Oh my goodness! Where do I start?! For my last pregnancy I was in search of an AMAZING midwife in…read moreSacramento, (yes, I actually wrote that in the search bar) and Mackenzie Rose Midwifery popped right up. Within a timely manner after inquiring about a consultation, Mackenzie contacted me back. Our consultation lasted a little over an hour, after we got off the phone I made my decision to book her as my midwife. Her energy over the phone was so sweet, compassionate and loving. Throughout the months she would drive over an hour to check on me and my baby girl. She would explain anything and everything she was doing. She answered all questions I would asked with patience and deep wisdom; she even included my family in the appointment(s) that they could be hands on in some parts. Every appointment she always brought thoroughness, compassion, and happiness to my family. When I went into labor, I called Mackenzie early morning and she didn't hesitate to tell me to keep her updated, and she was already on her way by 8 am. She arrived around 9 am and checked to see how far a long I was in labor and knew I wouldn't have time to get in the birthing tub. Her sweet and calm words added even more peace and happiness in the room. She noticed I was a little stagnant with my process. She then she told me to stand up and lean on my mom. Her and my husband kneeled on the ground, arms out stretched and with two huge loving deep breaths my husband caught our daughter with Mackenzie right by his side. Mackenzie performed all newborn screenings, she came equipped with everything needed for myself and my daughter. She cleaned up so well, the only way anyone would know I had a baby in my home; was to see my baby their selves. After that she made a herbal wash, and tea to help with postpartum healing. Her loving support didn't stop there, she continued to go ABOVE AND WAY BEYOND in my postpartum care and check ins. She got my placenta encapsulated in a timely manner once again. She continued and continues to show so much care. I could never and would not ever ask for another midwife. I can wholeheartedly say meeting her was truly beyond a blessing, and I wish I had her for my other two previous births. She is one of the most loving, compassionate, super knowledgeable, selfless, helpful, funny, patient, supportive, understanding and so much more of a wonderful woman I know. She embodies everything a woman needs when they want to conceive, they're pregnant and/or giving birth. She adds a whole different experience to midwifery, Mackenzie is that gem that you hope you stumble upon. If you are or know anyone expecting or wanting to, and/or pregnant; I highly, highly, highly recommend Mackenzie. My family loves her, it's impossible not to.

I am not normally one to read entire yelp reviews, so for my fellow bullet pointers here are the…read morekey things, if you are enticed -- read on! Mackenzie deserves far more than 5 stars. If you're in search of a midwife, she is the one. 1. My family and I got pregnant for the first time in 2018 and in 2019. Mackenzie was with us for both deliveries. 2. With our first pregnancy, at 30+ weeks. Mackenzie saved us after we were dumped by an unfit midwife who was untruthful and had questionable practices. A blessing in disguise. 3. She has a wonderful balance of holistic care and scientific care. My husband is in the medical bubble and appreciated the ease of communication when he asked specific questions. She didn't skip a beat. 4. I believe the laws of time that we all abide by hold no power over her (sarcasm, but not really). Her flexibility is superb, she never makes you feel rushed in your appointments, and she has never exhibited weariness. Ever. 5. She informs you about everything, medically, holistically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically. She empowers you to make the most knowledgeable decisions. 6. She thinks of everyone. Mom, baby, partner, other kids, grandparents, in-laws, family pets. Shes a big picture kind of person while simultaneously being very detail oriented. 7. Shes pure sunshine to be around. 8. She truly loves what she does, you see and feel it in the way she cares for you and your child. I would be more than happy to include way more detail if anyone has questions!!!! Shes so worth it.

My husband and I decided to hire a doula for our hospital birth for our first child because we read…read morein our research that the presence of a doula can help keep labor complications low. We hired Meghan because she has great energy, is non-judgemental, and is passionate about her work. We look back on that decision as a great decision we made for our family. Meghan was a great support for us both during my pregnancy, labor & deliver, and postpartum as well. Meghan gave me awesome prenatal massages, gave my husband and I awesome private Birthing from Within class sessions to prepare us, and is just a great resource for both of us in all things related to my well-being and the birth of our child. I am super grateful to have Meghan with us as our birth doula -- She was the key to a great birth experience. I was able to give birth without an an epidural because of her constant support, encouragement, and the massages she gave me through the long hours of labor. I wholeheartedly recommend Meghan to anyone considering using a doula.

My husband and I decided we wanted a doula. We were looking and looking for one to help us through…read morethis amazing adventure and my husband found Meghan. She's not only a truly amazing Dula but she's also a professional message therapist and an essential oils specialist. She even used them at my birth to help me through the labor and delivery. I didn't tear at all! She provided amazing support through out the whole pregnancy. She gave us one on one classes so we were prepared at the delivery and had some idea of what to expect. I had a long labor of 50hrs she provided the support needed to make it through. This was my first birth and I didn't know what to expect. I'm very greatful she was there. She provided support and encouragement the whole time. Then after the birth she immediately helped me with getting my daughter to breast feed within 15min of being born which I feel has helped tremendously as breast feeding hasn't been a problem for us. Additionally she provided special herbs to help me after the delivery and she made me placenta pills to take for after the birth. Taking these has helped me balance out my hormones. I'd recommend Meghan to anyone who's having a birth either at home or in the hospital. My birth with in the hospital with the midwife and Meghan my Doula. I'll never forget her and she's going to be my doula again for our next kid in a couple years. Thank you Meghan for everything you have done for Aaron and I in helping me to bring our healthy beautiful daughter into this world successfully!

Maya is a Dream. Besides being a caring, trustworthy and experienced midwife she's also the kind of…read morewoman you want to have as a friend -- which I'm Grateful that I now do! She delivered my second baby at home, which went beautifully. Her follow up visits post-partum were so thorough and supportive, as were her prenatal visits. She's a gem and I highly recommend her services.

Maya was by my side through my intense labor . I was over due and had to be induced in the hospital…read more. As a true friend she stayed by my side for 3 days . Endlessly supportive through my entire pregnancy. Although ,not living close enough to me to be my official midwife , she was truly there for me through and through .

I cannot speak highly enough about Jessica. She is truly one of the most loving, nurturing, and…read moresupportive people I have ever met. Her care is the perfect blend of wholehearted compassion and exceptional medical expertise. A lot of people assume midwives only offer holistic support, but she provides the full spectrum of high-quality, knowledgeable, attentive care -- and she does it with so much heart. Our appointments are never rushed. She takes her time, listens deeply, and genuinely cares about every part of my well-being -- mental, physical, and emotional. She's been my midwife for both my third and fourth home births, and each experience with her has been nothing short of beautiful. And she has so much fun! There were moments during labor when we were dancing and singing together, filling the space with joy and laughter -- and then moments of deep, quiet intimacy where she held space for me with such tenderness. She intuitively knew exactly when to step in and when to give my husband and me space to labor together, just the way we wanted. Even in those private moments, we felt completely safe and supported knowing she was right there. We are endlessly grateful for her. Her presence, her expertise, her compassion, and her joyful spirit made our birth experiences truly unforgettable. I would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone seeking the very best care.

From my first consultation with Sierra Homebirth, I knew Jessica was the midwife I wanted on my…read morebirth team. She spoke with clarity and the conviction of experience as I asked her question after question. I wanted a homebirth, but needed to process my own fears around it. My intuition was that Jessica had a fierceness about her. I sensed that if complications were to arise, she would not only have my back, but the skill to ensure the safety of me and Baby. She did. When my active labor stalled, she expertly guided me through exercises which brought about the imminent, natural, and safe arrival of Baby. I did face complications post-birth which necessitated a transfer. Jessica was my fierce advocate through the whole process. I am a huge fan of the midwifery model and am so grateful that I had Jessica and Stefania by my side. I have so much respect for them and the work they do in this world. I truly feel Sierra Homebirth is a gift to the community.

Leslie gave me a gorgeous Mayan Abdominal Massage that was truly healing and nourishing. Her hands…read moreare wise, and well-informed, and I felt nurtured and cared for throughout the process. Abdominal massage is very vulnerable, and I felt that Leslie's presence and approach made it easier for me to relax, soak up the touch, and learn some new things about the holding patterns in my core. I highly recommend her services to all, and I will be back!

Leslie gave me the best massage I have ever had in my life....and I was 34 weeks pregnant! She gave…read moreme two prenatal massages before the birth of my son and I can't wait to go back for a postpartum massage. I didn't know I could feel so relaxed and comfortable being 34 weeks pregnant. She uses a lot of pillows and makes sure you are really comfortable but more importantly she knows the female body. She has so much experience and even trains people on how to massage pregnant women. I cannot say enough good things about her and her studio space is really beautiful as well. If you are looking for a GREAT prenatal massage or any other massage for that matter you should see Leslie.

My husband was hesitant to hire a doula. He had all the typical concerns: cost vs benefit, do we…read moreREALLY need someone to provide advice and guidance, what will a doula do that a nurse won't do. Etc. This was our second birth. Our first went okay but wasn't enjoyable by any stretch and fell short in many ways. Specifically knowing and fully understanding all options and their implications. This time I just really wanted someone knowledgeable and experienced who was completely our advocate. Murial came highly recommended by another trusted healthcare provider. Murial has been amazing. She listened and taught us how to be better at getting the care we wanted. My husband felt totally supported and relieved of the burden of going it alone as my only support. That was HUGE! She was available every step of the way - and thankfully, due to an unexpected change of doctors - was our security and constant in a whirlwind of change right before the birth of our son. We LOVE Murial and highly recommend her to anyone wanting an intelligent, caring, knowledgeable birth educator and personal advocate.

Murial Barkley-Aylmer was our sibling doula, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is an…read moreincredibly special person. She is a birth/sibling/post-partum doula, and she was a gift to us in all those capacities. Our primary arrangement with her was as a sibling doula for our 3yo son during the birth of our second child. She and our son already had a relationship before the birth because she nannied very part time for us for a while (before she made the switch to doula work), and our arrangement with her was for her to come to the house once my labor had started, and then she and our son could go "have a little adventure" while the baby was being born. Murial is, in my opinion, a priceless combination of calm and bright energy. Her presence is soothing - for a few hours before our son woke up, she was able to act as a birth doula for me, and I still think about her gentle foot...holding?? (I mean, wtf was she doing?! I don't know, but it was amazing.). But she also has this bright energy that both kids and adults are super attracted to - creative, fun, silly, respectful, empathetic, intuitive - all the things I wanted in the person who was going to be with my son during such a pivotal and vulnerable moment in his life (the birth of a sibling). He had a fun time on his adventure with Murial, and then she stayed for a few hours after they returned - she made sure I was fed and my needs were met, made me a placenta smoothie and prepped and froze more placenta, and continued to help with our son. In the months after the baby was born, we continued to have Murial come a few times a week in the capacity of post-partum doula. Her help and presence were critical to my mental and emotional health at that time - the baby was colicky and a poor sleeper and finicky nurser, our son was regressing in many areas, and my husband's back went out(!) and then he went back to work. But when Murial was in our house, everything seemed to be okay. One other nice thing about Murial is that she is a certified counselor. So she is basically a professional listener/empathizer/guidance giver. :)

Karri is THE expert in her field. I would highly recommend Karri whether you're going through a…read morehealth trial or just regular self care maintenance. Karri has a soft, compassionate energy that just radiates from her. She's just the best.

I visited Karri for a prenatal massage while traveling nearby on a weekend getaway. I bought a Yelp…read moredeal and did a 90 minute massage. Her home studio was inviting and relaxing and very convenient to get to from downtown Grass Valley. Most of the time I get annoyed with prenatal massages because I'm such a deep tissue girl normally that prenatal massages tend to feel ineffective and too gentle for my taste. But Karri's technique, though extremely gentle, was very effective at relieving tension and even helping reduce swelling. By the next day, I noticed a big difference in the amount of swelling in my feet and hands (due to being 8 months pregnant). Yay! I found Karri to be responsive to my needs and had a great experience.

My only regret with having Rowen as my midwife was that I didn't choose her from the start!…read more I started care with another midwife who I ended up not connecting well with and at 30 weeks we parted ways. It was a very stressful time and I was anxious about finding a good midwife so late in the game and having time to develop a close, trusting relationship before the birth. Rowen was all of that so much more. I really wish I had found her at the start as I would have loved to have shared my whole pregnancy with her. Rowen is a very intelligent and caring person, and a with-women midwife. She had complete respect for my point of view while also being able to educate and provide answers to any questions I had. She took the time to connect with me and really understand what I needed from her care and I couldn't thank her more for that. I wanted my children very involved in prenatal care to prepare them for our homebirth and she did all my checks at home, at my request. Her willingness to support my desired model of care was evident in every appointment. I ended up having some unusual health complications and Rowen was completely dedicated to furthering her knowledge and skills to support me through that. She is also very well established and connected in the bay area and was a wonderful resource in providing referrals for specialist treatment. If everything goes right, Rowen is the midwife you want at your home birth as she'll create the space just as you want for a wonderful, emotionally sensitive, safe birth. If everything goes wrong, Rowen is the midwife you want as she'll be in there to bat for you, working alongside the many bay area practitioners she knows well. I felt my baby and I were safe with her support and care, at home or in case of transfer.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I knew I wanted Rowen to be my midwife. She…read morewas my childbirth educator and doula for my first birth and was by far the best of all of the birthing professionals I worked with during that whole experience. My entire prenatal, labor, and birth process was so different with Rowen. She practices a midwifery model of care that focuses on treating the mother as a capable and intelligent adult who is in charge of her own care, with the midwife there to provide expertise, information, and support. She was also fantastic about welcoming my husband and daughter into the pregnancy and birth process, and her standard visits are an hour so she can really check in with you about how things are going. Contrary to a lot of assumptions that a homebirth with a midwife is just for crazy fringe people who are anti medical science, I found after heavily researching all of my options that the model of care offered by Rowen and other midwives like her was by far the most evidence-based available to me as a woman with a low risk pregnancy in my area. Rowan wanted me to labor wherever and however I was the most comfortable, and she provides use of an inflatable birthing pool for women who want to labor or deliver in the water (I did both). My water broke early this time, and if I'd been in a hospital with practitioners insisting on unnecessary routine internal exams and/or a policy of c-secting at 24 hours, I would almost certainly have ended up being pressured or forced to have interventions that I didn't have to have with Rowen, either unnecessarily or because of the higher risk of infection in hospitals. Rowen and her assisting midwife, Hope, just monitored my temperature, didn't do any unneeded exams, and reassured me that I wasn't on an arbitrary clock. Rowen helped me with positioning exercises to get labor going, and after 6-7 hours of real contractions, I had a very straightforward, safe delivery of a second little girl. My postpartum recovery was much easier, and the entire process, both clinically and in terms of my and my family's experience, was just night and day compared to my first birth. Rowen also works with a specialist who helps file and process insurance claims and has a great record of helping families get their insurance to cover all or part of Rowen's fees, which are much cheaper than working with an obstetrician even though she spends significantly more time with her clients both prenatally and in labor. Ultimately, I can't recommend Rowen highly enough.

I was originally not sure that I wanted to hire a birth doula, but after speaking to Marissa on the…read morephone when I was 3 months pregnant, I felt a connection and warmness from her that I wanted as part of my child's birth. I was fortunate enough to have Marissa and my birth doula in 2021. I was able to attend her pre-natal yoga sessions and motherhood gatherings via Zoom - it was great to connect with other mothers during this time. Our pre-labor one-on-one sessions were gentle and informative. Both my partner and I felt well supported. During my labor is when Marissa really shined. I had a homebirth planned with two midwives. As soon as she arrived at my house she jumped in Doula mode. She made suggestions on more comfortable birthing positions, provided me with words of encouragement and guided my husband on supporting me. I ended up needing to go to the hospital and Marissa came along and supported me through the emergency room and into L&D. She worked well with the L&D staff.  My son ended up being transferred to a NICU at another hospital - and Marissa stayed with me until one of my friends could get there. I cannot express to you how much this meant to me. While in the hospital, the doctors and nurses were focused on delivering my son safely. Marissa advocated for me and made sure I was also well taken care of. After I returned home, Marissa visited us to offer support, guidance, tea and whatever else we needed. Months later, she regularly checks in, offers her support, and coordinates meet-ups with other moms, doula clients or not, in the area. I am so thankful for Marissa.

I found Marissa when I was about 5 months pregnant and in the heart of the first COVID lockdown. I…read morewas isolated and alone, unsure of how to take care of my breath and my body at such a transformative and sacred time. Marissa quickly became a huge part of my support system - through her prenatal yoga classes, individual sessions, and postnatal circles for moms, I was given the beautiful gift of her presence, grace, and wisdom. I will forever be grateful for all of the ways she showed up for me during an incredibly poignant time. Thank you, Marissa!!!!