Traditional Birth Support and Herbalism
Serving Women in BC and Beyond
Birth is Sacred, Sovereign, Natural, and Wild.
Through It, we Celebrate our Innate Capacity.
Reclaim your Body and Birth Free with me.
Welcome to your Journey!
Through It, we Celebrate our Innate Capacity.
Reclaim your Body and Birth Free with me.
Welcome to your Journey!
At Barefoot Birth, Leila Naderi supports women in all things birth with gentle traditional wisdom, current contemporary research, herbalism, and love.
She first began attending birth as a doula in the local hospital, the local midwifery clinic, and private homes. She was guided and supported by Malachite Midwives and well-known Okanagan second attendant Terra Reindl.
She also had two homebirths of her own (now aged 11 and 14), and one free birth miscarriage of twins in her bathtub.
Over the years, her work grew more and more radical.
In 2021, just over decade after she began birth work, she stepped away from acting as a doula to women working with medical managers like midwives and OBs. After years of contemplation, she fully immersed herself in the pursuit being a primary non-medical caregiver to support traditional physiological unmedicated home birth.
She completed the Wise Woman Way Doula Certification with Gloria Lemay out of Vancouver, BC, studied ethnobotany at UBCO and with Pamela Grouse of the Westbank First Nation, trained in infant resuscitation and First Aid, and is currently completing additional Breech Without Borders training.
She now only practices birth support work in the non-medical support-based birth model to hold space for women who choose to birth uninterrupted, at home, beyond the system and without licensed medical midwives, OBs, or doctors. She also offers hourly consultation and remote coaching to pregnant and birthing women working with or without medical managers, grieving women, and those seeking bone closing ceremonies.
She first began attending birth as a doula in the local hospital, the local midwifery clinic, and private homes. She was guided and supported by Malachite Midwives and well-known Okanagan second attendant Terra Reindl.
She also had two homebirths of her own (now aged 11 and 14), and one free birth miscarriage of twins in her bathtub.
Over the years, her work grew more and more radical.
In 2021, just over decade after she began birth work, she stepped away from acting as a doula to women working with medical managers like midwives and OBs. After years of contemplation, she fully immersed herself in the pursuit being a primary non-medical caregiver to support traditional physiological unmedicated home birth.
She completed the Wise Woman Way Doula Certification with Gloria Lemay out of Vancouver, BC, studied ethnobotany at UBCO and with Pamela Grouse of the Westbank First Nation, trained in infant resuscitation and First Aid, and is currently completing additional Breech Without Borders training.
She now only practices birth support work in the non-medical support-based birth model to hold space for women who choose to birth uninterrupted, at home, beyond the system and without licensed medical midwives, OBs, or doctors. She also offers hourly consultation and remote coaching to pregnant and birthing women working with or without medical managers, grieving women, and those seeking bone closing ceremonies.
What are you seeking?
"Attending birth is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of sun but you wouldn't dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line." -Gloria Lemay, Vancouver
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a Birth Keeper?
How did we all get here in the grand scheme of things?? Birth! And women have been birthing since the dawn of the human species. A Birth Keeper or Traditional Birth Attendant is a woman who offers pregnant and birthing women a support-based model of non-medical care. She uses wisdom and knowledge gleaned over thousands of years to support women in their births with herbs, intuition, and close observation. In today's day and age, she also comes prepared with a deep and critical understanding of modern research and empowering resources. She listens and watches closely to the birthing woman throughout her pregnancy and birth, offers emotional and spiritual support, heeds a woman's requests during her natural birth process, and offers guidance when asked. She works slowly and patiently right alongside the birthing woman and her family as baby emerges on its own unique timeline.
What is the difference between a Birth Keeper and a Midwife?
A Medical Midwife in British Columbia is a medically licensed professional who services women with low and high-risk pregnancies through a management-based birth model. The woman's body, pregnancy, birth, placenta, and baby are managed according to very recent research gleaned over the last couple hundred years. Recommendations and assessments are made based on a combination of scientific research and liability policies that protect the Medical Midwives. Medical Midwives, like OBs, must often encourage intervention and procedures.
The Birth Keeper is NOT a licensed medical professional, and thusly does not offer medical advice, assessment, nor the following clinical practices according to the law in British Columbia:
1. Perform internal vaginal exams
2. Deliver the baby (instead, she assists the mother and/or partner in getting the baby to her body and chest if needed)
3. Administer medicines, pharmaceuticals, injections and the like, nor perform any clinical tests, requisitions, or procedures
What if I give birth really fast and you don't make it?
First off, congratulations!! You just had an unassisted freebirth and that's really awesome!! Secondly, the chances of that happening are really slim, but if it does occur, the Birth Keeper's fee still applies and she can offer extra time after birth to offset the quickness of your birth process.
What about breech births?
Breech births happen and are handled safely in many parts of the world. The Birth Keeper is in-training with Breech Without Borders. The pregnant woman and her family and the Birth Keeper can discuss how breech births can be handled at home if and when the Birthing Women is interested. If the Birthing Woman chooses to birth in hospital, it will most likely result in planned cesarean as there are no Medical Midwives or OBs in Kelowna nor the surrounding area who will manage a woman's vaginal breech birth at home or in hospital (as far as I know - please correct me if I am wrong!).
What if my blood type is Rh-?
The Birth Keeper and you will have a discussion about how you'd like to manage the risks of sensitisation and whether or not you'd like to include clinical work in your pregnancy. The management of your medical needs are up to you. The Birth Keeper does not perform tests and cannot provide medical requisitions for tests on your blood. Find out your blood type if you are concerned and keep in mind that most sensitisation occurs because of faulty abortion procedures from the 90s and having had previous births. Know the risks. Be informed. And make your choices accordingly. The Birth Keeper will support you in however you wish to proceed.
What about placenta previa?
Placenta previa is a rare and often misdiagnosed circumstance in which the placenta covers the cervix and baby cannot emerge naturally. In 95-99% of normal low-risk births, the placenta will begin to move upward with the natural progress of the growth of the uterus around 30 weeks making room for the baby to emerge naturally through the vagina. If the mother is experiencing a lot of bleeding during the pregnancy, placenta previa could be a cause and an ultrasound or vaginal exam performed by a medical professional could help. There is no way to healthfully move a placenta out of the way and most cases (although extremely, and like I mean, extremely rare) end up in cesarean.
How do I register my baby with Vital Statistics if I have an unassisted birth?
The Birth Keeper will provide you with publically available forms available on BC's Vital Statistics website, affidavits, and more information about how to register your baby if you wish to do so. Keep all documentation of your pregnancy, birth, and baby including photos, receipts, gifts, tests, and letters or communications between family members in an envelope. Sometimes Vital Stats will ask for a follow up letter about why you chose unassisted birth or a description of the birth itself. The Birth Keeper will provide you with receipts of payment for Birthing Support, and will sign an affidavit about her attendance.
How do you handle the care of my placenta?
The care of your placenta is up to you. Leaving the cord intact has plenty of health benefits for baby and momma. Most placentas, when left to birth naturally will emerge whole, intact, and healthy. How you wish to handle your placenta will be discussed and determined before birth including freezing, encapsulating, refrigerating for burial, ingesting in a smoothy, cooking it up to eat, or even disposing of it naturally.
What about blood?
Blood, blood, blood. The nourishing life force of the Great Mother. What we've been gifted with as mothers and women with wombs. Our bodies increase blood by 30% upon becoming pregnant to support new life. When we give birth, we release all that blood to ensure the healthy functioning of our own hearts. The Birth Keeper brings a herbal tea to support blood clotting. If hemorrhage does occur, hospital transfer is recommended. However, keep in mind that most hemorrhaging is due to induction and intervention not present in support-based births.
What if I'm over 35?
Join the club!! Women around the world birth all the way until the last drop of blood, some with upwards of 12 children to their name. There is little risk when good health and nutrition are attended to throughout the pregnancy. You may always opt to have tests done privately through walk-in clinics. The Birth Keeper offers support to pregnant and birthing women of all ages.
How did we all get here in the grand scheme of things?? Birth! And women have been birthing since the dawn of the human species. A Birth Keeper or Traditional Birth Attendant is a woman who offers pregnant and birthing women a support-based model of non-medical care. She uses wisdom and knowledge gleaned over thousands of years to support women in their births with herbs, intuition, and close observation. In today's day and age, she also comes prepared with a deep and critical understanding of modern research and empowering resources. She listens and watches closely to the birthing woman throughout her pregnancy and birth, offers emotional and spiritual support, heeds a woman's requests during her natural birth process, and offers guidance when asked. She works slowly and patiently right alongside the birthing woman and her family as baby emerges on its own unique timeline.
What is the difference between a Birth Keeper and a Midwife?
A Medical Midwife in British Columbia is a medically licensed professional who services women with low and high-risk pregnancies through a management-based birth model. The woman's body, pregnancy, birth, placenta, and baby are managed according to very recent research gleaned over the last couple hundred years. Recommendations and assessments are made based on a combination of scientific research and liability policies that protect the Medical Midwives. Medical Midwives, like OBs, must often encourage intervention and procedures.
The Birth Keeper is NOT a licensed medical professional, and thusly does not offer medical advice, assessment, nor the following clinical practices according to the law in British Columbia:
1. Perform internal vaginal exams
2. Deliver the baby (instead, she assists the mother and/or partner in getting the baby to her body and chest if needed)
3. Administer medicines, pharmaceuticals, injections and the like, nor perform any clinical tests, requisitions, or procedures
What if I give birth really fast and you don't make it?
First off, congratulations!! You just had an unassisted freebirth and that's really awesome!! Secondly, the chances of that happening are really slim, but if it does occur, the Birth Keeper's fee still applies and she can offer extra time after birth to offset the quickness of your birth process.
What about breech births?
Breech births happen and are handled safely in many parts of the world. The Birth Keeper is in-training with Breech Without Borders. The pregnant woman and her family and the Birth Keeper can discuss how breech births can be handled at home if and when the Birthing Women is interested. If the Birthing Woman chooses to birth in hospital, it will most likely result in planned cesarean as there are no Medical Midwives or OBs in Kelowna nor the surrounding area who will manage a woman's vaginal breech birth at home or in hospital (as far as I know - please correct me if I am wrong!).
What if my blood type is Rh-?
The Birth Keeper and you will have a discussion about how you'd like to manage the risks of sensitisation and whether or not you'd like to include clinical work in your pregnancy. The management of your medical needs are up to you. The Birth Keeper does not perform tests and cannot provide medical requisitions for tests on your blood. Find out your blood type if you are concerned and keep in mind that most sensitisation occurs because of faulty abortion procedures from the 90s and having had previous births. Know the risks. Be informed. And make your choices accordingly. The Birth Keeper will support you in however you wish to proceed.
What about placenta previa?
Placenta previa is a rare and often misdiagnosed circumstance in which the placenta covers the cervix and baby cannot emerge naturally. In 95-99% of normal low-risk births, the placenta will begin to move upward with the natural progress of the growth of the uterus around 30 weeks making room for the baby to emerge naturally through the vagina. If the mother is experiencing a lot of bleeding during the pregnancy, placenta previa could be a cause and an ultrasound or vaginal exam performed by a medical professional could help. There is no way to healthfully move a placenta out of the way and most cases (although extremely, and like I mean, extremely rare) end up in cesarean.
How do I register my baby with Vital Statistics if I have an unassisted birth?
The Birth Keeper will provide you with publically available forms available on BC's Vital Statistics website, affidavits, and more information about how to register your baby if you wish to do so. Keep all documentation of your pregnancy, birth, and baby including photos, receipts, gifts, tests, and letters or communications between family members in an envelope. Sometimes Vital Stats will ask for a follow up letter about why you chose unassisted birth or a description of the birth itself. The Birth Keeper will provide you with receipts of payment for Birthing Support, and will sign an affidavit about her attendance.
How do you handle the care of my placenta?
The care of your placenta is up to you. Leaving the cord intact has plenty of health benefits for baby and momma. Most placentas, when left to birth naturally will emerge whole, intact, and healthy. How you wish to handle your placenta will be discussed and determined before birth including freezing, encapsulating, refrigerating for burial, ingesting in a smoothy, cooking it up to eat, or even disposing of it naturally.
What about blood?
Blood, blood, blood. The nourishing life force of the Great Mother. What we've been gifted with as mothers and women with wombs. Our bodies increase blood by 30% upon becoming pregnant to support new life. When we give birth, we release all that blood to ensure the healthy functioning of our own hearts. The Birth Keeper brings a herbal tea to support blood clotting. If hemorrhage does occur, hospital transfer is recommended. However, keep in mind that most hemorrhaging is due to induction and intervention not present in support-based births.
What if I'm over 35?
Join the club!! Women around the world birth all the way until the last drop of blood, some with upwards of 12 children to their name. There is little risk when good health and nutrition are attended to throughout the pregnancy. You may always opt to have tests done privately through walk-in clinics. The Birth Keeper offers support to pregnant and birthing women of all ages.
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