An Interview with Madelaine Cote: Pre & Post Natal Guide, Doula, and Yoga Instructor

Mothering the Mother

Meet Madelaine Cote, perhaps the most hypnotically calming woman I have ever met. I have been practicing yoga at 889 Yonge Yoga and Wellness with Madelaine Cote for since September 2009. She is a revelation in the yoga studio, her clear blue eyes instill peace and tranquility.

While many women are blessed with family and good friends who may easily fill the role a doula plays, there are others who lack this social support - and this is where a doula may be able to provide help. Mindful Beginnings is 889 Yonge's new Pre & Post Natal Program. The program mission is to empower and nurture women through their experience of pregnancy, childbirth and the beginnings of their new family. This customized and compassionate program is committed to offering women informational and emotional support - a conscious and holistic approach - during their experience of child bearing. The program is led by 889 Yonge's Pre & Post Natal Guide and Doula, Madelaine Cote.

Madelaine explores disciplines with her clients, based on their needs and what suits their constitutions and their pregnancy. She's basically your ultimate pregnancy resource! Doulas can never detract from that much needed support of family and friends; Madelaine embraces the circle and sanctity of family to enhance her work. Doulas offer women what contemporary midwifery cannot - a continuous supportive presence during their labour and birth.

Mindful Beginnings is for women who want to take the first step in taking care of themselves - connecting with Madelaine is the first step in making sure you get the care you need. Madelaine's role is, at it's heart, to mother the mother.

889 Yonge has created a program to nurture women through these exhilarating and exhausting times and provides them with a touchstone. The main goal? Empowered women and couples having enjoyable pregnancies, satisfying births and great "babymoons". This program is unique because it is guided and customized, it welcomes women into a community, and it meets each woman where they are at on their journey. Madelaine guides and supports each woman on their own unique program throughout their pregnancy, directing them towards wellness modalities best suited to them.

Your journey may include a select combination of services ranging from working with a doula, pea in the pod' registered massage therapy, pre-natal yoga, balancing of your systems with our osteopath to ease the pregnancy and birth experience, baby massage, nutritional support with a Holistic Nutritionist to ensure your systems are supported, an organic facial to simply pamper and cleanse, acupuncture to relieve stress and pain, Ayurvedic medicine to fully embrace the beauty of the cycle of birth, post natal support after the birth of your child in your home, or mom and baby Post Natal Yoga.

WOMAN.ca sat down with Madelaine Cote after a particularly blissful lunch hour Vinyasa Flow class at 889 Yonge.

W: What are some of the highlights of 889 Yonge's Mindful Beginnings program?

MC: The community at 889 Yonge has a full range of amazing practitioners who have training in fertility, conception, pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal phase. I am 889 Yonge's Pregnancy Doula, and my role is to make customized recommendations for your care at 889 Yonge, as well as to create a compassionate and knowledgeable space for you to get the information and support you need throughout the emotions, decisions, and changes you experience througout pregnancy. We also offer postnatal home visits tor continuity.

W: Who is the ideal candidate for this specialized 889 Yonge Offering?

MC: Our offering is relevant for every woman who has procreation on her mind! From couples thinking about conceiving, to pregnancy, concerns regarding birth, or breastfeeding advice, we are here to provide support at all stages.

W: Culturally speaking, why do you think there's been a revival of birthing as a meditative art form?

MC: I think that the culture of birth has experienced a shift that is parallel to the movement towards yoga and more mindful ways of living. Women are learning to trust their intuition and want to make conscious choices. Word of mouth regarding different options has contributed to this revival of birthing as an art. Our program name, Mindful Beginnings, speaks to this change.

W: Now, let's start at square one, what is the definition of a doula?

MC: There are several kinds of doulas. Birth Doulas are there to provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a woman and her partner during labour. Postnatal Doulas help at home after a baby is born. At 889 Yonge, we also wanted to support women from the beginning of their pregnancy (or before), and so the Pregnancy Doula role was born.

W: What is the doula's training? Is she certified?

MC: Yes, most Doulas are certified by a recognized association. Two of the most commonly known ones are DONA International (Doulas of North America) - where I completed my training - and CAPPA (the Childbirth And Postpartum Association).

W: What is your philosophy regarding birth?

MC: Each woman and each birth is unique. I believe in empowering women to have positive birth experiences, by making informed choices, being surrounded by people who believe in her strength, and by encouraging her to recognize afterwards that she absolutely made the best decisions that she could with the information she had at the time. There is a great quote from Birthing From Within: ". . . the course of your labour is unknowable . . . your critical task is to prepare for a birth that has no script."

W: What is your top recommendation on addressing elevated stress levels during pregnancy?

MC: Participate in Prenatal Yoga classes. It provides exercise, relaxation, time to bond with your baby, and a community.

W: What is your top recommendation for building harmony with your partner during pregnancy?

MC: Communicate. Both partners will experience different thoughts and emotions every day, from excitement to fear to nothing. Staying connected will help you understand the changes your partner is going through, enabling you to grow together rather than apart during this momentous time.

W: Do you have specialized advice for expecting moms over 40?

MC: My advice would be very similar regardless of age. Key things such as listen to recommendations made by your primary caregiver, search out positive pregnancy and birth stories from other mothers whose situations are similar to yours, and listen to your body. The main thing is that I would provide guidance based what I know about you as an individual, moving through your own unique experience.

W: What does the doula expect from you?

MC: A Doula, whether for pregnancy, birth, or postpartum, would look to you simply for honesty.

W: How do you view the main skills and abilities you bring to a birth?

MC: To each birth, I bring knowledge about the birthing process, physical support techniques, intuition & empathy, and I act as an objective and calm presence to help women make informed decisions that they feel good about. I am mindful of the mother and the partner, and I enable the partner to assist to his or her comfort level. I personally would not give birth without a Birth Doula! In my role as a Pregnancy Doula, I bring these same skills to a pre-birth context, which helps to set the stage for a better experience of birth and becoming a parent.

W: How will you address any major physical, emotional or psychological concerns I may have?

MC: I will listen. Tell you what I know that I believe will help you overcome those concerns. And I will make recommendations to other practitioners at 889 Yonge who can ease your experience.

889 Yonge - Yoga & Holistic Spa

889 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4W 2H2
(416) 925-7206

By Si Si Penaloza, Editorial Director, WOMAN.ca

Si Si Penaloza
		About the author:
		Si Si has cultivated strong ties with editors, producers and publishers at all major Canadian media outlets. She is a seasoned print, radio and broadcast specialist. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in Maine, Si Si moved to Manhattan to study Film at New York University. Her strengths lie in contextualizing relevant content for a broad audience. She's driven to stay competitive and at the top of the market - commissioning exclusive features and launching bold initiatives.
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