Monitrice

Today I got my first inquiry from someone using the "contact" form on my new website, wheee! They want to interview me about monitrice services, which is awesome.

A monitrice is a word for a doula who has midwifery training, so a monitrice can offer the best of both worlds when someone is undecided about hospital versus home birth. A monitrice can check cervical dilation, listen to the baby's heartbeat, and monitor vital signs at home (things a doula does NOT do) so that a woman can labor at home much longer than usual and arrive at the hospital when she's very near birth. The goal is that the laboring-at-home process helps avoid unnecessary hospital interventions and can be a woman's best way to have a natural birth while still birthing in the hospital.

The first time I tried offering monitrice services, I ended up catching the baby in the woman's bathroom, but that was a huge surprise to all of us. That was definitely not the plan. Still, many parents like the idea of their doula/midwife being able to safely deliver the baby at home just in case things go faster than expected.

I really like working as a monitrice, because I get to be the midwife at home and then turn over responsibility to the doctor once we get to the hospital. Right now, it totally works for me. Anyway, we're emailing back and forth to set up our interview time. I'm excited!