I didn't have a good birthing experience at Kaiser - I went into Kaiser with full intention of…read moreepidural but Kaiser didn't believe I was advancing fast and they asked me to wait until it was too late for epidural; what's worse was they didn't wait for my planceta to come out so they manually removed my planceta without any pain meds. Painful isn't enough to describe the experience. Pregnant with my second son, I didn't want to repeat the experience. Knowing I am likely birth fast again, I wanted to go without pain meds again, with as much help I can get, and natural birth of the planceta. I reached out to Tashina pretty late in my pregnancy. Knowing my situation, she responded to my email right away and managed to squeeze me into her schedule. She did a very thorough interview with me and my husband, fully understood what experience we are looking for and made amazing recommendations. She recommended me with a hospital I wasn't aware of that has great staff and with midwifery care. Since I was late stage pregnant (32+weeks), she pulled all her strings to help the new hospital accept me as a patient. And all the way up until the delivery date, she was only one text/call away for any questions I had. The birth was still painful, but with the midwifery care, Tashina's preparation with me and my husband, the hot tub setup, and her being there as my advocate, the birth was quick, smooth, and no manual extraction of placenta! My second son was almost 8lbs and no tear or stitches. Even weeks after birth, Tashina came visit and always checked in with me to help me with breastfeeding issues, baby colic issues etc. Tashina is so knowledgeable, caring and loving. We will always appreciate her help and she will always be a special person in my second sons life!

I'm convinced that fate brought Tashina into my life so I could have a beautiful, natural, and…read moreconfident first birth. Other than her deep knowledge of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, there is something extra special about Tashina and the calm presence she brings into your pre and post birth space. She not once shied away or avoided any of my questions or expectations for my birth and was so understanding of my boundaries around specific things. I felt absolutely safe and held by her to surrender to birth completely. Moreover, she helped my husband feel confident in supporting me in a natural birth too. All I can hope for is to have her at any of my future births as well! :) Thank you Tashina!

OK, so my wife and I had our first child about two months ago. Being new to the pregnancy process…read moreand being a new Dad (to be), there were more things that I didn't know than I did, but the problem was that I had no idea how much I didn't actually know. When my wife first started talking about doulas, my first reaction was, "What could we possibly need a doula for?" Nearly two months after my wife gave birth, I have had a few friends who are now expecting and when they ask me about things that I know now that I wish I knew during the pregnancy, my first response is, find a doula, I know one who is awesome. For context, a few months before my wife gave birth, she interviewed multiple doulas and decided Liv was her choice. From a husband's perspective, Liv was a breath of fresh air from day one. She came to our house, answered all our questions and had my wife pumped up and ready to run through walls when the baby came. During our pre-birth meetings, there were questions I had that I was afraid to ask our providers, but I felt comfortable asking Liv. She showed up on time, stayed late, showed up at all hours of the day and night when my wife was in the hospital and came to be supportive even when she didn't need to. She stayed with us and helped through all the important parts of giving birth, including the good and bad. By the time everything was said and done, we definitely viewed her as both an incredible resource and a friend. I am not a big 'review' type of person, but if you're even contemplating getting a doula, call Liv. I work in the healthcare field and I have never seen so many nurses compliment her foundational knowledge, work ethic and attitude. I may have been half asleep, but I think one of the hospital nurses or lactation specialists actually asked Liv about being her doula for her up and coming baby. Again, all of this is from a husband's perspective, but looking back on the whole set of events, I have no idea how we would have made it through without Liv helping us through each step. Do yourself the favor if you're looking for a doula and at least give her a call. Liv, if you see this, thank you from myself, Lori and baby Harlow.

Liv is the absolute best doula and my husband and I are so grateful to have crossed paths with her!…read moreHer knowledge and support during my pregnancy were invaluable. If it wasn't for Liv, I'm not sure that I would have had the physiological birth I had always dreamed of having! I knew from the beginning that I wanted an unmedicated and hands off birth and she was my greatest advocate. Liv's support was comprehensive and tailored to my needs. I wholeheartedly recommend her doula services to anyone looking for compassionate, knowledgeable, and empowering support during their pregnancy journey. There were so many moments where her support was particularly meaningful, but her unwavering belief in my ability to birth my baby stands out the most. Thank you, Liv, for everything!!

Jenn is an incredible doula. We hired her to help us go through the birth of our first child, and…read moreare so glad we did! We hadn't planned our pregnancy and really knew nothing about childbirth. Jenn walked us through what to expect and fielded all of our questions with ease. She helped us to feel like we could go through the birthing process with knowledge and awe at the same time. The day of the birth Jenn was there from the start. Her constant encouragement enabled my wife to get through the roughest patches of labor and stay focused. She was also great in helping me support my wife through the labor process. The birth of our baby was a wonderful, amazing experience and Jenn played a large part in making that come to be. Highly recommended!!!

Jen was present for 2 of my births and was just the reassurance and firm but gentle presence I…read moreneeded. I was determined after having my first child that the next two times I would have a doula! Yay me for following through! I contacted Dolphin Doula & Yoga and chose Jen to be my doula. A doula is so much more than just a birth coach; a doula is a partner and sister to help you before, during and after. With my second child we danced during labor in the hospital. With my third, stuck in a diagonal breach position, Jen was there to help me meditate and relax while the doctor performed a "version", turning the baby from the outside to get the head down. Yes, baby stayed head down and was delivered in the next few days! Whew!

Brooke is awesome! She is friendly, confident, and knowledgeable. With Brooke's help before and…read moreduring labor, I used hypnosis for most of my labor and was able to skip an epidural and dilate quickly. She is supportive no matter what expectations you have or how it all ends up going in the end! She also meets with you post-birth and has contacts and resources for everything! Breastfeeding help, anyone?! (: One unique thing I'll mention about Brooke's services is that she was always there for me if she wasn't with another client. I had to have two ECV's performed around the time of my due date because my baby kept turning breech. Because of the small chance of having to start labor or perform a C-section after the ECV, Brooke attended these appointments with me or was on call just in case something happened! She was a huge emotional support to my husband as well! Thank you thank you Brooke!

I didn't necessarily use Birth Light Doula service, but if I had the opportunity to I would've. She…read moreis booked and is currently not taking new clients, but she answered any questions I had through text messages! Being a first time parent to a newborn is so stressful because you dob't know what to expect or handle certain situations. She was like a live support. My newborn would not stop crying and I didn't know what to do, but Birth Light gave me advice and was very supportive. Really nice person! Thank you

My first time giving birth at home! Labor itself wasnt easy or smooth but i am so thankful to these…read morewomen who took great care of me during pregnancy and labor! Reene and Ingles are amazing, they care for you like for their own family member! You ladies are amazing!!!!

I unequivocally recommend Renee Hanevold for prenatal care and home birth. As a CNM with former L&D…read moreexperience in several hospitals, she has delivered thousands of babies, and has seen many, many different kinds of births. She is committed to home birth as a better birth process, and because of her background she really knows what she is talking about, both about the problems that can come from hospital care and how to watch for serious medical issues that require that hospital care. Renee attended the water birth of my son (she supplied the tub). She helped me through the complication of early water breaking (four days before deliver). We had a successful home birth without pitocin, but I was confident that if we had needed to, Renee would have made the call to transfer to the hospital in a timely, non-emergency manner. Her calm, confident presence at the birth made all the difference for me. Though it is unusual, I had a tear from my birth that required stitches (normally tears can be left to heal better than sewing, but mine was a different kind) and Renee sewed me so well that several doctors who examined me since commented on what an amazing job the person had done on my stitches. For prenatal care, Renee isn't in a hurry, she gives as long as it takes to get your questions answered. She orders routine prenatal labs and ultrasounds when you need / want them, but doesn't force you to get tests you don't want. She also takes care to help mothers prepare emotionally for birth and parenthood, and she welcomes dads at prenatal visits as well. Also, she can really feel what that baby is doing inside you. Even when I couldn't tell, she knew exactly where he was and what he was doing in there. I have no regrets whatsoever about choosing Renee for my home birth, and I only hope that if I have another child I will be able to have her again, or find another midwife at least half as good.

My son was born four months ago, and Lauren and Angelique were our postpartum doula dream team for…read morethe first two months -- we absolutely could not have survived this challenging time without their incredible, compassionate, generous support! My wife and I interviewed several postpartum doulas before giving birth and upon first chatting with these two, I was immediately put at ease by their kindness, professionalism, warmth, and depth of experience. Though we originally were only looking for night time support from Angelique, getting to work with Lauren as well during daytime visits was so critical to help give us a break after long nights and to work through challenges with breastfeeding! Both doulas of this dynamic duo were so attentive and caring through a truly emotional and chaotic time. They were helpful not just with logistics and basics like meal prep, making amazing delicious snacks and drinks to support lactation, and helping with the baby, they also shared their deep wisdom as fellow mothers and were such a gentle landing for me while I dealt with a roller coaster of emotions after a challenging labor and difficult breastfeeding journey. If you're hesitating at all on whether or not to book a postpartum doula -- DO IT!!! Your future, sleep-deprived self will be infinitely grateful!

I received the postpartum night doula services and also the closing of the bones ceremony from…read moreHolistic Postpartum Co. Angelique was my Postpartum doula and was amazing!!! She met with me prior to giving birth so she could understand my needs. She provided meal prep services for me which was a game changer in my Postpartum experience! This is my 4th child and I've never had food meal prepped and it always felt great knowing I could wake up to healthy meals that were nourishing. One less thing off my to do list! She is also a mom of 4 and I felt completely comfortable with her handling my baby at night while I got uninterrupted sleep! I also received the closing of the bones ceremony and Angelique and Lauren were more than amazing! They showed up to my house with everything ready and prepped and I didnt have to worry about anything. I felt taken care of during this ceremony and again, have never experienced being take care of and pampered like this throughout my prior Postpartum experiences. Throughout the ceremony they both kept making sure that I was comfortable and truly made it about me and were both so kind and warm. Having Angelique as a postpartum night doula was truly a blessing! And if you are thinking about getting the closing of the bones ceremony please do! It is so special and you will not regret it. I highly recommend Holistic postpartum Co to meet all your postpartum needs!

Rebekah took such wonderful care of our family. A friend who was pregnant at the same time as me…read morerecommended her and I'm so glad I was able to grab her last spot for August. Rebekah truly went above and beyond! This is definitely her calling. She's really chill, but highly professional, keeps it real, and keeps the focus on what needs to get done today or this week, while at the same time she was more than happy to answer my questions about what to expect for the future. I tend to focus so much on the future I neglect the present, so I loved this approach, it's very grounding. We really felt cared for at every appointment and she took the time to get to know us and our story, and gave us lots of opportunities to ask questions. She really helped put my concerns to rest. I love her approach to the mental/emotional aspect of giving birth, and how your attitude towards birth is what really determines your experience. (Now that I'm on the other side, I can confidently say that's 100% true.) She emphasized that the contractions can't be stronger than you because they are you. I was nervous about the whole home birth process but talking to her put me at ease. The whole process of preparing and gathering all the stuff and getting the house ready was very empowering, and I can honestly say I actually enjoyed my labor (!!) despite the intensity of it. Her assistants were great as well. I feel really confident in my decision and I'd be happy to do it again.

Originally we had done most of out prenatal care at a birth center in Santa Rosa. Our family was…read moredisplaced TWICE during the Santa Rosa/Napa fires of 2017. My wife was at 40 weeks, and ready to go into labor at any moment. We were forced to head east in search of a midwife that was available to take us in on short notice. Needless to say, this was stressful for me & heartbreaking for my wife. I searched & called around from Los Angeles up to Sacramento. Most midwifery's were unwilling or unable to help us. Rebekah was willing to take us in. And for that alone, my family will always be grateful. Anyone reading this should take a moment to let it sink in what a kind act it was for Capital Midwifery to come to our rescue. I'd say it says everything about who they are but it doesn't. The other reviews listed here on Yelp aren't hyperbole when describing Rebekah & Danielle. There is more... Capital Midwifery are incredibly good at their job & their facility is excellent. And I can say that with credibility being that (due to the fires & other circumstances) we were now on our 3rd birthing-center of our pregnancy. My wife had gone into this extremely sad that she couldnt use the midwives she'd formed a bond with during most of our prenatal care. But then we met with Capital Midwifery, and we gave each other a crash course to get caught up & familiar with each other. Both my wife & I left the initial visit both feeling like we'd found the perfect midwifes for us. Personally, for me, I wanted a natural birth but I also wanted direct answers & advice on the various options of labor. Throughout the pregnancy I had struggled to get the sort of direct guidance I was seeking (that you would normally find from a doctor/hospital) but from a holistic background. In Rebekah & Danielle, that was no longer an issue. Whether it was their style, or the nature of emergency get-to-know-each-other, or that they picked up on my vibe and they adapted to make me feel comfortable with their direct approach & knowledge. Whatever it was, their style matched what I was seeking all along. That's not to say anything negative about our previous midwives. It's just that there was something I knew that was different from the very first phone call and at every step of the process my intuition was confirmed. Just days after getting acquainted & finding a short term apartment to rent my wife would go into labor. Rebekah & Danielle handled the entire process with grace & professionalism. 19 hours later our baby girl was born. Rebekah & Danielle were total pro's throughout. While the journey to meeting our daughter came with wild twists & turns at every stage, Im ultimately glad it did because we ended up sharing the final stage of the process with the best people for the job. Thank-you Rebekah & Danielle for EVERYTHING. I wish you nothing but success & happiness for the rest of your lives. As far as I am concerned you are the absolute best at what you do and anyone still reading this would be crazy to choose anyone but you if given the option (or forced into making the decision due to fires, floods, locusts, or a zombie apocalypse).

If you're in the market for a best in class midwife to assist with your home birth, I highly…read morerecommend Christie from Cambridge Midwifery Care. Christie did such an excellent job caring for me and my family from the first time we came to her clinic through pregnancy and birth and well beyond the postpartum period. Not only did Christie bring a deep knowledge of traditional midwifery care, but also her expertise around nutrition and the natural holistic approach of her practice were what made such a big difference for me in this pregnancy. The prenatal visits were detailed, personal and every discomfort I experienced was met with a suggestion on how to provide relief rather than it being dismissed as another pregnancy symptom. Along the way, Christie made sure to provide options and education for her treatment so I could make the best decision for me and my family. I couldn't have asked for a more positive and empowering home birth experience. Whether it's your first or fourth pregnancy, every woman should have the blessing to experience a natural childbirth and with the support of Christie I was able to do that in the most beautiful way, from the comfort of our home.

Christie was a wonderful presence during our prenatal appointments and home birth. She always had a…read morecalm and comforting demeanor that made us feel we were in good hands. Christie was one of three midwives that attended our birth. She woke our oldest daughter after our baby was born and led her into the room to meet her sister. My oldest still recalls this happy memory and felt very comfortable with Christie. She also allowed our daughter to help with the care of baby and mom after the birth, explaining things and giving her attention. We will always be grateful for her kindness, knowledge and care during the best experience of our lives. Much love and gratitude from the Cole family.