Christy

12/30/2023

Francesca is such a wonderful person and doula. She is warm, steady and very knowledgeable in the birth space. As a first time mom who has experienced previous losses, I had some worries and wanted to feel safe and supported in my birth process. Francesca was the perfect choice for our family. She was always very responsive and helped provide resources for any questions I had during pregnancy, and was also very present in checking in and making sure we were settling in and coping alright during the postpartum period. Labor is no joke and it was extremely comforting to have her with us. When scary complications arose during labor, she was right by my side, calmly supporting me through when I was panicking about my baby’s safety. She was also very helpful in helping me process a traumatic birth afterwards. My husband was originally ambivalent about getting a doula, but he was so grateful that we had Francesca on our team! We would not hesitate to recommend her highly to anyone having a baby and will hope to use her in the future some day!

Suzanne

12/10/2023

Francesca was so great to have on our birth team. She has super powers in birth support. She was very calming and empowering. She magically knew when a contraction was coming and what I would need to get through it, even when it was really intense. She also helped my husband be a better birth partner, waking him up when I wanted to but wouldn’t have myself, and showing him how to help. She is very knowledgeable and helped us feel confident in our decisions during the birth. She also provided much-appreciated support before and after. I wish every woman could have Francesca’s  support during birth, it was so amazing to feel well cared for by her! I would highly recommend her, even if you’re unsure about hiring a doula.

Toral

11/10/2023

Francesca was an incredible source of support and knowledge throughout pregnancy, labor, and the early postpartum period. She made herself available for everything and anything, from guiding us through banal questions as first timers to navigating some pretty tough decisions around our son's birth. We appreciated her consistently quick and thoughtful responses as well as her proactive checking in. Her calm, patient and nurturing presence were endlessly reassuring and we were so glad to have her on our team!

Heather Eaton

11/10/2023

can never thank Francesca and Andie enough for being our birth angels. They walked us through the most beautiful and sometimes difficult time of our lives and helped bring our daughter into the world. Without their guidance, support, and in the moment advocacy and guidance, I don’t know how we would have done it. Every family they work with will be infinitely blessed. I will always tell my daughter the story of her birth angels and I will never stop be grateful for their presence during our journey.

Vickie

2/14/2023

Working with Francesca as my doula for my recent home birth was one of the best decisions that I made during my pregnancy with my second. Being a doula myself, I was very clear on the kind of support that I was looking for: I was seeking a doula who was calm, believed that birthing people knew how to give birth instinctually and could help remind me to trust my baby and my body as we navigated our own unique pregnancy through postpartum journey.

My labor came on quick and fast, and Francesca was an incredible support. She was proactive about providing normalization about the labor and birth process to my husband and in coaching him to provide me with physical support during my labor, which was something that really felt important to me the day of. She was amazing about finding the right times to encourage me and helped me stay in a very good place mentally throughout my labor. She knew when to step in and went to step back.

Another amazing thing that I will forever be grateful for are all of the incredible photos and videos that she took during my labor, the birth, and the early postpartum. I look back at these photos and videos fondly very often.

I was really hoping that my birth with my second child would feel like an incredibly empowering and autonomous experience surrounded by people who I trusted and who really honored the importance and sanctity of my family’s labor and birthing moment. I couldn’t have imagined a doula to have supported me in a more beautiful and authentic way than Francesca did.

Love you, Francesca and I will be forever grateful that you were part of my son’s birth!

Deborah & Cari Baron-Dyer

6/6/2022

As first time mother's we LOVED having Francesca as our doula. It was wonderful to have someone to call with all our silly and serious questions and we found her to be deeply knowledgeable , clear, calm and correct in her appraisal of situations and institutions. She was there when we needed her, especially as back up up when doctors wanted to have an unesscesary caesarean, for that we will always be grateful. She was also brilliant with aftercare teaching us the ropes in those early weeks. We highly recommend working with her, she is a safe pair of hands.

Oh and last completely unrelated, but she also managed to film some beautiful moments during the birth which we are so glad to have, we watch the often!, who knew we'd also hired a videorapher! :-)

Brittney Fomin

6/6/2022

My experience with Francesca was nothing short of amazing! In addition to her knowledge and expertise as a birthing doula, she brings a uniquly calm, nurturing energy to her work. From the first interview I knew she would be the perfect fit, calm, collected, and supportive. Her pre and post natal yoga classes were an amazing aspect of her care, the classes are thoughtfully planned, with excellent verbal cues and were a highlight of my weeks in preparation for baby! They were the best pre-natal classes I took during my pregnancy and I took a lot :) 

Francesca was also just phenomenal when she came to our home as part of the postpartum doula package. Without being asked she helped so much in our home, she washed and folded new baby clothes, walked our pup so we could have a few moments alone with baby, and was just a blessing to have in our house. She helped with breastfeeding issues, and even just being able to call her was helpful. On the next visit when I needed to get out of the house she was up for a drive and a walk with baby. Truly loved working with Francesca and would recommend her to anyone. 

Catherine McCarthy

3/14/2022

I worked with Francesca in prenatal consulations, prenatal yoga, the prenatal support group, and in a postpartum visit. I found her to be such a calming presence throughout my pregnancy and postpartum. She was very knowledgeable about all things pregnancy and labor, and helped to quell my anxieties every time I brought her a question. She was extremely helpful in the postpartum visit in helping me learn to breastfeed effectively and painlessly. I attribute my ease with breastfeeding in large part to her! 

Karolina

3/11/2022

Engaging with Francesca to support my pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post partum period was the best decision I made for my first pregnancy. She was an invaluable source of support for my family and I - imbuing us with confidence in our decisions, providing much needed resources and guidance throughout, and supporting us in the post partum period with in-home visits and digital conversations as frequently as we needed in the first few weeks.

Francesca was a critical emotional support for my family and I as we navigated pregnancy and post-partum. She has a unique ability to discuss your concerns with you, present the options in an unbiased way, and sit in silence / hold space for you to think them through, REALLY think them through, so that you're able to come to the best decision for you. She excels at bringing her expertise to bear while balancing your best interests and personal preferences. This was most evident when we worked through our birth plan with her. She provided a comprehensive document we used both as a research artifact, to educate ourselves about possible labor interventions, and as a day-of plan we developed. Throughout the birth plan build Francesca shared pros and cons of each intervention and provided us the space to decide which would be our preference.

One aspect of working with Francesca that I appreciated the most was the tangible support she provided, beyond the emotional pieces. This includes discussing our birth plan, weekly yoga sessions, guided meditations, breastfeeding and latching support (ESSENTIAL!), and other structural supports I didn't even realize I needed while pregnant and in post-partum recovery.

I wouldn't hesitate to work with Francesca again for my next pregnancy. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking an informed, gentle, intuitive, and supportive presence. 

Kelly G.

3/6/2022

We had the pleasure of working with Francesca for the delivery of our second child. She was an invaluable part of our prep, labor/delivery, and postpartum experience.

Her expertise and advice helped us to make informed decisions about our preferences for this delivery, and to navigate how it might go differently than our first. She intuitively provided the type of calm, confident physical and emotional support throughout my labor and delivery that was exactly what I needed in each evolving moment. With her support, I was able to realize the exact birth experience I had hoped for! She was also a wonderful resource during the postpartum period, to help establish/troubleshoot breastfeeding and provide support where needed.

We are so grateful for all of her support and would not hesitate to work with her again!

Dana

2/18/2022

Francesca supported the birth of our daughter during the pandemic and I have nothing but glowing praise and thanks for her!

We hired Francesca very early in our pregnancy, and I am really thankful that we did. Pregnancy isn't a cake walk, and having her as a resource during that time was truly invaluable. What drew me to Francesca was her calm and caring presence, her down-to-earth nature, and her marriage of evidence-based practices with the emotional and spiritual needs of pregnancy and birth.

Early on, due to some pregnancy complications, I thought that I was going to have a scheduled c-section. Francesca and her partner really helped me work thorough my feelings about a c-section birth and also prepared me for the logistics of what that meant. At 34-weeks, I was cleared for a vaginal birth, and she quickly scheduled some time with me to go through childbirth classes so I could figure out how to birth an actual human baby, not to mention the mental preparation for that process!

I ended up having to be induced and was in labor for 30 hours. Francesca was there for almost the entirety of the process and we really don't know how we would have gotten through it without her. In the hospital, most of the laboring process is just you and your partner, with a rotation of nurses, so it was really helpful to have Francesca there to help explain what was going on and provide support during what ended up being long in-between hours. 

During the actual birth, Francesca was amazing. She was so calm and encouraging, and despite there being many people in the room, I was always of aware of her presence. She also ended up taking some of my most cherished photos of my daughter, husband, and me right after she was born. There so much logistically going on at that moment in the hospital, so it's nice to have someone there who is focused on the preciousness of the moment. I really can't thank her enough.

Eran Jones

1/25/2022

Our daughter entered this world extremely early and extremely quickly. So much so that none of our planned support people were present for her birth. Francesca didn't miss a beat and immediately pivoted her support for us into postpartum care and we were so very lucky. She was steady and patient, gently checking in on us while we were navigating the NiCu. Once we were home her visits made a huge impact - especially on our breastfeeding journey. Francesca was more helpful than some of the IBCLC's that I worked with. She helped build my confidence and offered hands on guidance to help with the mechanics of it all. She is also an amazing yoga teacher - her classes are grounding and perfectly balanced. I chose to work with Francesca and her partner because they were so warm and happy when I met them and they definitely brought that energy into our home, we were so grateful.

Haylee Jacobs

1/20/2022

It was such a pleasure and incredible experience working with Francesca and having her as our doula. As a first-time mom/pregnancy, I had a lot of fear around the birth process and wanted to make sure that I was prepared, properly educated, and had a supportive team - and I got just that! I had an incredible birth experience and fully attribute it to the work we did beforehand and Francesca and her support and guidance the day of our son's birth. No birth goes exactly as planned, but thanks to the private Childbirth Education classes with took with Francesca my husband and I were educated, knowledgeable, and felt comfortable and ready to make decisions as it related to our son's birth. Francesca was so supportive when I deviated from our birth plan - she always outlined the different options that we had so we could continue to make informed decisions. When the birth wasn't moving as quickly as we wanted, she repositioned me, and with her help, our son began to move. Our son's birth went so seamlessly because we had her help. I highly recommend Francesca to family and friends. 

Rebekah Bassen

12/7/2021

I clearly remember Francesca arriving in the room on the day of my son's birth. She was the picture of professional preparation with a tactical backpack and sturdy clogs. Her demeanor was one of confidence and compassion, both of which I needed. During a time I had feared feeling exposed and vulnerable, Francesca made me feel like I was doing exactly the right thing. I do not believe I would have felt so empowered in giving birth had she not been there. She supported our birth with perfectly timed hip squeezes, quiet words of support and guidance for my husband. She was the vital element that softened and blended the space between our emotional life cycle event and the more perfunctory operation of the hospital.

Francesca's attunement with the birth community was a huge asset to our experience. A few days past my due date, Francesca and her doula partner Vickie alerted us to an issue with our planned birthing location. Because of her access to this information and her experience based guidance, we were able to adjust our plans and still have a midwife supported birth as we had planned.

During our post partum visit, Francesca helped us through some of the worries we had after our first night at home. She showed me how to nurse in a side lying position that was a relief after sitting up in bed for so long. She held my hand while making space for me to process  parts of the birth that had felt scary, something I didn't even fully realize I needed until it happened.

I've continued to see Francesca weekly for postnatal yoga. As a teacher she leads a dynamic class focused on supporting the postpartum body in healing, strengthening and stretching. When I think of the day my son was born, Francesca is always and will always be a part of that story. I am so so grateful we decided to work with her and that she has chosen this as her work.

Anat

11/17/2021

Vickie Fernandez Wint and Francesca Marini are an amazing doula team and I cannot say enough good things about them. I am a single mother by choice via IVF, and they were very enthusiastic and supportive before, during, and after the birth. Vickie and Francesca are well spoken, incredibly kind, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. They exceeded my expectations, proving to be the exact support I needed during my pregnancy, and especially during the labor and delivery of my miraculous baby girl.  During our prenatal meetings, zoom support group sessions with other expecting mothers, and postpartum visits, I always felt comfortable and valued by Vickie and Francesca. They were always available to answer any and all questions, and put me at such ease that I felt comfortable to talk about anything and everything during my pregnancy, and beyond.

Vickie specifically was the doula on call when I went into labor, and she was phenomenal. She was readily available to help me in any way possible. She was intuitive to my needs and helped keep the atmosphere calm, nurturing and supportive throughout. She later told me it was an honor and privilege to work with me, but the feeling was mutual – one of the best decisions I made during this process was hiring Vickie and Francesca to be my doulas. I cannot recommend them enough.

Caroline G. C. Greenberg

11/1/2021

We are so grateful to Francesca during the pregnancy and after our son was born. At first time parents we were nervous and overwhelmed and every time we met with Francesca our worries were melted away as she guided us calmly through all our questions and fears of the pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Francesca is truly one of the most incredible listeners and we were in the safest hands with her.  100 out of 10 cannot recommend enough! 

Inga O

9/2/2021

As a first time mom, I had no idea what labor truly was and no amount of reading birth stories could live up to the reality you experience during actual labor and delivery. That said, after the fact, having Francesca by my side throughout the entire ordeal is honestly simply put: priceless. The services this doula provides during labor and delivery are an absolute must. She advised me on the options my OBGYN put forth without pushing any agenda and helped me make my own desicions; she was an active participant throughout all parts of my long labor; she knew the right massages/pressure to apply to releive contractions; she was an oasis of peace and calm in a sea of pain; she brought smelling oils for nausea, honey stix to keep up stamina, knew when to feed you ice chips; she supported my husband who was compeltely lost in the process, as most men would be; and honestly when I was completely out of it from pain/exhaustion, she kept the nurses, doctors, anasthesiologists on their toes, doing what needs to be done. I honestly don't think there is any other way to do labor, except with this doula.

Jess

7/26/2021

Francesca was our birth doula for our second child. Francesca has a very down to earth, practical approach that really helped me maneuver a pregnancy and birth experience that was at times challenging for us. She's incredibly thoughtful and always has a helpful suggestion, even for what I thought were the most obscure questions. During our actual labor, she was great at reminding me how to breathe and let's go of tension in between contractions. I don't know how we would've done it without her. She remembered the things that I cared about and helped me remember those things even at the hardest points. We greatly recommend Francesca!

Anne Weaver

7/4/2021

I can't reccomend Francesca enough! Her calming presence and knowledge on body work and cures for different body aches pre and postnatal were super helpful.

When I had my first plugged duct, she talked me through it as well as the different approaches to relieve it. I also appreciated her advice and the follow up emails! She was really amazing to get to know and reassuring that she was there no matter what came up during this very intense year to be pregnant and have a baby. 

Elaisha

7/2/2021

I can't say enough about my experience working with Francesca. She helped me navigate all the difficult decisions of a first time pregnancy, from locating a care provider (she has worked with just about everyone in the NYC area,) to questions around what kind of delivery I might like to have. I ended up having a very challenging delivery with a lot of surprises. Her support and guided meditations at key moments helped me get through with strength and peace. The weekly prenatal support group she leads was also a beautiful way to connect with other pregnant women in the NYC area (and beyond!) If you are looking for a thoughtful, compassionate, highly skilled Doula, she would be an excellent choice.

Jane & Anish

7/2/2021

We're so glad we had Francesca to guide us through the pregnancy and birth process. We had very little knowledge going into it and she was so personable and went above and beyond to answer all of our questions and give us relevant resources to help guide our decisions to put together a birth plan. She's also amazing at facilitating visual imagery sessions that helped so much during birth. She's so sweet and made us feel so comfortable! We highly recommend Francesca!

Anna

6/1/2021

We started working with Francesca much later in our pregnancy, and it was fate! Her calm guidance during our prenatal appointments instantly put us at ease. She helped us feel confident in our birth knowledge going into labor. She listened and positively supported our wishes for the birth experience we were hoping for.

Francesca was also a calm and reassuring presence during labor, helping us stay focused and feel supported through the whole long day/night. She helped us talk through things as they arose, and didn't think twice about jumping in to provide phsyical and mental support throughout the full experience (for myself and my partner).

I was also grateful to have her perspective during our postnatal visit to reassure me that what I'm feeling and going through is normal and valid.

Anne-Sophie

5/29/2021

Vickie & Francesca are a great duo of doulas with calm and nurturing personalities and carry a lot of knowledge to help mamas and mama-to-be navigate pregnancy and post partum life. Both were able to provide useful tips and resources in preparation for the birth without imposing any preference or judgement, no matter the situation.

I really enjoyed getting to know Francesca and appreciated when she showed up on a Sunday afternoon at our house shortly after I had given birth to help me with some much needed breastfeeding advice and improve my baby's latch. 

The support group for expecting parents they work with is also an awesome weekly meeting to check in and hear from others at different stage of their pregnancy. 

I would highly recommend working with Francesca and Vickie if you're looking for doulas for your birth and post partum support!

**Thank you again!!**

Maria and Conor

5/22/2021

My husband and I loved our experience with Francesca (and her doula partner Vickie Wint). They have a holistic approach that goes above and beyond what I have heard other doulas provide. They were generous with their time and with their access during my pregnancy, in the immediate lead-up to birth, and after our son was born.

We highly recommend their childbirth preparation classes, as we learned a ton and drew on those throughout pregnancy and when baby arrived.

Throughout, they offered wise counsel and resources without pushing a decision or point of view on us--this was especially helpful when we were making decisions for our birth preferences as well as when our son was breech and we had to discuss natural methods of turning him, the ECV, and ultimately a planned C-section. When we had to change course and do a C-section, Francesca and Vickie were flexible in terms of how their support for us would change. 

The post-partum support we recieved has been one of the cornerstones of my recovery and setting our family up for success, from feeding and nursing advice, being a sounding board for sleep issues, and being a listening ear and calm presence regarding maternal mental and physical well-being.

Hiring a doula is of course a paid service, but I hope other parents-to-be get to experience the warmth and guidance of these two talented women which totally transcended any commercial exchange.

Anabel

5/20/2021

Francesca was absolutely wonderful as our doula. As first time parents and with giving birth during the pandemic, my husband and I knew we wanted to labor at home for as long as possible before going to the hospital. We were told by our doctor that he didn't recommend having a doula in the delivery room due to the added risk so we didn't actually decide to find a doula until about a month before giving birth. When we came upon Francesca and met with her we were immediately struck by her warmth and how supportive she was of our hopes for the birth and our choice to have her be virtual during the birth. Francesca's kind and loving disposition and the way she offers her knowledge and guidance made her an incredible source of support for me and my husband as we navigated our way through my first pregnancy during the pandemic. When it came time to go to the hospital, I was nervous about being separated from my husband. As it turns out, the separation from him during my time in triage was a lot longer than anticipated. We were separated for over 2 hours while I was having active contractions. For this entire time Francesca was on the phone with me, I could hear her calming voice and words through my headphones as I went in and out of contractions. At a time of high anxiety, Francesca made me feel safe and accompanied and made sure that I was advocating for myself and asking the right questions to the doctors and nurses that were overseeing my care in triage. Later, in the delivery room Francesca was with us on facetime. Her presence was soothing and incredibly important both to me and my husband. She helped my husband to feel confident in supporting me during labor and she provided me with some very peaceful and effective visualization exercises during some of the hardest parts of bringing our son into this world. My husband and I are forever grateful for Francesca's expertise and kind and loving presence as our doula. 

Laura S.

4/3/2021

I am so glad that I worked with Francesca during my first pregnancy and birth experience. I met Francesca and her doula partner Vickie when I was 17 weeks pregnant. I was immediately struck by her calm, warm demeanor and knew that she was the kind of person I wanted by my side during my baby's birth. From weeks 17-40 I attended weekly calls with Francesca's and Vickie's other clients. The calls gave us all a chance to check in with our doulas, get support and advice from them and each other, and participate in guided imagery exercises aimed at getting us ready to give birth calmly and confidently. I cannot express how valuable it was to have this time each week with Francesca. By the time I was 40 weeks along, I felt so comfortable with her and like I really knew her (despite the fact that all of these weekly calls, as well as other prep calls with her, happened during the Covid pandemic and took place over Zoom!). I went into labor at 41 weeks (Francesca was so supportive and helpful in getting me through that last extremely uncomfortable week!). Francesca and Vickie share an on-call list and I knew that either of them could be the person to attend my birth depending on when I went into labor. On that day, Francesca was the person on call. Her calm presence was so incredibly helpful during the entire process. In addition to providing emotional support and guiding me through the imagery exercises we had practiced together in the weeks prior, she continuously helped me understand that so many of the things I was experiencing during the birth were completely normal/common (hospital staff often fail to tell you this, making you think that something is wrong when it isn't!). I am so glad that I was lucky enough to have Francesca as my doula! She undoubtedly helped to make my birthing experience a positive one. 

Samantha B.

3/29/2021

Partnering with Francesca and her partner Vickie Wint was one of the best decisions our family could have made. From the moment we first met them (for the "interview"), there was no doubt that we wanted them to be part of our parenting adventure.  Francesca exudes warmth and peacefulness and we're so grateful that she was able to be there in person for our birth. She knew exactly what to do and what to say (and how and when…), offering comfort through her presence, words, and touch. Francesca is caring, understanding, and she respected, valued, and supported our preferences and decisions. One of the best parts of our partnership was attending the weekly meetings Vickie & Francesca hold for their pregnant clients. They created a welcoming and trust-filled environment where we could connect and be vulnerable. These meetings were invaluable, especially during this time of isolation, and a fun way to get to know Francesca and for her to get to know more about us and our story.

Corey

1/27/2021

Working with Francesca was a pleasure. She and her partner Vickie provided my wife and I with very loving and informative prenatal support. Francesca was on call when my wife went into labor and was a grounding presence for us while we navigated the many stages of birth. Her words of comfort made such a difference the night our child was born. We highly recommend working with her and Vickie for their informative, nonjudgemental support. 

Michelle & Derrick

1/7/2021

We could not be more pleased with the support we received from Francesca during the prenatal period, the birth of our first baby, as well as during the post partum period. Especially being pregnant during the pandemic, there were extra worries and anxieties, and Francesca helped us navigate it through it all. She is one of the most calm people we know and her calming presence was especially helpful throughout our labor. Although our birth did not go quite as we imagined; Francesca was there every step of the way and supported us in any decision that we made. She has also been an integral support during the post partum period and has helped us with our breastfeeding difficulties. She is truly a wonderful, kind, compassionate, and knowledgeable presence to be around. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Francesca!

Joe & Candace

11/27/2020

We had a great experience with Francesca and her business partner Vickie as our doulas. Francesca is warm, calm, super knowledgable, and expertly guided us through the labor and delivery process, including giving us great tips for postpartum care. We always felt comfortable asking Francesca questions - we were never an imposition and felt very taken care of. The birth of our daughter was a wonderful experience for us, and much of that is attributable to the support of Francesca as our doula. We are very grateful and can't recommend her enough. 

Alena

11/18/2020

I had a wonderful experience with Francesca Marini. My partner and I hired Francesca (and her doula partner Vickie) in March 2020. We immediately felt a connection to Francesca upon meeting her and it was a very easy decision to work with her. Due to COVID, in-person meetings soon became impossible, and Francesca seamlessly transitioned all services online. I felt so supported throught the next months despite the physical distance. Francesca introduced me to visualization exercises that I found immensely helpful in reducing stress. She was always available to answer any questions I had during the pregnancy - big and small. The pandemic created a lot of anxiety for me about delivering in the hospital, but discussing this with Francesca helped me come up with coping strategies and feel a sense of control. Because of COVID, I was unsure if I would be able to have a doula present in the hospital for delivery. Though this made me sad, Francesca had prepared my partner and I so well, that we knew we would be alright either way (and she would be available for virtual support). As my due date approched, we learned that the hospital would allow a doula. Francesca's presence was a huge asset to us in the delivery room, and we were so incredibly grateful that she was able to be there in person. Francesca helped us advocate when we were trying to reach the doctor oncall with an urgent question, and calmed me with a visualization exercise when I was about to be induced. She also came prepared with a peanut pillow (which the hospital had not offered) and which I feel helped me deliver the baby vaginally without further interventions. The doctor on call was someone I had never met before, and it was incredibly comforting to have Francesca's guidance and calm presence in contrast to the doctor's style of communication. I have very positive associations about the whole experience of birth thanks to Francesca and we were so happy she could be there to welcome our baby.

Kelly Piccione

11/11/2020

I am so incredibly grateful for the support that Francesca provided my husband and I throughout my pregnancy and postpartum journey. Francesca has such a beautiful calming energy and really helped me navigate through some difficult times. Whenever I had questions, she was always there to provide thoughtful, evidenced based suggestions. Francesca was a constant source of support...whether it was an unplanned hospital admittance, giving birth during COVID or helping me navigate through the postpartum journey, she was always there to share her knowledge and provide reassurance. Francesca also provided me with a ton of support around breastfeeding which was very important to me. She even assisted me with setting up my pump and walking me through the exercise for the first time. Francesca also lovingly held our sweet boy when I was incredibly nervous about leaving him alone, but desperate for sleep. I truly feel so fortunate to have had Francesca's support throughout this new season of life. She was invaluable and I'll forever be grateful for the kindness she showed us. Thank you Francesca for everything. The work you do is a gift! 

Jennifer & Zach

10/6/2020

Vickie and Francesca were our doulas for the delivery of our first child in August 2020. It was unclear whether they would be able to physically attend our birth due to covid-19. At first, I was hesitant at the idea of virtual doulas, as I had always wanted in-person support. But I really appreciated Vickie and Francesca's open and honest communication around uncertainty. It was their thoughtful response to my questions and feelings, especially that they helped to work through specific worries around uncertainty, instead of minimizing it, that made my husband and myself want to work with them. This was one of the best, if not best decisions we made during my pregnancy. We are so grateful these two women were our guides. They checked in on us, offered us information we didn't realize we needed, and acted as warm and supportive outlets, for what can often be an exciting but also scary time for new parents. My birth unfortunately did not go as I had envisioned, and while Vickie was an amazing support, helping us to make decisions that honored our values, I came out of birth with a feeling of defeat. Vickie sensed this and helped me to process my birth through a new frame, which allowed me to feel proud and take ownership of what I had achieved. I will be forever grateful for both Vickie and Francesca and I could not recommend them both more. We feel so lucky to have moved through this special stage in our lives with their invaluable guidance and grace. 

Alyssa & Alex

9/28/2020

Francesca is an absolute gem. She was by our side during an unexpectedly fast and momentarily frightening birth experience, and stayed by our side throughout a challenging first month of breastfeeding difficulties and the accompanying emotional ups and downs. Throughout all of this, she was the consistent gentle, affirming voice reminding us that we were doing great while doling out practical advice about preparing for birth, postpartum concerns, and our daughter's feeding and sleeping challenges. She would affirmatively check in with us during that chaotic newborn time and was available by text, video call and in-person whenever we needed her. I cannot imagine going through this without Francesca's calm, kind presence, and I cannot recommend her more! 

Hilary S

9/24/2020

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 am 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 - if you read this: Thank you. You were amazing.)

Claire H.

9/13/2020

Francesca has the perfect mix of warmth, compassion, experience, and insight to guide you through the pregnancy journey. From the moment COVID lockdowns began, she helped calm our fears and anxieties to ensure that we felt supported leading up to the birth of our son in July 2020.

Tanya

9/8/2020

Francesca was perfect for us! She was incredible at adjusting to COVID and to our changing needs as well. She was flexible in her approach to working with us, offering as much or as little support as we needed. She worked with all of our choices and was non-judgmental all the way through--from pain management, to timing, and everything else. Francesca was also just a pleasure to speak to over the phone and a calm and soothing voice and personality. You can tell she doesn't get flustered easily. Her encouragement over the phone was very helpful and she was great about instructing my husband on how to help me. I would highly recommend her. This is my second birth, and I used a doula the first time around as well. I didn't necessarily have a bad experience with the first doula, but she wasn't as emotionally intelligent as Francesca and I felt like I had to "use" her more than I wanted to (at one point, I just wanted her to step out so I could sleep, so I told her to take a break for a while). Francesca let me guide the experience rather than being imposing, so I felt completely comfortable dictating what I needed, and she adjusted wonderfully. If I were to have a third (which is not happening), I would absolutely use Francesca again!

Chantel & Greg

9/6/2020

Francesca and her partner Vickie are the best! We had the pleasure of working with them both 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 and Vickie 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 sons birth!

Sarah + Perry Jenkins

8/30/2020

We cannot say enough good things about Francesca - she is wonderful!! She is hands down one of the most calming people we've ever met and immediately puts you at ease when you speak to her. Having been pregnant and delivering during the height of COVID was absolutely terrifying, but she guided us through the entire process and was an incredible resource and listener.

She is kind and truly has an insane amount of patience - she never makes you feel stupid for questions or concerns you may have, and she gives you the confidence to truly know and believe - that you can be a great parent. Whether it's questions about the birthing process, or breastfeeding and post-partum questions, she was always a great resource that brought sense and ease to things and she is truly just a joy to speak to. 

We will always be eternally grateful to Francesca for her work with us and cannot recommend her enough - we love you, Francesca - thank you for all you do!

xo

Cate & Bryan

8/27/2020

My husband and I were lucky enough to be referred to Francesca through a close friend. While I am familiar with the hospital setting as a nurse, we sought doula services because it was important to me to have a third party person act as an advocate for our family during our birth experience. Pre COVID, the doulas came to our home for a consultation and we knew their support would be an integral part of our journey. When the pandemic hit our prenatal visits shifted to virtual- I applaud Francesca for her flexibility and ability to provide unwavering support during such an unsure time.

While Francesca was not on call during my delivery, some of the comfort techniques she previously taught my husband and I were an essential part of staying present and relaxed during my labor. Francesca is a kind, nurturing person and she provided wonderful support post partum as well. 

I will forever be grateful to Francesca  for providing us with such a positive birth experience. 

Sarah

8/18/2020

Francesca and Vickie served as our doula partners during my first pregnancy. Our son was born in April, 2020 in New York City. This was a scary time to be pregnant and birth. However, Francesca and Vickie worked together seemlesly and professionally to make us feel very supported in every way possible from traditional advice to navigating the constantly changing hospital policies and deciding what was best for our family during COVID. 

Francesca's presence is calm, perceptive, nonjudgemental, receptive, and validating. Her advice is grounded in research, best-practice, and experience. Thank you, Francesca! You will forever be a part of our family's story. 

Nik Gilmore

8/2/2020

Working with Francesca was one of the best choices we made during our journey. Even in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic, Francesca was very engaged with us, and immediately responsive to the dozens of questions we threw at her as first time parents navigating our way through pregnancy and birth during the pandemic. She provided us with fantastic resources, and best of all, had a great sense of humor throughout the whole process. Francesca worked cohesively and seamlessly with her co-doula, Vickie Fernandez Wint, and never missed a beat in her ability to support us through an extremely challenging time. We absoultely loved working with Francesca, and recommend her for anyone looking for stellar support!

Karen Steele

7/25/2020

Francesca is a part of an amazing team of doulas who supported my husband and I during the birth of our son at the end of January 2020. She met with us at the end of my pregnancy and we talked in depth about our wishes for my birth experience. She really listened to us and took the time to gain an understanding our unique situation. My husband has Parkinson's disease and we really needed extra support during childbirth and beyond not only for me, but for him. Francesca was so nurturing with us, and really took the time to understand our specific needs. 

Francesca's partner, Vickie, was with us during my labor experience, and she is unbelievably awesome---- but that's a whole other review. :) Francesca followed up with us after our son was born and provided so much support and information virtually, as well as during her visits with us once we got home from the hospital. She was a great resource about breastfeeding, and really sorted out some issues that I was having. She helped us to order meal delivery online, and she helped us to pick out a stroller and a car seat. Francesca also helped us to sort our son's clothes by size, and basically just jumped in with so many things that we didn't finish before he was born, and felt overwhelmed by after he arrived. 

We love Francesca, and we feel so lucky to have had her support through this wild journey!

Jackie

6/3/2020

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 soemthing that was VERY important to me, but that after the surgery I did not have a lot of energy to initaite myself. I really credit Francesca with the early intervention and help with breastfeeding, which I believ 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. 

Rebecca Pollock

4/3/2020

Francesca was a warm, knowledgeable and kind presence throughout our birth process. She guided us through techniques for laboring at home in a smart and straightforward way. Even though she wasn’t able to attend our birth and postpartum visits in person due to the Coronavirus, she gave us the confidence we needed to tackle these challenges on our own. Our postpartum visit was especially helpful because I was feeling frazzled and concerned about not being able to breastfeed yet. Francesca coached me through different positions and assured me that I was on the right track. Shortly after our meeting, my daughter latched on to me, and we were off to the races! We’re so grateful for her support! 

Shara and Ed Plough

3/8/2020

This is a letter of emphatic endorsement of Francesca Marini, who served brilliantly as our doula for the birth of our daughter. We met Francesca at the initial interview and were immediately on board when she explained the support and guidance that she would bring to the table. Early on, Francesca came to our home for a meeting during which we discussed our birth plan and other concerns. She patiently and expertly took us through everything. She also checked in with us emotionally, which was appreciated more than I can say. Francesca was always available by text and email. When my wife’s water broke, we texted Francesca, and she was at our apartment soon thereafter, and Francesca turned our apartment into a calm, spa-like environment! In the hospital, Francesca helped us get checked in, and she warded off early attempts by the hospital to contradict various elements of our birth plan. In the birth room, Francesca kept my wife (and me!) calm. During this time, while my wife and I were both very anxious, Francesca remained calm and focused, which helped us stay calm and focused. Francesca keet us rooted in the present as she coached us emotionally and physically. After the birth of our daughter, Francesca taught my wife how to breast feed. My wife was really worried about breastfeeding, but with Francesca’s guidance, it was easy and smooth. After we were discharged from the hospital, Francesca came back to our apartment for a post-partum meeting. As before, we had a zillion questions and concerns, and Francesca’s guidance and advice was, as ever, indispensable. I cannot imagine our birth experience without Francesca as our doula. In addition to her top-shelf expertise, she is also genuine, warm, optimistic, and empathetic. If you are lucky enough to have Francesca as your doula, congratulations on having found the best there is. Francesca Marini was only in our lives for a few months, but she will stay in our hearts for the rest of our lives.

Camille

2/17/2020

When we started working with Francesca and Vickie, we didnt really know what to expect. My wife and I just knew that we would feel more comfortable with someone on our side for this very important moment.

It turned out to be a fantastic experience! From the early meetings, it felt like we clicked right away with both. We really felt they were there to listen to our interrogations, needs. And help us out in the most delicate ways. It all felt very natural.

When birth time came, Francesca ended up being the doula on call, and eventhough the whole birth process was pretty eventful we had such a wonderful experience with her. Francesca attention was undivided and she offered my wife and I the best support in many ways. She was extremely attentive and kind and her soothing presence was crucial in making this experience a smooth and stress limited one for both of us. 

Francesca is such a fantastic person and an amazing doula, we feel so fortunate to have had her support us and we cant recommend her enough! We really feel like a special bond had been created with her, by sharing such an important moment in our lives. And we know for sure we will keep in touch with her in the futur!

Brooke

1/11/2020

I can't say enough good things about Francesca - she is a gentle, encouraging, patient, knowledgeable person who clearly loves her work.  She was a great resource from the time I hired her (very late in my pregnancy), through the birth and into the weeks after.  Her support made it possible for me to get through nearly 22 hours of active labor without an epidural, due to her skills with hip presses, her supply of honey sticks, and her modeling of breathing techniques.  She kept me calm as plans changed and I needed interventions I hadn't anticipated.  She also worked extremely well with my husband, keeping him not just included but centered in the process.  After the birth, she visited me at home and gave me much needed advice about breastfeeding and caring for myself, including the most amazing leg massage to help my super swollen legs!  She's a wonderful advocate to have by your side.  

Inge Colsen

10/29/2019

Hello!

My wife Lisa and me have been so lucky to have Francesca by our side during the birth of our son Raffi on August 1st 2019. Francesca's been the kind, supportive, strong and guiding "big sister" in the room with us while we went through Lisa's first pregnancy. For me, as a partner it was very touching to have Francesca by our side to bounce ideas, thoughts and inevitably also worries through the process. From visiting us at home to communication up to the pregancy was very lovely, gentle and direct. It gave us peace of mind. and when Francesca arrived early morning at the hospital to guide us, it was a relief to see a friendly face we could relate to besides the other lovely hospital nurses. We have a photo inside the delivery room of the doctors and nurses who brought Raffi to us and we're very thankful Francesca was part of the team of strong women who help getting us through this emotionally and physically intense experience. 

We can't thank her enough and would recommend reaching out to Francesca in case you are looking to include a doula in your pregnancy and birth experience.  

Sincerely yours

Inge Colsen

and

Lisa Cifuentes

Dora Kuo

10/22/2019

My husband and I had a great time working with Francesca. On the doula visits, she went through detailed birth plan, listened to my needs (and fears), and provided a lot of extra resources such as yoga class and accupuncture info, to help us be prepared. It calmed me down a lot as a 1st time mom! During the delivery, she was so calm and helped me through the process. We got a lot of support from her, and really appreciated her help helping us. 

Laura and Dan

10/21/2019

I used Francesca with a duel doula team, and she happened to be on call for when I went into labor. I had 1 pre labor meeting with each doula and my husband and I both felt comfortable, prepared and much more well informed after these meetings because of them.

As far as labor goes, Francesca was immediately available. She came to our apartment as soon as we asked - my husband and she discussed what made sense, as the labor was not following a clear pattern. Ultimately she came over and spent a couple hours with us before going to the hospital. She was a 100% encouraging in every way that I needed.  This included being sensitive about my fear of going to the hospital. She was exactly what I needed, she was supportive, encouraging, provided physical touch that was soothing.  She also gave us helpful information through the whole process. She had a soft touch, slightly encouraging me in the direction of my loose birth plan.  I ended up having an intervention and epidural free labor.  She was completely present the entire time, not even leaving my side once, except when asked by the medical staff. I’m sure my labor would have gone differently without Francesca.  Knowing my prior fears, i cannot fathom the fact that my labor was a positive experience and one that did not leave me feeling small and vulnerable. This is huge for me and would not have been possible without Francesca.

Molly

10/20/2019

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!

Gail Rankin

10/19/2019

I think Francesca's biggest strength as a doula was listening well. I felt truly heard by her throughout it all. Near the end I was having some resentment towards my doctor. Francesca came with me to one of my appointments and helped me to process what they were telling me. Throughout my pregnancy and birth I felt like she was extremely helpful in focusing me. She would remind me of what I wanted. During the birth she guided me there when I was unsure. I wasn’t sure if I wanted an epidural and she was the main reason I was able to get to 8cm before I eventually got it. She encouraged me and helped me to stay calm through the pain but I knew when I had reached my limit and she was also supportive of that. My baby ended up being 10 lbs so it was not an easy birth!!!! It took a lot of emotional and physical strength! One of the nurses afterwards told me how impressed she was that I didn’t need any more interventions (other than epidural) to help get the baby out. It was truly a team effort and Francesca was a very important part of that!

wanda k

9/29/2015

We decided to add a doula to our homebirth team just a month before our due date, and we are so glad we did! Francesca made herself immediately available for a couple of pre-birth meetings - she helped us write up a birth plan (as a contingency in case of a hospital transfer), guided us through some visualization exercises (very relaxing!), and was generally cheerful, helpful, and informed.

During labor, she arrived soon after we asked her to be there -- just as we felt I was transitioning to active labor. She took over communications with our midwife, helped coach me in laboring, and made sure my husband was taking care of himself as well.

She also came a week after our baby was born to check in, process the birth experience with me, and just generally lend a hand to 2 sleep-deprived new parents.

In short, Francesca was great! We found her to be generous, attentive, attuned, and all-around a lovely person to have assist in this momentous event for us.

We highly recommend her!

Marina Liu Mello

8/5/2015

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, and baby Dirigo