After 2 traumatic hospital births, I made it my mission to have a home birth, so choosing the right…read moremidwife was incredibly important. From our initial interview, Ariana immediately calmed my concerns and made me feel safe, supported, and confident in my decision. Throughout my pregnancy, she was professional, knowledgeable, calm, and genuinely kind. During my water birth, she advocated for me beautifully and handled family dynamics like a true professional so I could stay focused and supported during labor. The Doula was key in easing my contractions. She also recommended an amazing pre- and postpartum doula and gave me wonderful postpartum care and healing recommendations that truly helped my recovery. I'm so grateful for Ariana and cannot recommend her enough to anyone considering midwifery care. This is the personal care I wanted and beyond! Invest in yourself on your own terms and share a memory for you and your family for a lifetime!

I found Ariana online after having moved back to the area after 10 years, and having her serve as…read moremy midwife was the single greatest decision I made during my pregnancy. For my first birth in another state five years prior, I was under the care of midwives at a birthing center but was transferred last minute to hospital for an induction at 42 weeks. This birth at ~40 weeks with Ariana was at home, and without a doubt, this is what I would choose again in a heartbeat for any future pregnancies. From the very start, Ariana presented herself with exquisite professionalism and a real tangible warmth and compassion and that impression only grew stronger during my care. During all of my prenatal appointments, Ariana listened closely to my concerns and was able to readily recommend real solutions for the various symptoms I was feeling; her vast knowledge base and network of contacts in the birthing sphere and her steadiness and compassion always left me feeling encouraged and lighter after our checkups. She is ready with tried and true holistic and medical protocols for seemingly every scenario, checklists and resources to guide you through preparing for a home birth, and has contacts to refer you to for chiropractic care, bodywork, pelvic floor therapy, counseling, and more etc should you desire it (without ever pushing anything). On baby's birthday, I was feeling discouraged in my labor as my anatomy seems to predispose my babies to be positioned posterior, despite best preventative efforts. When Ariana arrived, the tone in the room immediately became lighter; she saw me through a particularly challenging contraction, and then with an encouraging smile and a "mama we got this" attitude presented some solid options to help me progress. Throughout the labor, Ariana's presence always made us feel secure and safe. Baby was stubbornly born sunny side up, but healthy and well, and I had no tearing, thanks to Ariana's incredible guidance and coaching. Afterwards, I was able to relish skin to skin time with my baby, while Ariana cared for us, cleaned everything, started wash, made me a snack, helped me shower and tucked us back into bed after a long night. My postpartum recovery experience this time was a night and day difference - emotionally, mentally and physically - it was all so much easier thanks to Ariana's care and her postpartum visits. Her steady spirit, her dedication to her patients, and her excellence in her craft is unmatched - she is born to do this.

Hiring Marlene and Kaleem was the best decision I could have made when I found out I was pregnant…read more They gave us the most incredible and loving care before, during and after our homebirth. They are insanely knowledgeable, calm, reassuring, experienced, loving....I could go on and on! I had an amazing and uncomplicated pregnancy, a powerful birth experience and a happy healthy baby girl and I know I have them to thank for that! Even my husband was thoroughly impressed with their care and he is very hard to impress!! These two wonderful midwives truly offer the best care a woman (and the whole family) could receive and they are worth so much more than what they charge. I could have had my entire birth paid for if I had seen a Dr and delivered at the hospital, but these two are worth every penny. We always felt special and never rushed at our appointments. They always made sure to tell us about all the options and helped us weigh the pros and cons of all the testing and procedures that come along with pregnancy. They always had perfect answers to my questions and their suggestions were always spot on. Everything they ever suggested that I do worked like a charm and you can really see how much they love what they do and how much they love each and every new baby! Please consider these one of a kind ladies to help you along your pregnancy journey!! You will not be disappointed

I LOVE these ladies! Before meeting Marlene and Kaleem I had never thought my dream of birthing at…read morehome would really come true. I was a little nervous at first but they were very reassuring that my body was meant to do this and as long as I had a normal pregnancy there should be no reason I could not delivery my child at home safely. Every visit with them was great and they always made us feel like we were one of their own children. They were always both very positive and uplifting. The day my daughter was born I don't know how I would have made it without my husband and the midwives help. The after care they provided was exceptional and I couldn't have imagined anything better!! I had some troubles with nursing right after my baby was born and it didn't matter what time of day it was; they were ready to come to me or would make time for me to see them no matter what. I would highly recommend One Heart for any woman who is even considering a home birth. To those of you who think we are all granolas and this would never be something for you, think again. It's one of the most amazing experiences you will ever have. Yes, of course there may be pain, but it's a pain that will end and you will never feel the high of seeing your baby born and knowing that YOU were the one who delivered him/her at any other point in your life. I once thought people like who I have become were crazy nuts, but actually being informed and choosing a safe drug free birth shows strength and courage to make that decision.

Angela is one of the best decisions my husband and I ever made for ourselves. She was referred by a…read morefriend with good taste, and we hired her as our doula for the birth of our baby last week. She was terrific all the way through. Very low key, there when we needed, super helpful, answered all our questions, reasonable pricing, reliable and most importantly made my husband and me feel sane/like we would totally be able to handle both birth and having a kid. And trust me when I say I am the last person who would feel confident about being able to do that. She actually (at our request) gave us a baby care boot camp - way better getting childcare info from her than from the classes at the hosp. And then she was with us for the whole birth - which we did at the hospital, might I add. She certainly does midwifery and home birthing, but I wanted a hospital birth and just the emotional support. She was terrific. When the doctors/nurses changed shifts, we still had her. When they made suggestions, we had her to ask what they meant/what she thought/advocate for us. When my epidural wasn't working, she pressed on my back and made it a thousand times better. After baby, she came and checked in on us and has been a resource for questions and information. Long story short: she is the best, ever. You should hire her immediately. Unless I am having another baby, in which case I have dibs.

Angela empowered me to have the labor and birth that I dreamed of having. If you are hoping for a…read morenatural birth- at home, hospital or otherwise- call this woman! My first labor was pitocin induced and I knew that for my second, I wanted to try to go into labor naturally. So I when I started to feel anxious at the end of pregnancy, I received prenatal massages & care from Angela. She is incredibly knowledgeable, competent and generous with her care- I left my appointments with questions answered that I didn't even know I had. Her advice and support was exactly what I needed to trust the process and have an intervention free birth. She came to the hospital the day of birth to take my placenta for encapsulation. And she is making home visits for the first baby check up- rather than taking a 3 day old baby & post-partum mama back to the hospital. My only regret is that I didn't hire Angela sooner. I thought that I would only ever give birth in a medical facility, but if I have another baby, I would want to home birth with Angela because of the superior level of care and the heart that she puts into her work. I cannot recommend her services highly enough.

I was referred to MiLC by hospital staff at Sutter Davis Hospital and by another mom…read more After seeing several lactation consultants and feeling kind of confused w/ continual challenges, Bethany at MiLC helped simplify everything, bust the myths, and give me and my baby a strong direction forward. We have been comfortably and confidently nursing after just a few visits, and I will likely continue to check in as long as I am lactating. I love that they take many different insurances and have a functional home-like space. They also provide hot teas and adorable teacups. Don't hesitate to talk about postpartum mental health, birth control, return to work, bottles/pumping, or other related topics. They will help where they can and often know where to refer for various things. Bethany is very knowledgeable, direct, and supportive. I love her sense of humor. She has helped me brainstorm and problem solve for things no one else on my care team has been able to. They fill a much-needed gap and do incredible work. Also, talking with Lindsey at the front desk feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket. :) All new mamas deserve the kind of help provided at MiLC.

I received super valuable lactation support during my hour long consultation. We troubleshooted…read moresome minor problems and I gained confidence that things were going well. Definitely worth a visit, even if you are a second time mom!

We have worked with Heather for both of our babies births. For our first, i unfortunately aged out…read morein gestation and ended up having to birth at a hospital. Which was a good experience, but not my original hope. When we got pregnant with our second I immediately reached out to Heather and expressed concern about our budget and previous timeline wondering if a home birth was even possible. Heathers response was "I want to give you your home birth, let's see what we can do." Every appointment with Heather I felt like I left learning something new because of how knowledgeable she is. She takes the time in explaining things with pure simplicity, which shows the passion she has for midwifery! Her compassion and tenderness make you feel like her sole purpose is to provide for you and your baby. Yet her lighthearted, joyful spirit helps you take on the hard parts of pregnancy with ease! I really can't say enough great things about Heather!! We also got to enjoy the care of Heathers student midwife, Grace. Let's just say, they are a dynamic duo you want for all things pregnancy/birth related. Our son was born at home, weighing a healthy 10 lbs 10 ounces. Would not have been able to do any of it without Heather and Grace!

Heather is outstanding. My husband and I met with her while exploring the idea of a home birth, and…read morewe never looked back. Everything she shared about her approach to care, experience, and knowledge aligned with our hopes for our birth experience. Thanks to her support, we had a successful home birth and were also connected with providers through her referrals. Highly recommend!

If you're in the market for a best in class midwife to assist with your home birth, I highly…read morerecommend Christie from Cambridge Midwifery Care. Christie did such an excellent job caring for me and my family from the first time we came to her clinic through pregnancy and birth and well beyond the postpartum period. Not only did Christie bring a deep knowledge of traditional midwifery care, but also her expertise around nutrition and the natural holistic approach of her practice were what made such a big difference for me in this pregnancy. The prenatal visits were detailed, personal and every discomfort I experienced was met with a suggestion on how to provide relief rather than it being dismissed as another pregnancy symptom. Along the way, Christie made sure to provide options and education for her treatment so I could make the best decision for me and my family. I couldn't have asked for a more positive and empowering home birth experience. Whether it's your first or fourth pregnancy, every woman should have the blessing to experience a natural childbirth and with the support of Christie I was able to do that in the most beautiful way, from the comfort of our home.

Christie was a wonderful presence during our prenatal appointments and home birth. She always had a…read morecalm and comforting demeanor that made us feel we were in good hands. Christie was one of three midwives that attended our birth. She woke our oldest daughter after our baby was born and led her into the room to meet her sister. My oldest still recalls this happy memory and felt very comfortable with Christie. She also allowed our daughter to help with the care of baby and mom after the birth, explaining things and giving her attention. We will always be grateful for her kindness, knowledge and care during the best experience of our lives. Much love and gratitude from the Cole family.

I didn't have a good birthing experience at Kaiser - I went into Kaiser with full intention of…read moreepidural but Kaiser didn't believe I was advancing fast and they asked me to wait until it was too late for epidural; what's worse was they didn't wait for my planceta to come out so they manually removed my planceta without any pain meds. Painful isn't enough to describe the experience. Pregnant with my second son, I didn't want to repeat the experience. Knowing I am likely birth fast again, I wanted to go without pain meds again, with as much help I can get, and natural birth of the planceta. I reached out to Tashina pretty late in my pregnancy. Knowing my situation, she responded to my email right away and managed to squeeze me into her schedule. She did a very thorough interview with me and my husband, fully understood what experience we are looking for and made amazing recommendations. She recommended me with a hospital I wasn't aware of that has great staff and with midwifery care. Since I was late stage pregnant (32+weeks), she pulled all her strings to help the new hospital accept me as a patient. And all the way up until the delivery date, she was only one text/call away for any questions I had. The birth was still painful, but with the midwifery care, Tashina's preparation with me and my husband, the hot tub setup, and her being there as my advocate, the birth was quick, smooth, and no manual extraction of placenta! My second son was almost 8lbs and no tear or stitches. Even weeks after birth, Tashina came visit and always checked in with me to help me with breastfeeding issues, baby colic issues etc. Tashina is so knowledgeable, caring and loving. We will always appreciate her help and she will always be a special person in my second sons life!

I'm convinced that fate brought Tashina into my life so I could have a beautiful, natural, and…read moreconfident first birth. Other than her deep knowledge of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, there is something extra special about Tashina and the calm presence she brings into your pre and post birth space. She not once shied away or avoided any of my questions or expectations for my birth and was so understanding of my boundaries around specific things. I felt absolutely safe and held by her to surrender to birth completely. Moreover, she helped my husband feel confident in supporting me in a natural birth too. All I can hope for is to have her at any of my future births as well! :) Thank you Tashina!

I worked with Rafeal during labor and postpartum. We didn't work much with her during pregnancy…read morebecause I started my doula search late, and gave birth early. However, she was amazing during my labor! She helped us understand the different options that were being offered to us while in active labor, and was an absolute rockstar during my delivery. I was SO thankful to have her there in the room. She alongside the midwife were my biggest cheerleaders and made me feel at ease and like I could do it. She was coaching me and making sure both myself and my partner were taken care of. She showed him how he could best support me, which meant so much. She made some house visits during postpartum which was fabulous. It was great to have her kind support during such a gentle transitional time.

Rafeal was the single worst part of my 48+ hour induction and unplanned c-section delivery. I'll…read moregive the high-level summary, which should be enough to dissuade anyone from hiring her. My husband and I offered a break to Rafeal about 5 hours after she arrived and after I received an epidural and she NEVER RETURNED. During this break it became increasingly likely that I would need a c-section, and when we requested Rafeal come to support us through it, she replied that was not a service she offered. We were left with no support for a traumatic and unexpected turn of events. I spent the moments before surgery frantically begging her to return to the hospital. By the time she agreed, the relationship had soured so much we didn't want her to be with us and we told her to forget it. Beyond our experience at the hospital, which should be sufficient enough to render her unqualified as a doula, she TEXTED me at 31 weeks to tell me she would be out of the state from weeks 38 to 40+3 of my pregnancy. This is completely manipulative and misleading as we had a signed contract for her personal services for weeks 38-42. She offered $200 refund and a backup doula for her unavailability. We should have terminated the relationship at this point as she had proven herself untrustworthy and her communication style unprofessional. I've never written a negative review before as I believe in handling unsatisfactory services directly with the provider. However, Rafeal has been unwilling to offer a partial refund or even an apology ("I'm sorry your birth was not what you needed it to be" is not an apology for her behavior). Instead, she asked if she could use my experience to further her training and sent me prayers and blessings. I'm highly confident any other doula, or no doula at all, would be better then Rafeal. I'm attaching photos of our text conversation because I wouldn't be surprised if Rafeal accuses me of misrepresenting the events of my experience with her. No one should have to "strongly ask" their doula to return to the hospital for delivery, regardless of delivery method.