When I got pregnant with my second baby, my doula recommended Justine. She had seen how Justine…read morehandled several tricky birth situations and felt confident that I would be in good hands. It didn't take me long to realize that she was 100% right. Not only is Justine kind and warm, but she continually educates herself with the newest research so that she can best serve the mothers and babies she works with. It was easy to go to appointments and bring my 5 year old son. The care, before and after baby, is next level:) Baby was sunny side up and I got very uncomfortable because her head was on my spine. So at 39 weeks, I asked Justine about natural induction techniques. We did a membrane sweep, then later that same day, I had Accupuncture and acupressure massage. My contractions started almost immediately when I left the appointment. Labor came on hard and fast, very differently than my first baby. At the birth center, Justine gave me the space to listen to my body. However, after a few very intense hours, nothing seemed to be moving the needle. I could feel myself running out of steam. I told her I needed to try something else, so she got me on the peanut ball. That did the trick - baby came out finally. Birth is just intense, in the hospital or out. In my situation, I surely would have had been made to have a c-section at the hospital. Justine's expertise allowed me to have the birth I wanted- and then go home and get in my own bed! I trust her completely and would definitely recommend her to anyone wanting to have an out of hospital birth.

I just had a baby at Bakersfield Birth Center with Justine (and her assistant Bri) and had the most…read morewonderful experience! I want to start by saying that Justine is highly gifted at what she does and puts her heart and soul into her work. It's very obvious that it's much more than work to her, midwifery is her calling and passion. Justine came highly recommended to me by many friends and acquaintances in my community who had wonderful experiences with her also. My first baby was born in a hospital and I had a less-than-ideal experience. When I got pregnant with my second baby, I knew I wanted to go a more natural route. From the moment I met Justine at my first prenatal care appointment, she was kind, professional and knowledgeable. She always answered all my questions with patience and care. Unlike my OB in my first pregnancy, Justine cared deeply about my nutrition, supplement intake, blood sugar levels, etc. My prenatal care was specialized to me. I (and my baby) wasn't just a number to her, she cared for us and our well-being throughout my pregnancy. My prenatal appointments were done in the comfort of my home and my toddler was always welcome to be there when I didn't have a babysitter. When I went into labor, I called Justine at 5am and she answered immediately. She was calm but attentive. We met at the birth center a few hours later. Her birth center is AMAZING! It is beautiful and has the most inviting atmosphere. Laboring at the birth center was such a more pleasant experience than laboring in the hospital. At the hospital with my first birth I was hooked up to an IV, fetal monitoring system, blood pressure cuff, etc. the entire time. I was restricted from moving around, eating and drinking, even without an epidural. At the birth center, I was free to move around, eat, drink, listen to music, get in and out of the shower/ tub. Justine monitored the baby intermittently as needed. My husband was comfortable and free to support me without judgement of what that looked like for us. This freedom made my contractions so much more manageable. Justine and her assistant/ student Bri were kind, helpful and patient the entire time. They are so selfless. They cleaned up after me, got me whatever I wanted/ needed, supported me through contractions, and encouraged me to listen to my body and do what my instincts led me to do. When it was time to deliver, Justine allowed me to do what felt right instead of telling me to push in a certain position at a certain time like the hospital did. My daughter had shoulder dystocia and got stuck at the shoulders (which also happened at the hospital with my first son). The doctor who delivered my son took extreme, invasive measures to get him out, which caused me extreme trauma and pain postpartum. Unlike that doctor, when Justine saw that I needed assistance getting my daughter out, she simply had me change positions and she used her experience and skill to help me deliver my baby, leaving me without even a tear. After my daughter was born, she spent 2 hours breastfeeding and doing skin to skin with me. My husband and I marveled at the gift of our new baby girl, and Justine and Bri joined in in giving their compliments of her cuteness! Then Bri performed her newborn exam while my husband and I ate some lunch. We went over postpartum care for me and the baby. Then I took a shower and we were on our way home a few hours after our daughter was born. We didn't even have to be away from our son overnight, whereas we were forced to stay in the hospital 3 days when he was born (even though he had no complications). Justine came to our house the day after the birth for my first postpartum appointment to check on me and the baby. Justine is highly skilled in what she does, but also passionate and caring about her patients. If you are considering a midwife for your birth, I highly recommend Justine and the Bakersfield Birth Center! P.S. Justine and Bri took the most beautiful, special pictures for us throughout my labor and birth.

Best Dr. ever. Listens, takes his time and knows exactly what he is doing. Wonderful dr. Love all…read moreof the office staff!!

I don't think my survey went through to Dignity Health because they said I had timed out..... so I…read morewant to send my comments here: "Dr. Allen is the most caring doctor I've ever seen. He takes his time to get to know you personally and he isn't in a rush to get you in and out and leave you feeling completely uncared for like your Dignity Health doctors on 9500 Stockdale in Bakersfield. It's sooo refreshing to see in Dr. Allen the old time quality care that doesn't exist in your other facilities. You say you do these surveys to improve quality care but it feels like you are just going through the motions. I feel this is just a business to you and your doctors and you don't listen to how people feel anyway, so why waste time on your surveys. Will anyone even read this? I'll never get an answer to that. I'm only really writing to thank Dr. Allen for being such a wonderful exception and a caring human being. I wish he could read this to truly know how grateful I am for his care and professionalism." Thank you, Joni Michele Mello

I was referred to Dr. Samadi when my baby girl was measuring a bit smaller than she should have…read morebeen. The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and professional. Dr. Samadi was very thorough and reassuring of all the questions I had each visit. There can be a wait time, but it is so worth it to see him and once you get the hang of calling to check in first it's very doable and you find a rhythm. I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Samadi and his team and anyone who sees him is in great hands!

Specialist office for high -pregnancy , in the middle of downtown Bakersfield…read more Care quality: needs improvement as all the front desk girls should be on the same page when scheduling, I checked in for my 10: 40 am to do the paperwork when my set appointment was at 10:45, i informed the front desk girl if I could have the new patient forms while I wait and sit down. She proceeds to tell me to have a seat. From 10:40am -11:30 I got up and complained to her 45 min wait was unacceptable , the specialist didn't see me until 12:07 am. My hands and feet were swelling up from all the sitting down and standing up, I was exhausted & upset. I waited that long to be seen Just to tell me what I already knew , baby is on a smaller size, unable to tell me the gender, to be very cautious about picking up anything heavy. The receptionist could've been more helpful to make sure everyone was checked inn but I was informed why I didn't check inn over the phone?!? 1) the receptionist who called me , left a message I had an appointment. She left no address on my voicemail 2) called the office to confirm my appointment and she responds with okay, I gave her my name and all she was okay 3) thank the caller, confirm their information and provide caller with your hours, address and process of checking inn. 4) front desk girls don't greet you, don't make eye contact and waiting period can be long without them telling you so. I can go on but I rather not, do better & being kind to others is FREE

excellent obgyn. he did my 1st women exam at 23 and saw me for prenatal care with my 1st child at…read more35! his staff is very compassionate and caring. he is very knowledgeable and knows how to tend to all needs, from trying to conceive and infertility issues to prenatal care, postpartum care and regular women check ups. he's also very personable. his office is at a great downtown location and is well kept. i've recommended him to many.

From the owner: Specializing in: - Physicians & Surgeonsread more

Doctor Katrina De Castro LLAMAS MD very professional, kind,…read moreand friendly knowledgeable of my concerns and explained every detail on moving forward with my treatment , definitely would recommend this doctor

Kaisers dermatology department office is here and it's so nice. It's beautiful. High end. The staff…read morewere all very friendly and professional in the front desk and back office area.

This is such a special place to have in town for new parents & a great resource for your…read morebreastfeeding journey. The staff here are super knowledgeable and Jennica is amazing. I received so many tips from her and connections to resources in the community for my baby. I did my baby registry through babylist, and was able to register for so many great items from Nest and Co. Our favorite swaddles came from here and some beautiful stuffed animals. This is the go to place in town for Earth Mama, ezpz, and so many other great brands. If you are expecting or know someone who is, this is the place to go!

Absolutely amazing! 1st time parents for both husband & I and husband wanted to feel more involved…read morew/feeding, but I didn't want to start 3 day old baby on bottle yet. Jenica took her time w/us & not only educated me on my spectra pump, but also introduced the 5/4 French finger feeding tube to husband. Will be returning closer to my leave ending to go over my portable pumps as she didn't want to overwhelm us w/everything in 1 appt which I appreciated!!

I have been going to this office since it was under Dr. Mia Lagunda in 2014. Since she left in…read more2018, it has changed to Kern Medical Pediatrics. More recently, they moved to a new location from Truxtun Ave. They are now on Stockdale Highway. The office has definitely changed since she left. We were avid fans of Dr. Lagunda. By far, she had been the best, most attentive pediatrician we've had. However, her new location is far from us, so we've decided to stay at Kern Medical Pediatrics. There were a couple times we visited other offices, such as Stockdale Pediatrics and Brimhall Pediatrics, but those places didn't do it for me. Recently, we've had Dr. Bekarev. She is just amazing. She shows compassion and actually talks to you without feeling like you're being rushed. She listens and treats the kids very kindly. I also appreciate that they don't try to nickel and dime you like Brimhall Pediatrics does. KM is very accommodating, especially if you're running behind. My only issue is that they can be difficult to get a hold of when you try to call them. Sometimes they won't answer and an answering service will take the call instead. But overall, I am pleased with this office.

Expect to wait and wait. This place is not what it used to be, besides the over priced visits…read more Will be looking for another pediatric.

Since the beginning of my pregnancy to the birth of my child and my postpartum appointment, Dr…read moreMelendez kept his promise. When I met him at my first appointment, he was attentive and understanding. He promised me that he would answer all my questions and be there for any concerns I might have. During my last 2 months of pregnancy, I went to the hospital several times due to not knowing how contractions feel and thinking I was in early labor.lol He never complained when the hospital called. All my concerns with third party info , he made sure to clear up any misconceptions with me everytime. I 100% recommend him!

This place is amazing! He delivered my daughter and my son! I had to have emergency C-Sections due…read moreto my babies not likening the induction medication because they wanted to come so super late! He takes time with his mommies that come to see him! He is kind and will be on top of you to make sure your healthy! My scar is a nice and straight, I had no puss surrounding it and as long as you listen to him and take time off you'll be great! The staff is friendly and welcoming. They take time to learn your name and they are good with getting you time off from work. Doctor wants you to bring the whole family in and he makes them feel welcomed! He keeps tract of information about you and pushes you to stay healthy after the baby is born! I am really happy I got to experience my child birth with this doctor because between him and the hospital (Memorial) I couldn't have had a better experience:)

Karen is the supportive and knowledgeable person you need by your side as you go through pregnancy,…read morebirth and beyond. As a mama pregnant with my third baby who was unhappy with my first two births (first was a traumatic vaginal birth with complications and second was a cesarean) I was looking for someone to help me have a successful vbac. Karen was that someone. Karen is responsive and easy to get ahold of. She also is very open and respectful of your desires and wishes, not trying to push an agenda but also showing all of your options and providing information based on evidence. Karen directed me to several resources which were extremely helpful for me to continue to educate myself further on my own.  She is very positive and encouraging and will help keep you in the right mindset. When I had negative thoughts, she turned them into positive ones. When fear or concern crept in, she gave me the pep talk I needed. When I questioned myself if I could really accomplish what I had set out to do, Karen gently steered me right back to the path of what I really wanted.  Even though I was an experienced mama having my thrid baby, Karen still proved to be invaluable and she was an intergral part of having a postive birth experience. This was my third baby but first time having a doula and it made such a difference! If you are looking for a doula, or even considering the idea of working with one, hire Karen immediately!! You will be so glad you did!

Words cannot express how grateful I am for Karen. She is the BEES KNEES! :) Seriously, this is one…read morecompassionate, caring, insightful, fierce, get it DONE kind of lady. Karen was with me for the birth of my first baby in November 2019 (and will be with me for all future babies if I have anything to say about it). I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone having a baby (hospital or elsewhere). I didn't know too much about doulas before I got pregnant. After reading about them, I thought "that sounds like a good idea"- I had NO IDEA how detrimental she would be to helping me have the amazing birth experience that I had. Throughout the pregnancy, Karen was available to answer questions and give support. When she gave information, it was based on evidence. If I had a question that she didn't know the answer to, she would help me find it. She was (and still is) and amazing resource. When it was time to have the baby, she was the first call I made. I called her when I woke up dripping fluid at 4AM and she picked up the phone. When Karen knew I was close to my due date, she never missed one of my calls. I truly knew I could depend on her to be available. Karen has an amazing, sweet attitude. She was calm and collected- which helped me to stay calm. She was extremely attentive and present to help me through each contraction. Karen helped me breath through contractions and position my body in ways that would ease the intensity. She would offer suggestions, but always encouraged me to trust my instincts and listen to my body. I wanted to labor at home for as long as possible, and I was able to do that without fear - because I knew that Karen was watching and monitoring me, that she has done this before many times, and that she would get me to the birth center in time if it was at all possible. When it came time to push, she gave me helpful feedback to teach me how to get the baby down. She helped me get the baby latched to the breast as soon as possible. Then she held my hands as I got my stitches. I'm telling you... This woman was on her hands and knees with me in the delivery room. She goes above and BEYOND for her mamas. It's not just a job to her, She really is passionate about what she does and she is IN IT with you. I can't fully explain the confidence that gave me though out the birth. Even though my mom and my husband were there- they had no idea what the heck was going on. It was a huge relief not just for me, but for them too, to have Karen there. Since I had never had a baby before, having an experienced professional (she is DONA certified. I'm not gonna have just anyone with me in the delivery room) able to say "this is what might happen next" and "you're doing great" and "this is totally normal" made me feel like I could really have this baby, and do it well. I could trust Karen's wisdom, knowledge, and experience. I could also trust that she was dead set on doing what was best for me and helping me have the birth experience I wanted. She did just that and more. Karen also did postpartum work with us. She taught us ways to help the baby when he got gassy. She helped facilitate breast feeding after my milk came in. She helped my husband and I transition into parenthood by gIving suggestions based on her experience, but also through practical things like helping us do the laundry or watching the baby so we could take a nap. I still call her and ask for her advice when something comes up that I'm unsure about. She has seen a baby come out of me- if that's not a bonding experience I don't know what is. If you have any doubts about hiring Karen- DO IT! You will be setting yourself up for success! There is no one better to have by your side in the delivery room.

Always friendly and clean here. Unfortunately it's not somewhere you want to visit but it is where…read moreI come for injections for my back and it's under twilight anesthesia and that I know of no offices do this. The nurses here are always so nice and friendly and make me feel comfortable when I'm waiting for my procedure and their IV skills are amazing!! The surgery staff are always so happy and very conscientious of your modesty when moving over to the procedure table not to let your undies show or make you feel like a dork! I have always been happy here and glad my insurance company has moved the injections to here.