Hi, I'm Javiera Aviles-Saez

But most people call me Javi! I'm the face behind Mother&Sol, a full-spectrum doula and childbirth educator, but first and foremost I am mother to a 2.5 year old, Sol Tobias. He is the sun of my life and the reason I became a birthworker.

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My pregnancy with him, experiencing Hyperemesis Gravidarum (a condition that affects 1 in 100 women and causes severe nausea and vomiting throughout pregnancy), my empowering home birth, the care I received by my midwives and the difficult transition I had subsequently; struggling with postpartum depression and severe anxiety for almost a year, all drove me to want to train as a doula and to want to support parents through their unique experiences. 

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I believe all parents should feel informed, supported and empowered during the birth of their baby and their transition into parenthood.

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As a doula, I help parents sort through the noise and find the evidence, so that they can make informed decisions they feel good about.

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I believe that any choice made with love is the right one for your family. However you birth, however you parent, breast or bottle, I support you and your choices unconditionally.

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By being there when needed, educating with evidence and providing unconditional support, I help families have positive and empowering experiences.

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I gave birth to my son at home in 2017. I had a very fast labour, that lasted less than 6 hours and I ended up giving birth in my bathroom, only with the support of my son's father (the midwives didn't even make it on time!). Even though the circumstances, I felt calm, knowledgeable and empowered. I received after-care by my midwives in my home, accompanied by my mother while my son enjoyed skin-to-skin with his dad and was left to enjoy a pizza after what did not feel like a "traumatic experience".

Becoming a mother was transformational and life-changing. I had a memorable and positive birth experience, but my transition into motherhood was not easy. I struggled with postpartum depression, anxiety, irritability and constant overwhelm for the first year of my son’s life; I had little support from my family, my partner was clueless as to how to help me and I didn’t know the tools to help me get through the anxiety and worry. I struggled to bond with my son, I resented breastfeeding and I didn't have a "village" to rely on for support.

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In the midst of the turmoil, I discovered mindfulness. I began meditating, living slower and trying my hardest to focus just on the moments right before me. I began regular counseling, reflective journalling, began a yoga practice at home and established healthier habits. With time, professional support and after lots of healing; motherhood finally felt “right”. You will find elements of mindfulness and slow living incorporated into my practice because they have played such a big role in empowering me as a mother and helped me heal from a fourth trimester without a village. 

When my son was 8 months old, I heard the term "doula" for the first-time ever. It felt like a calling. Immediately my path started to become a birth and postpartum doula with Doula Canada. Along the process, I discovered a passion for evidence-based education and informed choice and decided to also certify as a Perinatal Educator; to help families feel informed and empowered through their experiences.

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My work as a doula, working with birthers and their families in Sarnia-Lambton, and Mother&Sol's compromise to inclusivity; have brought experiences into my life that have taught me that pregnancy and birth have many different starts and outcomes. I am currently also working on my training as a Fertility doula with Doula Canada, and as a Birth and Bereavement Doula with Stillbirthday. 

Doula 

dou·​la |  ˈdü-lə

a trained non-medical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a birthing person before, during and after childbirth to help  achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.

MY TRAINING

• Certifying with Doula Canada as a Birth and Postpartum Doula

• Certifying with Doula Canada as a Perinatal Educator

• Training with Stillbirthday as a Birth and Bereavement Doula

• Training with Doula Canada as a Fertility Doula

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I also have additional training in breastfeeding, trauma-informed care and holistic practices for pregnancy and the postpartum period. I use the traditional Mexican rebozo technique with my clients during pregnancy and labor, and I'm also experienced with using a Bengkung Belly bind in the postpartum period.

I believe that however you birth your baby, at the hospital or at home,

c-section or vaginal birth, epidural or un-medicated, it is your right to feel safe, supported and empowered through your experience.