how do they support clients in their pre/postnatal experience?
(15:46) - The difference between a midwife and a doula
(17:33) - Doula support options in the postpartum period
(20:26) - How doulas fit into the support team with midwives/OBs
(21:44) - How her path to starting her doula business Balancing Birth to Baby started
(25:01) - What gave Bronwyn the confidence to start her own business
(25:49) - How she struggled to adjust to business ownership in the early days
(27:13) - The moment she knew she needed to hire help in her business
(29:09) - How her business has grown in the last several years
(30:47) - What discussions Bronwyn has with clients during pregnancy
(32:40) - Bronwyn’s top birth prep advice
(41:50) - Birth is not just a transformation, it’s a transmutation
(43:48) - Bronwyn and Rhonda chat about the identity shift in the postpartum phase
(49:32) - Discussions Bronwyn has with clients in the postpartum phase
(53:30) - Do her clients struggle to ask for and accept health from a doula?
(1:01:30) - Last tidbits of advice
(1:06:45) - How people can find Bronwyn