Strega~Doula
If you choose me as your doula, you get...
​
-
friendship and support throughout all the difficult + exciting moments
-
a guide and resource to help all your decisions be informed + empowered
-
an advocate + communicator for your plans and desires
-
Childbirth Education tailored to your individual wants + needs
-
support that doesn't replace your partner, but instead helps them be an active participant as well
-
a hands-on lactation professional to help you and your baby reach your feeding goals
-
postpartum support that feels personal, connected, and empowering for your early days as a paren​t
About the name...
I come from a big Italian family (I mean, my name is Giovanna Mangione so that's probably a given). "Strega" in Italian means 'witch', but there's a deeper meaning there. Like many cultures, traditional midwives and birth support people were commonly older women in the community who dealt with fertility, herbal medicines, birth, and death. Because they brought souls in and out of the world, they were often considered to be magic, and historically , italians called these people 'Streganonnas' or 'witch-grandmas'. I come from a long line of these Streganonnas, as my matrilineal line is filled with lay/community midwives in Italy, alll the way down to my grandmother. She worked as a NICU Nurse while caring for her own 6 children. When she passed, she left me a few hundred dollars. I used that money to pay for my first doula training, and I am now honored to carry out the imperative role of supporting childbirth and postpartum, the work that flows through my veins.