Meet Shani...

Hola, I'm Shani, founder of Jewel Child Doula Collective,

mama of two extraordinary little humans and wife to my all-time bestie, my TF (for those that know, know!)

​

Being of Caribbean decent; my ancestry is very mixed as most Caribbeans are.I'm  Afro-Cuban and Taíno on my mother's side, which heavily influences my life, my doula practice and why I created Jewel Child to reflect, reignite and return to Indigenous birth rituals of my peoples.

​

In 2008 I attended my very first birth. I was an unofficial and unintentional doula but it sparked something in me that I just couldn't shake. 

​

I went on to become a chef/tea sommelier and herbalist and opened up a tea based cafe where I actively continued to engage in birth support through plant medicine and tea blends. In fact, I started my tea company once my daughter was born to help support her immune system and mine as well. 

​

A few years before my daughter was born I went back to school to study Alexander Technique, mostly to help myself deal with chronic pain, a residual from a car accident I had been in as a child. And what I discovered was that with the ability to align mind, body and spirit for optimal body function, I was able to help myself tremendously throughout labour and delivery. 

 

In 2013, while assisting new families with herbal teas and tincture medicines, for pregnancy, labouring persons and new babies, I embarked on my doula journey. I trained through the DONA program and as a prenatal doula I use all the many modalities under my belt from Alexander Technique, acupressure, herbology + tea, Taíno Indigenous birth practices taught to me by my Abuela, to assist in safe and supported birth journeys.