About Us
The inspiration
The Inspiration
I was inspired to start Fourth Trimester Postnatal Retreat in the DC-Metro Area with my husband, Benny, after a traumatic pregnancy and daunting delivery of our beautiful daughter, Palmer. I was in labor for over 24 hours before needing an emergency c-section. It took quite the mental toll on both me and my husband, and recovery was anything but easy. It made me realize how important it is for new moms to have a place to heal, rest and recuperate.
We created Fourth Trimester to be that place for new parents in the Washington, D.C. region and beyond. Here, we will take care of you and your baby, and provide nutritious meals, teach you Infant CPR, how to wear your baby, how to swaddle your baby, and so much more.
When you go home after staying with us, you’ll feel confident and ready to take on your journey into parenthood.
– Megan Francis, AGPCNP-BC
Co-Founder
Your Care Team
FOUNDER
Megan Francis (AGPCNP-BC)
Board Certified Nurse Practitioner
She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from James Madison University and spent several years working in intensive care and home health nursing. Megan was inspired to create Fourth Trimester Postnatal Retreat after experiencing a difficult pregnancy and rough delivery of her daughter Palmer left her feeling overwhelmed and in need of recovery. She knows firsthand how stressful it is to be sent home with a new baby so soon after giving birth. She wanted to create a place where moms, their babies, and partners could be taken care of, receive help from experts, and become part of a supportive community.
CO-FOUNDER
Benny Boroff
Benny is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and served in the Army National Guard for 8 years. He also served as a Sheriff’s Deputy for Arlington County Virginia for many years. He is currently finishing a degree in Business Administration from NVCC. Benny is a loving husband to Megan and dad to new baby Palmer, as well as his three other children Taylor, Parker and Peyton. Benny understands the joys and challenges of parenthood and wants to provide other families with the tools they need to begin their journey.
Founder
Megan
Megan Francis is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from James Madison University and spent several years working in intensive care and home health nursing. Megan was inspired to create Fourth Trimester Postnatal Retreat after experiencing a difficult pregnancy and rough delivery of her daughter Palmer left her feeling overwhelmed and in need of recovery. She knows firsthand how stressful it is to be sent home with a new baby so soon after giving birth. She wanted to create a place where moms, their babies, and partners could be taken care of, receive help from experts, and become part of a supportive community.
Co-Founder
Benny
Benny is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and served in the Army National Guard for 8 years. He also served as a Sheriff’s Deputy for Arlington County Virginia for many years. He is currently finishing a degree in Business Administration from NVCC. Benny is a loving husband to Megan and dad to new baby Palmer, as well as his three other children Taylor, Parker and Peyton. Benny understands the joys and challenges of parenthood and wants to provide other families with the tools they need to begin their journey.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Katie Billingsley (CCC-SLP)
Speech Language Pathologist, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Katie has been passionate about helping mothers and babies since she was a child, when she visited patients with her OB/GYN father and held newborns in the NICU. These days, she specializes in pediatric speech, language, and feeding therapy, and is a certified breastfeeding specialist. As a new mother herself who experienced a complex pregnancy and her own NICU baby, Katie has a unique perspective on challenges faced in the beginning stages of parenthood.
Director of Operations
Katie Billingsley (CCC-SLP, CBS)
Speech Language Pathologist, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Katie has been passionate about helping mothers and babies since she was a child, when she visited patients and their newborn babies with her OB/GYN father at the hospital. These days, she specializes in pediatric speech, language, and feeding therapy, and is a certified breastfeeding specialist. As a new mother herself who experienced a complex pregnancy and her own NICU baby, Katie has a unique perspective on challenges faced in the beginning stages of parenthood.
Kathleen Bell (NP, IBCLC)
Nurse Practitioner, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Kathleen is a board certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Prior to working as a nurse practitioner, she worked as a labor and delivery nurse in the VCU Health System for five years. In 2012, she transitioned to a faculty role at the VCU School of Nursing, where she researched, co-authored a training curriculum, and taught OB/GYN health assessment, care of women and childbearing families, and community health at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She returned to clinical practice in 2015. Kathleen is a single mother to two incredible children, one biological and one adopted. As a working mother in the incredibly fast-paced and hectic lifestyle of the DMV, Kathleen deeply understands the stresses and strains women face as they prepare to have their children, deliver, and subsequently juggle the myriad responsibilities of working motherhood.
Allegra Gast (RDN, IBCLC)
Registered Dietician and Nutritionist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Allegra Gast is a functional registered dietitian, international board certified lactation consultant, military spouse, mom of 2 (and soon to be twins!) and a mompreneur. She is the owner of Aloha Nutrition, where she offers virtual nutrition and breastfeeding support to families around the world. She found her passion working with women and infants while working at WIC (Women Infant and Children) in Hawaii. She saw many women struggling to breastfeed, and that’s what encouraged her to pursue lactation. Allegra’s current interests are how maternal nutrition and support can have an impact on the risk of postpartum depression and breastfeeding success rates. She loves teaching families how to make easy nutritious meals with a clingy baby, as she herself has what she calls “Velcro baby.” She is working directly with the head chef at The Watergate Hotel to provide our families nutritious meals that will promote recovery, healing, and breastfeeding.
Kim Hawkins (IBCLC)
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Kim has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Certified Lactation Counselor since 2017 and has a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. She had worked in public health prior to transitioning to birth work in 2017. She currently works at Capital Area Pediatrics at the Falls Church office and helped to start the lactation support program there in 2019. She has supported and worked with over 1,000 families since 2017. She is also a former Labor Doula and Postpartum Doula as well as Childbirth Educator.
Her motto is progress not perfection in regards to not only life but in particular to breastfeeding. While she is done with the early days and years of parenting, her heart lies with supporting parents in the early days when everything is overwhelming knowing that good support can make a huge difference, especially for moms.
Frances Rosa (LPC)
Licensed Professional Counselor, Perinatal Mental Health Therapist
Frances is a perinatal mental health and trauma certified therapist. She is a wife and mother to two boys. Her own journey to motherhood and experience in postpartum is what influenced her to help women and families in their pregnancy and postpartum stages. Fran is a bilingual therapist and can provide evaluation and treatment in both English and Spanish.
Natalie Siepka (LCSW, PMH-C)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Perinatal Mental Health Certified
Natalie is a perinatal mental health certified clinician and new mother herself to a baby girl. Natalie brings years of NICU and Labor and Delivery Hospital Social Work experience to her work as a therapist. Natalie’s hospital career coupled with her own journey to motherhood has inspired her to support the women and families of 4T. Natalie is committed to ensuring every family gets the best possible start as they welcome their newest additions. In working with Natalie you will gain an advocate and find comfort in knowing you are not alone.
Tatiana 'Tati' Walker
Infant Care Specialist, Birth/Postpartum Doula
Tatiana or “Tati” is from Prince George’s county, Maryland. She spends her days studying as an undergraduate student while also working as a Doula and Infant care specialist. Tatiana felt drawn to the birth world after seeing how beautiful birth can be when the family has both prenatal and postpartum support.
She is passionate about teaching mothers and families how important their voice is and how to use it to advocate for themselves, especially the queer/BIPOC community as they are at a higher risk of birth trauma due to bias.
Fabiana Neves
Birth/Postpartum Doula
Fabiana or “Fabi” as we call her, was born and raised in NOVA. She is half Brazilian and Costa Rican, and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English. She is an avid powerlifter and soccer player in her free time. Fabi is an amazing mother to her 4 year old daughter Alejandra, and was also a surrogate to a wonderful family and helped two dads grow their family just last year. She is passionate about helping all women, but particularly women of color as they are the most at risk throughout the birthing process. She felt her most powerful when giving birth, and wants to help mothers and families feel empowered during their own birthing journeys. We are so excited to have her not only as a birth doula, but also a a postpartum doula, who can see families at our physical retreat and through 4T at Home.
Sharlita Permenter
CNA, Infant Care Specialist
Sharlita is a certified nursing assistant and infant support specialist who has been dedicated to the inclusive care of families and their tiny human(s) for over 20 years. She is passionate about supporting breastfeeding/chest feeding parents as they establish the new bond that comes with feedings, teaching babywearing, as well as guiding partners as they navigate through parenting alongside the birthing parent. As a past NICU parent and single parent of 3 neurodivergent children. Sharlita is committed to supporting parents/caregivers of special needs children, teaching families how to advocate for their specialized care, as well as how to adjust to the new challenges that arise as baby grows. She is currently working towards acquiring her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, as well as becoming board certified as a lactation consultant to better serve her amazing families.
The Watergate Hotel
The Watergate hotel's luxury rooms and suites offer a tranquil escape for new moms seeking to relax and recuperate after childbirth. The rooms feature spa-like marble bathrooms with custom amenities that provide the perfect backdrop to rest, recover and embrace the joys of motherhood.
