I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about Ciarra. She holds such a special place in my…read moreheart, and five years later, I still haven't forgotten the kindness, compassion, and support she showed me during one of the most vulnerable moments of my life. During COVID, my original doula was unable to attend my baby's birth, and Ciarra stepped in as her backup. Looking back, I genuinely couldn't have asked for anyone better. I was scared, overwhelmed, and facing circumstances I hadn't anticipated. Despite coming in as a backup, Ciarra took the time to read my birth plan and understand what mattered to me. Even though things didn't go as planned, she did everything she could to make sure my wishes were respected and that I felt supported. One moment I will never forget was when she reminded me that I didn't have to remove my hijab if I wasn't comfortable. As a Muslim woman of color, that simple act of thoughtfulness meant more to me than I can put into words. She didn't make me feel different, uncomfortable, or like my needs were an inconvenience. She simply saw me as a human being, a mother who deserved dignity, kindness, and respect. She made sure I had the opportunity to hold my baby and even captured precious photographs of us together. Those memories mean the world to me, especially because so much of that experience was overwhelming. And her kindness didn't end with the birth. My daughter is now five years old, and Ciarra has never forgotten her birthday. Every single year, she remembers to wish her. That speaks volumes about the kind of person she is. I've had my share of heartbreaking and disappointing experiences navigating maternity care and healthcare in the Austin area. I've encountered many people who speak about supporting and empowering women, but genuine compassion isn't always something you experience when you need it most. Ciarra didn't just talk about supporting mothers. She showed me what that support actually looks like. Of all the people I've encountered throughout my maternity care experiences in Austin, Ciarra is the one person I can wholeheartedly recommend without hesitation. If I'm ever blessed with another baby, I would want Ciarra by my side again. I trust her, and that trust means everything to me. Five years later, I still remember how she made me feel when I needed someone the most. I will forever be grateful that our paths crossed. Thank you, Ciarra, for seeing me, respecting me, and treating me with such genuine humanity and compassion.

We used multiple resources from Empowered beginnings to get ahead as first time parents:…read moreHypnobirthing Child Class, Breastfeeding class, Doula Service, Newborn sleep class, and of course the birth baby podcast. Save yourself the effort/stress of researching on your own and go straight to the experts at Empowered Beginnings. The lessons and instruction is calm, clear, and most importantly CONFIDENCE BUILDING. From day one, Empowered Beginnings helped us to enjoy the process instead of feeling overwhelmed. Our Doula answered every question, no matter how small, and gave us practical, evidence-based advice we could use immediately. We cannot imagine the pregnancy, birth, or postpartum without our Doula, Ciarra. We will use Empowered Beginnings for all of our future children!!!

I have been meaning to write this review for some time because I think anyone looking for lactation…read moreconsultants/specialists should contact Austin Breastfeeding. Sorry for the long winded review, but I seriously can't say enough good things! I reached out to AB when my daughter was ~4 weeks because every time I tried to feed her she would hysterically cry, pull off my breast and make choking noises. I was also concerned because when she did eat it was for really short periods at a time, so I didn't know if she was getting enough milk. I called Rachel at Austin Breastfeeding, and she was so nice. I felt like I needed help ASAP and Rachel put me in touch with Amanda who came for an in-person visit the next morning. Amanda was SO sweet and helpful - she immediately identified that I had a forceful letdown, which was difficult for my daughter to keep up with. Amanda made a lot of easy to implement recommendations, which helped immediately. She also did a weight analysis to see how many ounces my daughter consumed in a defined period of time. This gave me peace of mind that everything was going okay and working as it should. Amanda also followed up with texts and responded to some questions I had after our initial meeting. Fast forward a month - breastfeeding had been going well since my visit with Amanda and I was starting to feel more confident. Then all of a sudden I was having terrible pain both when feeding and also between feedings, and I had cracks that went around the entire base of both nipples. I was so close to giving up (pumping was excruciating too). Before I threw in the towel, I texted Amanda to see if she could help. She responded immediately and we had a virtual consultation that night (this was on a weekend, too). She helped me identify my symptoms as Thrush and walked me through immediate actions I could start taking to relieve symptoms before I could go to my doctor for formal diagnosis/treatment. She also recognized that the cracks were likely from using breast pump shields that were too small (I had started to pump a lot because I thought the pain I was experiencing from feeding was a latch issue). I was still in quite a bit of pain for the next several days, and she texted me every day to check in / provide more tips and tricks. I can honestly say without her support I probably would have given up. She helped me in so many ways - not just by identifying the problem but also supporting me emotionally. Anyways...sorry again for the novel review, but I feel like I need to pay it forward and give AB/Rachel/Amanda all the credit they deserve. Can you tell I would highly recommend them?!

Rachel was my life saver…read more Warning TMI I was unable to nurse my son due to not knowing how to latch properly and ended up with mastitis that the doctor was recommending surgery for! What! Fast forward to 18years....yes, 18 years, to the birth of my daughter. Determined to try again I was in screaming pain. Blood. Curl your toes dread. I called Rachel. Not only did she come to my house and walk me through the process - she sat with me and let me cry. It was not an easy process: I had to heal, supplement, and eventually with Rachel's support and gentle spirit I was able to nurse my baby girl for a full year! My experience with Rachel gave me the confidence to nurse my youngest son for as long as he wanted it! We had her guidance a bit in the beginning and we loved every moment! Shoulda started with her at the hospital!!! Her class was so valuable. I learned so much about latching and what warnings signs to watch for....the trick was to have her close to remind you IN THE BEGINNING when you are dazed from birth and your new package! Seriously, I recommend Rachel to EVERYONE. You won't regret it.

I had Christin come to my home for about 8 weeks when i was just 4 days post partum, every time i…read morethought i learned it all she had a new trick or way to help me feed my son more efficiently. We are now going on 14 1/2 months of breast feeding. I couldn't have done it without the milk diva team. They also assisted with his lip tie reversal which was a very traumatic experience for me. They helped by providing guidance and an SLP to help me with some exercises to perform after the procedure. I can't recommend milk diva enough!!!

My first experience with Milk Diva was with a lactation consultant named Morgan, and she was…read moreawesome! Gave me loads of information and made me feel really comfortable and supported. We scheduled a follow-up appointment for the next week. However, a few days later I was notified via text and email that Morgan was no longer with the company. A huge bummer, but my care was transferred to the CEO of the company Naiomi. At this point I was a bit worried about whether the person who runs the company would really have enough time/availability to handle patients, but I thought it was admirable that she was willing to take on the load of Morgan's patients (like a good leader should!) and we scheduled a time to meet. The problem came the day of our scheduled appointment. It was scheduled for 1pm. Just before 9am on the same day, someone from Milk Diva reached out to me to ask if we could move our appointment up to 12pm instead. I replied that if 1pm no longer worked I'd be open to scheduling a different day entirely since baby had kept me up all night. Their response? That they charge a $120 fee for any appointment changes that are made after noon the day prior to the appointment. Which is exactly what THEY were attempting to do - change my appointment last minute. Milk Diva folks, did you not see how scummy that was that you would tell me I need to pay you to change my appointment last minute when you were the ones who initiated trying to change the appointment last minute? I only offered up another day because YOU reached out to ME to try to change the time, so it seemed a reschedule would be mutually beneficial. Super grossed out by the whole thing, and I will not be scheduling another appointment.

The Post Partum Doula support we received from Austin Born's amazing Stephanie was simply perfect…read more Seriously. Perfect. Stephanie is a doula and a lactation consultant, plus her sense of calm and reassurance helped us first time parents relax a little--which is saying a lot! We arranged to have Stephanie come on our first night home from the hospital with our beautiful baby. She provided lactation advice and created a priority list for me which we hung on the master bathroom door: 1. Feed baby 2. Feed Mommy (eat/drink) 3. Sleep Seems pretty simple, but after a week of sleep deprivation, the list helped stop my "one-more-thing" syndrome. For the first time in my life I was responsible for a needy, helpless, endlessly adorable baby--my baby. Who had time for sleep? Once I got into bed I was so amped up on adrenaline I couldn't shut down. My husband had to hold me tight to turn off the humming in my mind and body. I was finally able to sleep for an hour--it was a gift. My first nap after baby, along with Stephanie's unwavering, consistently calm, reassuring presence through those first days, gave me room to breathe and think again. She was there for many other firsts too in person, via phone, and via text. And I'm thankful for all of the support. There's nothing like having an expert to guide you through this miraculous journey--hopefully you'll get a chance to be as grateful as I am. Cheers to Austin Born!

We used Austin Born prenatal and postpartum services. As new parents, the prenatal classes we…read moreattended were very informative and empowering. Unfortunately, we could not obtain maximum benefit of support groups and attend all classes due to pregnancy related illness. We did, however, feel a huge value of using Austin Born, was in the communication and correspondence with our Doula, Kim Borchert. She answered many emails, texts and calls in a very open-minded and timely manner. We were referred to amazing pregnancy specialists such as chiropractors, twin trainers and also given pain relieving techniques which greatly reduce the discomfort and frustration of carrying twins. As new parents of twins with no family nearby, our postpartum Doula service was important. Austin Born was holistic in every sense and we felt that we had not only one awesome doula checking in and supporting us in our home each day but also had a team of doulas with vast experience behind the scenes. Without Austin Born and our doula, Juanita Sawyer, we are not sure how we would've survived. From small suggestions of types of bottles to breast-feeding struggles to reflux management solutions, there is no obstacle this team can't fix. Now that our babies are older, we look back and realize the value Austin Born services is not in how many classes were attended or how many hours of doula services were provided. The value is most definitely in the knowledge, resources, accumulated experience and open-minded approach. In short, they were amazing and invaluable to us.

I am a hospital Labor & Delivery nurse who teaches women how to breastfeed FOR A LIVING and I…read moreabsolutely would have quit breastfeeding at week 3 if I hadn't found Kirin at Austin Milk Made. Breastfeeding was surprisingly way harder, more complicated, more emotional and more confusing than I anticipated, even with preparation. I was overwhelmed, in pain, and exhausted. Every day I was telling myself I would quit tomorrow. The latch pain was more than making my toes curl. It was more painful than natural childbirth...and this had to happen every three hours! We were referred to Kirin by my midwife (Nurture) and got in that day. She got right to business - shirts off! We weighed baby before and after a supervised feed, did a pump session to estimate milk supply. Kirin gave lots of positive reinforcement and firm gentle guidance. She had answers to all my questions. I instantly felt like a weight was off my shoulders because a calm specialist was taking care of things. We dealt with mastitis and a clog in one breast, and nipple damage from poor latch in the other breast. I was not an easy patient. Oh also there was baby mouth yeast from the mastitis antibiotics. It was a mess. Kirin was nonplussed. I saw her three times and each time there was improvement, until finally there was complete success: a happy baby, a happy mom... and now here I am still breastfeeding at 13 months. I'm so thankful to Kirin because without her I would have quit and missed all the best parts of breastfeeding. It was very hard for a month, and then so easy I could breastfeed standing on my head. I refer all new moms I meet to Austin Milk Made for breastfeeding issues and recommend them very highly. More: office is super cute and conventiently located. parking is easy. office is very stroller accessible. my insurance did not reimburse my visits but it was worth every penny. prompt with returning phone calls or texts with questions, very good with follow up to check in on their patients.

This review is long over due! I'm so glad I found Kiran. She helped me when my newborn was having…read morelatch issues, and then again when I was having supply issues. She is caring, professional, and thorough. She identified our issues and provided useful advice that helped my baby and I get through a tough and painful patch. 9 months later I am proud and happy to say we are still breastfeeding! Also, what sets her apart from every medical professional I've seen, she follows up with you by email after your office visit to review what you discussed in detail. This is sooooo helpful when you are sleep deprived and trying to jungle so many things with a new baby. I recommend Kiran a 1000x over.

All the things no one openly shares:…read more Despite how enamored I am with our little girl and all the cute pictures on Facebook, these first three weeks have been extremely stressful. Nursing has been anything but easy, and because our daughter is so tiny I have felt nothing but pressure for her to gain weight as quickly as possible... very difficult when breastfeeding is proving difficult. The onset of vasospasms so painful that it felt like a cigarette burning me straight through to my shoulder blade finally led me to make an appointment with My Pure Delivery. First of all, it was not covered by my insurance because Blue Cross Blue Shield sucks. But every dollar I paid out of pocket was worth the time they spent with me to ensure I felt comfortable utilizing the strategies they helped me master with their help. Additionally, they allowed me to come back periodically to weigh her at no additional cost so that we could monitor her weight without paying for yet another doctor's visit. I am forever grateful for the assistance My Pure Delivery gave me with a skill no one teaches you about, you are just supposed to inherently know how to do, and is perhaps the most stressful task I've ever had to do. MANY THANKS for the compassionate and patient help with breastfeeding.

It was very easy to get an appointment at my pure delivery. After my son was in the NICU and had…read moreissues feeding, we had all but thrown in the towel on breastfeeding. Pumping was also tanking my mental health. Having a quality appointment with a LC was worth every penny. The appointment was not rushed and everything was set right up for us upon arrival. After applying what we were taught, I was able to have a way more positive experience feeding my son

(Preface: You do not have to be on WIC or low-income to get the FREE services at Mom's Place)…read more Mom's Place is a true blessing! After smoothly (and exclusively) breastfeeding my first child, I wasn't expecting to need assistance when breastfeeding my second child. However, when she was about four months old, we hit a bump in the road and she wasn't gaining like she should. I was told by her pediatrician to supplement with formula (and I was okay doing that, if that's what she needed) but I also wanted to get assistance from a lactation consultant. I called the hospital that I delivered at and they suggested a "breastfeeding hotline", which when I called, it was actually Mom's Place. Mom's Place had an appointment available the next day and from the moment I walked into the clinic, I knew that I had found a treasure. EVERYONE there was so kind and welcoming. I couldn't believe that their services were free and that they were all there to help women do their best at breastfeeding - what a beautiful service they offered! It seriously makes me want to volunteer/work there! Linda was AMAZING! She asked a lot of questions and listened intently to every detail. She weighed my baby, I nursed baby, and then she weighed her again. She was able to determine the exact amount of ounces she ate during the feeding. She then came up with a specific plan to increase my milk-supply and my baby's intake. At the follow-up appointment the next week (which you can choose to have or not have) we saw that the plan had worked! Baby was getting more and gaining more. Yes, we are still supplementing with formula some - and Mom's Place is completely open to that - there is no "mom-shaming" here. They just want you to be as successful with breastfeeding as possible! Mom's Place is grant funded - so it is important that we sing their praises when they help us! This is 100% a grant that needs to remain funded. What a wonderful way to help moms and babies!

This place is a gem. My wife and I are first-time parents, and we discovered quickly that…read morebreastfeeding has such a steep learning curve! We had so many questions about breastfeeding, latching, pumping, etc., and we searched all around for an affordable, quality option, and it led us to Mom's Place. Having just visited this morning, I can say for certain: Mom's Place is such a valuable resource for anyone seeking help with breastfeeding. At this time, you may not have to be a WIC participant to receive their 1-on-1 services. It's definitely worth a call! We called Mom's Place after a very trying, challenging night of breastfeeding, and they were able to get us in the very next morning! All of the staff from their front office to their lactation consultant were such a pleasure to work with. You can tell they really care about helping out new moms and their newborns. Special shout out to Africa at the front desk and Asia, our awesome lactation consultant, who was so patient, caring, and helpful. Just being in the waiting room, we can tell that the entire office was delightful. We couldn't have asked for a better experience! Thank you so much for getting us on the right track, Mom's Place! :D

I want to say thank you very much for the mother daughter duo that helped me to find everything I…read moreneeded to feel comfortable again! The service was incredibly knowledgeable and sweet. The pijamas there are absolutely velvety and amazing. My back feels better already. I'll definitely be going back for more things.

I happened upon Special Addition while visiting Snarf's Sandwiches. Special Addition sells…read morematernity and nursing wear. They sell nursing bras. It's like a Petticoat Fair for nursing bras. I initially purchased three nursing bras while pregnant. Postpartum, my husband came back multiple times to purchase accessories for my Spectra pump. I paid $45 to get fitted for flanges with Susan. I thought it was helpful. While they didn't carry the size Susan had recommended, I did order them on Amazon. The fitting was helpful as Susan recommended the Pano shape by Maymom. The size Susan recommended was 2 mm too small, so I ended up ordering a larger size on Amazon. You can go +/- 1 to 3 mm on flanges. I also bought a new cover for a My Brest Friend pillow I received on Buy Nothing. This is a great maternity and postpartum store to visit.

If you are struggling with getting your baby to sleep, look no further than Bethany at Dream On…read moreBabies. I found her from a Google search late one night after my second child would not stop screaming and crying and thank goodness I did. Our first child was (and still is) such a great sleeper. At the time we thought we were amazing parents who knew exactly what they were doing (HA!) and had our first child sleep trained within a week with minimal effort- just a shift in a routine. Enter our second child, Luca. We followed Taking Cara Babies and for the first couple months of his life that worked just fine. And then he went through the dreaded sleep regression at 4 months and our lives flipped upside down. Taking Cara Babies and all the IG sleep resources could not help us. We needed a professional. We purchased the "Help! I'm Drowning!" package because Luca was waking up every 2 hours and would only go back to sleep if he was nursing. He only took cat naps and was really struggling. I tried everything and nothing would work. Bethany came in and did a full assessment, gave us a sleep plan and scheduled our in home dates. She did 3 overnights and by night 3 Luca was sleeping through the night. She saw Luca's struggles and personalized her sleep training for him. I love that she sees each child for their own self. Her solution is not a one size fits all like the other generic sleep resources. Luca now sleeps 7pm-7am and has a solid nap schedule. I cannot recommend Bethany enough. Luca is well rested and so is everyone else in the family. THANK YOU BETHANY!

Working with Bethany was an absolute waste of time and money. She failed to deliver any real plan…read moreor professional guidance, ignored messages, and constantly went in circles instead of providing solutions. My husband and I were left doing all the work ourselves while she offered nothing of value. Despite not fulfilling what was promised, she refused to issue a refund. Based on my experience, I would strongly advise others to look elsewhere -- this was one of the most frustrating and unprofessional experiences I've ever had. SCAM artist.

From beginning to end Capital ENT & Sinus Center rocks!…read more Cassie, PA, quickly assessed and made a recommendation we both agreed to. The plastic earring-back was removed within seconds. Thank-you!

Terrible upfront transparency and incredibly low value for the money. At checkout, the person at…read morethe counter told me I was good to go with my $60 co-pay. Weeks later, they blindsided me with an aggressive demand notice for an extra $190. In total, they collected $573 from me and my insurance for a single sinus scan and less than 10 minutes of the doctor's time. To make it worse, Dr Wassmuth just pushed a turbinate reduction surgery that he admitted 'might not even help, but won't hurt you.' They care more about milking as much out of you as possible than actual patient care. Go elsewhere if you want honest billing and real medical value!