I originally chose Puget Sound Midwives and Birth Center because I didn't have insurance at the…read morebeginning of my pregnancy and wanted something smaller, more personal, and supportive of a natural birth. I paid for all my early appointments in full, in cash, as soon as I was informed of any charges. I was looking for compassionate care, continuity, and a trusting relationship with the person who would eventually help deliver my child. Unfortunately, that is not what I received. I first saw Courtney in May 2025 and was told I needed to also see Amanda, the other midwife on staff at the time. I really connected with Amanda and felt hopeful that she would be present at my birth. Sadly, that plan fell apart when I was told (months later, around November) that Amanda would be leaving in December -- and I'd now be under the care of a new midwife I had barely met. From the beginning, appointments with Courtney often felt condescending and patronizing. There was a noticeable amount of fear-mongering around hospital births and C-sections -- (to the point that when I did get to Evergreen hospital the first words out of my mouth were, "I don't want a C-Section!!!") rather than being supportive of informed choice, the conversations often leaned into judgment and pressure. As I neared the end of my pregnancy, things got even worse. I went nearly 2.5 weeks overdue, and in those last five weeks, I was constantly offered cervical checks, a balloon pump, and other interventions to try to get labor started. The new midwife said she couldn't reach my cervix because her fingers were too short -- yet I was still billed for every single "exam." In total, I was charged $250 for completely unhelpful and ineffective procedures. When I asked how I would know if I was in labor, I was simply told, "You'll just know." When I called the on-call number to report that my water had broken, I was told I wasn't dilated enough and was advised not to come in. No one tested me to confirm whether my water had actually broken. As it turns out, it had -- three days before I gave birth. Thankfully, the rupture was at the top, or the consequences for my baby could have been devastating. I ended up giving birth at Evergreen Hospital, and I truly believe my child is alive today because I left the birth center and sought real medical care. On the billing side, it was a complete mess. I kept getting bills addressed to the wrong last name, even though I had input my correct name in their patient portal. The billing department never even properly checked my insurance until after I gave birth -- and only then because someone called me demanding the correct information. They had scanned my insurance card months earlier, but somehow still had it entered incorrectly in their supposedly HIPAA-compliant system. I ended up having to enter my insurance manually myself. To top it off, I'm now fighting a $600 emergency transfer fee with my insurance. I was only at the birth center for two hours before my husband had to drive me to the hospital himself -- after the midwife suggested I walk the apartment complex stairs at 3am to try to "get things going." And yet, I'm being charged as if they coordinated an emergency transfer. Save yourself the time, stress, and incompetence. What was supposed to be a supportive, natural, empowering birth experience turned into chaos, confusion, and unnecessary risk to my baby. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for truly safe and supportive midwifery care.

I started my pregnancy with an OB/GYN, but made the switch to this birth center at 26 weeks. It was…read morethe best decision ever! Both midwives; Heather and Blake are lovely! I looked forward to every appointment and never left feeling like I wasn't heard. Heather was at my birth and she made me feel calm, safe, and confident that I can do it natural (which was my goal). As a first time, mom I am very happy I made the switch. I would recommend this birth center to any and all the pregnant people I know!

I had both of my kids with the midwives, and honestly despite both being a LOT (is it ever not?) I…read morewould go to anyone else for my care over them. They're friendly, knowledgeable, and will also tell you when they DON'T have an answer or will try to find one for you, which is so necessary for healthcare providers. Receptionists are amazing, and possibly the only people ever to not question me on my last name

I need to write this review so that no other mom-to-be ever has to go through the horrific and…read moretraumatic experience we went through. I initially chose midwifery care because my sister-in-law said that midwives are supposed to be advocates for moms and tend to be more patient, empathetic and understanding, however that was NOT the case with Evergreen Midwifery. From my first appointment they were already pressuring me to cancel my OBGYN appointments even though I wanted to evaluate both before making a decision because they said "we can take better care of you" . Yet, at my 12-week appointment which was supposed to be a huge milestone, the midwife only let us hear the baby's heartbeat via a Doppler and said "everything's fine, see you at 16 weeks" and tried to send us home after a brief 15-minute appointment. I was confused as patients are typically offered NT scans at 12 weeks but the midwife refused, saying I "didn't need one". In the end I called my OBGYN who kindly squeezed me in for a last minute appointment and the ultrasound showed that the baby had a medical condition that needed urgent diagnosis and care. Evergreen Midwifery completely FAILED in their standard of care and could have put us in a very dangerous and precarious position given their negligence in offering a 12-week NT scan. They did not offer any sincere apology or follow-up for their horrible mistake even though the manager Kelly promised to call us back to review the case (Spoiler: She did not! They simply do not keep their promises.) We transferred care back to my OBGYN and have received much better care from ACTUAL trained medical experts and doctors there. If you're a first-time mom or just need greater peace of mind during your pregnancy, please PLEASE save yourself the anxiety, frustration and heartache by sticking with your OB practice instead. You will be glad you did.

We found Kim when I was halfway through my pregnancy and I am so glad we did!…read more I did not have an easy pregnancy nor labor and Kim was great through it all. If you are looking for someone that will not only have your best interest in mind but your baby's as well than she's the one to go with. I was in labor for 7 hours and while I was pushing Kim noticed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around my daughters neck. She quickly had Mary get things set up so once they were ready I'd be able to finish pushing my daughter out. The moment I did Kim worked so quickly at not only removing the umbilical cord but working on getting my daughter to breath! It felt like a life time for my husband but really it was a very long minute. I was so exhausted that all I remember was seeing my child limp and white one minute to full of color and breathing on my chest the next. If you have ANY fear of thinking that a midwifery is unsafe think again!! Kim's knowledge and fight for a healthy mama and baby is what you'll get!! I am soooo thankful we were in her care!! It may have been a different story if we weren't! Plus the aftercare that you receive for both you and baby is amazing. I'm so thankful we found you Kim! You are a God send!!

I am so lucky I found Empowered Pregnancy! I was looking for a lactation consultant to get a second…read moreopinion when my daughter was 5 weeks old. Kim was absolutely amazing. I was honestly ready to give up on breastfeeding. Kim gave me so much confidence, support, a new breastfeeding plan and also let me know I could stop pumping for stimulation and I would be ok. Breastfeeding is now going really well and I have Kim to thank for it. She is so knowledgeable, so patient and kind, words cannot explain. I would absolutely have my next baby at her birthing center. She is an expert practitioner and I had an amazing experience. I wish I had found Empowered Pregnancy sooner!

Valerie Sasson, LM, CPM, and Ali Tromblay, LM, CPM, are both founding members of Puget Sound Birth…read moreCenter and Midwives and have been providing fantastic prenatal and birthing care since 1999 when the birth center opened for business. I was among Val's first clients and I'm thrilled to be working with her again this pregnancy. Prenatal appointments are always an hour long and are held at the birth center in Kirkland, in the spacious birth suites. Partners, kids, and other labor support people are welcomed at appointments, and all get a chance to ask their questions, to hear the fetal heartbeat, and to discuss the changes that are happening now. They believe in helping the whole family make the transition to having a new baby. These appointments are such a far cry from the rushed 5 minutes you'll get with an OB you will be amazed. No weigh-ins either; you pee on a stick to check for protein, excess glucose, and your vitamin C status, and then they check your blood pressure and fundal height, but that's it. Their low-intervention style doesn't mean that they are irresponsible from a medical standpoint; they TALK to you, and really listen to you, to find out what you're eating and drinking, how you're sleeping, how you're feeling, how your guts are, and the whole deal. They will definitely follow up on anything that is a red flag. Women and their families can choose to birth at the comfortable, sparkling-clean birth center in one of three labor-tub and full-bath equipped birth suites, or at home. The birth center has a kitchenette and a family room for families to wait in/hang out in... there are books, toys, videos, and a TV in there if labor is taking a long time and family members need a break. If you choose to birth at home, the week 36 prenatal appointment will be held at your home so the midwife can familiarize herself with your surroundings and so she can help you make the appropriate preparations. Births that happen before 37 weeks do not take place at home. Val and Ali take five women a month so you can be sure that you will get their full, undivided attention for as long as it takes once you're in active labor. Hospital transfers are not very common but if you end up having one, if you request it ahead of time, the midwife will accompany you to the hospital with your full chart in hand to help you with the rest of the birth. There is a $750 charge for remaining for the rest of your birth if you have to transfer to the hospital, and I think it's well worth it. They also usually have a student midwife or two working with them and I have been consistently impressed with the quality of the work these women do and the educational qualifications they possess... the one we started the pregnancy with had her ND and another advanced degree already. They are unobtrusive during the birth but are an extra pair of hands if/when needed. The practice does global billing and after a $30 co-pay (which depends on your insurance) the total amount for prenatal care, labor, and delivery is $3500. There are very minor additional facilities charges if you give birth at the birth center, but otherwise, that global fee covers nearly everything. Compare that to the $5-10,000 hospital bill you'll have for an uncomplicated vaginal birth, which doesn't include your OB's global $3500 charge!

I cannot say enough good things about these women. From the first time we walked in the door they…read moretreated us like family, not just another patient. All of our appointments were an hour long, never felt rushed and always got all of our questions answered. My husband who hates anything medical felt calm, comfortable and empowered through out the whole process. These women are intelligent, compassionate and love their profession. If you're reading this review then you probably are already considering an out of hospital experience for your birth. I highly recommend Lake Washington Midwives and will continue to recommend them to all of my friends and family who are having babies. Check them out, you won't regret it!

My allergy shots were moved to this location when UW decided to consolidate locations. The Eastside…read morelocation had staff that focused on providing customer service and worked to make sure appointments were flexible enough to work with customer's work schedules and other issues. So far, this location couldn't care less about the patient's needs or working with them. They threaten to charge you if you're late (a very likely possibility considering city traffic), but leave you sitting in the waiting room if you're early, racking up additional parking fees.

This place is like pregnant lady haven. Ashley and Katie are amazing! They remembered my name after…read morethe first appointment. I thought I was just another face to them. Ashley even remembered off the top of her head how far along I was. I did my research when it came time to choose OB vs midwife and I'm SOOOOOOO glad I signed up to see the midwives. Midwives concentrate on the special topic of pregnancy, birth, and post partum recovery. OB is a trained surgeon for generally anything going on "down there." Most childbirths don't need surgery. They're definitely related and a lot of their jobs overlap, but midwives are specialized nurses that spend overall more time with their patients as supports and guides. Midwives are the ones that deliver and catch the babies at NW hospital. OBGYNs are surgeons. They don't catch the babies; they perform surgery. They are there to perform surgery when something goes wrong. They did not train as in-depth as midwives when it comes to helping you survive those 9 months beforehand. As the hospital nurse very politely whispered to me when I sat in my hospital bed after 15 hours of labor..."Let's hope you will never need to see the OBGYN. If you do, it means something during labor went wrong." TL;DR - If you want preggo sage lady experts COME HERE! When I was there, there were 6 midwives on staff rotation. They're all extremely knowledgeable. I saw Deborah, Yaseem, Cindy, and Victoria the most often and she was never judgemental even though I asked (looking back now) the stupidest "questions." Everyone was so patient and open-minded. They respect women's bodies and do everything with faith that our bodies are stronger than what we believe to be (it's very true.) My appointments sometimes ran long because I'm long-winded but they always let me stick around. I would have slapped myself if I had to listen to me for a hour! When I needed to be induced (baby was 11+ days overdue) Victoria Swarthout saw how terrified and concerned I was so she squeezed me into a morning appointment on the date of my induction so I could ask her ALL the questions and address all of my concerns... which @ 42 weeks pregnant as a first time Mom during a pandemic just sounded like this "WHY why whyyyy me!!! Why won't this baby come!!!" Oh forgot, it was the start of the pandemic. Yeah I gave birth in March, the very same week things went into lockdown. New hospital policies were being put in place and my anxiety level skyrocketed. I'm first generation Chinese American of course, and a little bit of a hypochondriac so the pandemic got me off on a very rough start. I was afraid of discrimination (none at all found here) and I was afraid of changing hospital policies. On top of the unexpected induction and having to find a doula last minute. I was literally being induced with a hand UP my cervix while trying to hire a new doula on the phone...ugh! Lol. The induction and labor was 35+ hours. Very very very long. And we were all ready to give up...get that C-section no one wanted...when Victoria calmly said "You know what? Let's give it another hour." I wanted to cry. I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours and I was going to end up on the surgeons table after all that waiting and exhaustion. Victoria gave me as much time as she could. 1 hour or 2 later, I suddenly felt a crazy need to push. So she came back to check my dilation and suddenly I went from 7 to full 10! How did she know I just needed some time? Time to PUSH!! YASSSSS! Pushing was the best part. That took no time at all. And suddenly I had a perfect baby on my chest. No c-section. Pure miracle. All thanks to the patience and faith the midwives have. No medical intervention, no pressure, no rush, no panic. A woman's body is truly, truly a miracle blessed by nature. We were designed to give birth and on our own body's timeline. Post partum support with midwives was awesome too. They vetted for post partum depression, checked on my perninal tear, talked and administered birth control. I am basically going to use the midwives as my general doctor. Did you know they do that? Yup! You can do your annual check ups with them :) Anyways this is probably the most personal Yelp review ever hahaha. Look at the handiwork that Victoria caught on that first day of spring at 3 am. Eden is 1 year old already. What a blessing and what a miracle these 6 women at NW midwives are. I'll be forever in debt to them my entire life.

I don't even know where to start with this review - we owe Christine so much. We were so tired of…read morebeing treated like cattle by hospitals, with midwives giving us conflicting information, not listening to us, and leaving us feeling unsafe. So we reached out to Christine and In Tandem for a consultation. I honestly have always been a bit skeptical and afraid of home birth, so I came armed with a lot of questions. But once we talked (virtually) to Christine, we immediately felt compassion and care. She is the perfect guide - never pushing her own agenda, listening, but not afraid to give you her opinion. She backs everything up with science and her experience. Christine put us at ease throughout our pregnancy - That was the exact opposite to what we had experienced at our hospitals. She always listened, and even involved our oldest kiddo during visits. Christine and her team were amazing during our son's birth, we felt so safe and cared for. We had great postpartum care as well, coming to our home and checking on my partner, answering questions, and again, involving our older kiddo. It's been almost two years since, and we still miss Christine!

PART 2/2 (finishing our review on my husband's account due to character limit):…read more Now for the postpartum care. This is the most unique part of choosing midwifery care and in my opinion, the #1 reason to do so. Whereas in the traditional obstetric model you typically see your provider one time at 6 weeks (often just to make sure you don't have any signs or symptoms of postpartum mood disorder, to discuss birth control, and to clear you for sex and physical activity), Christine sees clients and their new babies about 6 times in the first 6ish weeks after birth. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all postpartum visits have been at home. These visits are about so much more than just you and your baby's physical well-being; they are focused on the entire family, involving older kiddos in the home, and it's evident that Christine genuinely cares about how everyone is adjusting and doing emotionally. For the first two weeks of your baby's life, Christine's license includes the provision of all routine pediatric care, saving you from additional appointments or trips out of the home so you as the birthing person can focus on recovering and celebrating your growing family. Again, the level of attentiveness and family-centered care received is unmatched. After the birth of our first son, I dealt with a resurgence of a lifelong struggle with anxiety related to the transition to parenthood. Until I connected to a community of West Seattle mama friends, I can genuinely say Christine and Taylor were the women who provided me with the most support. After the birth of our second son, I experienced some unexpected postpartum complications that required me to page Christine. I could have easily been sent to the Emergency Department for the symptoms I was experiencing, but Christine took the time to come evaluate me in the comfort of my own home and provide me with additional testing and support. If anything page-worthy arises during your time in care with In Tandem, you will receive a response promptly, and instead of a nurse line as in hospital-based care, you get to talk to your midwife directly. If you are looking for perinatal care that will change your life, look no further than In Tandem. The name of the practice is so fitting as your midwife will walk hand-in-hand with you and your family every step of the way. Pregnant families--run don't walk to In Tandem Midwifery!

As an anxious first time mom, I was underwhelmed by the lactation visit I had with Andrea. During…read morethe appointment - she never checked my child's latch, looked from her chair and asked if it felt okay. Would have appreciated some more guidance since again, I was a new mom that was very unsure of how and what to look for in the latch. But, she continued to push supplements that would "help" my supply. I left there with zero confidence and ended up supplementing with formula. Also received the bill 6 months later. Would not recommend her services.

Andrea is wonderful! I was a super anxious first time mom and she was so attentive and responsive…read moreto all of my questions and concerns throughout my pregnancy. I was so pleased with the care I received. When it came time for delivery she was super responsive and knew exactly when to come and be with my husband and I at my home. We ended up delivering at the hospital because of meconium and Andrea handled the transfer so quickly and smoothly! My husband and I were both very scared and she was very reassuring and calming. She and her team made a chaotic transfer seem like a walk in the park. Once we got to the hospital, she didn't leave my side until hours after my birth. My husband and I were so thankful for her support and guidance. Thanks to her, Felicia, and Sadie, I was able to labor at home basically right up until I delivered my son. I'm so thankful for her and will definitely use her services for future pregnancies! I seriously cannot recommend her highly enough.

Waited for 1 hour OVER the time when the doctor was supposed to see me to discuss the results of…read morethe ultrasound. Then someone came in and told me that the doctor who was supposed to see me had an emergency so she was going to let me know about my results. We spent 5 minutes talking about a lab test I knew would cost me mostly out of pocket. Long story short, I later received a bill for $591 for this horrible experience. Also, received a separate bill from the hospital itself for the same exact thing. When I confronted Pediatrix about this they told me Caroline Kline charged me for, "reading of the ultrasound." The ultrasound tech also just left and never wiped off the cream or took the towel off. She just left saying she might be back. And after a while I got tired of laying on my back since I'm pregnant so I sat up and removed it myself. The ultrasound was apparently finished. Talked to my midwife about this and was told I could have left after the ultrasound was finished and did not need to wait. Horrible experience and never planning to go back again.

We were referred here for a 33 week ultrasound and had a really bad experience. The tech was rude,…read morewe had no idea what we were looking at, and the photos we were sent home with were awful (just blobs) - it was as if the tech was rushed and didn't want to give us the time of day. Then we got to spend 30 minutes with the Dr trying to persuade us into giving birth at the hospital vs our birth center...We left know the baby was 100% healthy which was great, but other than that I would NOT recommend.

Have you experienced extreme pain having an IUD installed? PLEASE go to this facility if you'd like…read moreto be on anesthesia for an IUD procedure. The anesthesia will very likely be out of pocket cost, but it was worth every penny! Now for the rest of my review: After experiencing horrendous care at other OBGYN facilities in my more local area, I was first terrified to change to this location for an IUD procedure but I was recommended it by a friend. The doctor called me ahead of my procedure to answer any questions and he was super kind over the phone making me feel so much more comfortable. Day of the procedure there was a bit of a wait as it was filled with appointments. But the waiting room was nice as we all got to watch a Netflix show to pass the time. Once I was called in, the staff were very nice and very efficient to get me ready. And the anesthesiologist was so funny my nerves were completely settled before they put me under. Next I remember being fully dressed and they guided me to a low lit room with comfortable recliners that had such a peaceful ambience. The nurses were kind to answer my questions I had about how the procedure went while I was in that room which was promptly followed by the doctor who did my procedure. She came in to ask how I felt and how I was doing and I just felt an overwhelming sense of care and compassion at this facility that I've never experienced before anywhere else in medical care, I nearly cried from how happy I was. (That could have also been the after effects of the anesthesia but the emotions were still genuine). I was sent home with a little bag of overnight pads and information on my IUD device. My pain levels after never got above a 2/10, and they sent me home with a pain meds prescription for the following few days to address any cramping I might feel. I cannot put into words how thankful I am to this facility, the staff, and the doctors that made my experience here incredible, and comfortable, and safe. I don't care how long of a drive it is for me, I will always only go to this place for OBGYN needs in the future.

I received the best card ever. At first I was so nervous going in. The medical staff told me that I…read moream going to be fine and all of them were really nice and sweet.

I gave birth at 40 weeks and 3 days. Two days before delivery, I called to inform you that I was…read moresick. Instead of providing a prescription covered by my insurance, I was only given a list of medications to buy. Because I was very sick, I had to go to Walgreens and spend over $100 on medications that I could have received for free with a prescription. Later, I tested positive for COVID-19 and informed your team. The only response I received was "I'm sorry you have COVID, stay in quarantine for 5 days." At no point was I informed that COVID could lead to early labor. The day before delivery, when I entered active labor, I called again. My information was sent to Providence Everett, but I received no encouragement or support from any of the midwives. Ultimately, I had to undergo an emergency C-section because my baby's heart rate was unstable, and my newborn was transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital due to meconium aspiration. I did not hear from Sprouts until four days after my baby's birth, and the call was simply to say, "I'm sorry you went through that, let us know when you want to schedule your postpartum appointment." When I scheduled and came to my appointment, I felt dismissed and disrespected. At the front desk, I was asked "where's the baby" in an ironic tone, followed by "oh, I forgot, she's at the NICU." In my visit with Deborah, my concerns about missed communication and risks associated with my prolonged pregnancy were rejected instead of acknowledged with empathy. Despite my disappointment, I continued with follow-up appointments for postpartum care and birth control because I had no other provider at that time. However, I have consistently felt unsupported. Most recently, when I asked for an all-purpose nipple ointment (as recommended by the lactation team and nurses at Seattle Children's Hospital), I received a dismissive and questioning response instead of the prescription I needed. At this point, I believe the care I received from Sprouts Birth Center has fallen short of the support, compassion, and professionalism that should have been provided. For these reasons, I respectfully do not recommend this birth center at all.

Loved Mayya and Deborah (plus assistants and midwive students) for my midwifery care! This is my…read morethird birth (all water births); second out of hospital birth. I will always recommend out of hospital/midwife care, especially Sprout Birthing Center. Prenatal care: On point all around. All the traditional tests were offered to me to ensure there weren't any apparent complications that would make my pregnancy or birth high-risk. Birth: At the center. Arrived a little after 9pm to help move the pregnancy along (11 days overdue!). After hours birth meant my immediate family was able roam the center without interfering with day-to-day operations. My son was born at 11:01pm. Mayya and Brittni didn't rush me and didn't argue me when I said it was time to push. They let me control the birth. Their roles were simply to make sure we were healthy. After having a hospital birth with my second son, I can't rave enough about how much its truly means to drive your own birth. I was free to leave around 2 or 2:30am. 5 hours at the center and in home in bed to rest and heal! Can't complain about that! Postpartum Care: Thorough. Never once did I feel I wasn't being listened to. Billing: No issues as of yet ‍. I'll update if needed.