My husband and I hired Angela for the birth of our first child, and I could not recommend her…read moreenough. I truly would not want to have another baby without her present. Prior to taking Angela's prep classes, my husband commented on how the role of a doula suits less dominant personalities best, as they require assistance asserting themselves. How wrong he was! We took her comfort in childbirth, infant care and breastfeeding classes, and by the end of the series he told me to ask for her number. Before she even consulted with us we were ready to put a deposit down. Angela met with us a handful of times prior to labor, and then met us in Gainesville (we traveled from Ocala) early in the morning when I went into labor. She stayed with us for our entire 24 hour labor, and guided us through every step. She laid out candles, played music, massaged me for hours, asked for specialty laboring tools and brought some herself, advocated for things I wouldn't have known to ask for, and held my legs as I pushed for hours. Labor was far from an easy experience but I felt supported the entire time because Angela was there to ensure I was taken care of. Following my daughter's birth, she traveled to our home twice to consult me on breastfeeding and proper weight gain. This was invaluable, as my mom was unable to be with me following her birth due to COVID, and I really needed the emotional support. If you're wondering if you should hire a doula or are looking for the right one for you, look no further. You will not regret adding Angela to your care team.

From the husband/father: My primary motivation behind hiring Angela was to ensure that my wife had…read moreas much guidance as possible before, during, and after the birth of our first child. This was especially important to me in the event that I couldn't make it to the hospital (military), having Angela there to coach and reassure my wife was critical. To say that she did amazing would be an understatement. I did make it to the birth and I must say: Hiring Angela was the best money that I've ever spent. She knew everything to do and say at those crucial moments when, let's face it, the husband is clueless. She met with us for coffee a few days prior to labor to go over what to expect, and when to leave for the hospital vs. false alarms. She was very knowledgeable, thorough, and personable. There is no price too high for the assurance and comfort that she provided my wife leading up to labor. During the delivery she arrived just after we did, after midnight. For the next 17 hours she comforted my wife through labor pains with methods that I, and I'm assuming the nurses as well, were totally unaware of. She set a soft mood with little electronic candles, and helped my wife get some much needed sleep. After the delivery she helped us with the nursing, postpartum care, and infant care. She also made recommendations for books, videos etc. that would help us on our new journey. About a week after the delivery she made the 45 minute drive out to our house to check up on us and the baby. Even after labor and delivery, Angela was still able to comfort my wife during the rough first weeks with our son. It was notice from both her and I, after each interaction, how much better and confident she made us feel as new parents. I can't recommend Angela enough and would be willing to vouch for her, and her services at a moments notice. We will be seeking her services again if we have another child, and will recommend to her to any expecting couples that we encounter.

A wonderful experience! Dr. Gureasko was incredibly gentle and informative. I had a Paraguard…read morecopper IUD insertion done and it went smoother than I could have imagined. She is clearly very experienced and intentional. All the CWH staff were kind and communicative. Very thankful for our experience!

My experience with North Florida Women's Care was extremely disappointing and honestly felt more…read morelike pressure than care. At 36 weeks pregnant, I was already being asked repeated of times for cervical checks and told they were "very necessary," when in reality, many women are told these are optional unless there's a clear medical reason. Instead of being given balanced information, I felt like my choices were being dismissed.do your research people care about you and your baby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What really crossed the line for me was how early and aggressively C-sections were being brought up. At only 36 weeks, I had multiple conversations that felt like they were steering me in that direction without any urgent medical need. That didn't feel like preparation--it felt like unnecessary escalation. I specifically had issues with both Liann Ammar, MD and Karen Harris, MD, MPH. Dr. Harris in particular came across as very pushy about the idea of a C-section before we were even close to that point, which made me extremely uncomfortable. Instead of feeling supported, I felt like I was being managed and directed. Another major problem is the complete lack of consistency. Every single appointment, I saw a different doctor. There was no continuity of care, no real relationship, and no sense that anyone truly understood my pregnancy or preferences. It felt impersonal and disorganized. Between the inconsistency, the pressure around procedures, and what I experienced as a lack of transparency, I made the decision to leave and go elsewhere for my care. This is my personal experience, but I strongly encourage anyone considering this practice to do their own research and advocate for themselves. Don't just accept everything at face value--ask questions about interventions like Pitocin, epidurals, and C-sections so you understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives. For example, Pitocin can intensify contractions significantly, which can make labor feel much more intense than natural progression. Epidurals can be helpful for pain, but they also come with trade-offs that should be clearly explained so you can make an informed choice that's right for you. At the end of the day, you deserve to feel heard, respected, and fully informed during your pregnancy--not pressured or rushed into decisions. Based on my experience, I would not recommend North Florida Women's Care. Then I went to a woman's birthing center in Ocala that doesn't shove epidurals or C-sections or anything of the such in your face and I had my baby there. They did a wonderful job they take care of you like family. I highly recommend them to anybody that's looking for someone that's gonna care for you and your baby that's gonna keep up with you and your I just want the best for you and your New born baby!!!!

There is an old review online stating that there is a free consultation before entering Midwives…read moreCooperative. They are under new management and this policy is no longer valid at Midwives Cooperative. That is the first thing all should know before walking in the doors. Once inside the door, my wife was required to pay $500 upfront and to sign multiple papers before she was even seen by a nurse. Part way through the consultation, my wife decided this was not for her. She requested a refund but was flatly refused. Taken aback, she left the office hormonal and dazed. We were advised to put a hold on the check. Following this successful action, a strongly worded letter was sent to us that the complete bill must be paid otherwise we will be reported to a collections agency. It was double-signed by both current owners. Clearly, there was no way we could continue under these unreasonable circumstances and we quickly found another midwife who treated us fairly. Obviously, this is no way to treat a pregnant woman. I would advise, in the strongest possible terms, against signing with Midwives Cooperative, or even from walking inside the doors. Upfront money and multiple required signatures is a red flag for any agency. Sadly, it is too late for us, but I sincerely hope that this warning/posting will help others from making a similar mistake.

From the owner: Midwifery care for birth at home - personal, professional, practical! Homebirth, waterbirth…read more Insurance and Medicaid accepted. 24 hour OB back-up

Faith was such an incredible blessing to our family! She brought calm reassurance and lots of…read moreknowledge to support both myself and my husband through a pretty tough birth. She was able to help me navigate back labor with lots of different techniques. I felt truly respected, heard and cared for from pregnancy all the way to postpartum. She was very responsive and easy to communicate with. One of the most memorable moments for me was that I was completely exhausted after baby arrived and faith helped me to the bathtub and washed my hair for me it was so loving of her, and I needed that nurturing kindness. It takes a village and I'm so grateful she was part of mine in such an important moment of our lives. I can't recommend her enough!!

Absolutely amazing! Friendly and inviting. I've never felt so well cared for by other person. Truly…read morean amazing person!

I had the privilege of attending Natalie's Childbirth education class. My husband and I both found…read moreher course to be comforting and informational. We left feeling so much more at ease. I truly enjoyed how honest, research based, and non biased Natalie's class was. I feel confident that I will be heading in to my upcoming birth being able to make informed, educated and consent based decisions.

I have the good fortune of having Natalie as a personal friend and now, as a doula and birth coach…read more Natalie is passionate, disciplined, attentive, prepared, and incredibly knowledgeable about pregnancy and labor. We all have our very unique birth experiences and stories. In my case, my labor was nearly 100 hrs. Natalie was with me through it all. She came fully prepared to my home and provided personalized attention to ease my discomfort. However, what remains the most pivotal (and difficult for me to share without getting teary-eyed), is the support she provided as a friend and doula during my labor. What will remain vivid for me all the days of my life, is her voice when I pushed "Dig deep, Rachael". I did, and have been blessed with my beautiful son. "Dig deep" is something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I cannot express the level of gratitude I have for her support and presence. You likely will find yourself feeling the same way. She has my highest recommendation. #warriorwomen

Having Annabelle part of our birth experience was a great decision! She is kind, patient and most…read moreimportantly informative and encouraging. She was (and still months later) always available to help! Thank you Annabelle!!

Personable, knowledgable... my pregnancy was very difficult and she kept me calm throughout my…read moreentire pregnancy . It was my first time . she became closer to me than my family helping me and encouraging me throughout it all . she came to me highly recommended and I also highly recommend her .

I don't leave negative reviews lightly, but I feel it's important to share our experience so that…read moreother families can avoid this midwife at all costs. After my water had been broken and I had been in labor for about 40 hours without progressing, my husband, my midwife, and I agreed it was time to transfer to the hospital for an induction. Before we left, Merrell repeatedly assured us she would notify the hospital, send my records, and meet us there. She even said as we left to the hospital "I'll be right behind you." In our contract with her, it is clearly stated that she would attend our labor even if I was transferred to a hospital. When we arrived, the hospital had no record of us coming and had none of my prenatal records, and our midwife was nowhere to be found. While in painful labor, I had to repeat my medical history and undergo numerous blood and urine tests that had already been completed during my prenatal care. It added unnecessary stress, delayed my care, and resulted in additional medical expenses. My husband repeatedly called asking her to send my records (as did the hospital staff) and come to the hospital. Each time she said she would send them and come in, but she never did. As first-time parents, we had to make difficult decisions--including ultimately agreeing to a C-section--without the support of the provider we had trusted throughout my pregnancy. We felt afraid and completely alone, surrounded by hospital staff who were strangers to us. She didn't visit us until two days after our baby was born. She didn't even know I had a C- section. At my 2 week postpartum appointment, when we asked why she never came to my birth, she couldn't provide a clear explanation and simply said she didn't remember what had happened, and that something "came up." Unfortunately, the stress continued after birth. She had collected money from us for our deductible and out-of-pocket costs but never filed the insurance claim. This money was now owed to the hospital since they filed their claim before her. We had to request our own money back, repeatedly follow up, and she didn't respond until I physically showed up to her office and asked for it back. At that point, I was forced to agree to a payment plan because she said she couldn't repay us in full, after listing a bunch of excuses. She then missed multiple payments, requiring us to continue contacting her before we finally received our refund. Giving birth is one of the most vulnerable experiences a family can go through. Instead of feeling supported, we felt abandoned and afraid during labor and then spent the early weeks with our newborn chasing down money that should have been returned promptly so that we would not receive late funds on our hospital bill. I am a very understanding and patient person, but I cannot recommend this level of care or professionalism to anybody. Also, she has had other bad reviews recently that have mysteriously "disappeared" after only weeks of being posted. Really makes me wonder how many other unhappy clients she has whose reviews get somehow removed.

From the owner: Prenatal, birth and postpartum care with the midwifery model of care. We offer full prenatal care,…read morehomebirth, water birth, VBAC and postpartum care for healthy, low risk mothers and pregnancies. Call to schedule a meeting with the midwife. Spaces are limited. A Mother's Village is owned and operated by Merrell Carlson, LM, CPM