MARMORA – Although still a teenager, Talya Allegretto has her sights set on changing the way people in general, and women in particular, think about childbirth.
“We need to teach them childbirth is not something to fear,” Allegretto said.
At 17, Allegretto is already a certified doula, a non-medical professional who assists with care and support for pregnant mothers, and she is currently studying to be a midwife.
When using the term “midwifery” in connection with childbirth, the word seems archaic. However, a holistic, woman-centered approach to childbirth is slowly making a comeback, she said.
Women who assist other women in childbirth belong to one of the oldest professions in history. Generally, a woman’s female family members, particularly those who were already mothers, assisted with childbirth, which normally took place at home.
Women who took up the profession were long subjected to prejudice and discrimination. In the Middle Ages midwives were often accused of being witches. And with the rise of medical science midwives were marginalized.
At the turn of the 20th century, however, midwifery was formally recognized in Great Britain. But at the same time, there were laws being passed in this country to prevent home births and promote going to hospitals.
According to Allegretto, the modern trend should be a return to the model where a woman’s mother and daughters were present around a birthing and supporting it.
“Before birth was in hospitals women would support the mom through labor in the home. I think that is what should be brought back,” she said.
Allegretto was essentially home-schooled, although she has a number of years of public school education. She graduated high school in February at 16, and about a year ago she was certified as a doula through DONA, which stands for Doulas of North America.
DONA International defines a doula as “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their client before, during and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”
A midwife, by comparison, is a health-care professional who cares for a mother and child during pregnancy, birth and afterward, according to internet sources. They are trained to deliver babies at home or in the hospital. Midwives also provide general health-care services, family planning and routine exams, and can prescribe medications.
Allegretto’s mother, Tarin Allegretto, has been a doula for 15 years, being certified when Talya was 3 years old. She said her mom’s friend was pregnant and looking for a doula and suggested she become one.
So, at age 3, her mother began taking her with her to sessions with expectant mothers. Her mother even taught at Babies R Us and started a birth stories circle, where those who went through trauma during birth could share their experiences. She said there was a therapist who sat in on the sessions, whom the clients could meet with if they desired.
“I grew up going to prenatal sessions and lactation consults,” Allegretto said. “I grew up around all of that.”
“My little sister was born at home in Marmora in February 2017. I was 9 years old and I watched, and I knew I wanted to be a midwife.”
She recalled observing the support shown by a midwife named Rebecca during the natural birth method used, as her mother gave birth in a pool in her room. So impressed was she that Allegretto today says she wants to give women the understanding that their bodies are powerful and know what to do.
“It’s not a medical process – it’s a beautiful, natural, peaceful experience,” she said.
Allegretto said that after being certified as a doula she started taking on clients with her mother, and at the end of November 2024 began taking midwifery classes online with Indie Birth, which offers classes for doulas and midwives.
Allegretto, who will not turn 18 until May 2026, said the program is not age-restricted, and she believes she is the youngest person enrolled in the midwife program.
She said being included in the doula/midwife community from such a young age has given her an advantage. She said most of the women in these programs started after they have already gone to school for something else. The exposure has also given her the opportunity to develop a special feeling about childbirth.
“I do believe birth is special,” she said. “I believe it’s sacred, a rite of passage. Not every woman has children, but most do, and the transition of a woman from pre-birth to post-birth is miraculous.
“The changes women go through from pre-mom to mom are a big difference. (Birth) is a beautiful thing to experience. It brings tears to my eyes.”
Allegretto, who anticipates completing her midwifery course in 2026, said she believes at-home births with midwives is the way society is headed. She said it’s been a slow start, but one of her goals is to stress importance of bringing births out of the hospitals and into homes, into a supportive circle of women. She said she hopes to inspire other people to get into this field.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
