When we learned we were pregnant... we knew what we wanted our birth to be like. I was very clear from the beginning that our vision was to have a natural home birth. My partner was 100% on board and we spoke to a family midwife friend for advice. She recommended Birth and Beyond. I looked at their website and made an appointment. From my first meeting with Vicki I felt like I found what I was looking for. We communicated well, we understood each other and spoke the same language. Whenever I left my wellness visits I felt positive and cared for. I had confidence every step of the way that I was in good hands. Yes birthing is unpredictable so a few of my appointments had to be rescheduled because of births but it was no big deal. The back office personal was helpful and caring. They answered whatever billing questions or scheduling concerns I had. I found the group thorough and operated like a well-oiled machine. I liked the down to earth touch and the authentic styles of both Vicki and Cheri. They offer 3 mandatory meetings that both parents attend. These meetings are held with 5 or 6 other couples expecting babies and the meeting is chock full of Information about the process. It's a great forum to ask and receive answers to questions. Having a home birth requires quite a bit of prep. There are many things to prepare for. Although they give you a list and walk you through everything, it's your responsibility to prepare your home with the supplies for the birth. We highly recommend renting a birth tub it was wonderful and so helpful with pain management. We also benefited greatly from the placenta encapsulation service. The post birth pediatric care is excellent and the best part of having a home birth is you don't have to leave your house until you've rested at least 2 weeks! Birth and Beyond offers a wonderful service with caring, devoted midwives who have 20+ years of expertise to support whatever your home birth vision is. read more

I truly had an amazing birth experience with Birth and Beyond! I can honestly say I had a wonderful home birth and at the end of labor I was sleeping in my own bed with my little bundle of joy. read more

Birth & Beyond - Little bundle of joy! - Midwives Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

I just had my baby three weeks ago today and used Birth and Beyond. It was not only a completely terrible experience, but had I followed their advice I very well could have lost my baby on the day of my delivery and lost my own life as well. Not only would I completely not recommend their services, but I would advise against using them based on my experience on the basis that they showed very little regard for my wellness or the life of my child, and are extremely dangerous in both their arrogance and their negligence. On the morning I went in to labor, I called the midwife, as I was supposed to. I informed her that the labor was going extremely quickly (it was my first birth) and she insisted that she come five hours later, despite my insistence that that might very well be too late (they were only 1 hour away). My labor proceeded and the pain became too intense and I felt that something was going wrong. I called the midwife to see what her status was and she had not left yet. When I told her that I was considering going to the hospital, she urged me not to, asking me to wait for her and shaming me for even thinking about going to the hospital, even though it's what I felt like my body was telling me to do. It turns out that I had a 10 pound 8 ounce breach baby, and that I needed an emergency c-section. I went to the hospital against the advice of the midwife, and the doctors and nurses at the hospital reassured me that if I hadn't left exactly when I did, the consequences could have been dire for both me and my baby. After the birth, the midwives were supposed to send me a refund for the "cleaning and gas" fee for the birth that they did not attend. Citing that they were charging me for the home visit, they charged me 40% of the total fee for the entire birth process, for which they only dropped off paperwork that they never processed and literally just took a tour of my house during the home visit. When I expressed that I thought that under the circumstances 40% was an unreasonable number, the midwife was extremely rude and talked down to me. When I expressed dissatisfaction with the service that she was touting as another reason for charging me so much (the great service, I'm assuming????), she told me that the life or death situation I found myself in that could have cost me my child if I hadn't completely gone against their advice was part of the "risk that I had assumed". Yeah, ok. I have never been so upset with the process or outcome of a service, especially one that is literally life and death. Not only do I not recommend Birth and Beyond, I strongly feel that they should not be licensed. **UPDATE: After I wrote this review I received a very long, extremely insulting email from Sherry, the midwife who told me not to go to the hospital and instead wait for her to arrive at my house. In the email, she said that the reason she told me not to go the hospital was because it would be too dangerous for me to be in the car with just one driver who could not help me when I was laboring, when she was well aware that the hospital was only 1.5 miles from my home. By the way, she never said this over the phone. Then she blames me for the entire event. She blames the fact that the baby was breach on me. She said that it was my fault that the baby was so big because I had gained 2-3 times the recommended amount of weight (even though the doctor at the hospital said that my baby was big but at a healthy weight and a very healthy baby - They also never mentioned my weight gain at the hospital), even though the midwives they never told me this (more negligence). I had asked them to not tell me my weight because I have had eating disorders in the past, but this does not mean that the shouldn't have told me that they thought I was becoming dangerously big. Of course I'd want to know, and I'd want to know when I exceeded the first weight marker, never mind the second or the third! She literally writes in the email that the baby was breach because I was so fat that there was no room for her. Are you f*cking kidding me? She also accuses me of not following their instructions repeatedly by a) getting so big even though they never told me when they definitely should have (by their own admission and scathing accusation!) and b) that I never attended the recommended birthing classes, which they literally never even mentioned to me one single time! Both of these things had nothing to do with my baby being breach. The gall of this woman! I really cannot believe this. The rest of the email consists of other cruel and untrue accusations and was obviously designed to shame me into taking down this review. Slow clap for you, Sherry. This are my opinions based on my awful experience with you. read more

I had 3 of my 4 babies with the midwives if birth and beyond and was incredibly happy with my experiences. Each totally different, 2 of the 3 were at home, the 3rd was a by choice hospital transfer bc of my own choice (to get a last minute epidural) and not a medical issue. I'm surprised to read other negative reviews. My births spanned from 2012-2106 and I continue well visits with them after that. read more

I have had pretty decent care thus far with Sherry, however I was bit by a deer tick over the weekend and needed to get ahold of someone to talk about what I should do going forward. After calling the office for days and getting no answer or response to voicemail, I texted a private line and almost immediately got a call back not to discuss the tick bite but rather to discuss proper protocol of how to communicate going forward- only using the answering service and then whenever the on call midwife gets a chance she will call. Very very different level of care and understanding than the birth center I had my first child at in Colorado. I will be switching care very soon. read more

All the midwives at Birth and Beyond are wonderful however every visit I felt rushed and they seemed very unorganized. Always scrambling to find my paperwork, even after I had to visit the ER. They had not even reviewed those documents prior to my visit which made me worried. The receptionist, Amy needs to be fired or sent to a class on how to speak with clients. She is rude and unprofessional. Makes me not ever want to call the office all because of her miserable attitude. I actually found another midwife because of her and my experience thus far. read more

Run from these midwives, they are horrible, unkind and uneducated. They almost killed my child in the birth process due to neglect, then completely avoided me to act as though nothing terrible happened. My child ended up in the NICU due to their mistake. They are horrible people who have no concern for their patients. Lydia and Debbie are 2 of the worst midwives I've ever met they should never be around patients or perform any kind of services period. Vicki is also just as bad and pretends to be caring,they are not. Please find another group to deliver your baby before they make another life threatening mistake. read more

I was so excited to be able to experience the home birth I had always dreamed of. At first, I was more than happy with the care I received. It was as thorough as an OB, but much more relaxed and holistic. I was told I had to attend a 28 week group appointment, which I expected to be a few other couples, to go over birth supplies and so on. When I got there the room was packed beyond what should have been a safe, legal limit of people. It was smothering, loud, and distracting and I couldn't even hear what the midwife was saying. They also wanted us to go in to a medical appt, complete with blood tests, in front of all the other people. Absolutely no individual care or privacy; basically as much people as you can pack into a room for an appointment. I asked on my next visit if I would have any issue with getting a midwife to my home on the day I was due, considering the huge amount of patients they had. I was told if I "wanted guarantees that this may not be the route for me." I had legitimate concerns with their large clientele and short staffing issues and wasn't treated with compassion, but rather blown off. I'm absolutely devastated that this ideal birth dream I had was just crushed. I'm 33 weeks pregnant and have to figure out how to birth alone, or come up with a new plan on an extremely short notice. Birth and beyond has caused me more disappointment and heartbreak in this week than I've had in a long time. read more

We have had three beautiful homebirths supported by Birth & Beyond - as well as genuine care and concern through an unfortunate miscarriage. We are truly grateful for the caring, respectful, and knowledgeable midwives not only during the birth process but throughout prenatal, postnatal, and periodic care. Nowhere else have I received so much love, individualized care, and personal enjoyment during healthcare visits. The midwives are professional and supportive, with true expertise in women's health, pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding, public health...and beyond! They were prepared and responsive during a birth-related health concern following one of my births. Birth & Beyond will always be a cherished part of our family story and a trusted source of healthcare. A special thank you to Vicki and Sherry for being present during our births. read more

Please do not use these midwives. Had I listened to their medical advice my baby could have died.

We have had three beautiful homebirths supported by Birth & Beyond - as well as genuine care and concern through an unfortunate miscarriage. We are truly grateful for the caring, respectful, and knowledgeable midwives not only during the birth process but throughout prenatal, postnatal, and periodic care. Nowhere else have I received so much love, individualized care, and personal enjoyment during healthcare visits. The midwives are professional and supportive, with true expertise in women's health, pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding, public health...and beyond! They were prepared and responsive during a birth-related health concern following one of my births. Birth & Beyond will always be a cherished part of our family story and a trusted source of healthcare. A special thank you to Vicki and Sherry for being present during our births. read more

Going with the midwives of Birth and Beyond to have my baby at home was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was super excited when I found out I was pregnant, but the thought of having my baby in a bright, busy hospital room surrounded by strangers was terrifying! I hate doctor's offices, exams, and hospitals as is it is, and this stress would be waaaay worse. My sister immediately recommended Birth and Beyond after her close friend had her baby at home with their midwives. Now that sounded like a dream come true! Upon my first meeting with the midwife, I knew this was the right path for me. The midwives Vicki and Sherry were kind and listened to me throughout my pregnancy. I could confide in them my desires for my home birth and also my fears. They were extremely understanding and accommodating, and I felt they were truly on my side and rooting for me and my baby. I also loved the couples childbirth class with Alyssa and came out of the class much more knowledgeable, relaxed, confident, and ready to have my baby at home. When the big day came in January, I wasn't scared at all. I was well prepared and surrounded by people I trusted. They knew I could do it, and I knew I could too. I had my sweet little boy at home in my bedroom with Sherry and Vickie in attendance. The best moment was getting to hold my baby boy as soon as he was born and cuddle with him and my husband uninterrupted. I'm so thankful for my home birth experience with the midwives of Birth and Beyond. read more

Vicki took care of me for both my pregnancies and helped me achieve a beautiful, safe, dream-fulfilling homebirth. She is thorough, careful, and attentive. She gets to know you and your family personally. I can't recommend her highly enough. read more