Get to know me
Let choice murmur in your ear
And love murmur in your heart.
Be ready... here comes life.
- Maya Angelou
Hello! I’m Valentina, the doula behind Juno Births— supporting families as they welcome their littlest members in the Netherlands. Originally from the Prosecco hills of Italy, life’s journey has brought me from Austria (where I lived happily until a certain amazing Dutchman came along) to now calling the Netherlands home.
Straight out of university, I moved to Vienna, where I spent some very happy years. But, as love would have it, I followed my Dutch husband to his home, where I found work in early years education—my career for over two decades.
But by 2020, I felt I needed something more, and I took a leap of faith into doula training. Postponed due to the pandemic, my training finally began in 2021, and it was indeed life-changing. I’m now a fully certified BiA doula and am proud to be moving into full-time birth work in 2025.
My Beliefs and Approach
Working with young children for so many years, I grew increasingly aware of how much society must do better by mothers. Moms need a community, a place to belong, and a support system they can count on. This can feel especially urgent when you’re a foreign parent in a new country.
As a mother of three who gave birth in a country where I didn’t speak the language, didn’t know the culture, and was navigating an unfamiliar system, I know firsthand how overwhelming this experience can be. It’s my goal not only to support you as a doula but to help you feel connected and rooted in your community.
In my practice, I bring the perspective that birth is not only a family’s story but a moment that shapes the future. It’s a belief deepened by my time with little ones, seeing how foundational these early years really are. Every parent, every baby, deserves a birth experience filled with dignity and care.
The way we support mothers matters—not just for them but for the generations they are raising. Taking care of the future starts by taking care of moms.
What You Can Expect
When you work with me, you’re gaining a partner on this journey, someone who’s as dedicated to your well-being as I am to my own family’s. With my support, you’ll feel empowered through pregnancy, birth, and into the sacred postpartum phase, setting a strong, secure foundation for a parenting journey filled with trust and joy.
You’ll get plenty of expert advice and tailored support—and you’ll also get the reassurance of someone who understands the importance of having someone in your corner when you’re far from home.
If this sounds like the support you need, I’d love to walk this path with you!
"Birth is not only about making babies.
Birth is about making mothers.
Strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.”
Barbara Katz Rothman
Courses and Qualifications
Trauma Informed Birth Planning, June 2024
Trauma Informed Postpartum Debrief, July 2024
HypnoBirthing- The Mongan Method (2023)
Professional IKK “Working with Babies” Training, Zontrainingen
Bia Doula Training, Certified Birth Doula (2024)
Postnatal Support Network, Postnatal Doula Training (February 2023)
Birth Art, Birthing from Within, March 2022
EHBO, babies and children, May 2024
V-Steaming, May 2022
Reiki, April 2022
Breathwork and Mindfulness for children, March 2021
BabyBrains, parents trainer, December 2022
B.A. Social Pedagogical Studies (2004)
M.A. Education (2013)
Nursing, Early Years and Primary school Teaching qualification (2000)
V.O.G. cleared
