Thank you, Sunshine, for giving us the most pleasant experience throughout our pregnancy journey. I really enjoyed each appointment/meeting we had. She created an atmosphere of warmth, calm, support, and safety. She allowed me to have the birth I hoped for by educating me, guiding me, and giving me the options and agency to choose the birth we wanted. Never once did I feel pushed, judged, undermined, or neglected. Sunshine has such a kind heart and a listening ear, and knew exactly how to make me feel so empowered and secure during my pregnancy and birth experience. She defused all the worries I had, and gave both my husband and I the confidence that I could have the natural birth I was seeking, and in the beauty of our home. I felt so safe having her by my side. I'm truly grateful that you were our midwife, the captain of both the pregnancy and the birth. Thank you for taking care of me, as well as taking care of my husband and our baby during and after the pregnancy. I hope every woman has the opportunity to receive the same care, love, and attention that I received from Sunshine! Thank you Sunshine for giving me this amazing experience. It has planted a seed within me that maybe I'd like to experience another birth... Hahaha.. read more

Yes, you should birth at home if you're low-risk and yes, you should do it with Sunshine (and Christiane) by your side. I have the good fortune of having experienced both - a hospital birth and a home birth so I can confidently say that if you have a healthy pregnancy with the right support and care, there's absolutely no need for you to be in a hospital environment. All you really need is a strong body and mind. In fact, deciding to go to a hospital at the cusp of my first baby almost ready to come out, only delayed things to a point where I pushed for 7 hours. That story for another day. This is about Sunshine. There is something about her presence that is reassuring from the word go. She was there in the critical moments of a hard labour with my first birth, listening to my baby's heartbeat, holding my hand, and lovingly talking to my baby, asking him if he was ready to meet us. With my second baby, it took some time for us to fight years of conditioning -- "people like me don't give birth at home" - and get to a place where we felt confident with the decision. It would not have been possible without Sunshine answering the million questions we had - she did it patiently and thoroughly. Hearing about her experience in managing any complications during birth, knowing when something needs more attention (her own father was a nurse in the emergency room), and most importantly, the genuine love and concern she showed for me and my husband while listening to all that we had to say about the first hospital birth, convinced us that with Sunshine, we'd get the birth we'd dreamt of with our second baby. A rock. A solid pillar of strength. Sunshine's baby-first approach to birth is her biggest strength. It's all a birthing mother wants. For her perfect baby, to make a perfect entry, and for someone like Sunshine to guide her through it. I miss those prenatal visits where Sunshine would lean over and whisper to my baby in my tummy. I think even my baby kicked back in excitement hearing her sweet and gentle voice! During the actual birth, Sunshine and Christiane went above and beyond to make me comfortable. With them around - it felt like I could power through anything. Christiane knew exactly when to put a bag of ice on my lower back. It helped turn my baby. Sunshine knew what position was working best to help me push better. I still remember going through several moments of "I can't do this, please take me to the hospital" during the final stage of pushing, and looking up to see that peaceful and almost unaffected (comes from experience) expression on Sunshine's face while she reminded me what my goal was and how I was made to do what I was doing. You need just that. She was also instrumental in taking some key steps to ensure I don't tear (I didn't!) I think of Sunshine as an angel who came into our lives for the birth of both our babies, reminding us that birth goes perfectly when it is undisturbed and that for everything else, she's going to be there. Sunshine's years and years of experience watching and bringing babies into this world shine through at every prenatal visit, during birth and after. She's also the best person to do a newborn screening test with - you don't want cold clinical hospital staff poking your few-hours-old tiny human. My second baby didn't even wince when Sunshine did the test for him. She's truly special and you would be lucky if she's your midwife - she will be with you, every step of the way, on your beautiful journey into parenthood. read more

Our baby is almost 8 months old, so this review is a long time coming. I'm not even sure where to start! Sunshine is a wonderful human, a fantastic midwife, and magical with babies. We had originally planned to birth in a hospital, but after some researching, and really thinking about the type of birth we wanted, we decided a birth center birth would be the right choice for us. We immediately felt at ease with Sunshine, and mid-pregnancy transferred our care to her. Each appointment was given time for questions (and I had a lot!). I felt fully taken care of, and mentally prepared for labor. When my daughter decided she was ready to come earthside, we arrived at Full Moon Birth Center and were met with Sunshine and an assistant midwife. We progressed through labor without any interventions, just flowing through the stages. The birth center itself has a relaxing and tranquil environment (and the tub was heaven). Not everyone has the birth they envisioned, so I know we were lucky that this was the case with us. We're blessed to have brought our daughter into this world in a natural, supportive, calm environment. Sunshine's "work" didn't end there though, as she provided postpartum care for the first six weeks, for both me and our baby. If/when we are blessed enough to have another pregnancy, we plan to start our care with Sunshine from the very beginning. We couldn't recommend her highly enough to anyone looking for a calm, supported birth experience! read more

Sunshine has attended three of my births. With every birth she takes the time to answer all my questions and always alleviates my concerns. Sunshine always explains every option I can have, and allows me to choose what is best for my family. And when there is something that needs to be done a certain way for my health, or the health of the baby, she takes charge and takes care of us. My husband and I feel that Sunshine is a expert at midwifery and we feel confident putting our birthing experiences in her capable hands. I wouldn't want anyone to attend my births but Sunshine. read more

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Sunshine was my midwife in 2010 for the birth of my 3rd child as well as the student midwife in attendance at my birth in 2004. Her unwavering steadfast presence and trust in the labor process empowered me to have the births that I wanted. Sunshine knows when to stand back and allow the birth to unfold organically and when to step in and intervene. I trust her implicitly. I was also fortunate to be able to apprentice as a student midwife with Sunshine for several years and found her to be incredibly smart, intuitive and skilled at handling all types of emergencies. She's good at knowing exactly when transfer of care is appropriate. She truly gives from her heart to all of her clients and is incredibly good at listening and providing compassion. I am fortunate that I can call Sunshine my midwife, mentor and friend. She's truly done incredible things for the local birth community! read more

There are no words that can express gratitude and respect for this amazing lady! Sunshine is the definition of sunshine and hope. She brings a lot of calm, stability, assurance and a wealth of knowledge and experience in delivering babies and helping the mamas give birth safely and joyfully. I got in touchh with Sunshine around 29weeks of pregnancy, which was a very difficult and worrisome few weeks because I found that my ObGyn was going on a leave. I didnt want to be handed over to another Ob who I didnt know or trust. Enter Sunshine. I couldnt have taken a more perfect decision in my life, especially for this most important and momentous occasion of my life. If you have come to this page and reading this review, please GO for it. You will not regret having Sunshine as your guide through this journey of motherhood or managing your reproductive health! read more

I hired Sunshine to be a Midwife at the birth of my third child. She was recommended to me by a friend when I said I wanted someone who is professional and passionate about her job and about women's rights. I am happy I chose Sunshine because she is very good at having you make your own decisions. Sunshine doesn't give you the answers, she has you answer for yourself. This forces mothers to do their own investigating and decision-making. A skill that seems mostly lost these days. In my pregnancy it was clear to me that Sunshine didn't have an agenda for me other than to make my own agenda. Because of her confidence in my ability to birth and my ability to make my own decisions I was able to literally laugh my baby out. There is a cool confidence that she has that helped me know I was going to be okay, no matter what. The best part of my experience with Sunshine was immediately after the birth of my baby. Sometimes women need a minute to recoup. I was told by others to turn around and meet my baby after I pushed her out. Sunshine said, "She doesn't have to, she can wait." My whole body sighed a relief. A woman needs a moment to go from using all of her might, to giving all of her love. Those words echo through my days and they will stay in my heart. Remembering that moment still gives me tears. Thank you Sunshine. read more

I'll try to keep this short and sweet. Sunshine was my chosen midwife in Nov 2012, though sadly I did not have the homebirth I wished for, as I had to transfer to the hospital. Despite this, she was phenomenal, with me through every step of the way and helping me with everything from writing a last minute birth plan when we arrived, to helping decorate the room to resemble as close to home as possible. She informed me of my options and to decipher the medical jargon and helped me be home shortly after so I could still recover safely at home like was planned. I highly recommend Sunshine for your midwifery needs, and would definitely love to have her as my midwife again for my next attempt at a home birth! :) read more

Sunshine was incredibly detail oriented, thoughtful, and empowering throughout my entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I felt safe and supported - she worked well with my GP/prenatal coordinator in offering me the absolute best care. I could not have even imagined a better home birth experience. She is the perfect balance of professionalism and loving assistance in bring my little one into the world. read more

I never thought I would ever have a home birth because I am super risk-averse but Sunshine made me feel safe and comfortable...she is the absolute BEST! We did so much research and interviewed a number of OB's and midwives and we're so glad we went with her for our home birth! I had my dream birth experience (which I didn't even know what that looked like until it happened and it was perfect). Sunshine is so patient, responsive, helpful, and answers all questions so thoroughly so you really understand. You will not get this care with a typical OB or even another midwife. You can tell she truly cares and loves her work. I couldn't have asked for a better person to deliver my baby! Thank you for everything Sunshine! read more

Sunshine really lives up to her name. My wife and I called her on a moment's notice to see if she'd be available to help us with I.U.I. procedure and although she'd just come off of a birth and at that time, hadn't performed I.U.I., Sunshine eagerly and creatively offered to meet up with the Bay Area midwife who we were meeting that afternoon to be trained in this technique. Sunshine drove to Berkeley, acquired the knowledge and met up with us in Santa Cruz in the early morning hours to assist with the I.U.I. procedure at the time we needed help. All of this was done with investment, kindness and ease. We DID happen to get pregnant as a result of all of this perfect timing weaving together and Sunshine played a huge role in that. I can tell you that our experience with Sunshine was nothing less than magical! She is honest, knowledgeable, invested and is a treasure in the care of being with women. Do not hesitate to align with Sunshine! read more

Sunshine is caring, experienced and knowledgeable. She puts a lot of effort into being up to date with the latest research into pregnancy, which helps her to offer us parents a range of solid choices that best fit our situation. Sunshine is a calm, strong midwife that firmly believes mothers should be in control of their birth experiences. All information regarding your health and the health of the baby is transparently shared and explained - this helps a lot to make the best possible choices, and to feel that your are working together with your midwife rarher than being told what to do. As a person, Sunshine is warm, loving, sensitive and strong willed. As a midwife, she is a bit disorganised with paperwork, but a very solid presence and a great source of strength when we need it most. Sunshine also has a very close relationship with other midwives in the area, which I think helps a lot with the flow of information and also in case for whatever reason a back-up person might be needed. We had a water birth at home for our daughter, our second child. Sunshine took over from our gynecologist around 4 months into my pregnancy. It was wonderful to be treated as a person and empowered to birth the way we wanted rather than being restrained and forced to fit with a medical system that treats mothers like cattle that must follow almost an industrial birthing process. Hospitals are wonderful places for sick people to recover, or in case of emergency, but pregnancy is not an illness and coming from a country where home birth is encouraged for the well being of mother and child, I had a hard time imagining myself naked, vulnerable and ill-informed surrounded by people whose first priority wasn't me or my child, but their income and schedule. With Sunshine the answers I was looking for were always there: - Can I give birth in the water? Yes - Can I move around in labour and give birth upright without machines attached to me? Yes - Can I have a birth that is intimate, calm, where I can concentrate on listening to my body rather than the nurses coming in and out, where my baby's heart rate is monitored, where there is no time deadline to meet as long as the baby and myself are doing well and willing to keep working? Yes It is expensive to have a home birth in the USA, or a midwife you can trust even if you have to give birth in hospital for whatever reason. Birth should be hard work, and yes, painful in a way, but it is also uplifting, and a challenge to ourselves to do our best, an empowering experience for mothers whether your birth is vaginal or by cesarean. A system that chains you to cables that are not always necessary, that encourages mothers to lose control of their lower body (and drugs newborns in the process) when is not always necessary, that requires you to birth on a bed (hey! So much for gravity! Beds are for sleeping, not for working hard) ... Doesn't seem so mother friendly, more "medical staff" friendly. I am no cow, I will birth where I want, how I want, when I want as long as my child and myself are safe and healthy. To do this, and to know that you have done it, to make informed choices rather than being pushed, to me it was priceless. To be able to nurse my newborn in my bed, to sleep and let my baby sleep as long as we wanted after the effort of being born, this was priceless too (no well-meaning nurses coming around to do whatever blood tests and vaccinations was required at unspeakable times just because "that's the schedule and procedure", to hurt my child when he/she has barely recovered from a pretty hard time, and where you are not always asked for agreement - it can be done later, if needed or wanted). Is it hard? Yes. Is it painful? In a way, but much (MUCH) worse if you are tense, feeling vulnerable, with a mind that is focused on the surroundings rather than your own body. Home or hospital? It doesn't matter, but make sure you have someone like Sunshine apart from your birth parter, someone you can rely on, to help you concentrate on what really matters, to make you feel safe and in control. Your birth partner will be too busy with you to deal with anything else. Best of all, to see Sunshine's face coming to check our daugther and myself the day after, three days after, a week after... How much is this worth? A lifetime good memory of a birth. Boy, I wish I could sell this to every mother on Earth! I am so so lucky, and gratefull. There is so much more I could write. Get Sunshine, hold onto her hand, read and inform yourself as much as you can, prepare your body and your mind and enjoy the challenge knowing that you have the best support by your side. Thanks Sunshine, may you help many more mothers become even stronger :). read more

Sunshine was my midwife for our first daughter born at home in Santa Cruz, later we moved to South Dakota where lay midwifery is illegal. We had planned to have an unattended home birth but a couple hours in I had questions. My husband called Sunshine (unannounced) and she ended up staying on the phone with us the rest of the time. I had a friend here with me who had never attended a birth before and Sunshine walked her through everything. I have chosen her to attend the birth of our third child and am even coming back to CA temporarily so that we can do it in person this time. Thanks Sunshine! read more

It's hard to put in words what it means to me to have an exceptional midwife. Sunshine is truly an artist in her ability to perform what I can only explain as an incredible joy of her own in delivering babies. Myself, my husband and my baby have been treated with such compassion and care in pregnancy, labor and after birth that I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said it was above and beyond and priceless. There's is absolutely nothing like having someone by your side with just the right attitude to pull off what you want in a birth. I'm beside myself and can't thank Sunshine enough from the bottom of my heart. read more

Sunshine and her team are AMAZING. Sunshine trusted me, trusted my baby and trusts birth. She gave me information and allowed me to make the decisions that were right for me and my family. Her calm, confident and honest presence allows you to find those qualities in yourself...and for everyone else around to feel calm and confident. With the love and support from Sunshine, my HBAC was everything I hoped it would be and she will forever be a part of our family! read more

The most amazing midwife you will ever meet. I will be forever grateful for the amazing care I received from Sunshine. And as a doula and birth photographer I am so lucky to get to work alongside her. Sunshine changes lives everyday. read more

Sunshine is currently caring for me during my pregnancy. She comes highly recommended and after just our first meeting I knew why. During my pregnancy, and even during when I was trying to conceive, Sunshine always has been there for me to answer my questions (via text), day or night (yes I have texted her at 5am before to interpret some test results that I had been worried over and she answered immediately). The care I receive from Sunshine makes me feel well taken care of, validated, and she always answers all of my questions with evidence based information to help me come to my own conclusions. Going to see Sunshine for my monthly appointments is always a highlight of my week because I know I get to talk with her how I'm doing physically, emotionally and spiritually. She takes her time with her clients, and I feel that my care is not just one sided, I feel very involved with all aspects of my care. My pregnancy has been such a positive experience so far and a huge reason why is because of Sunshine. I am looking forward to my birthing time with her, and know she is the best midwife to help me bring my baby boy earth side. I will update my review after my little one is here! read more

I found Sunshine through the Internet after deciding to have a home birth, which was after having an awful experience with an OBGYN. I knew she was "the one" right at the interview. She had an energy about her that I needed. I wish that every pregnant woman could be cared for the way that Sunshine cared for me. She gives so much love while being a wealth of knowledge in all things pregnancy and birth. Every step of the way, I was in such competent, loving, and gentle hands. No one has ever touched my belly the way that Sunshine did. It's as if her spirit was saying "hello" to my baby in my womb, every time. I was able to have a water birth at home as a first time mom, and I don't think I could have done it without her. My baby was 9 pound 5 ounces. Bringing him into this world is the most empowering thing I have ever done. I can't imagine anyone other than Sunshine facilitating this experience. Needless to say, my husband is aware that we will need to live near or move near Sunshine next time he knocks me up. Every baby and every mom needs some Sunshine in their life. read more

Sunshine was our midwife through two births and one adoption. She was my spouse's confidante and strength through an emergency cesarean-section because of oligohydramnios at 41 weeks and 4 days. Though we planned a homebirth VBAC, oligohydramnios at 41 weeks also occurred with our second child. All the while, Sunshine was our advocate, our support, our midwife, and our family. read more

Sunshine helped in delivering my 3rd baby at home and she was knowledgeable and super laid back.

Sunshine is the most caring, loving, hard working and dedicated midwife I have met. Both of our children were born under her care and assistance at our house. We are forever grateful for her professional and loving care throughout both pregnancies, her knowledge and wisdom, and her devotion to the midwifery profession. During our two birth experiences, she demonstrated clearly how to handle safely both standard and nonstandard birth progression. She is a midwife who provides women the care they deserve - she is certainly not in the profession to make the most profit! She has high morals and work ethics and will not turn people away for financial reasons. I have recommended her to friends considering a home birth and will happily continue doing so. She is the best! read more

Sunshine is amazing! When we first met sunshine I felt attracted to her calm presence. Sunshine took such great care of us throughout my pregnancy and during our birth. We had a complication and she dealt with it so quickly and professionally and saved my baby's life. We are so thankful to have met her. I've learned so much about myself as a women and a mama through sunshine. I wouldn't have anybody else at my side when the next baby comes along! We love you sunshine! read more

I am thankful to know Sunshine and to have had her attend the birth of my son in 2012. I have known her since my first pregnancy in 2009, which ended in a miscarriage. She helped me find an acupuncturist after it was taking a while to become pregnant again. And when I finally conceived for the third time, she was there to help me hear the heartbeat and know I was finally growing a healthy baby. During my labor, Sunshine was on point the entire time. She helped me to breathe deeply and make low sounds to help my body open for my baby to come down. I had a relatively short labor for a first-time mother with minimal tearing and my son was perfectly healthy upon delivery. My mother was also at my labor, and she described Sunshine as a "technician," stating that Sunshine was amazing at her job. From a woman who has birthed seven children, some of which were unattended home births, I think that's pretty high praise. read more