Amy Silva has always recognized the importance of being part of a network of doulas who understand the intricacies of supporting clients during childbirth. The London, Ont., doula's need for community was reaffirmed last year when she was in court as one of the 17 victims of Kaitlyn Braun, the Brantford woman who pleaded guilty to faking pregnancies and fraudulently receiving the services of doulas across the province.
Braun, 26, was given two years of house arrest, but earlier this month, she pleaded guilty to new charges and has yet to be sentenced. Her previous victims, in the meantime, have been brought together by their shared experience —some have since formed a collaborative of 51 Ontario doulas who specialize in birth, postpartum, end-of-life care and other disciplines. Fraudster Kaitlyn Braun is a young, non-violent repeat offender.
How should others like her be sentenced? "I chose to lean into the doula community and find the people who would support me, and I'm also able to be that person for other people," said Silva, founder of the Collaborative Doula Collective. "It's been vital for some of the doulas that have gone through the court case to really feel supported in a safe space. "As a profession, sometimes doulas are not always collaborative and it can be somewhat competitive, so what I really wanted to highlight was that we can work together as doulas and have that community of people to fall back on.
" London-area doula Seanna Hayes says although the Braun c.
