For Monica Monzingo, wellness was already a part of everyday life. As a licensed massage therapist and yoga instructor, caring for the body and mind was familiar territory.
Pregnancy, however, brought a new experience and a new appreciation for the support that can surround it.
Monzingo is expecting her first child, a baby girl named Madeline. When she learned she was pregnant, a list of OB/GYN providers she received from Gateway Women’s Care led her to Amplify Health.
What she found was more than the prenatal experience she had imagined.
“What I thought the traditional kind of prenatal visits would be, I thought it would be plain, like not fun, but the Centering program is so much better than I expected.”
Finding Support in the Group
As a first-time mother, Monzingo remembers feeling nervous when she initially began receiving care. The welcome she received from the CenteringPregnancy team helped to change that.
“Everyone was just so welcoming, and it was just warm,” she said. “I was nervous at first just because it is my first pregnancy and everything.”
Her group also gave Monzingo an opportunity to regularly connect with other expecting mothers.
“Every visit, I love connecting with all the other moms and experiencing this journey together each month when we go,” she said.
Being surrounded by women navigating pregnancy alongside her, helped Monzingo to realize she was not alone. She said the education and encouragement she received through the program have also helped to prepare her for motherhood.
“The education part, as well as the encouragement, helped me to feel more confident as I become a new mom,” Monzingo said.
That reassurance has extended to her family. Monzingo’s mother often accompanies her to appointments, but when scheduling conflicts prevent her from attending, Monzingo said her mother knows she is surrounded by people who care about her well-being.
That feeling has become part of what she looks forward to during her visits.
“It just makes me feel warm inside, knowing that each month when I go to my visits, I'm going to be surrounded by people who actually care about me,” she said.
Advancing the Future Together
Monzingo later shared her experience as an Amplify Health patient at Impact Night, where the theme, “Advancing the Future of Care Together,” reflected much of what she had experienced during her pregnancy.
“I feel like community is like the future, so it means investing in families from the very beginning,” Monzingo said. “As a patient, I feel like being surrounded by a community of people who actually really care and support makes a big difference for their future.”
For Monzingo, the idea was not simply a theme. Through CenteringPregnancy, she had experienced that sense of community firsthand.
“It's like we're putting it to action,” she said.
As she prepares to welcome Madeline, Monzingo encourages other expecting mothers considering CenteringPregnancy to embrace the experience.
“I would tell all the expecting mothers to lean into the supportive community, be present in the program, and cherish the moments and the seed that's being planted for us,” she said.