Unfortunately, my experience with Amy as a midwife was deeply disappointing and, at times,…read moredistressing. While she was kind and personable during our prenatal visits, her support during my labor and birth fell far short of expectations. I have rewatched the 10 hours of footage from my labor and birth - so these are actual accounts and not just from my memory.
Amy did not consistently show up when I needed her most. I was in labor for 31 hours before she arrived to stay. Although she checked on me briefly around the 12-hour mark, she was hesitant to return that evening and seemed bothered when asked. Despite living just five minutes away, she made it clear she didn't want to leave her equipment behind, citing how expensive it was, which felt inappropriate and untrusting, especially during such a vulnerable time. My doula had to convince her to leave her birth stool at my house before leaving for the night.
Throughout the night and next morning, while my labor progressed, she remained largely unavailable. She mentioned needing to serve lunch at her child's school, which felt like a higher priority than my care. By the time she returned, 31 hours in, I was fully dilated. At that point, she spent a surprising amount of time disengaged, making tea and sitting on her phone rather than actively supporting me.
When complications arose that Amy couldn't solve due to her inexperience, I was transferred to a birth center for a Vacuum extraction attempt, the situation became more traumatic. Her partner Kristy, whom I had never met before, was harsh and unsupportive, aggressively pushing me to continue despite my obvious exhaustion after 40+ hours of labor. Their bedside manner during this time was extremely lacking and added emotional stress to an already intense experience.
The lack of communication and support continued well after the birth. After giving birth, Amy left the center first and then missed our scheduled 24-hour follow-up. I had to reach out to her myself, only to receive a vague response about a personal family issue that had come up, without any prior notice. When I asked her for guidance about jaundice, her text response was a single word: "breastfeeding." When I needed help breastfeeding because my newborn wasn't latching properly, she helped me for 5 min then gave me a card for a LC.
When I raised my concerns, she responded by saying she thought I didn't want her there during labor because I had my doula, which was simply untrue and baffling. She repeatedly mentioned family obligations as reasons for her absence, which gave the impression that her priorities were elsewhere.
Additionally, throughout our care, I felt judged for choosing a Hypnobirthing class over the Bradley method she preferred, and she made disparaging remarks about other clients, something I found unprofessional.
This review isn't written lightly. I truly hope others can find a provider who is committed, present, and supportive when it matters most. Birth is an incredibly vulnerable experience, and everyone deserves a care team that shows up, physically, emotionally, and professionally. Amy - I'm happy to sit down and review the footage with you so you can see how poorly you showed up for me.