I cannot say enough amazing things about the Brooklyn Birthing Center. From start to finish, the experience felt safe, loving, and truly family-centered. Every one working in the birthing center from the front desk to the birthing teams are truly so loving and swemet. My team consisted of Banks RN, Nicole the midwife, and Monica the doula were all incredibly kind, sweet, patient, and supportive. A true power team any laboring woman would be lucky to have on their side! Especially if you're a tough cookie like me I was a nervous wreck but they handled me with nothing but love, patience, attention and grace! They talked me through everything, made me feel heard, and kept the energy light and calm. We laughed, played cards, and even danced while waiting for active labor. At no point did I feel rushed, pressured, or pushed into anything. There was zero intervention, zero bullying, zero attitudes, and absolutely no aggravation--just respect for my body and my process. I ended up having my baby in the water, and they were so attentive, responsible, and caring the entire time. They were informative every step of the way and treated me with so much love--it truly felt like being surrounded by my own family. I felt supported, protected, and empowered throughout my birth. I never leave reviews but with this experience I feel it was absolutely necessary because I don't know how else to really make my appreciation known! If you're looking for a place that honors natural birth, patience, and genuine care, this is it. I'm forever grateful for this experience and will forever recommend this power team! Thank you Nicole, Monica and Banks! read more

I waited a long time to write a review because I thought this place had closed, but it looks like it has since reopened. That my family came here to try to have our baby was one of the biggest regrets of my life. The indecisiveness and incompetence of the team here nearly killed my wife and daughter in 2020; when we finally transferred to Maimonides after 10+ hrs of active labor and with the baby stuck and in severe distress, we had to do a complicated STAT C-section under general anaesthesia immediately upon arrival. I still remember the absolute disgust on the receiving OB/GYN's face when we told them how long the staff at Brooklyn Birthing Center had let my wife labor for. Thanks to the quick actions of the doctors at Maimonides, wife and daughter are alive and well, but we have since learned that the physical trauma connected to this episode has made it almost or entirely impossible for us to have another child. I'll always wonder if maintaining the transfer rate statistic that this birthing center bragged about in our orientation is part of what made them hesitate for so long to admit that our birth was not going to succeed at their facility, even as the situation deteriorated. The one thing I will credit them with is that after initially trying to charge us a facility fee for our experience, the person I spoke to on the phone relented and waived the charge after I told them what happened. I cannot tell you how much I wish we had simply delivered at a hospital, and if you are reading this review, I am urging you to consider your other options, so that your family does not have to go through what mine has experienced. read more

Nicole with a bileacid of 100.4 and potassium levels of 2.0 i could have lost my life and my baby . Thank God i found a OBGYN at 35 weeks instead of coming back to you for the 36 week appointment . When i spoke to you , you had no remorse you just kept talking about Pepcid . I still was able to have my NSVD at Northwell . You refused to do blood work and i kept asking . You kept delaying and comparing yourself to my pregnancy . That is so sad you are going to run the place into the ground Nicole insisted that Pepcid was the answer to my hypokimia and cholestasis. If she would've just took the blood work and ran the appropriate test Instead of delaying it and ignoring the fact that I kept complaining about being in pain, She would've been able to find the issue. I end up getting admitted into the hospital under the care of Brooklyn Birthing center complaining for weeks to Nicole that I was in pain and she completely ignored me And offered me Pepcid. I kept asking her to run test thinking maybe it was anemia and she stated that She's probably more anemic than I am When I was eight months pregnant and was in so much pain, I could barely walk. I do not recommend a birthing center . My experience was horrible . read more

I was so hopeful to have a water birth in a facility which sounded like they cared. The first visits were great, however they did not provide all the information I required in a timely manner. As a result I can no longer have a water birth. I started with them as soon as I knew I would be having a baby so if they had informed me properly from the beginning, I may have been able to avoid the diet complications that I now have. It feels like they took advantage of getting the easy payments for "monitoring" and now I am being pushed off to a hospital for the delivery. Very disappointed in how this was managed and it is my first pregnancy. You need to do better at communicating all of the risks from the beginning BBC! read more

I gave birth here to my 3rd child I wanted a facility that matches me as the hospital gives me anxiety. I can honestly say this place is a dream the staff is soooo patient, friendly and very attentive to all your needs and request. I wish everyone gave birth here I am so happy I stood on my grounds. No medication natural birth and incredible memories. I had a water birth and I followed all instructions leading up to the labor I was 2 weeks early and arrived at the birthing center 9cm with my water in tack...midwife showed my mom how to massage my back during a contraction and it 30 seconds my water broke and I was ready to push. I am so happy I choose this place and the experience I will never forget. read more

It is sad to say that the quality has considerably declined since I gave birth to my daughter in 2018. Last year I was pregnant with my son and I wanted to repeat my amazing experience at Brooklyn Birthing center, however things changed for worse. The quality of midwives were variable (I tried to meet all of them). One of the midwifes I especially disliked, things she said were out of touch and incompetent and I was quite happy when she said she only works in the office and does not deliver babies. Guess what: on my day of birthing - she was the one on duty to do delivery. Luckily things did not go as intended. That's another story. I was not told that if my water broke I had only 24 hours to go into active labor (which contradict scientific research that says that 48 or even 72 hours is quite safe). So my water broke at night and I was told about the 'deadline' the next day. I was 41 weeks pregnant. I went to check during the day and was met by a nurse (not a midwife) who said I need to go to the hospital and get induced right away! Also the nurse did not even test for amniotic fluid. She said 'I can tell it is amniotic fluid'. Then I learned that on duty is my least favorite midwife. I had mild contractions, but it did not feel like I'm about to get into a serious labor within few hours. So I decided to transfer my paperwork to Woodhull hospital where I was told there are midwives. I went into active labor 25 hours after my water broke (my body missed a deadline by 1 hour) ! And I delivered a healthy baby without ANY intervention with an amazing midwife at Woodhull hospital. I had a wonderful experience and a quite fast birth. I went into active labor at 12pm and delivered at 7am. I was so happy I did not induce or followed any other 'advices'. The saddest part is that NO-ONE from Birthing center followed up and asked me what happened, am I alive, how was the birth, etc... So I was with them for 6 months going to appointments, doing tests, then they 'disqualify' me and after I picked up my documents on the day of the birth there was 0 communication. One more red flag was that during the pregnancy I went traveling for a month and that was a time to take a GD test and no one reminded me. I had to call and remind them that I read online that I need to do this test. I really hope things will improve, because there are only very few places like this and I would be so happy to support this kind of business, however I was extremely disappointed in the service I received for my second birth. read more

I went to the Brooklyn & then Jazz Birthing Centers for prenatal care and intended to deliver there. I didn't pursue other options--I was excited to get care at the only freestanding birthing center in NYC as the philosophy behind the center very much aligns with my own beliefs. Not to mention, it seemed like a smart decision during the pandemic to be out of a hospital. However, at every turn, I felt myself disappointed with the care I was receiving. I often felt like I had to lead the appointments instead of getting advice and care from the midwives themselves (It was my first pregnancy! I had no idea what was going on!). Some of the midwives seemed burned out and inattentive, while others seemed very young and inexperienced. The office assistant was always a little cold, and I found it odd that she had trouble finding me weekly appointments after I was 37 weeks (isn't it important to have close attention paid after 37 weeks?!). Jazz was poorly lit, too cold in the winter (heated by space heaters) & hot in the summer, and the furniture felt cheap and uncomfortable. I often found that they were lacking supplies. There was the indication of some financial and/or political struggles within the organization causing some stress behind the scenes. At 41 weeks and 4 days, after 48 hours in labor--and what I perceived as some missteps by the Center--I made the decision to not return to my home to continue labor as instructed by the midwives, but to go to Metropolitan Hospital to get some assistance to deliver my beautiful baby boy. I was well taken care of there, and realized that it had been a mistake to pursue care with the Birthing Center. I encourage women that might lean toward a birth at a birth center to consider other options around NYC, as I don't personally believe this particular birthing center is likely to bring others the births they want and deserve. read more

I had two wonderful labors here. One in 2017 and the second in June 2020. My labors were 7 hours and 3.5 hours and it may just be that I was lucky but I feel that the relaxing and supportive environment at BBC helped immensely. I wish everyone could have the birth experience I had. I used nitrous oxide for my first kid (I'm British and it's extremely common over there) and was so worried to be told it wouldn't be available for my second kid due to covid. But I was given support from the midwives in relation to my anxiety and in the end I had my baby with no pain relief at all and I am so proud of that! You can do it! And be home within 6 hours with your beautiful new baby. I can't recommend this place more. Some midwives are certainly better than others and you will get to meet them all. I'm sure everyone will have different preferences depending on personality. But they were all friendly and caring. I am so happy I was able to avoid hospital and a medicalized birth by going here. read more

. I am very happy I was able to give birth to my baby girl at this birthing center. It was the most memorable/beautiful experience I've ever had in my life. All the midwives and assistants were amazing and highly skilled, that being said, I personally liked Lydia and she was just what I needed during my labor. If I'm having a girl again, I wanna name her Lydia!! I was skeptical at first because of some negative reviews, but I can tell you now that if you have low risk/healthy pregnancy, don't worry about the bad reviews. Trust the midwives and you and your family will have an amazing experience. read more

Brooklyn Birthing Center - Midwives Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I had the most wonderful experience at BBC. From day one I received the best healthcare of my life - the midwives were thoughtful, caring, and empathetic. They took the time at each appointment to really talk to me about my and my baby's health in a holistic and compassionate manner. When I had a question and sent it through the portal they would follow up immediately! Sometimes they would follow up the next day just to check in and make sure everything was ok. My birth was really hard but I had 4 midwives with me the entire time coaching me and helping me through. If I had been at a hospital I think I would have had a c-section but instead I had a safe, empowering birth experience and my baby is healthy and gorgeous. Can't give a better review. BBC is the best. read more

Let me start by saying I did not end up giving birth here. I started my care here at the beginning of my pregnancy (I'm 23 weeks at the time of writing this). I had an appointment scheduled for 20 weeks and was called by Jazz to see if I could reschedule for another day. No problem - I rescheduled and it was meant to be with a different midwife. I always like to look at their profile on the website to know who I'm seeing and learn a bit about them before going in. When I looked at the website I noticed about half the staff that once was on the website were now gone - and all of the midwives I'd met thus far were gone and half of their senior staff - gone. I called and asked and the woman at the front desk what was going on and she said she wasn't sure what had happened but heard that some people left for financial reasons. I kept the appointment and when I went in I asked the midwife fellow who saw me what happened. She said that there was a policy of having 2 midwives in the center at any given time and a 3rd on call in case things got busy. The woman who owns the place had decided to do away with the "3rd on call" policy and apparently a lot of the midwives felt that was unsafe and that was why they left. I'm sure there is more to it than this but the fact that they had not prepped their staff at all to deal with the situation in a professional manner and to reassure patients made me decide right there that I would not be coming back. The second she said some of the midwives felt it was unsafe - I honestly don't know how you can expect people to stay in your care after hearing that! The midwife fellow I saw was very nice but she also just didn't seem to do much. We listened to the heartbeat and she asked if I had any questions and that was it. Every other visit the midwife went over stuff with me, gave me advice, and had much more to say. This felt like I was supposed to be leading the appointment. I wouldn't recommend this place. They were fairly disorganized before and I just hoped it would be okay - clearly it wasn't going to get any better. read more

Feeta is phenomenal , her bedside manners are truly amazing, she listens, takes her time and answers all the questions you have. I will follow her wherever she relocates to. I think she's one of the best African American midwives in Brooklyn. She's diligent and extremely caring. Thank you Feeta!!! read more

(Written by my female partner): At the start of my pregnancy I was getting my pre-natal care from a practice associated with Methodist hospital. The doctors and midwives who were seeing me were okay, but I didn't feel they were really making an effort to get to know me or really help me understand my pregnancy. Then we toured the hospital and it was clear to us that this wasn't the environment where I (or my partner) would feel comfortable bringing our child into the world. We went to an orientation at the birthing center and quickly decided to switch . Throughout the process of pre-natal care and preparing for the birth, the midwives at the birthing center were patient, informative and realistic. I felt like they understood the need to balance between serious medical care and the fact that birth would be a momentous emotional even in the life of our family. Also, I was seen for my appointments close to the scheduled time (little wait) unlike at the first practice where we often had to wait 45 minutes or more. My actual labor and birth were long and tremendously challenging, but I was prepared for that. Lilly, our midwife, attended to me with confidence and patience that helped me progress and eventually deliver my son. I'm a physical person and anticipated I would move around a lot during labor, which turned out to be true (and very necessary) and was welcomed at the birthing center. Without that, I don't think I would have succeeded in having a natural burth. Once he was born my family and I had space to bond with him and welcome him into the world in a way I can't imagine having at a hospital. I feel so fortunate that we found the BBC and will DEFINITELY return there if we choose to (and are lucky enough to) have a second child. read more

Brooklyn Birthing Center - Skin-to-skin soon after our son's birth. - Midwives Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE!!! Couldn't have been happier with my overall experience at the Brooklyn Birthing Center. The midwives and clerical / front end staff were exceptional - even when dealing with my difficult insurance. Each appointment was a joy and I really felt that I was talking to a friend, someone who cared about me, my husband and our son. Each step of the way we felt supported and well educated in our choices, all without judgment. The facility is clean, tidy and just right for the woman who wants to give birth intervention free. I definitely had a vision for the birth of our first child and the women at the Brooklyn Birthing Center gave me exactly that- even better! Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

When everyone else in my life commented that I was looking very thin for being so pregnant, the midwives here repeatedly reassured me that my baby was measuring big enough. They told me not to eat much: "No carbs in the last month." They made it very difficult for me to get ultrasounds to check on baby's growth. (They couldn't write a legible ultrasound prescription. They also have a working relationship with only one ultrasound imaging center that is very out-of-the-way.) And when my baby was born extremely tiny, my midwife exclaimed, "I deserved that!" Tiny baby meant a quick birth so that she could go home earlier. This was not just some mistake by one midwife--this is the policy of the center. Tiny baby means faster labor and fewer transfers to the hospital, which would be bad for their statistics and marketing. This is not so different from what some OBs used to tell mothers generations ago -- to smoke in order to keep the baby small and the birth easier. But it comes at the expense of my baby's lifelong health. A Cesarean section would be have been far better for him. My baby's size at birth would have prompted extra tests any other place. And yet, when I asked why they'd advised me to not eat carbs and hadn't noticed that my baby was so small ahead of time, my midwife just said, "Better too small than too big." They also lied on my medical records: the midwives so failed at communication the day of the birth that despite his tiny size, I still had perineal, muscular tears, which they recorded as 1st degree tears even after taking 20 minutes to stitch them up. The very definition of 1st vs 2nd degree tears is whether it's through the muscle and requiring stitches. I have had to learn to put this out of my mind when I look at my beautiful baby. But choosing the Brooklyn Birthing Center is something I will always regret. Go here if all you want is reassurance and positive-thinking. There are other midwifery groups in this city with medical expertise and integrity. read more

I have nothing but great things to say about this place. The staff is super sensitive and professional. I felt safe and cared for every step of the way. Super grateful for a great experience! read more

I've had both of my kids at the Brooklyn Birthing Center and it was a lovely place to welcome new babies into the world. We had two very different births and both experiences were lovely. The midwives took such good care of us and gave us the space we needed to be cared for and be safe. read more

I had the best experience with BBC in 2009 when giving birth to my son. I moved to NYC when 7 months pregnant and kind of stumbled upon BBC because no other birthing center would take me. The place looks and is very simple but also a lot cozier and pleasant than any hospital ward (I had to rush into Maimonides at one point and women there were birthing under their own coats because it was freezing and noone would give them a blanket). Catherine and Julia helped me during labor. I had a ton of personal attention and when I felt like the labor was completely stuck Catherine empowered me. I don't think I would have been able to do natural birth anywhere else. I have to be honest the pain was too much for me personally. But the BBC rocks. read more

Almost five months after giving birth I finally get to write this review. This was the most incredible experience I've ever had. Labor was long and intense but birthing at BBC was the best decision I made. I'm sure it would have ended very badly if I was in a hospital. Our midwife was Trinisha who is such a badass and everything you can ask for while in labor. She always knew what to say to encourage me when I was beyond exhausted (and secretly thinking about transferring to a hospital). The birth assistances were amazing as well, giving so much support while being very gentle when monitoring baby's heart. I'm so very thankful to the entire staff of BBC. Will definitely return next time;) read more

This review is long overdue. I gave birth to my daughter in April of 2018 at BBC. I was what they called a "late transfer", coming in at around 27 or so weeks. They were very thorough and brief in obtaining my medical records from a previous hospital. I am a young mom and not once did I feel like I was being judged by staff. I had Kate for most of my appointments. During labor I didn't know what to expect at all. The pain was unbearable and I did get frustrated at times which resulted in a slight attitude from my midwife, Summer. My boyfriend and I chalked it up to her just being tired as we all were. Overall, I had a great experience and I will definitely give birth here again in the future ! read more

Trinisha the Midwife and Sara the Doula was super phenomenal and magnificent!......They were so graceful, welcoming, comforting, understanding and gentle. They were naturals!..They made the entire process seem so effortless....Our baby was delivered with no complications, stress or worries. Tremendous job, way above and behond our expectations Everything was on time and perfect, they were as Angels, I highly recommend any family who have any doubt, fear or worries about natural delivery to give them a try you will be satisfied with the outcome..... They were magic in living colors they made our family so so very happy! read more

AVOID COLD DARK AND GLOOMY It is a shame that we live in NYC and this is the only option for a birthing center that isn't connected or inside a hospital. First of all the place doesn't look sanitary. There isn't any type of hospitality feeling or warmth of welcome when you walk in. I did a walk-thru with my 2nd pregnancy and the communication was cold and bare. I suggested it to my friend who was also interested in a birthing center and she received the same terrible communication and was denied a visit from being over booked then told she was removed from the birthing center list without knowledge at 33 weeks (OVERBOOKED). Please someone open up a real birthing center this place is embarrassing to NYC and a dump! I'd rather have my baby on my mothers farm in VA! read more

Where to begin...! Last fall, my partner and I unexpectedly got pregnant. I had never considered what type of birth I would want, as I had not really considered myself "ready" for a baby. There are, naturally, many fears that arise. But, through a lot of research, I came to think that I would be more afraid of giving birth in a Brooklyn/NYC hospital than I would be giving birth naturally. I attended an orientation at BBC and started receiving prenatal care there during my first trimester. I would occasionally check the reviews here about the center and feel discouraged that some were so negative and that there aren't that many, so as I continued to prepare for my birth and hope that I didn't get risked out or transferred, I hoped that more happy mamas birthing at the center probably just forgot to give BBC a proper shoutout after their births. Here I am with my lovely five day old son in my arms and I'm SO grateful for BBC and my birthing story there. My midwives were Takia and Carolyn, and they made me feel so supported as I primarily labored in the tub with my husband and doulas. When it was time to push, they took charge (I needed someone to at that point) and Takia guided me through the final phase of my birth with a quiet but strong presence. They continually made me feel that I was in charge and that I had options, which I think is vital to a woman in labor. The aftercare of me, my husband and baby were phenomenal. We were able to rest and bond with our baby in a calm, private atmosphere and felt confident with being sent home just five hours after the birth with the BBC team's blessing. Pregnancy and birth are a lot of work, and a natural birth requires a woman to prepare mentally, emotionally and physically. I am so grateful for the way BBC empowered me to take control of my pregnancy and birth choices. BBC is a beautiful part of the story of how my son was born, a story I will be sharing for the rest of my life. read more

I feel as though this practice has taken on more patients than it can actually sustain. Older reviews seem positive. But, they have really lost it. My initial contact was with a receptionist who seemed either overworked and burned out or wrongly placed in a public-facing position. Her level of disinterest and terse, monosyllabic replies should have warned me of what was to come. The mandatory orientation was crowded, chaotic, and seemed to be less of an informational session more of a sales pitch. I was instructed to be 30 minutes early to my intake visit. Upon my arrival I was given a packet of documents to complete that I had already filled out at my orientation. The receptionist did not have any of the papers that I had completed, so, I filled them out again. Then I waited. Overall, my first visit which included an exam and blood draw took over three hours! Although, I was instructed to not leave until I had my ultrasound referral, I finally had to go, as I have two small children who were waiting for at home with a babysitter. I was assured that I would be contacted with the ultrasound information that afternoon. I was not. I called the next day and the next. Finally, three days later, my husband was able to get someone to return my call with my referral information. I was referred to New Beginnings for my ultrasound. That office is over an hour away from my home, via trains. I arrived for my appointment only to find that they had not received a referral from Brooklyn Birthing Center. So, I had to call for my information to be faxed to their office and wait for that to process before I could be seen. My second visit with a midwife a BBC was "a waste of time". In her words. She did not know how far along I was or anything else about me as the results of my bloodwork and ultrasound were not available. I had been in four weeks prior, so there had been plenty of time to process and input my information. My second visit to New Beginnings was smooth and I was able to see my fetus moving and being seemingly healthy. I was told by the tech that I would hear from BBC the results of my ultrasound within a week. I have not, to date. When I have called with concerns, I have not gotten calls back. I have no intention of wasting any further time, money or energies with such a poorly run establishment. I would not have chosen a birthing center if I had wanted to be just another number, lost and overlooked in the shuffle that is the birthing business. While at my second visit to BBC, I overheard a very disturbing conversation between two midwives. The essence of it was that multiple patients were in the hospital and had not been seen by their midwives. One had delivered a baby without the midwife and was waiting to be released so that she could go home. While this is a big city, the natural birthing community is still rather small. Word of mouth still accounts for a great deal. It is a shame that I have nothing good to say about Brooklyn Birthing Center. read more

I waited almost a year to write this review because I didn't know what was fair to write. My experience was a very mixed bag and was, to my understanding, mainly with staff whom no longer work at BBC. I was frustrated by the very long wait times (30 mins to an hour almost every single visit, at all different times of day). I loved the community aspect and felt that I was getting much more personalized care than at a hospital or typical medical clinic. My appointments usually weren't rushed, except when I was in a rush due to the long waits. My problem arose at delivery time. I am a first-time mom and didn't know what to expect. I arrived with bad labor pains late at night but wasn't yet dilated enough for admission, and didn't want to go home because the car ride was painful. I had to basically do my best to endure the pain in the waiting room, and I had back labor so really wanted to at least get in a shower (our hot water wasn't working well that night at home -- just bad luck) but couldn't yet be admitted. When I finally was, their hot water wasn't working well either so the tub had to be manually filled slowly with tap and pots of hot water my husband and doula were bringing in. I labored there for about 35-40 hours and barely had any assistance from the midwives the entire time. I'm sure they warned us that we'd mostly be on our own until push time, but as a new mom I had no idea what that meant in real life. They checked on me periodically, but there was extremely limited coaching or encouragement. I had PROM so they were monitoring my temperature hourly. I wasn't urinating much but that didn't raise any red flags from what I know. I did like that they took a less invasive approach and let me use my instincts. Around 35 hours with no further dilation I was told I can stay and try more exercises or go to the hospital. I couldn't stand the pain anymore and chose the latter. The midwives called a few hospitals and got me into Methodist, which ended up being a blessing. The nurse there was great and after my epidural (I don't even use meds for headaches or colds but I was begging for pain relief by then) I felt like I was on a spa vacation and really enjoyed the rest of my labor and vaginal birth. However, when I first arrived they removed several pints of urine and the nurse said my bladder had been as hard as a rock, which may have been slowing down the progression of the birth. That seems like something that should have been noticed sooner, because they had kept telling me to urinate but I was barely able to for some reason. In hindsight, I wish someone had informed me earlier that there were possible factors like a full bladder or tension from consistent back labor pain that may have been slowing down the labor. Who knows whether I could have ultimately had my baby without intervention had things been different. My doula was my savior but I know that I needed more hands-on assistance than I was given at BBC. Luckily all ended well and my baby was strong as an ox through it all and she is very healthy and vivacious. I can't ask for more, but I would opt for a birthing center attached to a hospital with seasoned midwives next time. read more

I believe(d) in Natural Childbirth - and without Kathryn & Yuliya's help from the Brooklyn Birthing Center I don't know where I'd be. This is THE only place to go to have your child in a drug-free (or reduced), holistic setting. The midwives and caring and professional. I can not say enough great things about Kathryn Abelson or Dr. Norma Veridiamo. (She retired, I think.) Even after 18.5 hours of "natural" labor - my labor stalled and I wound up having a C-section at Maimonides. Kathryn and my doula (not from Brooklyn Birthing - I hired her separately) stood by me. A total of 26.5 hours later - I had a beautiful, healthy albeit teeny-tiny 5 lb 1 oz baby girl. I can not thank the BBC enough for the HIGH quality pre and post natal care I received. G-D bless them! read more

I received 90% of my prenatal care through Maimonides, but transferred to BBC at the last minute (I think it was around 34 weeks). I planned on giving birth to my son Benjamin at BBC, but after many hours of labor in one of their birthing rooms (which was really comforting, by the way), I hadn't progressed beyond 7cm, so I was transferred to Maimonides mid-labor. My midwife was Asya. I am very appreciative for all that she did for me. My qualms are that it took her over 40 mins. to get to the hospital from the birthing center while I was in labor (my mother got me from the birthing center to the hospital in 15 mins. and while in labor, as I'm sure you can imagine, each minute feels like an hour), and she strolled in non-chalantly with coffee. My other qualm is that her "technique" of having me on my hands and knees with another nurse holding a pillow case cover and rolling my belly back and forth ended up wrapping my son's umbilical cord around his neck - twice! And he ended up born blue and not breathing (thank god the nurse at Maimonides saved his life). After giving birth, I was visited by another midwife from BBC (Barri), who said something shocking that has (unfortunately) stuck with me ever since my delivery. When she found out I was in labor for almost 24 hours (7 hours at home, 9 hours at BBC, and 7 hours at Maimonides), and that after 7cm I wasn't progressing (which is why they transferred me in the first place, and ended up breaking my water manually), she leaned over to Asya and said "Ha, if it was me I would've gone with the C-section hours ago!"... Excuse me, but, what? C-section? Isn't avoiding c-sections the very reason I chose a birthing center over a hospital? I am glad that Asya stuck it through with me (from 4pm until 8am the next morning) and I ended up having the natural birth I wanted. Thinking that if Barri was on call that night, that I might've had an unnecessary C-section, horrifies me. I would like to state that Kate Klein (who is a birthing assistant) is one of the sweetest women EVER! And her presence during appointments and labor really made me feel at ease. read more

Very unsatisfactory #1 Refusal to see the big picture: At term - we gave birth to a 6 lb 15 oz child... pretty standard. However, my wife's weight was a constant issue with the midwifes - she gained most of her weight in the first trimester, and they would hammer at as each time we went that her weight gain was BAD, her diet must be BAD, yada yada yada. They even called in Linda G to strongly advise us to see a dietitian. They could not get it through their heads that pregnant women gain weight differently. #2 Iron levels: Went through something similar to #1 with Iron levels. Her iron levels were low, but acceptable. Again they hammered on this: Get her Iron up. They made out an iron supplement prescription, only for us to arrive at the pharmacy and find out it wasn't covered by our health care and we would have to pay $200 for it... For Iron! When her level was not actually out of the acceptable range! #3 COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE: (All in caps to stress this was our biggest issue) Wife and I have different Rh factors, and thus were supposed to get a Rogam shot at 28 weeks, as well as after the birth. When showed up at our 28 week appointment, they told us they were out of Rogam, but would be getting more soon, and that they'd call us... But they never called. We called in several times, but the person answering the phone didn't have the information, and though again we were told they'd call us back, they never did. There were a couple other events like this involving rescheduling appointments or questions about billing, where it was impossible to ever get any information over the phone or even get a call back. read more

I think if you seriously want to go the medication free / natural route, you need to mentally prepare. I had both kiddos here and highly recommend the BBC. I also recommend a doula because the midwife is there for the baby and the doula is there for the mom. The team was an excellent team for me and I was back out with my babies within like 6 hours. First time I brought so much things to keep me all during L&D and probably didn't use like most of them - like I didn't use my iPod, all the snacks I brought ..LOL...I brought clothes but realized that my old size would fit that soon (doh) so went back with my preggo jeans. First half with my first I was in the tub but got out and they all instructed me what to do and I delivered soon thereafter. This who life process was my greatest life fear btw. For my second, I got stuck in over 2 hours of traffic to get through Manhattan and when I got to my suite I didn't even get my second knee on the bed. LOL Thanks to the Lord. What I did to prepare was I took prenatal yoga - I don't recall for how early into he pregnancy I did but would be surprised if it was from really early on. I was so afraid and I didn't want to be feeling like that so we took for the first one a 6 week parenting (?) Class in our area. One of the instructor became my doula. I also did Reiki to reduce my anxiety and I totally would do it again. I made sure to walk as much as I could - I walked over half an hour to work when it was below 60 (or maybe 50?) Degrees - the right temperature that I wouldn't sweat when I was a movin'. Tried to drink as close to 100oz/day. For my second I drank way over that and the BBC had to use a catheter and did such a perfect execution and didn't feel any discomfort. Crazy. Oh and watch that movie about the most famous midwife (Ina...?) . Just try to get in the frame of mind you know would need to be in. Highly recommend this place. read more

The quality of care and thoughtfulness put into this facility has significantly declined from 2017/early 2018 (my first pregnancy at the Brooklyn Birthing Center) to now. For my first delivery, Joanne Middleton was running things and the midwives were phenomenal. Nowadays, from the stoic and miserable woman at the front desk to the lack of consistency with the midwives who range from super sweet to out of touch and cold, the experience just isn't the same. I loved Makeda who is an absolute gem but not yet qualified to attend births. Ivie was also nice (same situation.) There's no telling who will be on call the day you go into labor. I spent my delivery with a woman who was kind but felt the need to keep telling me through my pushing how "strong" I was, which was low key offensive to me as a Black woman. There will be no postpartum check-in and the newborn screening is your responsibility (although they WILL hound you about baby's new insurance info.) Make sure to bring your own aftercare supplies for yourself and baby as I wasn't even provided with a peri bottle to take home this time around. If a non-medicated birth is what you want and you can't find an alternate center or birth at home, I'd encourage you to labor as long as you can at home and go to the best quality hospital you can find to assure better care. Also, follow your gut. From my very first visit this time around, and all subsequent ones there were red flags and poor communication, but I ultimately utilized this facility for its convenience. Some may have great experiences, but this place is no longer for me. read more

So I ended up having my baby boy two weeks earlier than projected on Memorial Day, 5/28/12! (that makes it a VERY memorable Memorial Day). I entered into early labor 2 days earlier, on 5/26 around 3pm while I was in my apartment, chatting with a friend. I have to admit--being my first time and all--I was trying to "keep cool," but it was hard to concentrate on what my friend was saying because all I could think was, "OMG, I'M GOING INTO LABOR!!" (deep breaths, deep breaths) and my contractions were going from 20 mins apart down to 7 minutes apart in about two hours while I was talking to my friend on my couch. (Thank goodness I had packed my overnight bag a week earlier!) At this point, I had called BBB and left a message. The midwife on call, Jennifer, got back to me in 5 minutes and talking to her was very soothing since my friend and husband--though supportive--were clueless on how to help me as I started moaning my way when the contractions came rolling on through. I started going down the "I made a huge mistake not booking this birth with drugs in a hospital" road in my head, but mostly kept my panic to myself. I didn't think it would be productive to have a pregnant woman in labor coming apart during this delicate situation, but man....those contractions ain't no joke! I was convinced I was going to have my son in the tub since Jennifer said she could tell by talking to me that I wasn't in active labor, (I wasn't, since I didn't feel the urge to push), and that I'd be wasting a trip to BBB since she'd just have to send us home if I wasn't dilated to at least 5 cm and ready to push. Even though I intellectually understood what she was saying, emotionally, it was very hard to hear that I wasn't going to find a way to make the pain subside and that no one had a definite answer when that would be--you just don't know how long your early labor is going to last. Jennifer recommended sitting in my own tub for as long as I could, putting towels in garbage bags to prop me up as pillows. I lasted like that for about 2 hours, all the while moaning every 6 minutes for about a minute. I really thought I was going to lose my mind! By 8pm, I was begging Jennifer to let me come into BBB and push the baby out, but she said she could still tell by how I was describing my pain/contractions that I wasn't in active labor yet, but sure, come on in around 9pm and she'd check to see how dilated I was. My husband and friend packed the car and I did the movie-version of the pregnant woman trying to walk down the stairs while having contractions and trying not to scream her freaking head off since the pain is so bad and you're so upset that you've been in this state for hours. After an agonizing drive, (we live about 15 minutes away in Prospect Heights), by car and a quick check-up, Jennifer confirmed that I was only 2 cm dilated and unfortunately, would have to be sent home since the focus of BBB was to help the ladies push their babies out, not be a lounge until you're ready, so that was so depressing/anticlimatic. Jennifer said I could call her as often and whenever I wanted to. I kept having contractions every 6-10 minutes until 5am when I begged her to come back in. I just couldn't stand the pain and couldn't believe that I could still be 2cm when the pain was that acute, but she really recommended that I stay at home as long as I could since I'd be more comfortable in my own surroundings and she didn't want to send me home a second time. By 7am I said I was confident that I was more dilated, so my husband and I went to BBB or the second time around 9am when Jennifer's shift was ending and Gabriella's was beginning. Unfortunately, I was barely but 3cm at this point, even though I had been in labor for 18 hours. Both Jennifer & Gabriella suggested that I take an Ambien that they would prescribe so I could "sleep" since I had not slept in over 24 hours and my body was exhausted since the contractions kept waking me up every time I would close my eyes. I took the pill around 11am and had a very fitful nap for about 2 hours and the contractions kept waking me up, so around 2pm, I called Gabriella and updated her on the situation. She, like Jennifer, said she could tell that it'd be a waste of my time to come on in since it sounded like I wasn't in active labor and she'd have to send me home AGAIN. I held out for another 18 hours until I went to BBB for the last time and was only 3 cm after almost 50 hours of labor, so I was transferred to Maimondes for a C-section since it was decided that my birth canal was too narrow. Andrea the midwife accompanied me there and was just an angel throughout the whole ordeal, being my cheerleader and one of the first people to hold my baby! I really tried my hardest to have a natural childbirth and think had things worked out differently for me, BBB would have been a great choice for that, but alas, I had my son born healthy, and that's all that matters, right? read more

What you expect to be private 1 on 1 care is really community care. You have an appointment with one midwife and then there's another midwife that's just sitting there because she was just stopping by, or a midwife who just decided to help your midwife out during your appointment. Then when you have lab results you have midwives you never even met reviewing your chart and giving you an opinion about what you should do, which I found to be stressful and detrimental for my care because I don't know them, I don't trust them all, they all do not have the same level of knowledge, experience nor compatibility with you as a person. And they will talk about you all around, and when they will call you they will straight up tell you they were reviewing your records and taking about you with so and so. Wheres the patient confidentiality? Their ineffective record system is not updated so they don't know who spoke with you and about what or its there but they didn't review it. One time a lab result misread that I had pre-diabetes and one midwife called me and cleared it up saying to ignore the result, but another midwife calls me hours later telling me I have pre-diabetes and when I go to explaining I was told to ignore the result, she thinks I'm in denial and goes on and on about how Im at risk for preeclampsia. It's like they talk and do not listen or they listen and downright do not care. They have this attitude like you're pregnant and helpless and they know what's best. I developed anemia during my pregnancy, which is common. At 33w pregnant, Midwife Renee called me about my lab results and said if I didn't get up and go to the emergency room to get a blood transfusion then me and my child would possibly die. Renee said all I have to do is walk in to their partner hospital and say I'm a patient from BBC, I need a blood transfusion and its done. The next morning another midwife calls me says I cannot just walk in and get a blood transfusion. She says the head physician read my lab results and my life is not in danger. I just have to see a hematologist, get intravenous iron and everything should be fine. I see the hematologist who is ranked #1 in his field for three consecutive years, and the gentle kind man tells me that I am not in danger and he would NEVER EVER recommend giving a blood transfusion to a pregnant woman because of how DANGEROUS it can be for mother and baby. I complained to the head mid-wife Trinisha Williams about Renee and others putting me through emotional stress, and she was cracking up laughing while apologizing. Fast forward, 34w I get the IV iron and experience HORRIBLE side effects. Bottom line, I cannot give birth at BBC, which is fine. I inform the head midwife Trinisha Williams that I plan on giving birth at methodist hospital. I'm 36 weeks pregnant and Trinisha Williams tells me that I have to transfer my care to a midwife at methodist hospital, since I am not giving birth at BBC. Simultaneously I needed my disability paperwork filled out for my job and Trinisha told me that she's not doing my paperwork and that I have to get the next care provider to do it for me. I explain that NO ONE at methodist is taking a prenatal patient after 25 weeks. She doesn't give a f. She tries to convince me its impossible for her to do my paperwork but she was just being a bitch. It gets done by someone in the office AFTER I gave birth. Mother's Day weekend 38w I start feeling contractions, and I go into Methodist hospital. The ER staff was confused because I was not a patient so I had to explain why I could not give birth at BBC. I was only one cm dilated so I was sent home. On my way home, tired and in excruciating pain, I get a phone call from Trinisha Williams saying she received a call from Methodist about my records, and in her most polite nasty tone she tells me at 38 weeks pregnant I can not go back to BBC to finish my prenatal care. I gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy, no complications whatsoever. I was not on the verge of death as I was led to believe. Thank God for Methodist Hospital. read more

Brooklyn Birthing Center - Renee sent me and "example" consent form, but I was so distraught and confused that I signed it and sent it back - Midwives Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I had not 1 but 2 births here. My first experience was 11 years ago with a CNM Yulia - loved her and her patience! I did a waterbirth hypnobirth via Debi Tracy aka Mama Hypno of One Birth At a time and then 5.5 years later I had my second birth there. My CNM there was Gail Raymond again amazingly warm and awesome. I'm so glad I delivered there if I had been in a hospital I would've had a c-section! This place is AWESOME read more

I had my first child here in March 2013. I love BBC! What a beautiful alternative birthing space. Our pre-natal appointments were all on site and handled by the wonderful midwives and birthing assistants. I had the most thorough physical exam my first visit. The staff are all women and everyone feels like a family. By the end of my nine months I knew everyone by name and they knew me and my partner. I even saw my birthing assistant at BAM one night a couple of days before giving birth and we chatted like old friends. BBC also offers birthing classes, breastfeeding classes, and newborn care classes. I hear this fall they are starting a new mom's group which I would have joined for sure if it were offered earlier. They are also expanding and adding another birthing suite and other great things. They also offer GYN appointments so I will be returning for my PAP once a year, and any birth control needs. For a moment during my pregnancy I went into preterm labor and had to be transferred to the hospital. Linda, the head midwife, called me often to check-in on my progress. I ended up going home after a few days, they were able to stop my contractions and after reaching 37 weeks was able to return to BBC. I felt so supported during the entire process. They are a gem and so so necessary in this city. I HIGHLY recommend BBC. Our birth was beautiful, my partner and I, our two midwives and our birthing assistant were the only ones in the building during my entire labor. It was very intimate and peaceful. We were able to labor in the water and use the entire space throughout my 12 hour labor. The midwives communicated well throughout the process, while giving me and my partner space do experience things alone. After we had our baby we fell asleep and after 4 hour of recovery we began to make our way home. The women are wonderful and come to your home the next day to check in on you and your baby. read more

I had my daughter here in June of 2007, after 6 months of caring and thorough prenatal care by Yulia and Kathryn. I don't want to type out my entire birth story here, suffice to say, my birthing experience was about as perfect as it could get. I chose BBC because I wanted to avoid the BS (and potential dangers) of the medical-industrial complex and it ended up being the perfect choice for our family. read more

I cannot say enough amazing things about the incredible facility that is the Brooklyn Birthing Center and the team that keeps this place running. I just gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl and I could not have done it without the BBC team. Natural child birth was so important to me and thankfully I had no medical complications and was able to deliver at the center. That being said, labor was so much harder than I had anticipated and without the constant, diligent support and resources of the BBC I don't know I would have been successful. The midwives and the birthing assistants stayed so strong for me and never gave up on me despite a very long difficult labor. From the beginning with the orientation I knew this was the place for me and my sprouting family to give birth. The midwives are fantastic--between them all they have so much experience and you can sense it from the initial orientation meeting. The facility itself is great--it's basically a home converted into 3 separate suites for birthing. The room we birthed in was very clean, comfortable and spacious. There is a huge jacuzzi tub (a laboring woman's best friend!) and big bed, a toilet and sink everything you need. There are little kitchens so you can prepare your own food that you bring (you are encouraged to eat and drink during labor!!! Total opposite of a hospital!!) and couches in the front living room area that loved ones can rest on if you are in labor for a long time like me. This review can't possibly do this place or the people justice. If you are thinking of having a natural birth, please check this place out. Follow your instincts, trust your intuition--let them lead you to BBC and don't give up. read more

Brooklyn Birthing Center - Just part of the room we birthed in. - Midwives Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I had the most amazing birth here in BBC. I was drawn to this place ever since I took an orientation class led by one of the midwives, Summer Knight. The prenatal care visits were good, short and informative. They made sure I met all the midwives. I rarely experienced long waits. The admin staff is lovely. You really get to know them well during the course of the pregnancy. My labor started at night at 5am and I was accepted by one of the midwives and an assisting midwife. I didn't interact with them a lot, they pretty much left me be with my partner and my doula. However, I had the most wonderful nurse who checked my baby's heartbeat every 30 min. She was so gentle and kind. Her energy was healing. But who really kicked ass was another crew of a midwife (Summer) and two nurses. They came in the morning. They were amazing supportive helpful and powerful women who took me and my baby to the finish line. They took a great care of me during the most intense stages of labor, made sure that I was well hydrated, did perennial massage, hot compresses, suggested different positions for pushing, included my partner in all activities. We had a few family members that came in right before the baby was born. They were able to come in to the birth room 15 min after I delivered the placenta. I was able to use the birth tub, birth ball, birthing stool, laughing gas. We did the delayed cord clamping and my baby crawled to the chest. The nurses made sure that the baby latched properly. After I got my first pee and my first meal, we could go home. The nurse who visited us at home next day could not be nicer. She did a few tests and checked on my uterus. My 6 weeks visit was quick. I'm gong to stay with bbc for all my OB visits. I would highly recommend BBC for delivery. read more

We had both our sons at BBC both times it was a wonderful experience. The staff was always nice, respectful and confident. I am sure if we went to the hospital with our first son we would have been sectioned because my wife went Into labor on Sunday night (although contractions were so light she didn't know if it was true labor) and our son was born on Wednesday night. If we live in the area when we have our thrid we will definitely be using the birthing center! read more

I was super lucky to deliver at the Brooklyn Birthing Center last November 2017. Throughout my pregnancy I felt informed and listened to. Whenever I would send a message or call regarding a fear or question I always received a response within a few hours. The midwives were extremely supportive and the front office staff Evelyn and Sheena very helpful and competent. I loved all of the midwives, each of them having their own personalities and benefits. Katie was well versed and straight to the point, no nonsense. Yuen was amazing. Warm, friendly, sweet and extremely knowledgeable. One of my favorite things that she did was show my partner how to feel the position of the baby and know whether he was feeling the baby's head or butt etc. Linda felt like a mom and again, very experienced and made me feel secure. Kept making it clear I could ask all questions, and involved my mom in the visit. I delivered with Summer (with Maggie and Nicole supporting my delivery). It was an amazing experience. Summer's gentle firmness helped give me the strength to push through and deliver my baby unassisted. Nicole's sweet encouragement made me feel secure and super supported through one of the toughest things I've had to do. Maggie's realness and sense of humor kept me smiling (after) and her instructions during labor helped baby get into place. All in all I felt listened to, respected and supported. Exactly how I wanted to feel during my pregnancy. read more

Great experience ! Had my healthy baby boy here . Wonderful tub and room to have your baby enter the world in . read more

Brooklyn Birthing Center - Midwives Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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