Name: Giuditta Tornetta

Website: www.joyinbirthing.com

How would you describe yourself: mother, birth activist, doula/author/workshop leader

1. What change(s) do you want to see in birth?

Women are taking their power back and standing for their rights to have the birthing experience they deserve and desire.

2. What people/places/philosophies/things do you envision being some of the catalysts in birth change?

Doulas at every birth, insurance companies reimbursing people for doula services, doctors explaining choices and discussing natural alternatives to birth, hospitals becoming baby friendly i.e. respecting the golden hour (hours) between newborn and parents, nurses becoming more trained on the natural way of birthing.

3. What is the first thing that needs to change with how the average person views natural birth? What are your ideas (big and small) to help this change?

Information and knowledge is the strongest power a woman can have. More movies and television shows about the importance of a natural beginning, the responsibility of a mother state during pregnancy and birth. Teaching our teenagers the beauty and miracle of natural childbirth.

4. What is the best advice you would give a pregnant mama who is looking into her birth choices?

Get a doula they come in all shapes and sizes and prices… even free. Arm yourself with information, work on yourself (self esteem, the nine Basic human rights of every woman and child).

5. If you could give a few words of advice to all the women (even those not pregnant) that haven’t found their voices yet, what would it be?

Work on yourself, learn how to love yourself, let go of what no longer serves you. Reach out and ask for help. Birth a new self before you even consider birthing a new baby.

6. What encouraging advice would you give anybody in birth (mama or any birth worker) when faced with that seems like the present “doom and gloom” situation?

There is always an alternative, it is your choice, you can fire a doctor or nurse while you are in labor, birth is not only about you it does not happen to you, you and your baby are working together to bring a new life into this world. View labor as one surge at the time, you can handle a minute, stay in the present.

7. What do you think “We” can do to help women find their truth, their trust and their responsibility in birth?

Advocate, publish, produce content, speak and teach women, share our experiences of painless childbirth (it happens to 45,000 every year in the united States).