I'm currently 7 weeks postpartum and I miss our visits with Michelle and her team so very much. My partner and I were undecided about where we'd give birth. We had an uncomplicated home birth with my daughter and another midwife 4 years before. Now, at the age of 43, I felt it might make more sense to have our second child in a hospital. I feared I'd have more complications. After sitting with it for some time, my chiropractor gave me the referral for Michelle Borok's midwifery services. When I met Michelle I went from being unsure about where we'd give birth to an absolute whole body yes to a home birth. My husband felt the same. We're so glad we chose Michelle as our midwife. I've worked in health care throughout the Bay Area for over 15 years, Michelle is a unique blend of warmth and professionalism. She is direct, transparent, honest, clear, wise, and knowledgeable. She's truly a gem! We would work with Michelle again if we were ever to have another child. Michelle was a grounding force that guided me through my fears. Every prenatal appointment we left her home feeling secure, loving, and afloat on that pink pregnancy cloud every person and partnership deserves to tap in to. Thank you from the depths of our hearts, Michelle, for ushering our sweet child Earth side. read more

I received prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care from Michelle for my homebirth experience in 2014. I continue to see her for annual exams because she'll come to my home and I can wear my own clothes. This provides me a whole other level of comfort that I didn't get during my anxiety-inducing check-ups at traditional medical offices. I had a hospital experience with my first child that was without complications, but wasn't the culture or environment that I truly wanted. My second pregnancy was low-risk and I was much more confident about birth that I sought out a midwife. Michelle taught me so much about pregnancy, my body, nutrition, and beyond. She helped me make better, more authentic decisions for myself and new baby. I still benefit from her lessons to this day. She is warm, takes her time, and considers my whole self (holistically) when giving advice. I cannot recommend her enough. She's someone you'll want on your team for the rest of your life. read more

If you work with Michelle you will not be disappointed, you will be transformed. I am long overdue in posting this review because I struggle with how to accurately convey the awesome amazingness that is working with Michelle. She was our midwife for our second child and the care we received was incredible. Never in my life have I felt so held, seen, and cared for. Her care encompasses the physical, emotional, and spiritual (if you want it). My journey with Michelle started with the conception of our second child when we used her at home insemination services. She was on call for us and worked around our schedule to get the best timing. We decided to do 2 IUIs and both times she was willing to use a catheter to make sure my cervix was open enough before we thawed the sperm. After the IUI was complete she led us through a guided meditation/imagery that was beautiful. While IUIs are not comfortable she made the experience so wonderful that I was looking forward to the next cycle when we could try again, just so we could spend time with her, but I got pregnant on the first cycle. Michelle's communication is excellent, she has amazing boundaries (which means she can really show up physically and emotionally for you), she fully practices informed consent (instead of giving you the info but pushing you towards the decision she is most comfortable with), she really encourages you to take full responsibility for your care and health, she helps you tune into your intuition to make the best choice for you and your baby. She pays such close attention that she picks up on certain words you use for your body parts and uses them too. She is amazingly queer competent. She has a wealth of herbal and nutritional knowledge. She is connected to an amazing community of other health care providers and can give great referrals. Michelle is warm, kind, and so genuine. I felt so incredibly safe all throughout the prenatal, labor, and postpartum periods. Our appointments were long and leisurely. In labor she was the rock I needed her to be as I spun out about 30 hours in. She (and my wife and doula) helped me stick it out and I am so grateful my daughter was born at home into her and my wife's hands. And after all of the wonderful care, I was so surprised to find that the highlight for me was the postpartum period. I felt so vulnerable and every visit with Michelle was magical, calming, and centering. It was incredibly hard to say goodbye at the 6 week visit because in such a short time she had become such a wonderful presence in our lives. read more

Nourish Midwifery & Take Root Home Insemination - Feeling the love at our 2 week appointment. - Midwives Near Me

If you are even considering having a homebirth, then you MUST also consider having Michelle be your midwife. She's incredibly wise and carries with her this incredibly calming presence, which IMHO is exactly what every pregnant woman & new mother needs by her side. Michelle takes her time with you, going at the pace that you need. She educates you, validates you, and is a rock of support and confidence. She's genuine, and unafraid to speak up when it's necessary, which creates immediate trust in her patients. We were lucky enough to have been in Michelle's care for the pregnancy and birth of our son in 2015, and when we are lucky enough to have our second child, Michelle will be our number one choice in a midwife. Call her, you won't regret it. read more

For our second kid, my partner and I decided to do a home birth. When interviewing midwives, a friend gave me fantastic advice - most midwives are gonna be pros at what they do, but make sure to pick one that you'd want to have coffee with. After our initial interview with Michelle, I immediately knew I wanted her on my team. She is truly amazing at what she does, incredibly knowledgeable, and has a cool calmness and quick wit that put me instantly at ease. And the in-home prenatal visit were so convenient and a great way for our whole family to get to know and bond with her. This was especially important to me, as my toddler was going to be around during the birth. Michelle always made sure to include my daughter in the appointments, letting her "help" take my blood pressure or listen to the baby's heartbeat. At about 27 weeks, I wound up getting myself good and dehydrated and had a bit of a scare. I was in Arizona and having pretty strong, incredibly frequent contractions at my brother's wedding reception. I called Michelle in a panic from the parking lot, terrified that either the baby was coming or that I was going to be put on bedrest in Phoenix, away from my existing little brood. Michelle's calm, but very clear and firm instructions took me away from the reception, but got my stress, hydration, and uterus under control. For someone that had a traditional hospital birth the first time around, the fact that I could immediately call Michelle on her cell and get that kind of remote hand-holding was mind-boggling. Without sounding like a hippie - the birth itself was really powerful and felt like such a team effort. Michelle, her assist midwife - Andrea Ruizquez - and my husband were freaking rockstars. I was so impressed by how well everyone supported me, my toddler, and our new little dude. And the postnatal care. Yes, she helped me get through the physical recovery, but more importantly, she always made me feel safe and supported when I found myself in a momentary hormonal/exhaustion-fueled freak out. I am so incredibly grateful that we worked with Michelle, and would do it again in a heartbeat. If you're considering a home birth in the Bay Area you should be calling her already. read more

Nourish Midwifery & Take Root Home Insemination - Midwives Near Me

From the first day I met Michelle I felt an instant connection. She felt like a true sister who understood my desire for a home birth. Throughout my pregnancy she gave me and my husband positive support. We always looked forward to seeing her. When the day came for our little guy to arrive Michelle came hours before she needed to and encouraged me throughout my labour. During the hardest part when I started to feel exhausted and about to give up she coached me through it and our little miracle baby boy was born at home as we had envisioned. I had to be transported to the hospital when my placenta didn't deliver and I thought that Michelle handled it very professionally and so that I remained calm. She stayed by my side the whole 8 hours. The post natal visits were where I really felt we got the most out of our time with Michelle. She always arrived on time and stayed as long as we needed her. She was amazing moral support. When the time came for us to go our separate ways my heart was sad but I knew I had gained a friend for life and if we ever decide to conceive again she'll be the first one we call! read more

Nourish Midwifery & Take Root Home Insemination - Devin Joseph Shepp's birth day - Midwives Near Me

It doesn't get any better than Michelle! Michelle was the midwife for our first (and only) child. She provided prenatal care that made me feel powerful, important and in charge of my pregnancy. She facilitated a birthing experience that changed my life. Our experience with Michelle helped me realize my pregnancy and birth 'vision', and I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to work with her. First, I loved that our prenatal care focused equally on my daughter's health and development, but also my health/emotional needs as the one who was holding the pregnancy. All of our prenatal visits were in the comfort of my home, which was not only convenient but a smooth transition to eventually birthing at home. We were especially excited that Michelle can measure and determine the location of the baby with a time honored technique only requiring touch and her hands. Our prenatal care was also about education. Michelle exposed us to ways of birthing that we had never heard of or seen, and I'm so glad she did. It expanded our knowledge of what could be and allowed me to welcome any kind of experience. My birth transformed me. I was so impressed with Michelle's patience, experience and knowledge. Michelle served as an a observer, and physically positioned herself in the corner, where so could watch me but also not interrupt my natural processes. People, I had a 36 hour birth, and I never felt rushed to meet anybody's timelines or schedules. My greatest memory, however, is when I had a rush of feelings and Michelle was there to accept them all. Both my husband and I have pretty terrible parents and I felt absolutely unsure about my ability to become a parent, especially when neither of us have great role models. I'm a pretty composed person and it shocked me that, in the middle of my birth, I would need to cry. But Michelle was there, with no judgement, and I'm so grateful that she was able to witness my fear with such care. After my daughter's birth, Michelle helped me heal my tear naturally. She also provides 3 months of newborn care. Her services felt/were all encompassing and I felt like she sent us off into the world as better people and parents. read more

Michelle is the best and most amazing midwife there is! I am a birth and postpartum doula who had just trained right before my first pregnancy. I was seeking the magical birth we all dream of but was surprised to get something even beyond what I could have ever imagined! I was able to work with her fairly early in my pregnancy in 2012 and she was superb throughout the 6 or so months that we were working together. She treats you like a good friend and is a great listener. She radiates grace and understanding with every fiber in her being. Any questions I or my partner had, she was always thrilled to answer and provide resources. She even helped me find a doula who attended my homebirth with her. This doula was extremely intuitive because I ended up going into labor the night after I met her! Michelle knows how to match her clients with doulas that fit them and work exceptionally well with herself. The birth was amazing and I owe it so much to how much she trusted me in my birth. I didn't want to know too much of the numbers or have too much guidance about what to do so that my intuition would allow me to bring its own innnate wisdom as a guide. As a result, amazing things in my DNA came out where I was drumming, chanting, and doing old tribal dances I never learned before and I am so grateful that she allowed me to flow in myself to go into a different dimension of birth. My birth was the most empowering experience in my life which I still draw strength from today! Sometimes in the hustle and bustle I forget, but with my daughter who turned five yesterday, I always have this experience as a testament to my ability as a person in the unknown/darkness. This birth was definitely an initiation into womanhood! Her prenatal and postnatal care were amazing. I could not recommend this wonderful woman enough. (This is the first yelp review I've ever written so that just says how important her work is!) I know that whatever family has her as their midwife truly has a gatekeeper on their side and I recommend her as one of the best midwives I know. Thank you so much for your amazing care again Michelle. You will always be a part of our family! I love you!! read more

So after the review I left prior to this one, I got a rather quick call back from Michelle who explained she had been with a couple of her patients the past several days. Which was okay! But she immediately was quick to refer me to other midwives without hearing about my story until I mentioned it after she suggested the referrals... Was it the bad review that bad enough that she didn't want to help me? read more

I'm a midwife myself, and I chose Michelle for my own birth. Need I say more? And after all is said and done, I have no regrets--simply the opposite, I think her more skilled than I did even before. I feel so grateful for all that she offered and how she catered her care to my particular needs. I had my unique set of fears and she helped me face them in a safe, calm way. I feel she mastered the art of taking care of me and the baby without taking away from my experience--meaning she didn't need the glory or the shine. She knew it wasn't about her, but she was there to help guide me. And because of that, I got to focus and be in my hard-ass journey as it needed to unfold. I came out the other side feeling empowered with more tools and resources to parent than I ever knew. We have a lovely, thriving family that had a such a beautiful and meaningful start and we'll forever get to share with our child that he was born in our home, on this particular couch, surrounded by love, kind words and unending support. Thank you Michelle-we will be forever grateful to you. read more

My daughter was born at home in 2012. The birth was the most moving, profound, and healthy experience we have ever had, and it was so, in large part, because we had Michelle as our midwife. She supported us in every way that we needed: empowered us to make educated decisions without ignoring intuition, directed us to resources we needed and encouraged us to use our resources to optimize our health and birth experience, and cared for us with warmth and compassion. (And chose a wonderful midwife to assist her on the birth day.) We made the decision to work with a midwife and have a homebirth late in our pregnancy, but it took Michelle no time to build a bond with us and inspire our confidence. The only thing we regret about making the decision to work with a midwife is that we didn't make it sooner. We feel that the personalized, in-home, and wellness-focused care that Michelle provided us has set us on an important trajectory for our lives together--one in which health, happiness, and empowerment are our expectations. read more

Michelle was my midwife for my fourth baby and she was more than I could have ever asked for in a midwife. From the first interview I had with her I knew that she was the midwife for me and my family. She is very caring, non-judgemental, non-invasive and knowledgeable. She offered us good sound and honest advice while also letting us decide what was right for us and our baby. She helped make our first home-birth calm and relaxed and by far the best birth experience my husband and I have ever had or could ever hope for. After my son was born she continued her care with visits to check in on both me and my new son. She always went that extra mile, from making herbal tea for me to going an hour out of her way to visit me and my son. She is not just a midwife, she is a great person, and a good friend. If I get pregnant again I know who I will be calling to help me deliver, with confidence. read more

If you are looking for a midwife, I know this is just a Yelp review and we don't know each other, but you must at least talk to Michelle and see if she is a good fit for you. Seriously, you would be lucky to have a midwife as capable, competent and lovely as Michelle. We cannot recommend Michelle's midwifery services highly enough! We literally thank our lucky stars all the time that Michelle was our midwife. She provided amazing, gentle, very skilled care throughout our entire pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post-partum. We concurrently had an OBGYN during the pregnancy and all the doctor would do is take a few measurements and send us on our way. We never spent longer the 15 minutes with my doctor. Michelle, on the other hand would spend each appointment asking me questions to really understand what I was experiencing emotionally and physically giving her a clearer picture of my health and the health of my baby. She spent as much time as was needed for each appointment and I never felt rushed. She made really good recommendations on lifestyle and nutrition as well as recommending some herbal infusions that made a big difference for me in my pregnancy. She also visited more often than I saw my doctor and came to my home so that our appointments were always very comfortable. This was invaluable post-partum as we didn't have to worry about leaving our house with a very small newborn baby and I was also in no place to be leaving he house either. She came to see us much more than we would have ever seen a doctor in the early post-partum weeks. And if anything came up or we had any questions, Michelle was there to answer them. This is an amazing asset for new parents. You have your own personal medical professional that is available day or night and when she needed to come see us, she did so, even when it was not the regularly scheduled visit. Where Michelle really shined for us was during our labor and delivery. We ran into more than a few hiccups during the very long process and through it all Michelle was like a rock. She calmly and quietly stayed back until she needed to step in and each time did so with a grounded energy that helped us feel like things were going just as they should. Her medical knowledge and skillful execution were so apparent during this process. Michelle has a low hospital transfer rate and a low tear rate. All good news! Again, I truly from the bottom of my heart recommend a thousand times over Michelle and Nourish Midwifery's services. You will be so glad you chose her! We definitely are! Michelle is the BEST! read more

One of the things that immediately drew me to Michelle was her smile - it's full of joy, genuine, and lights up her whole face. I yelped Michelle before meeting her and when I saw her smile in photos, I knew I was going to like her. My gut emotion proved more then true. Michelle is one of the kindest, compassionate, and competent people I've ever met. She was not only my midwife, but my confidante who I could express any concern, whether physical or emotional. She provided a level of care that far exceeded any traditional obgyn in terms of how much time she dedicated to each visit, as well as how comprehensive she was - monitoring baby, advising on nutrition, and answering any and every question I had, however personal or off topic. One of the most important things to remember in labor is to let your body do what it instinctively knows to do, and just relax. Michelle's calm and nurturing presence, along with our second midwife Ellah Ray, made that easy, and my home birth went very smoothly. I am honored that my baby was born into Michelle's caring hands because I know she was delivered with love. Thank you Michelle for giving us the gift of a home birth. Of all the things I have, and yet to do in my life, I know that my home birth will be one of the most incredible and cherished experiences. read more

For homebirth midwives in the East Bay, it's hard to believe you could better than Michelle. She did home pre- and postnatal visits, and was the primary midwife for our first son's birth. Michelle is a sweet and friendly person, but utterly capable. She's smart and full of wise advice, but truly gifted at keeping quiet most of the time and only speaking her mind when she really needs to. Aside from her technical skills, that might be what makes her a great midwife. In the 14 or so hours she was at our house for the birth, I never saw the slightest sign that she was tired--her quiet strength just keeps on going. Things got tricky at the end of labor, but we always felt safe and confident that we were in good hands. I'm normally someone who asks doctors a million questions and kind of doubts the answers they're giving me, but I had total trust in Michelle--half because I knew she understood us and would keep our preferences in mind, and half just intuitively. Having Michelle come to our house for postnatal visits was also great. Those first few days or weeks are so hard and so rarely mentioned when folks are planning their perfect births, and so it was hugely comforting to have her continuing to take care of my family in that moment. read more

Michelle is highly recommended by me! Geez, where do I begin? When I first met her I immediately loved her. She is so present, calm, nurturing and wise. She has an incredibly healing touch when she would put her hands on my belly and I would feel so soothed. She always had such a presence about her that made me feel so comfortable around her. Even when I needed my first enema and when she checked me internally after my birth I was never uncomfortable or shy because she has a presence about her that makes one feel at ease. I felt I could ask her anything and she would promptly answer. She is so easy to be around and also very genuine. She is real, down to earth and was my friend as well as a midwife. Unfortunately she told me in the very beginning that she had to take one week off during the 5 months that we were working together. Because of that she had called on another midwife to work with me, so I had two midwives, in case I gave birth in that week. Well that day that I gave birth fell onto the week she was gone. I was bummed because I really wanted to share that experience with her and she felt the same. But she had known way ahead of time that she would have to be gone for that week. If I ever had another child I would definitely ask Michelle to be my midwife. I truly love her and all that she stands for. If you are even considering her you will not be disappointed. And even though she wasn't able to be there for my actual birth, she helped prepare me so well for the wonderful birth that I had. I also wanted to add that she is highly knowledgable when it comes to nourishment. She taught me a lot about things to eat, how to prepare them, great herbs for drinking teas etc. She is super healthy and it shows. She definitely walks her talk. Again, I can't say enough good things about her. read more

Michelle was the midwife for my baby's home birth and prenatal care. When I got pregnant and started researching home birth midwives, I was amazed and overwhelmed by the many options in the East Bay. Michelle was the first person my partner and I interviewed, and after meeting her we decided not to interview anyone else. She gave thoughtful answers to our many questions, and seemed both calm and experienced. All prenatal visits took place at my house, and lasted an average of 45 minutes or so. I work in a busy health clinic where patients usually see their medical providers for 10 minutes, and it took me a while to realize that Michelle had time for longer visits and wanted me to give more than one-sentence answers to questions like, "How are you feeling?" I'm someone who tends to think way ahead, and visits with her kept me grounded in the self-care and learning that made sense for my current stage of pregnancy, without leaping forward to what was to come. Michelle drew blood for labwork at home, provided detailed nutrition suggestions, and was flexible about testing and procedures, including ultrasounds, etc. I had a challenging home birth, and Michelle was at our house for 15+ hours, many of those accompanied by Andrea Ruizquez, another fantastic midwife. Throughout my exhausting labor, Michelle was calm and comforting, answering my questions while helping me stay in the present and not get ahead of myself. She made sure I stayed hydrated, tried many different labor positions, and ultimately gave birth to my baby at home despite the fact that he was in a challenging position that required several hours of pushing with oxygen and other support. I didn't even notice when she was communicating with Andrea and our doula about these challenges, and her calm presence kept me from getting scared even at the hard moments As others have said, the postpartum appointments were one of the best parts of Michelle's care. She was at our house several times in the first week as well as at 2 and 6 weeks, checking our baby's development and giving me exams and recommendations to support physical recovery. She encouraged me to focus on heavy-duty rest for the first 6 weeks, and offered a lot of emotional support when I found myself crying in a visit because I was tired and overwhelmed. Michelle was available 24 hours a day by phone for urgent issues during pregnancy and postpartum, and quick to respond to email for more minor questions. Side note: my Anthem Blue Cross PPO insurance (as a UC graduate student) paid for about 50% of the care from Michelle, thanks to her billing skills and partnership with Larsen Billing. I didn't have to do any extra work to make this happen, and it made midwifery care much more affordable. I am very grateful to have received this care from Michelle, and am inspired as a parent/patient and as a health care worker by what she offers. read more

I would give Nourish Midwifery all the stars I have if I could. Michelle provided our family excellent care for the birth of our first child in October 2014. She respected our wishes and intentions (and supported us through our process of developing them), and she responded to our constant barrage of questions with well-presented information and patience. Not once did she ever make us feel rushed, condescended to, or that any question or concern was silly or unfounded. We were always impressed with the extent of her knowledge (medical and otherwise) and her ability to explain it to us, building upon and responding to what we already knew... or didn't. When a question exceeded the limits of her role or training, she communicated so and often looked into it for us or suggested where we could find an answer. We were secure in her care knowing that our family and baby were well taken care of. Michelle remained by our side and made us feel secure and supported through a nearly three day labor, even when we chose to transfer to the hospital in the end (even though, with her help, we tried everything to get labor going at home!). In the end we had the healthy, safe, empowering, and loving birth experience that we hoped for to welcome our little one into the world (even in the hospital, where she continued to stay by our side) and this was due in tremendous part to Michelle. And we enjoyed the process so much, thanks to midwifery and thanks to Michelle! While part of finding a good fit in a midwife is about feel and personality and energy compatibility, I'm quite certain that Michelle could midwife just about anybody. She is knowledgeable, professional, personable, respectful, tender, passionate, reliable, compassionate, intuitive, thorough, funny, adaptable, flexible, and generous. (And not a single of these adjectives do I use lightly or without a specific reason in mind!) She also offers a plethora of resources and information as well as a large network of other birth workers and health care providers for referrals. What else could you ask for in a midwife? I would almost have another child just to work with her again. ;-) P.S. Michelle is an excellent choice for queer families (like ours)! read more

I wish I could give her a million stars!!! This woman rocks!!! I will have her as my midwife again for sure if I have another baby. Michelle is a very patient, intuitive, sweet, and wise midwife. She is extremely caring and understanding of the client and family. She really builds a relationship with her clients--I totally feel like she is a part of the family. And I still call her my midwife even though my baby is now 6 months old. I saw her and an OBGYN and towards the end I realized how crazy I was for spending my time with the former when Michelle provides such lovely home visits. When she is in your home doing your check ups you know you have her devoted attention. She has stayed at my house for hours answering any questions I needed and was always extremely present. I felt empowered because she taught me things about my body but always LISTENED AND RESPECTED my intuition. (something I feel the ob lacked) She helped us with nutrition and even linked me up with an awesome doula who was present at the birth as well. The birth was the most beautiful day of my life and I owe it all to my amazing birth team. Michelle honored my wishes and stepped back as I got into the zone, showing she really trusts our bodies and our babies. The times she was close by, as I needed her to be, she nourished me, gave me sips of coconut water--just what I needed to get my little goddess out! Her postpartum care was amazing! She always came into our home with such an amazing energy and again, answered any questions I needed. She always made a point to ask me what my intuition was telling me and I really appreciated that. I could write a review forever...just know she is amazing and a truly beautiful woman! I love you Michelle. read more

Michelle was my midwife for my last two children and I can't recommend her more highly. I had the privilege to see her in action when she was the midwife for two of my closest friends' births as well. Michelle handled the more challenging situations with utter calm and was very reassuring even when things were in doubt, even through one very long birth. Michelle has a genuine ability to carefully calculate all the factors necessary to make safe decisions that allowed me and my friends to have natural births at home without complications and without unnecessary interventions. Having also helped at friend's births with other midwives, I can attest to the fact that you won't find better than her. Her scientific knowledge is spot-on and she knows how to navigate any situations that arise. She has a wide network of support that she makes available to her patients, and models the health coaching she provides as someone who frequently attends lengthy meditation retreats and who receives care from alternative medicine providers herself. Michelle has one of the lowest hospital transport rates in the area (which is something you should ask about any midwife you consider!!) and has also shown herself to be very culturally competent and sensitive as me and my friends' families are Indian-American, Mexican-American, Vietnamese, Native American and white with all of our various ceremonies and traditions. She is also committed to social justice and progressive values. A rare jewel in the Bay Area! read more

I cannot recommend Michelle enough for any woman needing support with becoming pregnant. She was incredibly supportive, responsive, and genuinely interested in my progress and outcomes at every step of the way. I was so touched with her unwavering commitment to helping me conceive. She validated my longing to be a mother, even though I am single, and helped allay my doubts. She is not only a skilled and capable midwife, but felt as warm and lovely as trusted friend. My at-home insemination experiences were simple, comfortable, sweet, funny, and intensely connecting. I even got to push the plunger of sperm into my utuerus! Now that I know I'm expecting, I love to joke that I really, truly, knocked myself up. I have heard so many stories of clinical, cold IUIs in doctor's offices, and with Michelle, I was able to create the sacred, fun experience I wanted to have from the moment I decided to become a single mom. I will be forever grateful for her involvement in this life-changing journey. (Michelle is also VERY affordable based on my research!) read more

I actually met Michelle while i was attending a birth as a doula. Michelle was one of the midwives supporting my client/friend through her 72 hour labor. I was immediately impressed by her ability to read the room, step in swiftly to address all of the baby's immediate needs, all the while doing so unobtrusively and professionally with tons of heart. Because I could go on and on about Michelle, I'll focus my comments on a few key areas: In home insemination: We utilized Michelle's services for our at home IUI in April 2014. Prior to that, she came to our home to get to know us better and discuss the plan. She has an uncanny ability to meet you where you are, patiently answer and anticipate questions or concerns, and really made me/us breathe a sigh of relief when she made it so easy to set up the intimate home insemination plan we hoped and dreamed for. She is a consummate professional without the typical distant doctor/patient relationship in a sterile environment. She understood what we wanted and reviewed my ovulation charts to help us understand and formulate the best plan for our family. When the time came, she communicated clearly and promptly via text, showed up right on time with all necessary materials (important when you're thawing sperm!), and performed the IUI just the way we wanted. Luckily, we were blessed to get pregnant on the first try! Client first focus: after a successful in home insemination, we wanted to hire Michele to be our midwife. She knew she would be attending a month-long meditation retreat close to my due window, so she worked closely with us as she referred and we interviewed midwives with whom she/we could share care. She listened to our feedback after each interview and we found the perfect fit after 3 interviews - Andrea Ruizquez! They worked very well together, and I felt holistically cared for and known throughout my pregnancy and (3 day) labor. Their complementary skills, perspectives, and personalities made for our perfect birth team. I will work with Michelle again and would recommend her in the strongest terms in a heartbeat! read more

I don't know where to begin. I am beyond grateful to have had Michelle as our midwife. The level of care we received not only during the birth, but before and after, totally exceeded any expectations we had. When I first learned that I was pregnant, my natural response was to go to my gyno. A few sessions in, I was feeling as though I was just another patient and my birth plan did not seem to be of much importance. A friend of mine insisted I call Michelle, but I was terrified of a home birth. However, I was also terrified of the hospital at this point, so I gave Michelle a call and it was one of the best decisions of my entire life. My husband and I fell instantly in love. Her smile, her warmth, her honesty, her confidence and trust in the birth process took me on a path that I will forever hold close to my heart. I feel like I owe my life to Michelle!! Because of Michelle (and her awesome assistant Midwives), each of my babies were born healthy and happy. We are so fortunate to have had Michelle as our midwife and I cannot recommend her enough!! read more

I cannot say enough about Michelle. She is incredible. We were fortunate enough to have Michelle as a part of two pregnancies--from prenatal care to postpartum. She is the best thing to ever happen to our family! She is brilliant, compassionate, so experienced & dedicated, grounded and real. We can't believe we got so lucky. She was our everything. read more

I wholeheartedly and without hesitation recommend Michelle as a midwife. She empowered me to twice own my birth and recovery experience, for which I will be forever grateful. Our visits supported me to trust my body during birth, and she brought a calm and powerful presence to the births. I love telling this story: Michelle told us we would know when we needed her. We called at 9 pm, and again after 11. At 5 am I knew I needed her, and she was downstairs sleeping in her car, waiting for my call. She walked in the door seconds later and put me quickly at ease just as I began to push. I wanted to get out of the tub but didn't think I could, and she helped me out, assuring me our baby would be born the way we wanted. We interviewed several midwives before selecting Michelle, and felt immediately at ease with her and confident in her medical abilities. Choosing her as our midwive was clearly one of our best and most important decisions. read more

Michelle was our midwife for the birth of our 2nd child. We planned on having a home birth and then I had a long series of pregnancy complications that ended up with being admitted to the hospital.... twice. Through each step of my pregnancy and even more so through the confusing and complicated pregnancy and hospital birth/c-section Michelle was the perfect combination of vigilant about my health, safety, and well being AND thorough in using informed consent to allow me to make real autonomous decisions about my pregnancy and birth. She stayed with me longer than I think any other midwife could or would have been able to when I had extended hospital stays. She followed up with quality aftercare checkups of our infant and my body (and feelings) even though she didn't end up being present for the delivery of the baby. She showed up above and beyond with her presence, fierce advocacy in hospital when it was required, kind and generous interactions with our older child, lactation support, and support for my masculine, genderqueer experience of pregnancy, birthing, and chest feeding. Really. I could go on for days. She's a midwife dream come true. read more

How do I begin. We chose michelle for the birth of our first son in 2012 at 34 weeks along. In 6 short weeks I had grown so incredibly confident and comfortable with Michelle. She always took the time I needed to answer questions, talk about my excitement and fear. My labor went very well , towards the end my son wasn't tolerating the pushing anymore. She swiftly and calmly got me into new positions and made sure me and my son were taken care of until he came out safely. Her care after birth was incredible. Making me food, helping me with breastfeeding, she was so deeply connected to this experience that is life changing. She then helped us deliver my second son in 2014 and my third in 2016. Both births were beautiful and went smoothly. She has an incredible presence. Someone who can hold the space in such a profound way it transcends words. With each baby she kept me informed with new techniques and ideas for pre and postpartum care. She had a good community for any of the needs I had. I could honestly talk about her forever (obviously). She is calm, strong, wise, and gives amazing hugs! I wish all you beautiful mama's all the joy in the world. read more