Doulas of Distinction - Christa Duquette
Heather Crossan
Periodic Profiles of our Passionate Peeps!
Christa Duquette CD(DONA), SBD
Who is this doula?
Christa is a doula everyone should know. Not only is she a gifted doula, she is also a leader of the community, fierce advocate for doulas, voice for under-served populations, life-long learner, and just an awesome person.
When you are in her presence you immediately feel at ease. She is truly dedicated to whoever she is with at any moment, and actually cares about their life and story; a rarity these days!
Her ease with others is one of the reasons she has excelled at growing a strong community in Central Alberta. The Red Deer Doula Association is a leader in the province and with the help of the rest of the community the RDDA has opened opportunities for birthing families, and birth workers never before considered. Christa welcomes everyone as part of the community and invests in making them successful, as they define it.
Since completing DONA International Birth Doula training in 2012 Christa has been busy! She started as Secretary of the RDDA in 2014, then served as Vice President and now is in her second year as President. She has attended over 100 births in Red Deer, Olds and surrounding Hospitals, while also serving as a volunteer with the AHS Volunteeer Doula program for 5 years. Christa has also been an active volunteer and Doula Support with the Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre in Red Deer and Olds for 3 years while recently working with the new Maternity Home in Red Deer to build a program of Doula support with the RDDA and has helped with fundraising for Red Deer Regional Health Foundation and Ronald McDonald House of Central Alberta (in all her spare time).
We are very proud to share that Christa has been nominated for the 2018 Women of Excellence Award for Central Alberta, Community Building Category. As well she is the recipient of the Alberta Health Services "Spirit of Excellence" award 2017 in the volunteeer category for their Doula program.
A personal perspetive...
My name is Christa Duquette. I am mother to three beautiful children, wife to a farmer, and friends to many. I am also a Birth and Bereavement Doula and current President of the Red Deer Doula Association.
Looking back over the past 5 years I am amazed at what an incredible journey it has been for me as a Doula. Each experience has brought more to my life then I could imagine and has helped shape the path of this passion for me. I now offer Birth and Bereavement Doula Services, Childbirth Education, and sit on the board for the Red Deer Doula Association and it has been wonderful in so many ways.
I am very lucky to do what I do, not only am I a certified Doula, but I also stay home with my children and help raise them on our 5th Generation family farm in Rural Alberta. I was born and raised in Olds and now with my husband, we continue to farm the land that will soon be 100 years in the family! All three of my children were born at the Olds Hospital, where I primarily now support couples through their own birth experiences. I have a soft spot in my heart for Olds, Alberta, but have really enjoyed expanding my services to Three Hills and the Red Deer area as well.
When I am not attending a birth or running my children to sports, I like to sew, enjoy camping and attempting to garden ;) Living on a farm we have cows, cats and dogs and our life is always busy with equipment, livestock and plant life. I also have a background in Bellydance and enjoy sharing the joy of dance through Mother Blessings, as a celebration of women.
As I grow in my Doula journey I always look forward to learning new skills, meeting new people and of course the honour of being invited into the intimate time of birth. It is incredible the couples I have met along the way and I'm so grateful I have found my calling and am able to share my passion with those I meet everyday.
Christa Duquette CD(DONA), SBD
Li'l Apple Doula Services - Olds and Red Deer
