Casa Mango Birthwork

Childcare / Family Care, Health & Wellness, Life Doula

In Person

I’m Larissa Melo Pienkowski (she/ela/ella), a queer Latina birth and postpartum doula based in Philadelphia, PA. My practice is rooted in the beliefs that birth is a sacred act of transformation, that birthing people hold innate wisdom in their bodies, that community care is self-care, and that we all deserve safe, affirming, size-inclusive reproductive healthcare. A doula is a trained, nonmedical birth worker who provides continuous physical, emotional, informational, and advocacy support before, during, and after labor and delivery. I’d also like to echo Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT)’s perspective on doula work: “A doula’s job is to respect and support the values, beliefs, and autonomy of the birthing person and/or family they are supporting. Rather than having an agenda, a doula offers nonjudgmental space for the client to process, share wishes, preferences, and needs, seek additional information, and establish rapport and trust. In other words, a doula honors and centers their client’s bodily autonomy and sense of safety.” As a birthworker, I offer a compassionate and comforting presence, intuitive and evidence-based information, physical support, fierce advocacy, and an inclusive, safe space for birthing people and their partner(s) to move through pregnancy and labor peacefully and confidently. I find the most meaning in my work as a doula when I get to help clients peacefully and confidently navigate a healthcare system whose oppressive practices and policies often lead to more harm than help. By equipping birthing people with the tools, support, and space to slow down, maintain agency, and make informed decisions while feeling nurtured and safe in their own autonomy, doulas can help preserve the sacred nature of birth.