Moniqueca Long - Postpartum Doula

About Moniqueca

Hi, I'm Moniqueca (Mo-Nee-Cuh), founder of This Is Love Work, a postpartum doula practice serving Chicago and surrounding areas. Since 2023, I’ve been supporting new families with childbirth education, labor prep, and recovery after birth, trained through Gifted Hands International as a Full Spectrum doula, with a background in community health and crisis support work. I'm also affiliated with Sokana Collective. Postpartum care should feel like love work. Practical, steady, no judgment. Whether it's helping you rest, figure out your baby's cues, or just having someone in your corner who gets it, I'm here to support you in the most intimate family moments.

Postpartum Doula packages and pricing

Daytime Postpartum Shifts

In-home support during daylight hours, booked in 4-hour minimum shifts. Newborn care so you can sleep or shower, feeding support, light household reset (dishes, baby laundry, tidying the spaces you actually live in), meal prep, and help building a schedule that holds up once I leave. Available as single shifts or a recurring weekly block. Daytime Support occurs between the hours of 8:00am and 6:00pm

$40 USD · Per hour

Prenatal Planning Session

A standalone 90-minute session before birth. We walk through your postpartum plan: feeding goals, who's helping and when, what your home setup actually needs, and what to expect in the first two weeks. Useful on its own or as a starting point before booking hours.

$150 USD · Flat rate

What to expect

Hands-on support for the fourth trimester. This includes newborn care, physical recovery after birth, and help navigating those first weeks with a new baby, whatever that looks like for your family. Feeding support covers breastfeeding, formula, or combo feeding. Latch help, building a routine, troubleshooting what's not working. Beyond that, a lot of my work is filling in the gaps that show up once baby's home: organizing the house, building schedules that actually hold up, helping your household find its footing. Warm, consistent, judgment-free care.

Reviews for Moniqueca Long

5.0 2 reviews

5.0

July 30, 2026

Moniqueca is truly a master of her work. She was our Doula back in 2023 for Baby Rumi is soon gonna be three. Her classes prepared me to know what to expect as well as advocate for myself in the hospital. I remember it so vividly being around 5 cm dilated, doctors rushing in telling me that my daughters heart rate was too high and they might have to do a c-section. I called my Doula Moniqueca and she told me some turn the music on and to twerk my baby out. 3 mins later I felt the catheter pushing out of me and my baby's head coming through the birth canal lol. I told her dad to get the nurses because this baby was coming NOW!!! After 10 mins of pushing my beautiful babygirl was born and she is so smart and kind. I feel that having such a great doula contributed to this. Do yourself a favor and let her assist you with preparing for your bundle of joy.

— Medina Griffin

5.0

July 21, 2026

I can’t say enough wonderful things about Moniqua. As a first-time postpartum experience with a newborn while also caring for my older son, I was overwhelmed and wasn’t sure what to expect from having a doula. From the very beginning, Moniqua made me feel supported, heard, and never judged. She has such a calming presence and always knew when to offer encouragement, practical help, or simply listen. She took the time to answer my endless questions about breastfeeding, newborn care, recovery, and adjusting to life with two children. I never felt rushed, and I always walked away feeling more confident than I did before. What stood out most was how genuinely compassionate she is. You can tell this isn’t just a job for her, she truly cares about the families she works with. She met me where I was emotionally and made one of the biggest transitions of my life feel much less lonely. If you’re looking for someone who is knowledgeable, patient, dependable, and truly invested in your well-being, I wholeheartedly recommend Moniqua. Every new parent deserves the kind of support she provides, and I’m incredibly grateful our paths crossed.

— Chayanne Barrientos

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Certifications, training, and specialties

Certification and training

Birth Doula Certification, Gifted Hands International (2022)
Postpartum Doula Certification, Gifted Hands International (2023)
Pregnancy Loss Training (2023)

Education

BA Sociology - Roosevelt University (2011)

Languages

English

Specialties

Abortion Doula Care Postpartum Doula Care

Frequently asked questions

What does a postpartum doula actually do?

The short answer is whatever your household needs to function. In practice that's newborn care, helping you recover physically, support with siblings, feeding support, and taking things off your plate so you can rest. A lot of it is organizational: setting up systems, building schedules, and filling gaps that nobody realized existed until the baby came home.

Is a postpartum doula the same as a night nanny?

No. A night nanny cares for the baby. I care for the whole household, which includes you. That means recovery support, feeding help, and education alongside newborn care, not just baby duty.

How far in advance should I book?

Most families book somewhere between 20 and 30 weeks. Availability around common due dates fills up, so earlier is better if you have a specific window in mind. That said, I do take on families who reach out after baby is already born where my availability permits.

Do you support formula feeding families?

Yes. Breastfeeding, formula, exclusive pumping, combo feeding, whatever you're doing or want to do. I'll help you troubleshoot latch, build a routine, get bottle and nipple flow right, and figure out what's realistic for your family. I'm a trained Breastfeeding Peer Counselor and I'll refer you to an IBCLC when something is outside my scope.

What if I need to cancel?

Cancellation terms are outlined in the service agreement, which you'll review before signing. Reach out and we'll talk.

Do you accept insurance or Medicaid?

Not at this time. If you have Carrot Fertility through your employer, reach out to Carrot directly through your account and let them know you'd like to work with Moniqueca Long | This Is Love Work. They'll take it from there. Otherwise I accept card payment and can provide an itemized receipt for HSA or FSA reimbursement.