I started going to South Shore Midwifery in 2008 when I found out I was pregnant with my son. They…read moreare great! and always on call and get back to you very quickly. I loved all my midwives and look forward to dealing with them again for my next pregnancy, I still go for my annual visits just because I love them so much

I continue to feel very conflicted about which star rating to pick. I was here yesterday for an…read moreappointment I scheduled two months ago only to wait 30 minutes to be seen by a nurse and an additional 20 minutes to be seen by the doctor-- only to be told the procedure I was coming in for is no longer done at this facility. Dr. Darlyne Johnson is amazing. I wish she had a private practice or worked elsewhere because this place does not deserve her. She was friendly, familiar with my chart, knowledgeable and very reasonable. Today I arrived at 10:03 for my 10:00am appointment. At 10:35 I was told they needed a urine test, and after my results I would be seen. If I had been told from the start I needed a urine test, I would have chugged the 40oz bottle of water I brought with me and asked to have the test as soon as possible (to move things along). Additionally, I was pulled aside by the nurse who informed me the dr's notes indicated she wanted me to have a test before I came back. In reality when I saw the doctor-- yesterday, she told me I could come back today as long as I get the test within the next three months. Everyone here is wicked nice, smart and courteous, it's mind boggling that such smart, kind people cannot seem to figure out how to run an efficient and organized establishment. As said before, I arrived at 10:03 for my 10:00am appointment, I was seen at 10:50 and walked out of the doors at 10:53. This place is clean and well kempt. It's poorly run and they could use both a group psychotherapist to help improve communication between staff and an office manager to improve the efficiency and timeliness of keeping appointments on track. I'm already stressed out because I'm in graduate school and at the very end of finals, came out of my way for a 4 minute appointment, only to wait an hour... jeeze, talk about anxiety provoking! All in all, I would refer other women to Dr.Johnson. I would suggest clarifying any additional information or questions during check-in and a simple reiteration and emphasis that as a client your time also matters.

HEARTLESS COMPANY. I am writing this in the hopes no one…read moreelse ever has to experience this. If I could give a negative 100 I would- this has been my gyn for about 5 years and recently my OB- I called because I went to a private ultrasound and they could not find a heart beat on my baby and that it appeared the baby stopped growing 2 weeks prior. I should have been 12 weeks. SSWH flat out REFUSED to see me without the "report"- the private company is not a doctor's office therefore does not do "reports"- the owner of that company called SSWH to discuss and offered to send the ultrasound video - they told her they wouldn't have time to watch it. The owner then called me back telling me they are the most heartless people she has ever dealt with and to change my Dr immediately- I couldn't agree more. I spent 4 hours in the South Shore ER (who were incredible) for a miscarriage MY DR's office refused to address- nor did the office even advise me to go to the ER or have a nurse speak with me. The ER sent the report from my visit to them and they actually had the audacity to send me a text message to confirm my OB appointment coming up. Horrified! I understand protocol and rules but this was pathetic and truly unkind. Refusing to help someone going through one of the most devastating and traumatic things ever is just disgusting. That non existent "report "had zero weight on whether they should see me or not- it didn't change my need to be evaluated by a Dr and get medical advice and care.

I have always dreamed of having a water birth. At first my partner was unsure about a home birth,…read morebut after consulting with the Birth Matters team, he got on board and we were able to birth our little on at home, in peace, without any complications. This was largely due to the care and the experience of our midwives at Birth Matters. We cannot thank you enough. You answered all of our questions, you were comprehensive, you were accommodating, and turned my family into home birth believers! I highly recommend the Birth Matters team and would do this all over again if and when we have our second child.

I contacted Sarafina and Jessica of Home Birth Matters Midwifery Care in February of 2011 upon…read morefinding out we were pregnant. The pregnancy didn't last long, sadly. Both midwives spoke with me on the phone daily while I was having complications and though I never met them, the offered so much support to Big Love and I through our loss. They offered encouraging words and made me feel normal in what I was experiencing. During the summer of 2011 we found out we were pregnant again. I once again reached out the the midwives and made an appointment for a home visit to discuss planning our home birth. They came to our home, hugged me, and lounged around on my couch just chatting about the care they had an answered all of our questions. Since that day, Big Love and I knew that they were the right choice. They just felt like old friends from the start. We opted to have home visits as opposed to office visits. Every visit they would come to our home, check my belly, answer questions and have a few laughs. It was a great way to get to know them and by the time my labor came, I had no issues with showing them any of my lady bits or bodily functions. Sarafina and Jessica were always encouraging. Our parents had concerns about having a baby at home so we invited them to one of our home visits. I think they must have asked a hundred questions. The midwives sat there with smiles on their faces, cool, calm and collected and answered every single one with confidence. Our parents have been home birth converts from that day on. Early May I went into labor. Awhile into labor Sarafina arrived followed by Jessica soon after. There was no intervention and little interruption during my labor. They would offer suggestions every now and again but mostly just followed my cues. They would check the baby's heartbeat with a fetal monitor from time to time and talk me through contractions. At the last of my labor I went into the birthing tub and everyone sat nearby, talking me through pushing. The midwives saw that our baby was being born with his hand and an arm near/around his face. They had great poker faces and didn't give anything away. They very calmly guided me through pushing and helped reposition my leg to give the baby a little extra room to pop out. Mickey was born exactly 13 hours after I went into labor at 4:40pm. I was oblivious to him actually being out and Jessica handed the baby under my arm and into my hands saying "Kati, look at your baby". I could hear the smile in her voice. ***Okay, you came for a review not a birth story right??? Well, you're getting both. Birth is important and these midwives kick major ass.*** Jessica and Big Love weighed Bebe Smash and she took many measurements. She tenderly turned the baby over, smiling the entire time and I knew that my child was in the best care with these two. Our family came and they quietly left saying they would be back for hugs and a visit the next day. During postnatal visits they came to check on me and the baby. I had difficultly with breastfeeding but Jessica sat right next to me and showed me different positions for Bebe Smash to be in while I tried to get the hang of it. She shared her own stories of early parent difficulty that made me feel much better. Sarafina sat on a little stool and rubbed my feet. They were just so loving. I called them and texted them a hundred times over the first 3 weeks with questions and pictures. They responded to every one. Often calling hours later to check up on my progress. With any new concern my husband would look at me and say "we'd better ask the midwives". A call or a text later and our fears would dissolve into the abyss. How lucky we were. During one visit they did a heel prick on Bebe Smash for some blood work. He didn't make a peep while Sarafina blotted drops of blood onto the paper and I commented on how he didn't even move. She told me - and this is how I feel about the care me and my family have received from both Sarafina and Jessica through this entire experience - "it's because we do it with loving intention". I can honestly say that my husband and I genuinely love these women. I can say with certainty that they love us in return. And they love our son, we've seen that through the excellent care they've provided over the past year. These women are more than midwives. They love so honestly and yet so professionally. I can't imagine any other way to go through the stages of having a baby. We often comment on what we're going to do once we're done having babies. I'm confident we will find a way to infiltrate their lives so we can know them for many years to come. We have a healthy, happy, thriving baby boy and I know it's because he has led a very gentle life - from his days as a little sesame seed, through birth, and until now when he's learning to roll over. They were instrumental in helping us achieve this for him. We are planning more births and without a doubt, these women will be a part of those as well.

My husband and I hired Tara and Susanna as doulas ahead of our first child's birth in 2017, and…read morespecifically worked with Tara. We had a phenomenal experience, which resulted in working with them again for the birth of our second child in March 2021. In both cases, Tara and Susanna were tremendously helpful resources leading up to the delivery date. We always appreciated their candor and insights about what to expect and importantly, what our choices were (which was especially good to know during our first pregnancy). Tara and Susanna were always very responsive and detailed in their communication with us, and importantly, right ahead of the birth. For both births, I had a relatively quick active labor and Tara was there exactly when we needed her. She did an excellent job of ensuring my husband was involved in the labor process and provided us very helpful guidance on managing pain/new positions/breathing techniques. During my first birth, she proved to be a trusted advocate for me in a stressful situation (that almost resulted in an episiotomy), and although my second birth was relatively "uneventful", the quick nature of it made it very intense so we were grateful to have Tara's guidance and calm presence to help us through the birth. We feel very fortunate to have worked with Tara for both births, as her presence was extremely helpful in both cases!

My husband and I hired Susanna and Tara first as doulas, and later as midwives, to support us…read morethrough the pregnancy and birth of our first child. I simply cannot overstate how integral their care, compassion, expertise, and knowledge have been to the entire process of having our son. From the first prenatal visits with Susanna and Tara, they were open, non-judgmental, caring, and insightful. They worked with us to create a birth plan, sent us helpful information to assist us in making informed, evidence-based decisions for our son's care, and were always available for follow-up questions and discussions. Not only are Susanna and Tara both unmatched in their professionalism, but they are also kind, funny, brilliant, and the type of people who just make you feel comfortable and safe. When Covid began to surge as our due date approached, we reached out to them to consider a home birth and ended up contracting them to be our midwives instead of only contracting for doula care. It was the best decision we ever made during our birth and pregnancy process and I wish we had done it from the beginning. As midwives, Susanna and Tara provided the same level of care and insight as before, with an added level of expert care that we were impressed by time and time again. At the actual birth of our son, Susanna and Tara guided and comforted me through 10 hours of labor at home. I quite simply could not have done it without them. When I eventually needed to transfer to Mount Auburn for an epidural and what turned out to be a more complicated birth than anticipated, they accompanied me as far as they could to the doors of the labor ward (they were not allowed inside due to Covid), keeping me as calm as possible and helping me through every contraction with compassion and kindness all the way from our home to the hospital. Our son was born healthy and happy, and we came home to face the ups and downs of life as new parents with the knowledge that we were fully supported by Susanna and Tara. Their help became instrumental once again as I struggled with postpartum anxiety and breastfeeding issues--coming to my house at the drop of a dime when I was desperate for help, and only a phone call away to talk us through our challenges as they arose over the first few weeks. I cannot more highly recommend Susanna and Tara as doulas and midwives. In many ways, I feel like they saved me during my most vulnerable time and made me feel stronger and more empowered when I could have so easily felt defeated instead. Hire them. It will be the best decision you make for your entire pregnancy and birth!

Hilary and her team were all top notch, and I would recommend them most highly to any newborn…read moreparent. We worked with Molly S for postpartum doula help. Molly was an invaluable support both emotionally and with practical help during a difficult time. It was like having a wiser, older sister help out and counsel a few times a week. She is kind, knowledgeable, and brings a lot of mom wisdom from parenting her own three kids. The back office structure and onboarding and contracting process were all fast and efficient. Highly recommend.

I truly do not have enough words to express my sincere gratitude and praise for Hilary and her…read moreteam. I sent Hilary a message at 2am after months of sleepless nights and she promptly replied the next day and set up a call for us to chat. She completely understood not only what I was going through and the help that my family and I needed but she has the kindest, most caring, loving and dedicated team who were willing to jump in at a moments notice to ensure that our baby boy got the love and care he needed so that the rest of us could get some much needed rest. If anyone is thinking about a night nurse or daytime doula, I would 1000% recommend Hilary and her team.

My husband and I feel so fortunate to have had Carolynn as our Doula for the birth of our first…read morechild. Carolynn provided vital support for us prior to, during, and after the birth of our son. When we first met Carolynn we knew that we wanted her to be our Doula. Both myself and my husband immediately felt comfortable with her and after talking with her for a while we knew that she was very knowledgeable and passionate about pregnancy and child birth. Carolynn was always available by text, e-mail, and phone to answer any questions we had and researched and provided us with any information we needed. We learned a lot during our home visits with Carolynn. During our second home visit we went over different stretches and positioning which was very helpful. When I went into labor, it came on quickly. Carolynn was quick to meet us at our home and helped me stay calm. When we went to the hospital, Carolynn set up a calm environment with dim lighting, LED candles and music. She was an amazing coach to me and an excellent teammate to my husband. My labor was long and Carolynn collaborated well with all of the nurses and midwives that we had. She stayed with us for a few hours after our son was born making sure we were all ok even though we had been at the hospital for about 36 hours with not much sleep. My son had a slight fever after he was born and we had to stay at the hospital for a few days. Carolynn checked in on us often. When we got home I was not feeling well and ended up in the emergency room with a kidney infection while my husband brought our son to his first pediatrician appointment. Carolynn had called to check in on me that morning and stopped by and stayed with me while I was waiting for my father to bring me to the hospital so I was not alone. She even did the dishes while I showered. Carolynn came over for a postpartum visit once I was feeling better and stayed for a long time trying to help our son latch on to breastfeed. While we were not successful during the visit, Carolynn gave me the contact information for a lactation consultant that helped us. If you are considering hiring a doula, I wholeheartedly recommend Carolynn, she is truly amazing!

From the owner: Gentle Waves Birthing provides extremely professional quality support and education for expectant…read moreparents throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. With a strong focus on education & comfort measures you will be well prepared for the birth of your baby. Call today for a free consultation & get started on your journey to a happy, more confident birth!

Ellie is an absolute gem. My husband and I first worked with her as a sleep consultant during a…read morebrutal 18 month sleep regression for our daughter. Both empathetic and whip-smart, Ellie helped identify specific actions we could take to get sleep back on track. It was so reassuring to make a plan with her and to have real time follow up so that we could course correct and adjust as needed. When we encountered some challenges with the 2 to 1 nap transition, Ellie was the only person we wanted help from and once again she was exactly the resource we needed. We also felt SO supported by Ellie as a birth and postpartum doula for our second child. Using zoom, email, text, and phone, Ellie was like an expert big sister in the weeks leading up to the birth, as well as in the beginnings of labor, and most especially in the early postpartum period. The birth escalated so quickly that there wasn't time for zoom support, but honestly the postpartum support alone was invaluable (and thank goodness for Ellie's nudge via phone for us to hightail it to the hospital-- our son was almost born in the car). Her expertise in sleep and lactation along with being a thoughtful and experienced mom of three... I truly can't speak highly enough. We will forever be grateful to Ellie for helping us grow into happier, stronger parents, and she will forever be our go-to for all questions parenting / birth / sleep!

Working with Ellie was a wonderful experience. I am so grateful that she was our doula for my…read morefirst birth as there are so many questions and unknowns. Ellie helped us navigate all of this and made me feel incredibly supported.

Ann is knowledgeable, experienced and professional. She…read moreoffers a calming and compassionate presence and ensures a safe and supportive environment to give birth. Highly recommend.

First hand meeting Ann Kilroy Whitman, was very easy and relaxing . I felt as if I had found the…read moreperfect midwife to deliver my babygirl. She was very soft spoken, very reassuring and seemed nurtuting . She has over 30 years of experience and has many kids herself and this gave me peace of mind knowing I was making the right choice in having a home birth. I had expressed to Ann my concern of having a home birth after a c section and the risk of having a uterine rupture. She assured me that only 1% in women have a uterine rupture and this was very unlikely. She didn't seem concerned at all about this happening, which cleared up my worries. I wanted to address a few concerns of care, my understanding was that there would be two caregivers present to assist me during my birth. I recall inquiring about the necessity of hiring a doula, to which she advised against it, stating the presence that there would be two caregivers during my birth, which is one of the reasons why I decided to hire her for services. Luckily, I had two of my closest friends to support although they weren't being paid for services. They gave me massages through out my labor and I felt seen. Some of the times I would look over at Ann , I would find her sleeping on my couch. I get it because the labor was long and it was midnight . She would wake up Ofcourse and check on my pulse and the baby's heart rate . After a few hours my friends and Ann would take turns beside while I was in labor. However, after a while Ann told me to bear down and push as if I was to give birth. I thought in my head this was it and I would push with everything I had which it felt like I was pushing for hours. Ann never at any point checked to see how dilated I was, until my friends persisted she checked. Finally, she did and I was only 4cm dilated the entire time I was pushing. After almost 14 hours of labor, seeing some blood in the water and Ann stating my baby was sitting too posteriorly still, I had to be driven down to the hospital for an emergency c -section. My uterus ruptured and the doctors called it a Miracle, they said I came just in time otherwise I would have had to have a hysterectomy. This was all very traumatizing! What was most concerning was that Ann did not call the hospital to let them know I was on the way, and she also did not check up on me and my baby after this all happened. I did request a refund , due to her lack of care which I understood was not going to be possible and she did refund me the doula fee which was $700, due to the fact that she said there would be 2 caregivers present and only she showed up. I believe Ann is very knowledgeable and offers good standard care, I just wanted to share my story in case anyone else goes through this and is looking into home births after a c-section, please just be aware and make sure she check how dilated you are before starting to push. Sincerely, Shirley