Francesca is the best! We had the pleasure of working with her and her partner Vickie for our first child. In looking for a doula to work with it was very important to both my husband and myself that they create a safe space for us and help guide us in an unbiased manner. It was also very important that they brought my husband along in this journey. Francesca treated him like a partner which resulted in a wonderful experience for us both.

What we especially loved about working with Francesca is how safe she made us feel. Francesca was the one who supported us during the birth of our son. I was a terrified mess who was being induced due to a higher risk of preeclampsia. As a person of color, I was also scared due to the increased mortality rate. Having Francesca as our doula was the best decision. When issues arose during labor, she was able to explain what was going on in a way that was easy to understand and provided the evidence-based info we needed to make decisions (and calm my worry). She gave me the mental and physical support I needed and guided me through meditations that allowed me to actually get a little shut-eye before it was time to push.  When pushing time came she was AMAZING! We always reflect on that day and talk about how she was the voice I needed, especially in the moments when pushing got so hard and I wanted to give up. Her telling me “this is how you’ll meet your baby” really helped to calm me and gave me the strength to keep on pushing. 

Francesca has my highest recommendation and I would work with her again in a heartbeat should we ever decide to have more children. She has the calmest soul and helped us feel safe and supported during one of the scariest yet most magical times in our lives. Thank you so much, Francesca! It was such a privilege to have you in our corner and we will never forget how beautiful you made our son’s birth! 

—Chantel & Greg, Queens, NY

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I unfortunately had a very difficult birth but was so lucky that Francesca was my doula. I chose to work with her and her partner Vickie after talking with them about the importance of evidence-based practices to me. They were both very up to date on the current literature and recommendations, and shared source material with me so I could make my own decisions. I felt listened to, respected and ultimately  supported in what I felt was the best for me and my child.

Once it became clear that I was going to have a premature delivery, Francesca was in frequent communication before I went to the hospital. She arrived early morning after they decided to induce labor and I could feel my anxiety evaporate when she walked into the room. I felt confident that she would ask the right questions and advocate for my wishes, even if I was unable to articulate them in the moment. She handled the increasing severity of my situation calmly and competently, accompanying me into the OR when it became obvious I needed to give birth immediately. 

My doctor was so impressed with her that she asked for Francesca's contact information and said that she works with a lot of doulas and wished they were all like Francesca. I wholeheartedly recommend her as a doula - you cannot ask for someone better to be supporting you and your baby.

Francesca, thank you. You were amazing.

—Hilary, Manhattan, NY

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We feel so fortunate that Francesca was our doula. From the pre-baby visits to birth and post-partum visits, she was amazing. My husband and I both felt very comfortable with her. I specifically loved that she was not judgemental about anything and never pushed me to make a certain type of decision. Instead, Francesca gave me all of the information I needed to make important decisions. She also asked us questions that I had not previously considered, but that were ultimately really important in thinking through what I wanted/needed to feel supported before, during, and after birth. I also loved the visualizations she taught me, as well as movements to help with pregnancy pain and encourage my breech baby to flip. Francesca was magic during labor, I was in a lot of pain and the props she brought, as well as massage techniques really helped me. I ended up having to have a c-section, which was something that I was very frightened about. Having Francesca there to support my husband and me was one of the things that made the experience way easier. I especially am grateful that she encouraged me to breastfeed afterwards, which was something that was VERY important to me, but that after the surgery I did not have a lot of energy to initiate myself. I really credit Francesca with the early intervention and help with breastfeeding, which I believe contributed to helping my son latch quickly and helped me feed him easily. I also appreciated Francesca's care in her postpartum visits. I really under estimated how much help I would need, and to have someone to lend a hand and answer all my questions was invaluable. Francesca is a great doula and any parent would be lucky to work with her. 

—Jackie & Anthony, Brooklyn, NY

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Francesca provided wonderful support through our pregnancy and during/after delivery. We wanted someone with experience to support us through our first pregnancy and delivery. I wanted someone who would provide support for myself. But even more I wanted my husband to feel comfortable and to have guidance in providing the support I would need so that we could focus on each other. Francesca was able to completely understand what I wanted, providing that and more. During labor and delivery she was able to intuitively know what I needed, (ice chips / water / applied pressure to relieve pain / encouragement) even when I couldn’t get the words out. She did a great job of providing moral support - keeping the focus on the mother but also kept my husband involved and supported as well. Francesca has a gentle approach and doesn’t push her own beliefs/ agenda. She spends a lot of time getting to know you as a couple and reviewing expectations, hopes, fears. She is open to the experiences her clients hope to create and support them in attempting to achieve that experience. I would highly recommend her!

—Molly & Vikas, Queens, NY

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Francesca’s energy is a wonderful combination of confidence and calm, and on the big day, with her arrival comes the feeling that you’re in capable and caring hands, for whatever your delivery has in store.
In periods of anxiety and discomfort, Francesca was there to create a space for me to work through my fears but was also instrumental in helping me regain my confidence, strength and calm. Just before I began pushing, when I feared the contractions and pain were getting to be too much for me, Francesca guided me in a meditation that completely shifted my energy from fear to total focus and confidence. I began pushing from a place of such power and readiness, I’ll never forget it. She was instrumental in getting me to the place I needed to be to birth my little girl, and helping me stay there, and it was an awesome and empowering experience! Thank you Francesca, I can’t imagine having done it without you!

—Sarah & Keith, Brooklyn, NY

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Francesca has done so much for my little family! She was the doula for our first baby and we could not have asked for a better person for the job! Even before the birth, she helped us prepare for our son logistically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually through deep discussions and guided meditations.
For the birth, she was there the whole time for my husband and me calmly and tirelessly. Throughout the waves of 18 hour active labor, she held me so tenderly and celebrated all the ways I wanted to express and be in that powerful space. Her intuitive direction knew how to comfort me and she even knew when I just needed someone to breathe with! We had the birth in our home and Francesca worked seamlessly with our midwives to maintain the safety, comfort, and sacredness of our space. After I birthed my son, she helped to clean, make me food, and was the last to leave making sure the three of us had everything we needed.
My husband and I had the birth we wanted for our son and Francesca was such an incredibly valuable part of making that happen. Forever grateful for her! Thank you for the love and light, Francesca! 

—Marina & Austin, San Francisco, CA