Since 1999, Manon Chevallerau has been working one-on-one with new parents as a postpartum doula /consultant. She focuses on giving new parents confidence with tools to tune into their newborn’s personality, recognize their queues and set routines. She guides in breastfeeding and baby care. Manon gives intuitive sleep guidance to help set individual healthy sleep habits, helps parents to understand their newborns developmental stages and sets up strategies for when going back to work.
Manon was inspired to become a consultant following the natural births of her own children, a home birth in her hometown Amsterdam, Netherlands in ’92 and at the Elisabeth Seton Child Bearing Center in New York City in ’99. These experiences allowed her to recognize her innate ability to use her maternal insights to support parents into their Journey into Parenthood.
From 2003-2009 Manon hosted popular mother and father support groups. During these weekly open forums, she guided hundreds of new parents from birth to 9 months by giving them the needed parenting skills and answering their questions and concerns. She was the pioneer of the first parenting support network within the Downtown Manhattan community, which lead to additional neighborhood support collectives throughout the city. In 2007, she designing unique work/life workshops customized for forward-looking Corporations bringing an integrated approach that embraces various philosophies. These workshops were designed around flexibility and engagement that gave Corporate employees the ability to build their parenting skills. Manon’s strong networking skills have made her an influencer in the NYC Parenting & Family communities.
As of March 2024, Manon the published author of You’re Going to be a Big Sibling. An interactive children’s book to help older sibling and their parents to prepare for the arrival of the new baby. It’s the essential resource for preparing the big-sibling-to-be for their new role. Learn kid-friendly and age-appropriate information about pregnancy and birth, about tiny newborn babies and bigger babies who can do even more activities together.
With lots of great ideas for games and crafts to do together, as well as journaling activities for the big sibling to express their feelings, this is the foundation for a strong, happy sibling relationship that will last a lifetime!
With beautiful keepsake-worthy in-book activities, it’s a memory of that lead-up and first year as siblings that the family will cherish forever.
The concept of the book originates from a sibling class Manon hosted at Casa Hogar Orphanage in Mexico. The goal was to teach the older siblings about the necessary tools and confidence they need to support and help their newborn siblings. Fast forward to today, this interactive workshop led to the creation of “You’re Going To Be A Big Sibling” which is now available at all major retailers.
Manon studied at the Art Academy in Amsterdam. Her experience in design, Interior and Fashion, have led to her unique ability to think outside of the box, to develop creative and innovative solutions and practical situations in life. Her leadership, organizational skills and sense of community have been finely honed through fundraising and event planning for several non-profit organizations. Her personable nature, wisdom and inspirational strength as a single mother paired with her “Dutch touch” have made her an exceptionally passionate leader in her field.
Manon moved to New York City in 1992, currently residing in Long Island City NY.