Meet Rosalia — Your Doula & Birth Companion

Experienced pregnancy, birth and postpartum doula in Helsinki and Southern Finland.

Hi, I’m Rosalia

Doula. Birth companion. Educator. Listener. And someone who still feels incredibly privileged every time a family invites me into their story.

I have been accompanying people through pregnancy, birth and the early days of parenthood since 2003.
Over the years, I have sat beside people in many different places and circumstances — at home, in birth centres, in hospitals and operating theatres. I have witnessed joyful births, complicated births, unexpected turns, beautiful beginnings and heartbreaking endings.

And after all these years, I still feel that being invited into such an intimate moment is a privilege.

Why I became a doula

My journey into birth work began with my own experience of becoming a mother.
When I was expecting my second child, I trained as a doula in South Africa. My first birth had been a necessary caesarean following a labour that had unfolded in ways I hadn’t wanted. For my second birth, I longed for something different.
I prepared, learned, questioned, and surrounded myself with people who believed in me.
I went on to have a successful VBAC and a water birth with my daughter.
That experience changed something in me.
I discovered how powerful it can be when a person is genuinely supported, listened to and encouraged to trust themselves. I knew I wanted to offer that kind of support to others.

And so began a journey that has now lasted more than twenty years. In truth, I just like to come along for the oxytocin high at the end – Just kidding…maybe 😉

What I believe about birth

I don’t believe there is one perfect way to give birth.
I don’t believe that your birth has to follow someone else’s philosophy, and I don’t believe that a particular kind of birth makes you a better parent.
I believe you deserve good information, compassionate support and the freedom to make decisions that feel right for you.

Sometimes birth unfolds beautifully according to plan.

Sometimes it takes an entirely different path.

Sometimes we need to adapt, make difficult decisions or let go of expectations.

My role is not to judge any of those paths.
My role is to walk beside you through them.

I believe that you are capable of giving birth and becoming a parent. My job is not to take that power away from you, but to help you find it, trust it and use it in whatever way you need.

Getting to know you matters to me

I don’t expect you to meet me once and immediately hand over all your hopes, fears and vulnerabilities.

Trust takes time.

That’s why I value getting to know the people I work with before the birth.
I want to know what matters to you.
What are you excited about?
What are you afraid of?
What happened during a previous birth?
What does your partner need?
What kind of support helps you feel safe?
What do you already know — and what would you like to understand better?

Every family is different, and there is no standard version of doula support that fits everyone.
Our relationship develops around you.

What I bring with me

Over more than two decades, I have gathered many different strands of knowledge and experience.

I trained as a doula in South Africa and later in the United States, including Birthing From Within childbirth education. I have continued learning throughout my career in areas including breastfeeding, pregnancy and birth education, bodywork, rebozo, birth positioning, bereavement support and trauma-informed care. I also trained as a nurse in Finland and qualified in 2017.

My professional education matters to me because I want to keep learning.
But qualifications are only one part of what I bring to a family.

The other part is what cannot be learned from a certificate:
Years of sitting quietly beside someone who is scared.
Years of knowing when to speak and when not to.
Years of helping a partner find their confidence.
Years of witnessing how differently every birth can unfold.
And years of learning that sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer is simply your calm presence.

I work with the whole person

Pregnancy and birth are not just physical events.
They can bring up memories, fears, hopes, questions about identity, relationships, sexuality, family and the kind of parent we are becoming.
So my support isn’t only about contractions and birth positions.

Sometimes we talk.
Sometimes we prepare.
Sometimes we practise.
Sometimes we laugh.
Sometimes there are tears.
Sometimes we use movement, touch, breathing, massage, rebozo or other supportive practices.
And sometimes you simply need someone beside you who isn’t frightened by what you are feeling.

I bring together the practical, the emotional, the informational and, where it feels appropriate for you, the holistic aspects of pregnancy and birth.

Supporting international families in Finland

Moving through pregnancy and birth in another country can add another layer to an already enormous transition.

I know how valuable it can be to have someone who understands the local maternity system while also being able to communicate comfortably in English or Italian.

I work primarily in English and Italian, with limited Finnish, and support families in Helsinki and throughout Southern Finland.

If you are an international family preparing to give birth in Finland, I can help you become more familiar with the Finnish maternity system, explore your options, prepare questions for your care providers and build confidence for the journey ahead.

And yes… I still love this work

After all these years, I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky.

I have met families who have stayed in my life long after their babies were born. I have watched tiny newborns become toddlers, children and young people. I have been invited back for second and third babies.

Some clients have become friends.
Some birth stories have broken my heart.
Others have made me laugh until I cried.
Every family has taught me something.
Every birth has added another layer to my understanding of what it means to accompany someone through a rite of passage.
And I still love that moment when a baby arrives and everyone in the room realises: We did it.

Perhaps we should meet?

Choosing a doula is personal.
You need to feel comfortable with the person who will be beside you during one of the most vulnerable and transformative experiences of your life.
So let’s not make it complicated.

Let’s meet.

We can talk about your pregnancy, your hopes, your questions and your concerns. You can ask me anything you like.
And then we can see whether we feel like a good fit for one another.
There is no obligation. Just a conversation.

I’d love to meet you.

BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL

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A little more about my my professional training & qualifications

I have gathered many qualifications and trainings over the years, and I am proud of the depth and breadth of my continuing education.

You can explore my professional training and certifications below if you would like to know more.

Birth & Doula Education

• Doula training, South Africa
• Birthing From Within training, USA
• Advanced doula education
• Sacred Space Doula Trainer

Healthcare

• Finnish nursing qualification

Birth & Pregnancy

• Body Ready Method Pro®
• Spinning Babies® education
• Rebozo training
• Pregnancy and birth education

Postpartum & Feeding

• Breastfeeding/lactation education
• Prenatal nutrition
• Postpartum support

Pregnancy Loss & Bereavement

• Stillbirthday Birth & Bereavement Doula
• PAIL Advocate training

Continuing Education

• Trauma-informed care
• Birth Story Medicine
• Maternal mental health education
• Other specialist birth and wellbeing training

A final thought

I believe that birth is one of life’s great thresholds.
It changes more than the person who is born.
It changes the person who gives birth, the partner who witnesses it, and the family that grows around it.
It is an honour to accompany people through that threshold.

With love,
Rosalia