What is an Art of Nursing Monitrice?

A Monitrice can provide a continuity of care that is lacking in our fragmented healthcare and social service systems. She can support the woman throughout pregnancy, during birth, postpartum and with family life. Traditionally, women learned how to be mothers and care for their children from their families and the women in their communities. Today, all too often, a mother finds herself isolated with no one to teach her these things in a traditional way. A mother may want to do things differently than her own parents. She turns to books, TV,or the internet searching for her community of wise women. The Monitrice is a person in her own community that the mother can get to know during pregnancy and will feel comfortable turning to throughout the childbearing year. The Monitrice will know this mother, her family, her particular circumstances and can tailor her care to her individual needs. We believe that birth is an individual, personal and life-changing moment.

We assist parents in experiencing this process as memorable and positive. We meet with the mom/couple two times during pregnancy to discuss details for the delivery and to help develop a birth plan. Your care will include two prenatal appointments that consist of an hour or more. Prenatal appointments are used to discuss your pregnancy, nutrition, your thoughts, feelings and fears about the upcoming birth, and provide a way to process what you are experiencing with your journey to becoming a mother. We will also provide educational material about nutrition, anatomy of pregnancy and preterm labor awareness, labor preparation, breastfeeding and holistic baby care if you desire. During early labor, we meet with the mom/coach in the comfort of their home and go with them to the hospital for the remainder of the labor and delivery. We provide emotional, educational, and physical support by addressing each mother’s needs. We will help guide the coach to care for the laboring mom, providing instruction in non-medical techniques for pain relief such as: massage, aromatherapy, homeopathy, herbal remedies, relaxation, visualization, breathing techniques and labor positions to enhance and facilitate the labor process. As a Monitrice we are trained to do vaginal examinations and monitor mom and baby vital signs while in the home setting. When we go to the hospital the medical professionals in that facility are then responsible for your medical care.

We will help the mom in having a non-medicated birth if she desires. If medication and/or an epidural is requested, we will support the mom in her choices to have the birth experience that she wants. We remain throughout the delivery, and we follow-up with assistance in breastfeeding, postpartum education, and, if requested, we will help with a photographic record of the event.

We will meet with the new family within 1 – 2 weeks postpartum to assist as necessary, to discuss the birth experience, and to cover newborn care.

Art of Nursing Doula Monitrice services are provided by our Midwives, and Labor and Delivery RN’s who are trained in the art of nursing way of supporting women. We are on call for you from the time you hire us until up to 6 weeks postpartum and beyond if you have questions and concerns. We will attend your birth as your advocate, providing you relevant information that will help you to make the decisions that are best for you and your family.

Contact us for more information about the Monitrice services we provide