Doula and Monitrice Care

Monitrice Care

Monitrice services are perfect for families choosing or needing to plan a hospital birth, with a hospital-based midwife or obstetrician, who wishes to remain at home during early and early active labor. A Monitrice is a trained midwife who provides labor support (similar to a doula) and various clinical assessments, such as listening to & evaluating your baby's heartbeat or performing a vaginal exam, designed to help you decide the optimal time to move from home to your intended place of birth. Generally, families hire a monitrice (as opposed to simply hiring a Birth Doula), when there are special circumstances, such as planning a vaginal birth after a cesarean or in response to a previous birth trauma. As a Monitrice, I am NOT acting as your primary pregnancy or birth care provider and will not be providing prenatal, home birth, postpartum or newborn care in the same manner as I would if I was your Midwife. As a Monitrice I will not catch your baby; and once you are admitted to the hospital, my role will shift to that of Birth Doula. Your care provider must be aware that you are planning to use a monitrice in labor, before entering the hospital, and I am happy to talk directly with them or accompany you to an appointment, to explain my role and expertise. 

The fee for monitrice services is $2000.00. A deposit of $500.00 is required with the balance paid by 36 weeks of pregnancy. This fee includes:

• A free, no-obligation, one-hour long interview so you can ask any questions you have about my practice and determine if Monitrice services are for you.

• Six prenatal meetings. We will review your birth preferences, educational needs & pertinent history, and get to know one another. We can also discuss & practice labor coping mechanisms, positions for birth; ways your partner can help to support you; and I can answer questions unique to your pregnancy and birth.

• Non-labor phone, email and text support throughout your pregnancy, during office hours (10-5 Monday-Friday).

• 24/7 on-call from 37 weeks of pregnancy through your birth.

• Monitrice services at your home, during labor, as outlined above.

• Hospital Doula services. I will accompany you to your place of birth; acting as your birth doula, and provide physical, emotional, and educational support and resources, as well as immediate postpartum and breastfeeding support.

• Back-up Monitrice & Doula services. In the event of illness, emergency or a home birth midwifery client in active labor, every effort will be made to have an experienced colleague provide home monitrice & hospital doula services, at no additional cost to you.

• One postpartum support visit. I will review your birth with you, provide additional postpartum & breastfeeding support & set you up with desired resources or referrals.