Testimonial for Michelle Giampapa CD(DONA)
It's hard to put into words how grateful my husband and I are to have found Michelle. At 35 weeks pregnant and with limited time, I was panicking to find a doula. I connected with Michelle through Holistic Beginnings which I found on Doula Match. Fortunately, Michelle was available for our due date and was accommodating in setting times to meet despite only having a few weeks left. She went above and beyond to make sure we felt prepared and positive heading into birth. She shared suggestions and a range of resources for us to reference that included a pain management guide, stages of labor map, a book on how to use a rebozo and she even left us notes she had written to help us time contractions. As first time parents, we felt so much more confident after meeting with her.
I ended up going into labor at 38 weeks and Michelle was our first call! Michelle encouraged me to get up and keep moving which I believe was the key to my dream birth!
At the birthing center, Michelle helped release tension in my lower back and hips with massages and hip squeezes. She brought items for pain management and that helped keep a relaxed calm environment. Michelle noticed I kept tightening and shrugging my shoulders up towards my ears, she reminded me to relax and soften my shoulders down with each contraction. This helped immensely! I was able to shift my focus to release my upper body which helped things move along more quickly.
I had her and my husband working in tandem to support me and they were the absolute dream team! I got my wish of a water birth and had a beautiful baby boy with zero complications not too long after arriving at the birthing center (only 4 hours!).
Michelle embodied our birth plan while providing her own strategies, the perfect balance that led to an incredible birth experience. We can't thank her enough for her guidance and support and hope to have her by our side as we continue to grow our family!
-Joanna Fazio
May 20, 2024
Michelle Giampapa CD(DONA)
Surrender to the Flow Doula
Birth Fee: $1800 to $2150
