My wife and I are so lucky and so grateful that we got to work with Monique for the birth of our second child. We cannot recommend Monique highly enough!
What we loved most about working with Monique:
She's like a magician: "Hey you look like you could use a INSERT ANYTHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEED BUT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AT THAT VERY MOMENT?" That's how it felt working with Monique--she seemed to know what you needed to hear, eat, read, watch, etc., at all the right moments, yet somehow she maintained an unobtrusive presence throughout. She's always there, responsive, whenever you need her, and she pops up with impeccable timing, yet she's never in the way. You never feel like you don't have your own space to fully experience this rare and precious experience in life.
She's nurturing without being overbearing: Monique's so nurturing and caring. She's like your emotional teddy bear throughout the entire process. You can't help but feel better all around whenever you meet with and talk to her. She knows just the right words at the right moment to help you feel more energized, calm, or optimistic. Yet she does all that without ever appearing overbearing or "mothering" you. She can switch between being a calming or encouraging ball of energy, and she always seems to do so just when you need it, without ever having to ask. While always supportive, she always finds the perfect moments to challenge you. Monique is always soft, but firm. She never fails to check in on me, the birthing partner, and often brings up ideas and issues I haven't yet considered but should consider. She laid out specific scenarios that helped me think through and prepare for how I could best support my wife.
She has incredibly high social IQ: She is incredibly adaptable and can change her tact and approach with different (and sometimes very difficult) people that we run into. She can instantly pick up the emotional energy and communication style of every person she interacts with, making everyone feel at ease. If you're looking for a doula who can tailor her approach to your birthing partner's personality and particular wants and needs (and be able to know which is which at the moment), who can instantly connect with and endear herself with the medical staff, and who knows how to push back against an overbearing and rude on-call OB without antagonizing them, then hire Monique.
Toddlers love her: We were concerned about how disruptive our 2-year-old might become during our meetings, but Monique knew just how to engage and disarm our toddler. At the end of our meetings, we got a lot done, and our toddler always wants Ms. Monique to stay.
She gives you time & attention: We met with Monique four times in person and really felt that we could build a strong sense of rapport with her well before game day. TIP: Monique purposely limits the number of clients she takes on to practically ensure no overlaps, which is not as commonly practiced by others. So her calendar fills up quickly!
She is a walking, breathing encyclopedia: Monique is so knowledgeable about every aspect of the process. There was never a moment where she wasn't able to give us an answer or point us in the right direction when we had questions. And while at the hospital, she could always tell us what the nurses or doctors are doing or will do next, what they're looking at, and likely upcoming decisions we'll have to consider or make next.
She's a hawk: She is always paying attention to what everyone is saying or doing, particularly with the nurses or doctors, and spots potential conflicts ahead of time. It's so reassuring knowing you have her on your team. She stays on top of all the to-dos, so you don't have to. In the chaos of labor and birth, the last thing we wanted to do was remember all the different things we had to do and when to do them. She took care of us and everything that needed to be done.
She follows up: Throughout the entire process, even after the birth, it's so clear that Monique cares about you and your family.
Most importantly, working with Monique gave us the space to truly be present at the birth of our child, without having to worry about coordinating or interfacing with others, unless absolutely necessary. Monique gave us our little bubble to welcome our baby into the world. read more
