During the H1N1 flu pandemic, hospitals restricted visitors. Only one person was allowed with the birthing person, forcing a difficult choice between partner and doula. This is when the need for an official voice to recognize the presence of doulas and advocate for the rights of birthing people arose.

The first national doula meeting took place in June, organized by the Regroupement Naissance Renaissance (RNR). During this event, which brought together more than 100 doulas from across Quebec, it was clear that the majority wanted to establish an association. The goal was not to create a professional order or join the Ministry of Health network, but to maintain the independence essential to the practice of doulas.

Annie Noël de Tilly of Alternative Naissance and Milène Pigeon of the RNR began applying for a grant from the Béati Foundation. Unfortunately, the grant was rejected, and the project remained on hold. However, the doulas continued to express their desire to come together.

Annie-Noël de Tilly and Johanne Paulauskas chose to continue their volunteer work. They contacted Lorraine Fontaine, Nicole Pino, and Milène Pigeon of the RNR. In September 2012, Diane Bolduc-Boutin, Annie Bouchard, and Nadia Deslauriers of La source en soi joined the coordinating committee of the future Quebec Association of Birth Companions (AQAN).

AQAN founding assembly in Montreal, June 7, 2013. About a hundred doulas are present. Coming from all regions and backgrounds, they are experienced or novice doulas, French-speaking or English-speaking, from community or private sectors. AQAN aims to be inclusive; it also opens its doors to anyone interested in its mission, not just doulas.

In January, Stéphanie St-Amant, who had organized the 2010 national meeting, was hired as project manager for the creation of the AQAN. Various working committees were created, allowing the presentation of a real and already engaged association at the founding meeting.

Launch of the AQAN-QAD website.

Creation of the Training Committee, which will focus on the curriculum required to become a member as well as continuing education. This committee will be headed by Diane Boutin for two years.

Creation of the Fusion Committee, which will work towards a possible merger between the AQAN and the RQAN (Quebec Network of Birth Companions). This merger will never take place since the RQAN members vote no at their AGM.

At the AGM, the Training Committee presented their Training Passport, which includes the curriculum required to become a member as a birth doula. The passport was adopted by the members. The association was asked to participate in the discussion on the creation of a birthing wing at Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal. We participated with other perinatal organizations in a discussion on the community and functional issues of a new, more physiological maternity unit in Montreal. Launch of the Facebook group Communauté AQAN Community.

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the AQAN was called upon to defend the presence of doulas in birthing centers and the rights of birthing parents, particularly regarding the issue of mask wearing. Several tools to defend the rights of birthing parents and doulas were created and distributed. Several interviews were conducted by the board team. The AQAN participated in a crisis unit and in discussions with the MAMAN group and the RNR before the College of Physicians.

The first AQAN employee was hired; she became the coordinator and took over several important issues within the association.

In a desire for gender inclusion and diversity in doula practices, it was voted at the extraordinary general meeting that the AQAN become the AQD, the Quebec Doulas Association. The AQD aims to be inclusive of people from the LGBTQ+ community, racialized people, people of all classes, abilities, etc. It also includes doulas from all walks of life: fertility, birth, postnatal, abortion, perinatal bereavement, and end-of-life.