My wife and I had our third baby at home through Thrive in November, and again, I can do nothing…read morebut sing their praises. I had complete confidence that Thrive had our best interests at heart every moment my wife and son were in their care. As usual, they practiced informed consent, validation of experiences, and love to a degree that I have never seen or even dreamed of previously in health care settings. The highlight of this birth experience was (of course) the birth itself. This time we were graced with three of the midwives through good fortune. Again, immediately after birth, our newborn struggled to take his first breaths. We waited about 8 minutes for him to take that first breath, and yet, my wife, daughter, son and I were all calm and felt immensely supported in that moment by the three women in our presence who absolutely knew what their calling was and what their roles were in that moment. It is hard to comprehend how different that experience could have felt from a sterile, medical, environment of a hospital, and how different our newborn's first few minutes, hours, and days after birth could have been. Not to mention how the perception and feelings surrounding births could have been malformed for our young son and daughter. We are so immensely thankful to have this collective of women in Sonoma County who are such a breath of fresh air!

We had our baby at Thrive in July and it was the best experience! This was our first baby and we…read moreare so happy we decided to transfer our care from Kaiser to Thrive. The midwives are amazing; supportive, loving and really helpful. I had pregnancy insomnia and Tracy turned me onto a sleep tincture that she sells and it was like magic. I was finally able to sleep!!! The appointments were an hour long and the post partum appointments are at your home! We had trouble with breastfeeding and received so much support through text and having them come to our house. We cannot say enough good things about Thrive and Taya, Tracy, Morgan and Hannah.

I hired Susana as my midwife during my first pregnancy in 2021, during the height of COVID. I chose…read moreher because I wanted an unmedicated home birth, and at the beginning everything felt consistent and supportive. My prenatal home appointments were regular, and initially I felt comfortable with my decision. Toward the end of my pregnancy, however, I became increasingly fearful and ultimately ended up being induced at the hospital. What followed was a very traumatic experience that resulted in a five-day hospital stay and an unexpected C-section. During this time, Susana was only partially present, as she was dealing with serious health issues involving her husband. After my C-section, she did come to check on me at home and advised me to remain mostly bedridden and not move much. I followed this advice. Two weeks later, I was rushed to the emergency room with a blood clot. Based on what I later learned, I believe that early movement and walking could have helped prevent this, and I was physically capable of doing so at the time. Overall, my experience was deeply traumatic and left lasting emotional and mental scars that I am still healing from. Looking back, I believe things could have unfolded very differently had I received more comprehensive support and guidance during such a critical and vulnerable time. I'm sharing my experience in hopes that it provides insight for others as they make decisions about their care.

I had my baby with Susanna November of 2025 and started working with her in April of 2025. Susanna…read moreis extremely knowledgeable and was very supportive throughout my prenatal and postnatal care. She respected my decisions during pregnancy and guided me when I didn't know enough about certain tests and she never judged me or my husband. When it came time to give birth, she showed up promptly and extremely prepared. Her and Tiffany (her amazing birth assistant) monitored the baby's heartbeat during labor and knew what positions to guide me into to help the baby's heartbeat and position. My entire labor and delivery was so calm and peaceful- if I had another baby I would choose Susanna again and again.

I truly don't have words for how much Elizabeth and Tricia helped me in my breastfeeding and…read morepostpartum journey. I first called the center a few days after giving birth and they got me in right away (that day) and helped my baby latch! They not only helped us a ton with breastfeeding but also made me feel so cared for and supported. We also took birth and infant care classes here while I was pregnant that were SO HELPFUL and prepared us for our first baby perfectly. Can't recommend this place enough

I was welcomed by Tricia, she was super helpful and kind. She helped me get the forms filled out…read moreand took my vitals. She talked with me while I waited to see midwife Jennifer. She told me not to let anyone's opinion bother me about my decisions on how I want to deliver my daughter. I am so glad I am back here to have my 2nd baby with these amazing women. I feel confident and safe here. They truly are the kindest medical staff I have been around since delivering my son here, 10 years ago. They feel like sisters. Next, I met with midwife Jennifer. She went over a lot of info and answered my questions throughly. She was very informative! Very kind and helpful.

The care I received prenatally, postnatally and randomly when I've had emergencies from Shiela &…read moreHannah was/is extraordinary. Every visit leading up to my birth was filled with introspection opportunities, support, friendly conversation, holistic (body/mind/spirit) exercises, etc. I looked forward to each and every visit with them. All the appointments after birth were even MORE IMPORTANT (I needed help with swelling, hemorrhaging, finding a comfortable position to co-sleep with baby, pregnancy Carpal Tunnel, etc). They also referred me to INCREDIBLE THERAPISTS (acupuncture, massage, etc). Long after my care was over with them I would still reach out, in emergency cases, and they were always swift & so generous with help/advice and support. They are who I turn to when I need expert advice. I am eternally grateful to have them as my support team.

I was debating doing a home birth or birthing center. I interviewed a few different lovely people…read morewho I knew were perfectly capable of delivering my baby but there wasn't that magic. Then my doula recommended Sheila and everything clicked. My husband and I went to go meet her in her in her Yurt and just talked for a little over an hour. She was totally open and listened to us. Very non judgmental. I am a bit of a control freak and planner. Letting go and putting so much trust in someone else isn't easy for me, but my birth team made the experience wonderful. Other than not having to drive to the hospital while having contractions, the best part of the home birth for me was getting to recover in bed and have Sheila come to you for postpartum checkups. When I first learned I would basically be in bed recovering for a couple of weeks I didn't think I could be cooped up that long. After having the baby there was nothing better than laying in bed with him. Having her come to you and not having to get you and the baby dressed and deal with car seats and doctors offices is so wonderful. It's also amazing to have the breastfeeding/lactation support. For something that is seemingly so natural it can be pretty difficult. When we have our next baby Sheila will be one of our first phone calls.

Catalina assisted me in my first pregnancy/birth. From day 1, I loved her calm spirit and knew it…read morewould be essential during my home water birth. During the whole pregnancy she always made me feel like I had choice and was not required to do anything I didn't feel comfortable doing. The home water birth went so smoothly and she allowed me to take the reigns and use her for any needed support. She always made me feel comfortable and in control (so important as a FTM) and I would highly recommend her!

Catalina is as good as it gets. She was a part of our birth team as we welcomed our first baby last…read moreOctober. She has an incredible gift to meet you where you're at. Her calming yet strong energy gave me so much ease as I prepared to bring my baby into the world. She created a space that was safe, trusting and perfect for my pregnancy. Then came the birth. She walked me through the most challenging few hours of my life. I can't imagine the experience without her. She will absolutely be present if/when we have another baby. She is a 10!

Paula was inattentive during checkups, responding to texts, only looking up when her apprentice,…read moreJamie, asked a question. We discovered my baby was breech and, with an OB, came up with a plan for spinning baby and what to do if he didn't spin. Two days later, I went into labor. My husband updated Paula on how strong & close together my contractions were, and she said to call her back in an hour, nothing about heading to the birth center 40 minutes away. We trusted her and stayed put. She had no sense of urgency until 15 minutes later when my husband told her my water broke. My breech baby was born in an unsafe environment and needed to be revived by paramedics. We were transported to a nearby hospital separately, and I didn't see my baby until he was 3 hours old. Paula showed up at the hospital and asked my mother to watch her daughter. Almost a year later, in front of her former partner Fawn, Paula claimed that Jamie was the primary for my care and birth. This was a surprise to my husband and me. Jamie didn't know I was in labor until after my water broke as my husband was solely communicating with Paula. My baby spent time in the NICU hooked up to all matter of wires. He was in a cooling blanket for his first 3 days, during which I could only hold him for one hour a day, but not close. He suffered seizures and is still attending High Risk Infant doctors appointments over 18 months later. I'm still coming to terms with my traumatic birth and grieving the birth I wanted. When we chose Paula, there was a couple in the birthing room with their new baby. Paula said they lived 40 minutes away, but she had told them to come early. I loved that and felt we were in good hands, that we would be provided the same care. Instead, we paid thousands and were told to call her back in an hour.

Oh boy ;) where do we even start? We are beyond blessed to have found Paula as our Midwive, we…read morealways knew we wanted a home birth but knew very little about it. My wife hated the thought of going to a hospital, so we went searching and came up on "The Midwives". The whole process during pregnancy, including checkups, and all were so pleasant, Paula was very helpful and guided us on anything we had questions about. We felt very very comfortable working with her. After so many months our baby boy was finally born. It all happened exactly like we wanted it, AT HOME! It quite literally wouldn't have been possible without her. God-willing we have more babies, Paula is our go-to for that!

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

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

After reading Shannon's beautiful and transformative book Born Far From Home, I felt so drawn to…read morehaving a homebirth. I loved reading about Shannon's journey to Islam and birth work, and how her faith and spirituality intertwined with her midwifery care. I also enjoyed reading the compelling birth stories and the beautiful way in which she writes about birth. I especially felt connected to her book as a Muslim woman who was curious about homebirth, but wasn't sure if it was for me. Once I finished the book and had my first appointment with Shannon I felt confident, reassured, and excited about having a homebirth for my first baby. Since the start of my prenatal care with Shannon, I felt so comforted by the amount of time and personalized care she dedicated to us by listening to our concerns, answering our many questions, and providing the guidance we needed during this special time in our life. Her level of knowledge and expertise combined with her warm and comforting presence brought us ease during such a delicate time. I also have the same great things to say about Tara who was the second midwife to be present at the birth and meet with us for the postpartum appointments. Tara also has such a warm, beautiful, and comforting spirit and has been such a pleasure to meet with. When expressing the troubles I have with breast feeding, she has been so sweet and reassuring and I really appreciate the level of care she not only provides for our baby, but to me. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have had a successful and empowering homebirth with the utmost care and support from Shannon and Tara and I highly recommend them. I am so grateful to have been in their care.

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

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

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

My husband and I loved working with Sophia. From the beginning, she helped us feel at ease and…read morealways had the most helpful stories/ information we needed to make important decisions. I appreciated Sophia's more "hands-off" approach and that she helped me feel empowered to listen to my own body and intuition. We felt extremely comfortable and safe having our baby at home and will miss seeing her so frequently!

No words can describe how honored and blessed my family was to have Sophia as our midwife duribg…read moreour prenatal/birth/postnatal care. She understands how to listen and nuture anyone whose been around western medicine/practices their whole life, like myself, and made us feel so comfortable during the whole process. Each visit was filled with love, time to answer our excitement and concerns since we were the first in our generation to consider/have a home birth. This experience I know my husband, now little 3 month old son, and I will cherish for the rest of our lives as I'm so thankful I found her and would recommend her in a heartbeat. She's very professional and loving at the same time including her Team Emma and Clover. Wow even more amazing to have them support her and they compliment one another yet they're so different in their own unique ways! They bring a calm ambience to wherever they go and when things needed medical attention (prenatal/birth/postnatal) I felt they did an amazing job and better than what any provider/clinic/hospital could've done. She also took amazing photos and videos during my birth and I have these for the rest of my life! I did the placenta encapsulation and tincture as this is something you can do and purchase and it was such a new idea I never thought of and I would do this and the whole process all over again! Her biller is on top of it if you end up using insurance and made the process smooth and in my eyes better than what providers offer. I feel like I gained a new perspective on homebirths/midwifery and also a new family with her Team. Do not miss out on this midwife gem team or in my light, my midwife goddess!