Occupation: I'm a Danbury Hospital doula. That's a woman who knows birth, and who assists a birthing mother to make the memory of that birth the best it can possibly be. I'm with the mother through her labor and stay with her until the baby is
Occupation: Iâm a Danbury Hospital doula. Thatâs a woman who knows birth, and who assists a birthing mother to make the memory of that birth the best it can possibly be. Iâm with the mother through her labor and stay with her until the baby is nursing, and act as a liaison between the mother and staff. The program started at Danbury Hospital 16 years ago, and I was with that first wave. I love it when mothers-to-be ask for a doula.
Family: I have six children. The oldest is 50 and the youngest is 33. Glorianne is a Newtowner; Duke is in pharmaceuticals in Newton, Mass.; Bob is a massage therapist in Bethel; Cassie is in North Carolina; Ben is in Boston; and Dan lives in Fairfield.
Pets: I have a kitten named Pussy Willow. Sheâs all gray and soft and wonderful. Sheâs a dear.
How long have you lived in Newtown? Iâve lived here for 33 years.
What do you like to do in your free time? Iâve been forced by necessity to be clever with my hands. I knit, sew, and garden. I like making things. I make fabric-covered, rice-filled packs that are heated in the microwave. They are great for back pain â whether in labor or not â and to warm the bed in the wintertime. I do read, and I journal. I write cathartic poetry and I sketch. I like to go to the theater when I can, and wherever thereâs free music, Iâm there.
Do you have a favorite book? The last book I read is always my favorite. Right now, thatâs The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Itâs about a woman and her indomitable spirit, to be better. About the little things she does for herself to make her life better.
Do you have a favorite travel destination? I have friends on Nantucket, and I go there for a week every summer. I love to travel. I have a stash for big trips. Iâve been to France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Greece, and England. I love the differences and similarities I find everywhere I go. Ireland is my next big trip.
What is the best thing about Newtown? The library, hands down! Itâs a great source of information, and keeps me in touch. I can read whatever I want to read there. I go in for a book and end up grabbing a crossword puzzle or a CD, too. And Janet Woycik, the director, is a jewel. The staff is remarkable. Of course, there are my friends and all the people of the town that I love, too.
Who has been the greatest influence in your life? I would have to say that it is not a âwhoâ but rather, âadversity.â If I hadnât had to do what I did, when my husband died and I knew I had to take care of those six kids, I would not have been as strong. I wouldnât have done the things I learned to do, without that adversity.
Do you have a personal philosophy? Acceptance of what is. If you donât like something, change it, or find a way to live with it. You do it as best you can. Thereâs always a better way.
Do you have a guilty pleasure? I tend to stay up late reading at night, even when I know Iâll be tired the next day. And then thereâs that once-a-year butterscotch sundae at The Creameryâ¦