yelp needs to allow more characters for me to adequately describe Christina's love and care.. she…read moresurpasses all expectations. I have gained more than a midwife through my prenatal + birth + postpartum experience. She is an expert at what she does and it shows. she practically has an answer to every question and if she doesn't, she has insight + direction. she brought peace to my fear and help strengthen the parts of me that were weak. my birth and postpartum were truly so beautiful. I would choose Christina over and over to stand by my side. she is powerful, gentle, encouraging, intuitive & so full of love. if you're pregnant, consider her a necessity in your journey. she's also a pro photographer..

As a first time mom with home birth on the mind, I am so relieved to have put my trust in…read moreChristina! What a magical experience, the care that she provides is so amazing! We had the best experience working with her. She offers so much knowledge and care. I will absolutely be using her for our next babies to come. I would put 10 stars if I could!!

From the moment we met Coley, we knew we were in the best hands for our first pregnancy. She…read morebrought a sense of peace and reassurance that made our decision to have a home birth feel so right. Throughout the entire journey, Coley was there--answering every question, calming every worry, and never once making me feel like I was asking too much (even when I thought I was being annoying, haha). She guided us with so much knowledge and warmth, making sure we always felt safe and supported. Our delivery was long--being my first--but Coley never wavered. She knew exactly what to do, always reassuring us that everything was unfolding just as it should. Her confidence and care made all the difference, and I can't imagine having gone through it without her. Without a doubt, I'd call Coley again for my second pregnancy.

Coley has been my mentor/preceptor for over five years. I have worked with a handful of different…read moremidwives and practices before and after, and I always felt deeply connected to her style of practicing midwifery the most. I still remember the day I met her and how her presence and energy was so grounding and calming. Fast forward 7 years later, and I can't stop thinking about how powerful and grounding Coley's presence was during my labor and birth. Having her there really meant the world to me and my husband. Our family is so grateful for the love and care Coley has given us. It was an honor to have her by our side during the most sacred experience of our lives. Coley, being on the other side and experiencing your care from the perspective of a birthing mother really makes me emotional thinking about how much you have impacted my life with your wisdom and loving heart. You are a true blessing to all the families you care for

Wouldn't recommend this service to anyone! Our experience was very similar to Emily's experience…read more I'd say almost to the T with the exception of her assistant, Sally was great and is one of the reason my wife and son are alive today. My wife and I expressed concerns about her pelvis being too narrow but she brushed it off and we believed her. A mistake that nearly ended my new family. She would say that something was fine and then would say that the same thing was concerning. We chalked it up to her being a bit eccentric. On top of that, we only got reimbursed a little over $100 from insurance and we had Anthem PPO at the time. Not necessarily her fault but it added to the negative experience and expenses. My wife's labor ended up being 24hrs at home and 36hrs total which ended in a C-Section. She was little to no help and it was Sally that recommended we go to the hospital. Plug-in for Rancho Springs, amazing hospital and staff. It's not what we wanted but definitely what we needed and more. We didn't want a hospital birth but they have the best ward bar none. Only hospital me and my wife would go to for this. From our conversations with other people that used her in the past, I think she was once a great midwife but from our experience, I would highly discourage anyone from using her services. If you use her, you'll be playing roulette with you and your child's life.

Would not recommend Our son was born early September 2024…read moreand Anne was our midwife for the pregnancy. During our meetings we were constantly recommended to seek outside opinions from my OBGYN and medical facilities, causing us to spend thousands more during my pregnancy and birth on top of her fee for services ($6000). During my birth Anne and her assistants made the environment stressful when I expressed for my birth to be peaceful to my liking. Upon Anne's arrival she said that I was fully dilated at 6am. At 3pm Anne had checked me and told me that she had still felt some of my cervix (I WAS NOT FULLY DILATED). She had complained earlier in the day that her fingers were too short to check properly, so I'm not sure how she has been a midwife and her fingers be too short to check her clients. I was instructed to push while not being fully dilated. Anne appeared impatient and she didn't seem to know what to do to help me progress. After an hour and a half of pushing she recommended transfer to the hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital I was checked and was dilated to AN EIGHT. The hospital determined that my baby was too large to have naturally. During my pregnancy we brought up the size of my baby and Anne would discredit all the ultrasounds and weight estimates that we were given. I had my baby via c-section and was born at 11 pounds 1 ounce, he would never have been born safely naturally. After my hospital stay we returned home to a birth pool fully inflated and still containing the water from my labor, this was after I was told that everything would be cleaned up before our return. A warning to all, a contract is presented and must be signed that states once Anne shows up to your birth/labor there are NO REFUNDS of any sort. Ultimately I would not recommend Anne's services as a midwife. If you are looking for a midwife to trust as your expert and for a safe, comfortable birth, look elsewhere.

I met Amanda because she was my first midwife's backup. I still remember the nervous feeling about…read morea new midwife coming to do our one week postpartum appointment at our home. I mean, who wants to meet someone new for the first time, a week postpartum? I almost canceled! After she left that day, my husband and I knew we had just met someone special. Amanda was calm, compassionate, and gentle with our newborn baby girl and me. It felt like we had known her years! When I got pregnant with our second baby, hiring Amanda from the beginning was a no-brainer. We felt informed, supported, and deeply cared for throughout the whole pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Obviously, we also hired her for our third baby! This last pregnancy was a bit harder on me than my first two. I really relied on Amanda's wisdom and was so grateful that we were getting true informed consent about every possible test and intervention. She offers less invasive and holistic options for care as well. This last labor was very fast but Amanda arrived with plenty of time to set up and not disturb the birth space. She was calm and encouraging. She checked on baby and me and brought such peace and comfort to the room. Looking back at my experiences with Amanda, I can say that I know what it is like to be cared for by someone who is truly "with woman." This is no doubt, Amanda's calling.

I am so happy to have found Amanda! My family and I absolutely love her, and I would recommend her…read moreto anyone planning a natural birth. Her passion for what she does shows, and she'll care for your baby like her own. This was my second birth, and when compared to the coldness and unfamiliarity of the hospital, I can't imagine giving birth any other way! I also want to mention that Amanda is prepared for hiccups. My baby got stuck in-between my legs, and Amanda was calm when helping baby and I get through it. She managed to untangle the cord, encourage me to continue pushing, and grab the resuscitator incase baby needed it. Amanda works calmly, swiftly, and effectively. Also, I'm convinced my baby already knew who she was! Baby could recognize her voice, and Amanda's loving energy because she was/is as calm in Amanda's arms as she is in mine. If we were to have another baby, we wouldn't hesitate to call her. She's worth every penny and much more. She is such a genuine person. Her support does not end the day baby is born, she continues to check in on the well-being of you and baby. I feel so fortunate to have had her as my midwife!

If you're looking for calm, competent and compassionate care look no further. I am a nurse and I…read morewas impressed with her knowledge and understanding of all things pregnancy and birth related. She was able to answer every single concern or question I had with evidence based information. Katie is cool under pressure and genuinely enjoys her work. Our birth doula was a rockstar in helping manage labor discomfort. Katie gave gentle cues and performed interventions at the exact right moments to facilitate a quick and drama free birth. My husband and I are forever thankful we met her and we're blessed to have her as our midwife. If you're seeking a beautiful home birth experience she will deliver.

I found Katie when I was newly pregnant with my 6th baby. As you can see, I had plenty of…read morepregnancies and births to compare my experience with Katie to and BY FAR it was the best pregnancy and birth I have had. From the moment we FaceTimed so I could ask initial questions, I knew we were a match. Getting along with someone who was going to care for me and my baby was so huge, and with Katie it was effortless. She not only cared for me, my growing baby, but my whole family as well. Encouraging them to be involved with my care, such as helping listening to baby's heartbeat, measuring my belly etc. She made sure to provide love and care to our whole big family. Through those months, she truly and effortlessly became my friend. I had some previous birth trauma, and not once did Katie allow me to carry that concern deeper into that pregnancy. She answered all of my questions, calmed all of my fears, and supported me in every single decision I made throughout everything. Her experience and knowledge left me with zero space to be worried and I felt so safe with her! She truly went above and beyond what I could have ever expected, and because of her, I was able to have my dream home birth. If God ever decides that there's going to be a baby number seven, I won't hesitate to hire Katie again. Seriously, if you're on the hunt for a midwife and you just can't decide, take this as your sign. Katie is the best of the best! I will forever be thankful to the way she has cared for and loved my family.

Tiffany Alblinger is a Godsend! I used to think doulas were like a midwife's assistant and were not…read morereally necessary. However, after some encouragement from a friend, my husband and I decided to meet with Tiffany. I knew immediately that she was someone I wanted at my labor. Tiffany has amazing energy and a very calm spirit. Having a doula meant everything to us as Tiffany prepared us before the event and stayed with us as long as I needed her. One of the things I loved about having a doula is she gave my husband incredible confidence and support. We both felt prepared and excited before having our son. Do to some health issues, I ended up giving birth in the hospital. Tiffany was a rock for both my husband and myself. If it wasn't for her, I would have gone to the hospital many times before I needed to. She answered all of my calls and texts and was right there with me when I was ready to go to the hospital. I was already 8 cm when we arrived! I could go on forever, but I will end this by saying every pregnant woman should have the individual support of a doula. Meet with one and see, like I did, if it is an option for you.

I dealt with the owners under her previous company Embracing Labor, which after I had completed…read morework for her, that took several hours of my time. In the end she stopped communication and when I finally did get a response she felt that because she didn't use the work I had produced for her she didn't have to pay me. I am not sure how anyone who is suppose to responsible for bringing life into this world can have such blatant disregard for the efforts put forth by another female owned company.

Alicia was my backup midwife, and I knew from the start that I had a high chance of birthing with…read moreher since my primary midwife was scheduled to be out of town (a detail I was aware of when hiring my care team). During my pregnancy, I had the opportunity to meet Alicia, and I immediately felt a familiar, grounding ease from her presence. Throughout my labor and birth, Alicia was everything I needed--empathetic and tender, yet knowledgeable, sturdy, and clear. She went above and beyond to support me through the natural highs and inevitable lows that come with the birthing process. Her steady, attentive care made me feel safe, seen, and empowered during such an intimate and transformative time. Alicia's detailed and thoughtful approach continued into my postpartum home visits, where her attention to both me and my baby's well-being was truly unmatched. She held space for me with such care and compassion, offering exactly what I needed during those early weeks of recovery and adjustment. I feel incredibly fortunate to have received care from three incredible midwives - Johanna - Julie and Alicia- throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Alicia holds a special place in our hearts for providing exactly the kind of support, care, and connection that made our experience unforgettable. I wholeheartedly recommend her for any conceiving, pregnancy, birthing, lactation or well person need.

Right from the get go I absolutely loved working with Alicia and Julie. They were so knowledgeable…read moreabout any questions I had or were curious about. I'd never had a home birth before though this wasn't my first baby. They took safety measures that made me feel comfortable during such a stressful time period being pregnant during a pandemic. Many times when I arrived for my appointment they were sanitizing and always wearing their masks. They even allowed me to do appointments by zoom and drive to the parking lot of their office to do vitals in my car! This allowed me to bring the kiddos while keeping contact and exposure to a minimum. They were always available if any concerns took place or I had questions. This not being my first baby, he came very quickly and because they had prepared us so well, I still was able to follow my birth plan. I felt completely supported with everything I wanted and enjoyed visiting with them every appointment.

I had such an amazing experience at Acorn Community Birth Center. From the beginning to the end and…read moremy postpartum visits, it was just such a wonderful experience. I was first greeted by Cristi, the executive director and midwife. She made me feel at ease and made me and my husband feel very comfortable. The birth center itself is in a peaceful community in Fallbrook. It has 3 birth rooms to choose from that are themed differently. I believe I chose the green room which acquired to my liking and it was extremely peaceful. The rooms are a good size and very comfortable. My birth experience was just perfect thanks to my midwife Debbie and the student midwives, Azure and Mel. They were so patient, kind, and so knowledgeable. I believe I met most of the midwives and they are all lovely. I love how you get to do your birth, your way, and the midwives guide you while following your lead. I don't trust traditional hospitals and I would much rather do a holistic birth with midwives, just as it has been done for ages. I would choose Acorn over and over again if I were to have more children. I even had to switch my health insurance just so I could give birth at the center versus a hospital and it was so worth it. It was such a beautiful experience.

This review has been long overdue. My first 3 were in the…read morehospitals with epidurals and my last two experience was unmedicated at Acorn. I never thought I would ever do a natural birth... but here I am! I will start by saying, natural birth is HARD. I went into my first unmedicated birth not knowing what to expect but I prefer it that way but boy was I determined!!!! Second time around I was nervous, anxious.. all the things! My first experience was great, although after labor I experienced some hemorrhaging. Once staff figured what was wrong they acted fast and I was relieved. It was a little traumatic for me but it didn't taint my experience with Acorn. I came back for round two!!! 2nd time around two years later! I delivered my baby girl on February 20th, my experience from start to end was amazing. During labor the team gives you and your partner space, during those moments were truly special. And probably one of my favorites. I had Cristi Sedona and Kyra for my team! And I would choose the same 3 every-time. Each of them brought a different vibe, but it was a mix that you need on your team! I can't thank them enough for making each experience so special, For me my husband and my family! If I was having more kids, no questions asked... I would do it again.... and again....

Karen Pecora was nothing short of an amazing midwife for our baby boy Caleb. The funny thing is,…read moreshe was a tertiary back up for our sons birth! However if it were up to me I would have made her our primary. She helped me through my 20 hour birth where I felt so defeated after almost a week of prodromal posterior laboring. She really helped me dig deep and push our son out in about an hour, but was also loving and kind to our family in our time of need. I highly recommend her and hope she can help deliver our next baby.

Dr. Calinisan is a great provider, she always listens and takes her time if I have any concerns…read more Great staff as well

Office staff is friendly, extremely efficient. Dr. Calinisan was kind and informative.read more