The Doulas

Niko Pamer

My name is Niko Palmer and I was born in 1976 in Germany. We moved to Edmonton in January 2007.

I have three wonderful little girls who were all born at home.

My births were amazing experiences attended by midwives and (my last one) by a doula. I am very grateful to them for helping me have tremendously positive birth experiences and also for supporting me in my faith in the natural physiological birthing process.

Pregnancy and birth have more and more become my passion. After having read many books on the topic, I decided to take a doula training course with
DONA International (Doula Association of North America) in May 2008.

Having been blessed with such positive birth experiences I want to share the joy of birthing with you. You can rely on my support during your pregnancy and birth and let me help you give birth in security and with confidence. My goal is to work with you towards the birth experience that you desire. I am striving to provide you with all the information that you need to make an informed decision.

Before giving birth to my third child, I have taken a HypnoBirthing course and would be happy to help you give birth in this way if you so desire.

Julie Yerex, B.D.

Originally from Edmonton, AB my family and I recently returned to the prairies after living in the city of Vancouver, BC.

My interest in birth came, fittingly, as I was pregnant with my first son. The pregnancy was uncomplicated and blissful, but the birth did not go as I had planned, and I ended up with interventions that I hadn't wanted. After the disappointing experience, I felt determined to do things differently next time. Two years later, I found myself pregnant again, and this time I absorbed every bit of information I could find, poring over books about pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding, and parenting, and, of course, I hired a doula. As it turns out, my second labour was far more intense than my first... lasting nearly three days. With the help of my incredibly supportive, unwaveringly strong doula, as well as my dear husband, I was able to stay strong and focused, and have the natural birth that I so wanted.

After realizing the empowerment that comes with birthing on your own terms, I became actively involved in the birthing community in Edmonton. I attended rallies, fundraisers, and helped organize events in the hopes that more women could feel the pride and empowerment I had experienced.

Becoming a doula was the next obvious step for me. I completed a DONA-approved training course in Edmonton in May of 2008, and was lucky to be met with the encouragement and wisdom of many experienced doulas, who happened to be my friends.

My personal birth philosophy is informed choice; that is, any decision a woman makes regarding her ideal birth is great, so long as she has educated herself about her choice and its possible outcomes. As a doula, I believe that it is part of my job to provide you with the resources to educate yourself, and help answer any questions you might have.

When I'm not attending births, I can be found cuddling my two sweet sons, knitting in front of the fireplace with my husband, sitting at my sewing machine, and baking sweet treats to share with loved ones. To learn more about me, visit my blog, here.