I am happy-ish overall that I got my prenatal care and birthed my baby with Millie. Pros: All the…read moremidwives are kind and well-meaning. Cons: amongst the midwives, there is a very broad spectrum of experience and competence. This matters a little during prenatal care, and matters A LOT during your delivery. I had a healthy pregnancy, but a complex labor where very nuanced fetal heart monitoring and a whole set of particular interventions were required to deliver baby safely and avoid the need for a C-section. I ultimately had a successful VBAC, which I am absolutely thrilled about. But I believe I would not have had this outcome were it not for the particular midwife who came on shift and took over at 8 am the morning after I labored all night. She had decades of experience and came with confidence, conviction, and a well-calculated plan for how to proceed with the labor without harm to the baby. She did all sorts of things I didn't even know they could do during labor to help things along. On the other hand, before she came on shift, it felt as though we were headed into C-section territory. There didn't seem to be a plan for how to proceed with the labor successfully, and the less experienced midwife was perhaps too intimidated by the risks to take various actions. This range of experience would be the case with the hospitalist midwives too, so I don't fault Millie for this. It's just important for people to know that the person on call when you deliver might end up making a huge difference in your birth outcome, birth experience, and birth story. If you can afford care outside of insurance, your best bet is to go with a boutique midwifery practice where you know that all, not just half, of the midwives are super experienced.

I strongly recommend AVOIDING Millie Clinic. As an oncology nurse, I understand how healthcare…read moreshould function and don't make complaints lightly, but this was the most disorganized and unsupported care I've experienced, especially during my first pregnancy. Early on, I had severe vertigo with vomiting and called the on-call midwife twice, leaving a voicemail. My calls were never returned, and I had to follow up myself days later. There were repeated issues with labs and communication. I work 8am-7pm and asked multiple times for my labs to be sent to Stanford so I could complete them at work, but I received little help. I was later told labs were "missed" that were never ordered at all, and then blamed for not asking, even though I had multiple times. I had to have a colposcopy done for a potentially serious concern to which my biopsy results sat in the system for days without anyone contacting me. This put major stress on me that was completely avoidable. When I called, I was told, "If it were something bad, they would have called you," which felt dismissive and completely inappropriate. I would never fathom saying this to any of my patients who are asking about their results. I consistently used the patient portal as instructed, yet messages often went unanswered. I never filed a complaint, but a patient experience representative contacted me, encouraged me to be a "difficult patient," and later inaccurately reported that I used profanity toward staff. This was completely untrue and changed how my provider treated me. It was deeply upsetting and unprofessional. This was my last straw. I understand that healthcare isn't perfect, but misrepresenting a patient's character is unacceptable. I later received an email acknowledging that my words had been relayed incorrectly and apologizing for the misunderstanding, which only confirmed that the situation had been handled unprofessionally. By then, my trust in the clinic was gone. I ultimately transferred my care because I did not feel supported or safe. I cannot recommend this clinic to other pregnant patients.

Ellen was caring, effective, and helped us overcome challenges to reach our breastfeeding goals.read more

Working with Ellen for lactation support with my 3rd baby was one of the best decisions I have…read moremade!! Even though I had had two prior breastfeeding journeys, they both had their complications/challenges and I knew I wanted to have some support on-hand before my 3rd baby. Having a private, in-home lactation consultant was nothing short of amazing. Ellen even did a prenatal visit where she learned about my past breastfeeding experiences and challenges and listened to my goals and worries for this time around. In the past, I had only ever seen LC's in a "hospital outpatient" relationship and while those providers were experienced and competent, the setup really lacked continuity of care that I think is really important in a breastfeeding journey. Ellen did wonders to soothe my instinct to pathologize every little thing, and also brought me up to speed on the new evidence-based guidance for flange sizes and mastitis/clogged duct protocol as a lot had changed from my 1st two babies. She helped me ID a tongue tie much earlier than my 2nd baby, and with her updated protocol recommendations, I can now say I have made it 6 months EBF with no mastitis (something that was not the case at ALL my 1st two times). I really enjoyed working with Ellen and always looked forward to her visits. Even though it was my 3rd baby, I know that I would not be having such a positive breastfeeding journey if not for Ellen. She helped remove a lot of the anxieties and frustrations I had. Learning how to do "laid back" breastfeeding from the comfort of my own bed/couch was an absolute game changer and my baby breastfed with Ellen's support has had much better head/neck strength from the get-go from her nursing position. My body has been so much less sore/worn down from this position too. I wish I had discovered it years ago! If you are looking for lactation support - please consider working with Ellen beginning from late 3rd trimester - having that continuity of care from the first few days home from the hospital was an incredible gift. I can't recommend her enough from my experience!

My husband and I have been to 3 lactation consultants provided by the hospital before seeing molly…read more They did not work for me. I thought the amount of pain that I was experiencing while breastfeeding was somewhat a given and that I just needed to get through the first couple months. I went from using S&S when I didn't have enough milk my first week, to getting my baby's tongue tie snipped, to nipple shield, to getting clogged ducts, to removing the nipple shield and getting blood blisters and peeling of the nipple skin. Breastfeeding became something I dreaded everyday. When my husband would ask If i wanted to breastfeed, I kept postponing hoping that my nipples would have enough time to heal. A friend of mine recommended seeing Molly. Even though insurance didn't cover it, I wanted to give it one last chance before deciding to exclusively pump. With Molly, I had a breakthrough. It's only been 2 days since I've seen her and my son is able to latch deeply several times without giving me pain. She was able to point out how to help him latch deeply and also provide tips on how we can bottle feed in a way that would help transition him back to the boob. We started practicing this right away. The way she communicated was unlike other lactation consultants that I've seen. She was quite friendly, understanding, and encouraging. She took the pressure off to get breastfeeding down- unlike like my third consultant who would say it's "breastfeeding boot camp". She encouraged me to try and practice at least once a day. It didn't feel as overwhelming and it took a huge burden off my shoulders. I highly recommend seeing Molly if you're struggling with your breastfeeding journey! Thank you Molly!

We had an extremely rough start with breastfeeding (our baby had a tongue tie, trouble latching,…read moretrouble opening her mouth wide enough, I was exclusively pumping, I got mastitis multiple times, it developed into abscesses, etc.). Molly's pragmitism-meets-optimism helped us make it through this extremely trying time. Her technical expertise is beyond compare, but what makes her care extra valuable is her unwavering understanding of what it takes to support people who are struggling. I think I told her this at some point, and it probably sounded like a sleep-deprived thing to say, but she is like a protectress from Arthurian times, defending the magic of breastfeeding for as many mamas and babies as possible.

Serena's support was truly a vital blessing in an unbelievably challenging chapter. I had a…read morepremature baby who was struggling with feeding and weight gain. Nothing was working. I was triple feeding and burning the candle at both ends on top of the emotional strain of feeling like my body failed. Serena made me feel grounded and whole when everything felt chaotic and out of my control. She normalized some of the challenges that we were experiencing. She gave me really grounded advice that helped me set expectations. Including really thinking about risks and benefits when dealing with a baby who had oral aversion. Rather than focusing on every feed or every ounce on the scale, she helped me focus on the big picture of helping the baby feel safe and in control in his own body and developing a mother and infant bond that would support our long-term journey. Not only did she offer a calming presence, good advice, but she continued to be available and responsive weeks months, and even years down the road. She supported me with my second baby years later, and has continued to be a supportive, trusted person in my life. I call her my Milk Fairy GOdmother. She truly was a blessing.

It is no wonder Serena has 5 star ratings. Our 8 wk old baby started showing slow weight gain and…read moreas a first time parent, I was so worried and overwhelmed. From our first call, Serena was kind, thorough and asked all the right questions. She made time to come over within days, immediately pinpointed the issue, and created a clear feeding plan that gave me so much relief. She even reached out to our pediatrician right after and they called me the same day to schedule a weight check by end of the week! Serena's care doesn't stop at your session -- she checks in often and is always available by text, making me feel completely supported and never alone. She's warm, friendly, non-judgmental and turned a scary situation into something manageable. We're still working with her but I couldn't wait to share. Even though we're not out of the woods yet, I feel a million times better knowing Serena is by our side. If you're considering working with her, don't hesitate -- she's a gem!

Hiring Erin was one of the best decisions we made as first-time parents. From day one, she brought…read moreso much knowledge, warmth, and reassurance. She helped us understand our newborn's cues, feeding, sleep, soothing techniques, and so much more. No question was ever too small for Erin. She gave both my husband and me the confidence we needed as new parents. Her support during my breastfeeding journey was truly amazing. I went through mastitis that eventually developed into a breast abscess requiring surgery, and it was one of the hardest parts of my postpartum recovery. Her experience with lactation, practical advice, and constant encouragement helped me through one of the most difficult times. She also cared for our baby girl with so much love and tenderness, which gave us complete peace of mind. On top of that, she prepared the most amazing homemade meals. Her chicken recipe was so yum! We are so grateful for everything Erin did for us. If you're looking for a postpartum doula who is experienced, compassionate, professional, and truly passionate about supporting new families, I cannot recommend Erin highly enough.

There are no words worthy to describe how incredible Erin is. I was beyond lucky to come across her…read moreon my search for a doula. She was mentoring Julia at the time so I was able to have the knowledge and insight from these two incredible humans during my journey. Erin clearly demonstrates she has years of experience being a doula. The organized nature of Erin's practice continued from the introduction call all the way through each and every pre labor visit, and even after into postpartum care. Every session helped pave the path for my labor to become a dream (I know, some first time moms reading this might think it's hard to believe!). Erin was not only there for me weeks leading up to birth but also afterwards- guiding me through the newborn stage and with breastfeeding. I remember waking up one morning in tears as I was navigating one of my first nights of cluster feeding bouts and Erin came to help only a few short hours later. This type of support is unmatched during these desperate first few weeks with a newborn and this was such a shining example of Erin's compassion and true desire to help. What I love about Erin is her individualized approach, as you bring up issues/concerns, she employs her vast bank of tips and tricks to help you address issues of baby while factoring in the mental health of the parents to make the game plan doable in a time where you are merely trying to survive. I truly could not praise Erin enough and would 100% wish Erin could be everyone's doula because like my husband and I have said a million times we just couldn't imagine this era of our lives without her.

I booked an in-home visit with Molly a couple days after returning from the hospital. I was blown…read moreaway by her knowledge and attention to detail. My first feeding journey was rough and took about a month to get comfortable so I wanted to make sure I started in the right direction for my second. Molly helped significantly, within a few days after her visit I had feeding nailed down. She's such a joy to work with and was very thoughtful. Thank you Molly!!

I am so so so thankful for Molly…read more Our 4 month old was refusing the bottle and we had tried an assortment of strategies including several different types of bottles, timing, positions, etc and had pretty much given up on trying the bottle. We were truly at our wits end. Molly was able to quickly identify that our daughter has a high palate (the roof of her mouth is higher than normal), so holding the bottle normally wont touch the roof of her mouth which was causing her to get frustrated with the bottle. Molly showed us a simple positioning technique to add pressure so that the bottle nipple to touch the roof our baby's mouth and she will now take the bottle reliably! Such a huge huge relief. Thank you Molly!

Sarah provided me with compassionate and expert support in my journey feeding my kiddo. I greatly…read moreappreciated her warm, non-judgmental approach and her wise advice. She was able to meet with me on short notice, followed up via text to check in on me after our first appointment, and has fielded several questions via email, even while she was traveling. I am very grateful for her support and would highly recommend her!

At 5 days postpartum, I was feeling incredibly stressed and overwhelmed, but Sarah came to our home…read moreimmediately to help. She spent several hours with my husband and me, teaching us everything from the basics of breastfeeding and milk supply to the specifics of breast anatomy. Her calm demeanor was exactly what we needed; she completely eased my anxiety and gave us the confidence we were lacking. This was truly the most helpful support we've received since coming home from the hospital. If you are looking for an expert who is both knowledgeable and deeply compassionate, look no further.

I recently brought my kids in for their appointment, and I had a great experience from start to…read morefinish. The front desk staff were incredibly kind, welcoming, and helpful, which made the check-in process smooth and stress-free. The doctors were just as wonderful patient, attentive, and great with my children. They took the time to answer questions and made sure we felt comfortable throughout the visit. As a parent, it's reassuring to find a pediatric office where everyone genuinely cares about the families they serve. My kids felt at ease, and I left feeling confident that they received excellent care. Thank you to the entire team for making what can sometimes be a stressful appointment such a positive experience. Highly recommend!

My daughter is a patient here, and we've had a wonderful experience. The front desk staff is always…read morewelcoming and friendly. Ahmirah and Itzel are both incredibly helpful and always willing to go the extra mile to assist families. The providers and medical assistants are kind, caring, and always take the time to help. One thing I especially appreciate is that they offer same-day sick appointments for their patients. It's extremely helpful when your child needs to be seen quickly and saves families from spending hours waiting in the emergency room. Highly recommend this office!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Amrit! She guided me through my entire feeding journey…read morewith my second baby without any judgement. More importantly, she was compassionate and practical which can be VERY hard to find in the lactation world. She attentively asked me my goals for feeding this time around and then helped me make a game-plan at each step. Ultimately, I was unable/chose to stop nursing and pumping. While I personally felt so disappointed in myself for that, Amrit was nothing but supporting and loving. She supported me in any decision I made to keep my baby happy and fed and for that i'm forever grateful. She also helped me figure out how to get on a pumping schedule (when I needed to) and eventually how to wean without getting mastitis. Although my feeding journey eventually did not include breastfeeding, I'm so so happy I found Amrit to help me navigate all the things that come along with feeding a newborn. I felt like I was always in wonderful and capable hands and would recommend her to every new mom who needs some support. Breastfeeding is HARD and Amrit never made me feel guilty or bad. She simply supported me and helped me find something that worked for me and my family. Thank you again Amrit for all of your love and support with baby Ryan!

I owe my entire breastfeeding relationship to Amrit! I nursed my oldest for 2.5 years and needed…read morevirtually no help. Things were much different once I had my son. She taught me so much and I could NOT have learned the things I did had I not met with her! She was able to help me latch my son on in the office and we have been thriving since our visit! Ahe was told she can not accept patients with my insurance, and yet, she saw us anyway!!!! I am so grateful and genuinely believe we would have failed without her help and over 40 years of experience! She is unable to see other women with my insurance (I have state funded mediCal) unless they are a Bayside patient. However, if you have private insurance you can contact Bayside in Berkeley and make an appt. There's a $37.50 copay for the visit.

We could not be luckier to have Joanne's help and guidance in these first few weeks with our new…read morebaby. As a first time parent, there is so much to learn about feeding, eating, pumping, and self care. Joanne has been a wealth of information and advice, responsive, generous and able to tailor her recommendations to our specific needs. After just a few hours speaking with Joanne, I feel very knowledgeable and empowered in my ability to care for and feed my daughter. With a preemie who spent some time in the NICU, we have our own specific challenges with breastfeeding. Joanne has an extensive background working as a NICU nurse, and so was able to relate to our daughters needs immediately. I also had some concerns with pain during feeding, and Joanne immediate came to the table with advice, information and solutions. I can't thank Joanne enough for the help she's already given to my family, and highly recommend her services to any Moms with new babies.

It is hard to put into words how much we appreciate Joanne's help and support through these first…read morechallenging 8 weeks with the little guy. We are truly grateful for her guidance, care and over the top attention to our baby boy. Joanne's help in the beginning was critical and then last week when we found out he was underweight she helped us revamp our action plan to ensure the boy has what he needs to be happy and healthy. Her service is unmatched and I would recommend her to any family with a new baby -- especially if it's your first!!!