Tatiana Koontz was the light we didn't know we needed…read more After a traumatic birth experience that shifted from a planned home birth to an unexpected hospital delivery, I was left feeling emotionally shattered and overwhelmed. Enter Tatiana-- the person who truly brought us back to life in postpartum. She met us exactly where we were -- exhausted, confused, and struggling -- and guided us with compassion, wisdom, and patience. We were facing major breastfeeding challenges, sleep deprivation, and navigating a tongue tie diagnosis, but she never made us feel like we were failing. Instead, she reminded us of our strength, and gently, consistently helped us find our way. She taught us so much -- not just about newborn care, but about trusting ourselves, creating calm in chaos, and moving through trauma with grace. She stayed for hours beyond what was required, cooked nourishing meals for us, held space for me emotionally, and made sure both my baby and I were cared for in ways that felt truly holistic and human. It's hard to put into words how much her presence meant to us. We were a first time family navigating deep postpartum pain, and she helped us and me feel safe again -- seen, supported, and empowered. If you are lucky enough to have Tatiana walk with you in postpartum, or pregnancy/birth know that you are in the most caring and capable hands. She is everything I needed in a time when I felt like everything was falling apart -- and she helped me piece it back together.

My family and I are so grateful we found Tatiana. We decided to do a home birth when I was 5 months…read morepregnant and after we met with her my husband and I knew she was going to be the one. Being under Tatiana's care is unlike anything I've ever experienced. She has a calming presence that makes you feel supported, heard, and loved. At each prenatal appointment Tatiana went above and beyond to make sure everyone in the family was taken care of. She'd ask my husband how he was doing, include our toddler in the routine checkups on baby, and gave our dog lots of attention & loving. She treated my whole self and made sure I was doing well mentally & physically. Our L&D was super fast, but extremely smooth thanks to her. As soon as Tatiana arrived she brought a grounding and calm energy to the room. She brought me back into my body and helped to coach me through it all. Following the birth Tatiana was a wizard cleaning up and tending to me all at the same time. There was a zero rush feeling, and we were truly able to bask in the newborn bliss & snuggles. Her postpartum visits and care was one of the major things that stood out to us when we originally met with her. We don't have any family here, so when Tatiana comes over it feels like she's a family member checking in and hanging out with us. She helps ease any concerns we have and again keeps our entire family involved. Tatiana is absolutely incredible & a true gem!! We don't know what we'd do without her!

Throughout my entire pregnancy Andrea has been nothing but a wealth of knowledge. Each one of our…read moreappointments covered essential information, blood test (if needed) and vitals as well as plenty of time to answer any questions and concerns we may have. Throughout our time together I always felt well taken care of and in excellent and experienced hands. During the birth I couldn't have asked for a better team - both emotionally and structurally (I love the space they gave my husband and I while in labor). Andrea was calming, soothing, and supportive when needed but also strong, firm, and assertive when I needed that extra help get me through a few tough pushes. Her years of experience and wealth of knowledge really shine during the birthing process. And I will hire her again a thousand times over with any future births I have.

I initially went to see Andrea 4 years ago in preparation for pregnancy. After much heartbreak and…read more4 years of fertility treatments, I finally got pregnant. In that time, though, Andrea provided me with tools and resources to help in my preparation for pregnancy. I didn't forget how helpful and kind she was when I was in the midwife interviewing stage. Now, that I'm pregnant with twins and it is a high risk pregnancy, I have a perinatologist that I work with, but I supplement with Andrea and it is the reason that my pregnancy has been so comfortable. If I were not high risk, I would have had a home birth with Andrea. Andrea is always available to answer my questions about alternative methods to manage my pregnancy. Out of all my pregnant friends, most of whom are significantly younger than I am and with singletons, I have had the easiest and more comfortable pregnancy. I totally attribute that to Andrea. I feel like she is a partner in my pregnancy and that gives me tremendous comfort when dealing with western doctors. I highly recommend Andrea as a midwife.

My birth experience was an absolute dream! I knew I wanted a natural birth, so I interviewed a…read morehandful of midwifes around San Diego county. I highly recommend Mother to Mother! With an entire hour of face time at each prenatal appointment, my questions were always thoroughly answered. I rotated appointments with all the midwifes and loved them all! These ladies really make sure that you and your baby are supported physically AND emotionally. Of course, family and friends thought I was a bit crazy to opt for a home birth. They warned me that "the first baby is the hardest" to birth and that I would need an epidural. I am SO glad that I went with my gut instead! I felt amazingly comfortable giving birth in my own space. Everything went smoothly and I felt safe and supported by my midwives the entire time. It was wonderful to be able to snuggle up to my baby immediately and not worry about traveling anywhere. The midwives even came to my home a few additional times after the birth to check on baby and me. Administratively, the team is organized and has a spectacular office manager who is always quick to answer my emails. She took care of billing my insurance, so I didn't have to deal with any paperwork! How we bring our babies into this world matters. If you are looking for a smart, experienced, loving team, I highly recommend Mother to Mother. My baby is now 6 weeks old and I am happy to report that we are both doing fantastic!

I don't even know where to start... maybe I'll start by saying that The midwives and staff and…read moreMother to Mother midwifery have gone above and beyond all expectations for me as a pregnant woman, during my birth and as a new mother. After watching the business of being born- and my mom telling me her horror story of my birth in the hospital- I began researching my options for a home birth. I decided to do a home birth after meeting with Brooke and Sunshine. Lovely, absolutely lovely people. The whole staff, just so beautiful and kind. Yes, I was worried I would be loud at home while I labored... but the facts are: 1. you labor at home for the most part if you have planned hospital birth anyway and 2. after your baby is born you're going to rethink exactly what it was you ever 'worried' about. During your pregnancy you'll have regular checkups, there is an emergency line to call (which I had to use because of some worrisome braxton hicks, and they were very quick to respond), you can go get a sonogram at a cute little place they'll refer you to, they do all of your blood tests there (Brooke is a certified nurse midwife), any questions at all they answer and even have books they loan you and they also have mixers which are really great to meet new or soon to be moms. They were also really sensitive to my requests to alter the language they used. For example, I wanted to use the word surges instead of contractions. Which seems like such a silly thing in retrospect, but it just goes to show how kind and sensitive these women were to my wants and needs as a patient. My birth was 9.5 hours and I had a 6.5 pound baby. No tears, yippee!!! So.... this was a relatively easy first birth. It was incredibly painful (I'll spare you the details) but I was surrounded by women that I love and trust and that made a HUGE difference. It was exactly what I wanted and had envisioned. The midwives come to check up on you and your baby at your home a couple times, then you take your baby to a pediatrician. It's so wonderful to just stay at home with your baby and not have to worry about getting out of the car to get to the hospital. But in hindsight... I wish I would have hired a postpartum doula. To have somebody there with you to help with the transition, breastfeeding and just to have somebody knowledgeable about newborns can really alleviate a lot of stress and fear. It's like, one day you're a free woman- then the next it's baby, baby, baby... 24/7! About 8 months after my baby was born- I started getting bouts of depression. I asked the midwives about it and they were incredibly helpful. I attended one of their mixers, met some moms and got some information on Postpartum Depression. I was even offered a follow up appointment to talk to Brooke. Midwives are not therapists, or psychologists... but they KNOW and they have TONS of experience with moms. That one meeting with Brooke has helped me receive more clarity and insight into my situation than anything else. You hire these midwives to help you birth your baby. But what you also get is peace of mind, lifelong friends, a loving community and the support you will need as a new mom.

I can not say enough great things about the hynpobirthing class with Care Messer. My partner and I…read moreare first time parents and did not know the first thing about the labor and delivery process. We were very unsure about everything and looking for direction. In class we learned about what the different labor and delivery options are, what to expect from hospitals, and different techniques to use during labor. We now feel we have the tools to better understand the whole process and make the decisions that are right for us and our family. The class addressed all of my questions and I feel like the information was presented in a very unbiased way, not to mention Care is super funny and the time in class flys by! I would recommend this class to all of my friends and family.

If you are pregnant, book your class asap! I can't rave enough about their approach to preparing…read morefor birth. My husband had two kids from a previous relationship, but still was able to learn things he hadn't been present for with them. It improved our communication surrounding my pregnancy and birth, even when it took a different turn. We'd made it through four of the five classes when my son decided to he needed to get out at 30 weeks. I had so many tools in my toolbox that I felt prepared, even during the scary prospects of having preeclampsia and a NICU baby. I'm so grateful for Care and her entire team. Such a blessing!!!!

Please think twice before choosing Heather LeMaster as your provider…read more I wish I had listened to my intuition sooner and not ignored the many red flags I encountered throughout my care. I'm writing this review for anyone considering her as their midwife -- I encourage you to truly, deeply reconsider whether she is the right fit for you. From early on, I felt invalidated and dismissed. I had chronically low blood sugar throughout my entire pregnancy, and rather than receiving the support and care I needed, Heather denied my symptoms and was dismissive of my concerns. Instead of offering evidence-based guidance, I was shamed -- for eating fruit, for eating carbs -- at a time (first trimester) when I was sick and just trying to get through each day. Her constant warnings about delivering a "sugar baby" felt more like threats than medical advice, adding to my stress and confusion. I consulted the rest of my care team, including my PCP, and Heather heavily criticized that decision, routinely telling me that they did not know what they were talking about. She also claims to practice spinning babies, but none of what we did during my pregnancy aligned with the true Spinning Babies exercises and practices that my Doula had me practicing. It was frustrating, as I initially sought out a Spinning Babies provider. In addition to that, the one time I used the 24-hour help line, no one responded to me for over 16 hours. In her practice, she relied far too heavily on forms and checklists in an online portal, and rarely showed the kind of human care and emotional support that is absolutely essential in midwifery. When things got scary and I truly needed her -- emotionally and physically -- she simply was not there in the ways that mattered most. We ended up having to transfer to a hospital instead of our planned home birth, and despite it being in the contract, Heather did not transfer with us and was not involved in the birth at all. She sent a pathetic text message after hearing from her assistant encapsulating the placenta that the birth had happened. Looking back, I realize that, despite Heather always making me feel as if it was my direct fault when something went wrong, what actually went wrong with my birth wasn't about my body or my baby -- it was about my decision to stay with a provider who made me feel unheard, unsupported, and often blamed. That choice is something I now deeply regret. One of the most hurtful moments came in early postpartum (2 weeks), when she tried to go behind my back and privately consult my husband in an attempt to pressure me into medication -- after I had explicitly told her that I was not interested. She also pressured me to start it ASAP, as it can take a month to "kick in" and I "obviously needed it." Since my experience, I've met several others in the industry who shared similar concerns about her care. Many of them were just as confused as I was by the glowing reviews she has received, given the inconsistency in her approach and lack of real support. This further confirms my decision to speak out, as I hope others will be more cautious when choosing their provider. This review isn't written lightly -- my birth was over 8 months ago. It's written from a place of hoping that someone else who feels any of those early twinges of doubt listens to themselves and chooses a care provider who will honor them, respect them, and hold space for the incredibly vulnerable journey of birth.

Heather is an amazing midwife! This was my first VBAC birth and she helped settle all my fears,…read moremade me and my boyfriend feel cared for and took the time to answer all questions I had and wake me through my pregnancy step by step! She was the voice of reason I needed during my birth and with her support as well as the support of my family my beautiful baby boy was born with no need of a hospital or repeat c-section!

So much gratitude to this amazing doula duo!!…read more From the first time we met with April and Joy we felt comfortable and confident in our decision to work together. We are from out of town and I came down to San Diego first as my husband had to finish work and it was very reassuring to have April and Joy as part of our birth team in case I went into labor earlier than expected. Throughout my pregnancy all the resources, check ins, and words of encouragement that April and Joy provided were much appreciated. They were also very quick to respond to any questions/concerns that I had. The morning of my delivery my surges came in very quickly. I contacted Joy and April right away and shortly after had a phone conversation with Joy to confirm it was time to head to the hospital. She met my husband and I there and it was such a relief to see and have her support during the most challenging part of my labor. Her calming presence, hands on comfort measures were invaluable and she worked so harmoniously with the hospital staff. The photos she captured of our first moments with our second born are truly priceless. After delivery I had unexpected bleeding and I'm so thankful to have Joy's knowledge on the different types of medications. She helped slowed things down and explained the benefits of them for my case and I felt confident in my decision making. I am incredibly thankful for April's belly binding offering postpartum. The foot bath and belly massage was such a treat and it was a lovely way to wrap up our time together with her. There isn't a single thing I would have changed with my birth experience. April and Joy are a fantastic team, highly highly recommend them!

Working with Joyful Roots was truly one of the best decisions we made, and I can honestly say that…read moreJoy and April are the number one thing I credit for helping me have such a beautiful, positive birth experience. Before giving birth, I was someone who felt really nervous and unsure about the whole experience. But after going through it, I genuinely tell everyone that I loved giving birth, which is something I never thought I would say! That is such a testament to the incredible support and care Joy and April provided throughout my pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience. My hope going into birth was to labor naturally at home as long as possible and remain open to getting an epidural once I was at the hospital and further along in active labor. They helped me achieve exactly that. While we were laboring at home, April was the one on the phone coaching my husband and me through contractions, helping us feel safe and calm. She offered different suggestions for positions and comfort measures that made such a difference. My husband shared after that he would have been freaking out much more and probably would have pushed going to the hospital earlier if it was not for her guidance. When Joy met us at the hospital, I instantly felt a huge sense of comfort and relief the moment I saw her. She was tremendously helpful supporting me through contractions with her touch through different comfort measures. After I got the epidural, she continued to be so knowledgeable and helped position me in ways that encouraged baby to be in the best possible position for birth. He was more to the side before but she made such a difference in getting him in a great position. What stood out most to me was how deeply seen and understood I felt by her. She was so in tune with my needs, emotions, and what I needed in each moment in a way that felt different from anyone else present in the room at my birth. Her presence was grounding and incredibly reassuring. Even after I gave birth, when I was feeling overwhelmed by all the emotions and hormones, she noticed immediately and supported me so thoughtfully and gently. That care meant so much to me. I know hiring a doula is an investment, but truly, it was one of the greatest gifts I could have given myself, my family, and my birth experience. If you are considering working with Joyful Roots, I cannot recommend Joy and April enough.

Simply put- best decision I've ever made…read more This practice combines modern medicine with midwife intuition, teaching, and deep wisdom. I've never experienced holistic care quite like the Circle Midwifery team. Story time -- my baby was in the perfect position my entire pregnancy... until late in the game when they surprised us by turning breech. As nerve-wracking as that moment was, it also felt like witnessing something incredible. Watching the midwives calmly and confidently work together to encourage my baby to flip was amazing. Each of them knew exactly what to do, and they surrounded my fear with such grounded, focused, and reassuring energy. I felt completely supported -- it was truly a privilege to witness them do what they were clearly put on the planet to do! I've truly never felt so much love and support from a medical care team. I absolutely loved my experience with Your Circle Midwifery. From my husband's perspective: They heard my concerns about home birth without ever dismissing them. Instead, they made me feel informed, respected, and genuinely comfortable with the entire process. I appreciated the personalized care for my wife, our baby and her specific needs They provided incredible support during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum We are forever grateful for this team.

These talented beauties cared and coached us in the home birth I have been dreaming of. They had my…read moreback as I labored and eventually birthed my baby boy at home. I could not have done it without them. I highly recommend them if you want a natural empowered birth. They kept us safe and supported as I did the hardest best thing I've ever done.

If you are thinking about reaching out to Aly at New Wave consider this your sign to DO IT…read moreIMMEDIATELY! It will be the best decision you make for yourself and your new family. From the earliest days of postpartum, Aly met me with kindness, calm, and such deep knowledge that I instantly felt supported and safe. She gently taught me the intricacies of breastfeeding and lactation, helped me understand my newborn in ways that felt empowering instead of overwhelming, and somehow always knew what I needed before I even had to ask. She cared for my baby overnight on several occasions so I could actually rest, but we spent a lot of our time together during the day when she cooked meals, helped keep my space together, and made those foggy early weeks feel manageable and human. But what makes Aly so special is that she never just cared for my son--she cared for me. She encouraged me to take showers, watched the baby while I squeezed in a workout once the time felt right for my body, and slowly helped guide me back to feeling like myself again. Her support was lighthearted and warm, yet deeply grounding. She brought peace into our home during such a tender, vulnerable season, and I will forever be grateful for the way she showed up for our family. Aly is a gift, and anyone lucky enough to have her as their doula is truly in the best hands.

I am a true believer of postpartum doula care after working with Aly and her team! As a first time…read moreparent, I was really nervous about raising a baby and the toll postpartum takes on a new mom. The care I received from Aly's team made a HUGE difference in my experience. We worked with Aly, Naomi, Ledale, and Tori - who provided night support for 6 weeks. I couldn't recommend them enough. Everyone was focused on both newborn education and the mental/physical wellbeing of parents. It was so nice to have someone to talk to about my baby - what her personality is like, care goals to work on, and just providing humor to the whole experience. Naomi, our primary doula, went above and beyond at this and I was sad to see her go after our 6 weeks was up. I wish everyone could have this type of support postpartum because it made the newborn trenches so much better.