When I first found out I was pregnant with my second baby I knew that I wanted to attempt a home…read morebirth. I search online for the best midwifes in SF and Maria popped up. After my first in person visit with Maria and Suzannah I felt confident in my decision. My husband, who was apprehensive at first of a home birth, also felt more at ease. Throughout my pregnancy, Maria was there for me physically and emotionally every step of the way. The student midwife/photographer, Suzannah, was even able to schedule a maternity photo shoot for me! Once it came time for my labor I was met with a hands on team, compassion, and professionalism. Since I had a toddler at home, my husband had to take care of the little one for parts of the labor. Maria filled in the gaps that were needed when my husband couldn't be present. Overall, having a home birth was such a special, intimate, and pure moment. It was the best decision I could have made for myself, my baby, and my family. I did not anticipate how fulfilled and proud of myself I would feel. Thank you Maria and Suzannah for supporting me through my pregnancy and labor. You both helped create such a calm and safe environment for me to bring my baby into the world. The support I felt from other women during this journey is unmatched. I could not have gotten this type of support and compassion in a hospital setting. I will definitely be reaching out to Maria when we're ready for baby #3!

We used Maria for our two boys, one born in 2018, and one in 2021. Both experiences were great…read more Through both pregnancies, we had ample time in appointments to get to know each other. She had calm and thoughtful responses to our questions, and a refreshing openness to discuss benefits and concerns at any stage without giving any feeling of pressure. By the time my wife was in labor with our first boy, we had complete trust that Maria could encourage and guide us through labor and delivery at home. We chose a home-birth for our second son, too. Maria always stays steady, clear, and calm, exactly the type of person you'd want at such a special and transformative event. Just like all the other reviewers, we can thank Maria enough - she is a true gem!

Have you ever met someone and thought to yourself, dang, that human was born to do this kind of…read morework and has a real gifting for it? That was my thought about Lauren after meeting her for the first time (she taught our 6 week birth prep course). This woman was in her element. She cared, she was knowledgeable, and and she lit up the room. To our pleasant surprise and an epic answer to prayer, she ended up being our doula and what a gift she was in that space for us too. Lauren knew when to say or do something and the art of not saying or doing. We ended up having a dream birth and I'm not sure I would have been able to do it without her support. She was a part of the dream birth. She came along and partnered with me and my husband in a way that complemented and strengthened. Lauren helped me to trust myself and my body. There are no guarantees with birth. I don't love Lauren because I had a dream birth; I love her because of who she is and am so grateful she was with us and for us in the tender, sacred space of birth. No doula is for everyone, but if something about her resonates with you, book a call to see if there's a match.

Lauren is incredible! She helped me bring both of my babies into the world and I couldn't imagine…read morethe birth experience without her. She brought such a truly compassionate, intuitive, calming, and empowering presence to the experiences, and navigated all of the twists and turns with us. She felt like part of the family, and made us feel so held throughout the entire process from prenatal to postpartum. I couldn't recommend Lauren more highly. I almost want to have another baby just to be able to work with her again! If you're considering hiring her, DO IT! She's the absolute best.

I can't imagine how my experience could have been better and wholeheartedly agree with all the…read moreother comments. I also can't wait to have more babies just so we can do all of this again :) Having Sue by my side in this journey made all the difference in the world. Thank you so much! We were so lucky to find Sacred Body Midwifery, and if you reading this looking for a midwife - you are lucky too.

Sue is amazing!! She was our midwife from several months in and supported us even post-birth…read more One thing I didn't consider until we started with a midwife-- It's SO MUCH BETTER having Sue checkups than traditional doctors. She also came to our home, which was heaven-sent as I was SUPER nauseous and the last thing I wanted to do was get into a car during part of the pregnancy. My husband and I had a couple of appointments for ultrasounds, etc, before I knew about midwives and one of them was awful. He and I were more stressed out than when we entered. Sue is kind, patient, and understands it's not just about "OH, yup, you're pregnant"-- It's about your state of mind, mental preparations, understanding options, and more. She has so many years of experience and listens and treats you with respect and kindness... I spoke with a number of midwives and all of them seemed great but there is something very special about Sue - She's very holistic and helps guide other midwives, something I thought was amazing. She even helped an acquaintance of mine who was in our home birth class have a natural birth - after a cesarian! (VBAC for those of you who are new like I was -- Very few will help with this sort of thing.) My situation was a bit wild and crazy, but Sue had MANY great tips for us and getting through some unexpected patches and even being like a counselor to us after the birth (she stopped by several times and ... Wew... hormones..) She's well-known in the community by others and doulas as well. When my husband and I were panicking during various situations, she was available to help guide us and even did home visits. If you're not sure - Give her a call / email! I can't imagine what it would have been like without her help! Thank you Sue!

I don't have enough good things to say about Shannon and her business. She was absolutely…read moreincredible from start to finish. From the very first phone call I felt so comfortable and genuinely heard. She took the time to answer every question and listen to my previous birth story and never made me feel rushed. She listened with understanding and compassion and for the first time I truly felt like a care provider was really listening to me. For my first birth, I had a typical hospital birth with a typical OB. Although I did not have a traumatic experience, I wanted something different for my second time around. I found Shannon and it truly was a blessing. The level of care and attention to detail was above and beyond anything I had experienced before. When the day came to give birth, having her there made me feel so safe supported and empowered. If I was ever to do this again, I would not hesitate to use Shannon and her team and have another home birth. It truly was a defining experience and something that I believe that all women should be able to experience. If you're looking for a quality Midwife service that treats you like family and truly listens to you look no further. I cannot recommend Shannon enough!

We cannot recommend Shannon and her team enough. They made us feel cared for with so much warmth…read moreand expertise. From the first consultation phone call, I knew the fit was perfect. We always looked forward to our prenatal visits at Shannon's lovely office in North Berkeley. It felt like visiting a friend and the conversations flowed naturally, with a lot of attention to detail and with authenticity. We never felt rushed through any of the process nor pressured to make any decisions we were not comfortable with. During our daughter's birth, Shannon and Tara attended to me and baby with so much care, expertise. Even though it was such an intense experience, I felt absolutely safe in their hands. Postpartum, they check in on you with home visits and giving baby so much love and warmth. In every interaction you feel so genuinely cared for. It's clear Shannon and team give every birth so much special attention. We will absolutely be working with Shannon again for baby #2!

Michelle is incredibly thoughtful, thorough, and well-educated. She clearly cares deeply about what…read moreshe does with helping women and families have the best birthing experience possible. Michelle helped me navigate a GBS positive diagnosis and weigh the pros and cons of taking antibiotics. She provided many insightful studies, backed her information with data, and gave me a well-rounded viewpoint of my personal situation so I could make the most informed and confident decision possible. She was made for her job and those who are lucky enough to work with her are in fantastic hands!! High recommend Michelle!!

We had the absolute pleasure of working with Michelle during what was a particularly intense…read morepregnancy. Choosing to work with Michelle was by far the best decision and for us, and she came highly recommended by four other midwives in the community. I interviewed multiple midwives, and even hired someone else originally, but once Michelle came into our lives, we knew we had made the right choice. From the beginning, she had such a calm warm energy and so knowledgable! I think it has been said before that Michelle is a human encyclopedia. Michelle also had great recommendations for anything you would ever need pre and postpartum such as physical therapists, massage, doula, childbirth classes and so on. She worked seamlessly with the doula that we had and they both had an incredibly way of making us feel so comfortable and supported. One of the many things I really appreciated about Michelle was how empowered I always felt to make choices and how much information she was able to provide in order for me to make those decisions. Another invaluable resource from Michelle is the network that you get connected to within the Welborn Baby community. I have gotten so much help, advice, referrals, event info, daycare/school info and so much more from the community. Michelle has touched our lives in such a special way, and we will never forget our experience having her in our home. I know she is in high demand so if you get a chance to work with her, I can't recommend her enough!

Amanda was our midwife for our second child and we had a better experience than we could have…read moreimagined. We used east bay midwives for prenatal care, home birth and post natal care. Amanda brought both experienced midwifery care (our son was her 314th birth!) and a strong level of personal care. She is a birth worker that truly loves what she does, is incredibly skilled in her work, and has a deep sense of care for the mothers, families, and babies she works with. We were so impressed by how supported we felt during the entire pregnancy, birth, and post partum period. I truly wish every mother could receive midwifery care as exceptional as east bay midwives. We also had excellent experience with Grace and Sophia- the team that Amanda works with are also amazing birth workers. I highly recommend east bay midwives to someone that wants a safe, supported home birth with experienced and loving help!

Had the home birth of my dreams; Amanda was with me starting 10 weeks gestation. She helped me…read moreovercome my worries, carried my troubles and showed up for me even during her own maternity leave. She was committed, confident and graceful. Amanda was excited for my birth and respected what I needed. From pregnancy, labor and delivery to postpartum; she showed me how the right care can make the world of a difference in one of the most powerful, challenging and vulnerable times. What an amazing way to bring life into the world.

My family and I are very grateful to both Evaly and Morgan who were really thoughtful and…read moreknowledgeable midwives. We approached Evaly first since she is based out of Alameda where we live, and since I have a history of precipitous labors. Evaly took the first call while knitting which I found so cute (she later knit my kiddos the coziest beanie and socks which I cherish so much!) We then met Morgan through her and I have to say, they both are a great team together and complement each others' strengths. I find their energies to be grounding and receptive, and they were very on top of their games at the time of the actual birth. They were very flexible and non judgmental throughout and I didn't feel any shame around them because they're so salt-of-the-earth too. Postpartum care was tender and sweet. The combination of wisdom, experience, holding space, and judiciousness when it came to making sound medical decisions were the big brownie points for me! If you're considering a home birth in the Bay, we cannot recommend both Evaly and Morgan enough and we hope that they'll be there for my next birth as well!

Planning to have a homebirth was a dream of mine. And my daughter being my last baby , I was so…read moreexcited to be getting my dream. Evaly was amazing for my prenatal care, I felt so comfortable and cared for. I had a rough pregnancy with severe hyperemesis. I was also receive care through a OB's office. Hybrid care so to speak. My pregnancy took a turn when I developed Cholestasis of pregnancy and my dream of a home birth was no longer an option. I had to have a scheduled induction to make sure my baby would be okay. Evaly was there with my partner and I. She helped me through the hardest labor (no pain medication during the induction). She empowered me! I almost had my baby over the toilet! Her postpartum care was fantastic. We welcomed her like she is part of our family. My birth may not have gone as we planned but she made my hospital birth much better than I ever hoped. She is highly recommended!

Jen is such a sweet, kind person. She is definitely someone you want to have on your team when…read moreyou're in the midst of what might be the most exciting, yet vulnerable time in your life--the birth of your child. Jen was the apprentice midwife for my home birth but she might as well have been a regularly practicing fully certified midwife because she was as much involved in my check ups and the actual labor and delivery of my baby as my main midwife , Sue Baelen (also amazing! Highly recommended!) Jen has a very calm presence, and even though she is young, it's clear that she possesses so much wisdom that it feels very natural to trust her. She has a lot of experience with birth, having started as a doula. I always felt completely safe and honored in her care, both in the visits to my house for check ups and at the birth of my son. One of the best parts of the care I got from Sue and Jen were the check ups leading up to the birth. They came to my house and it felt like a combo medical check up and therapy session! They were always curious to hear how things were going, answer any questions I had and take care of my emotional and spiritual transition to motherhood, not just the physical. I loved getting to know Jen in these sessions and it created a lot of trust and closeness. The birth was everything I hoped it would be. It was hard, of course, but I knew I could do it in great part because of the support I had with my awesome team. I felt very safe with Jen and Sue, and they gave me a lot of confidence. Another best part was the after care. Jen and Sue came to our house several times over the 6 week period after my son was born. It was so wonderful to have them here checking on us, answering questions, sharing in our joy and alleviating the inevitable worries. Jen also did the prep and encapsulation of my placenta, which I also recommend. My recovery was remarkably quick and easy and I think the placenta pills really helped. Jen is a wonderful, kind, smart, caring person. You'll be well taken care of if you choose to work with her.

It is with such a grateful heart that I write this review about Jen. Jen played an invaluable role…read morein the birth of our child. She is hands down one of the warmest, intelligent, passionate, and strongest women I've ever met. And there's no way that I (in this case Dad) would have ever gotten through the labor process without her. I'm not exaggerating when I say this; and, I'm forever grateful. I hope that any future Dad reading this understands that Doulas are just as much for them as they are for their wives. (Btw, my wife is equally grateful for Jen, but just wanted to provide a different perspective, writing this from a Dad's point of view). Jen has the unique ability to take control of high-pressure situations while not offending or alienating anyone (and this is especially unique and effective given that she was dealing with someone, me, who is a super Type A, SF resident, on the cusp millennial). This demeanor really enabled constructive dialogues to occur between everyone in the delivery room (Mom, Dad, Nurse, Doctor) during multiple high-pressure situations. Jen understands that all Mom and Dad want to know are 1) what is going on, 2) what are their options, and 3) is Baby alright. Her empathetic approach enabled us to get through a very difficult delivery (40 hours of labor) and come out with a positive attitude. I highly recommend Jen and feel so privileged to know her. (Please reach out to me if you'd like more information about Jen as it relates to our delivery).

I recently had the pleasure of working with Rebecca as a lactation consultant, referred to me by my…read moremidwife. Rebecca made a fantastic first impression with her quick email replies. Maybe she could sense my desperation? Either way, we quickly set up an in-home visit (an invaluable bonus of not having to leave the house with a 2 week old baby). She not only had a very reasonable rate, but even offered a sliding scale. After struggling with breastfeeding in any and every way possible (latching, positioning, etc.), Rebecca's help was extremely welcomed. She was calm, confident, reassuring, caring and knowledgeable. We worked together for over 2 hours at that session, calling it quits at the baby's discretion. Although I don't have a "miracle worker" story about how everything was magically fixed and we lived happily ever after, I do have a happy ending the breastfeeding saga. It took a few more weeks (and a few more tricks) for me to really apply everything that Rebecca taught me in that session, but now my baby and I are pros, and I really do owe much of the success to Rebecca's help. I would highly recommend her services as a lactation consultant to anyone!

Rebecca Plum is an extremely talented, composed, and compassionate Midwife. I worked with Rebecca…read morewhile she was the primary Midwife for my doula clients, and from the very beginning I was impressed with the quality and the individually tailored care that she provided. I was first exposed to her work ethic and birth philosophy during our homebirth -team meeting. This is a time for everyone who is planning on attending the birth to gather and discuss the women's birth vision, discuss roles and prepare for various scenarios that might unfold. Rebecca smoothly moderated the session so that everyone knew what was expected of them which allowed us to all see ourselves as a team working to provide this couple with the love, respect and care that they deserved. What really stood out to me was Rebecca's deeply intuitive nature and her ability to address under currents and subtle signals, bring them into the conversation and positively harness all the unknowns and natural anxieties that can accompany birth. While being ever professional and remarkably prepared, she sparked an excitement in the air and made it down right fun. During the birth Rebecca continued to be the ever calm, smooth and joyful presence. As a doula, I have been a part of many birth teams and seen many provider's styles. Rebecca's style is at the core about trusting the birthing woman, the natural birth process, and giving the woman space to trust herself. She imbued the birth space with laughter and a true love for her work and the family that she served. It was contagious. Knowledge, experience, choice, and laughter- not a bad combination for a midwife!