It's taken me 6 months to feel brave enough to write this. 6 months of severe PPD, a hefty amount of birth trauma therapy, and a PTSD diagnosis later, I'm choosing to write this in the hopes that it spares someone else so much heartbreak. I desperately wish I had read the other negative reviews before choosing to use CMS. My two biggest take aways from my experience with CMS: 1. Being a certified midwife doesn't make someone a better midwife. 2. Michelle is a medi-midwife. She goes about birth the same way a hospital would. My pregnancy was extremely healthy. Michelle said I was the epitome of health. I really liked Michelle. She was great at giving me resources and information on just about anything I had questions about. In the early part of my pregnancy, she advertised herself as being "all for the birth you want". But by the time I was in my 3rd trimester, she started back tracking on her promises. She started telling me that she prefers women not to birth in a birthing pool, even though we had been discussing that as part of my birth plan for 8 months. She said that she prefers women birth in bed (hello, I could just go to the hospital for that??). When I told her I didn't want cervical checks or to be touched while pushing, she told me that she felt those things were medically necessary and that she would probably push to perform a CC and assist during pushing. At 34 weeks, my baby suddenly flipped frank breech. I was immediately advised to begin seeing a chiropractor for the Webster method, which I did. But when my baby still wouldn't flip, Michelle informed me that she does not deliver breech babies for first time moms. She then went on to tell me that she doesn't know any other midwife that would perform a breech birth for a first time mom (lie #1). She said that I only had a few options and would most likely have to transfer to the hospital if my baby didn't flip by 39 weeks. We began talking about the possibilities of an ECV and a c-section. I was desperate not to have a c-section and expressed my fears to her. I had trusted her through my entire pregnancy and at the time, felt like I truly was without options. At my 37 week appointment, she told me that even if I ended up transferring to the hospital, she would still be there. She wouldn't just abandon us (lie #2). My husband was present during this appointment and also remembers her saying this. At 38 weeks, my water broke at home. I called Michelle and she told us to go to OU Children's. I assumed that she would meet us there but instead, she sent a doula that I had only met briefly, once before, earlier in my pregnancy. After a very traumatic c-section, she never bothered to check in with me. I had to text her updates. She never came to the hospital the entire 3 days we were there. When we were finally released, my baby became dehydrated due to my milk being delayed (thank you c-section). We called Michelle and described his symptoms, wondering if we should take him to the ER. She told us he was probably fine and that she would be by the next day to look him over. Two hours later, we found ourselves rushing to the emergency room with our 3 day old baby. We were told by the doctors that if we had listened to her, he most certainly would have died in the night. Again, she did not check in with us. When I finally texted her while still in the hospital, she made a comment that she had been waiting for me to update her. As if it wasn't her job to check in unprompted. We were finally released and against the advice of those closest to me, I still chose to use her for my postpartum follow up appointments. I paid a lot of money and wasn't about to let her off the hook that easy. Since having my son, I have learned more about CMS that has truly left me questioning my own judgement. Hearing from other moms, this is their MO. They are known for this kind of behavior. Michelle is known for this. The moment your pregnancy or birth becomes inconvenient for her, she drops you. My son being frank breech was not a medical emergency and the c-section was completely unnecessary. I now know that there are in fact other midwives in OKC that will deliver breech babies for first time moms. She must think herself the standard for midwifery care because instead of laying down her pride and transferring me to a better equipped midwife, she left me thinking I was completely without choices and a very traumatic experience that I'm nowhere close to healing from. If you're considering CMS, run far, far away. read more

I love the care I have received at CMS. All the appointments prior to birth were personal and I felt cared about. They spent an hour with me each appt instead of a quick, uninterested 15min. They are very knowledgeable and I always felt safe with them. During labor they were very helpful. Sadly I labored for longer than I could tolerate and was tiring out. The midwives then suggested that I go into the hospital to get relief with an epidural. As much as I wanted to have an at home birth, I sadly was unable to. The midwives were very encouraging and helpful during the entire birth. I will Definitely be back for my next baby. read more

I used CMS for my last pregnancy. I have mixed feelings about it. The midwives there are wonderful people but I have major issues with the co-owner Michelle. What happened to me was my water started leaking at the end of my pregnancy. I texted Michelle and asked if it was a concern and if I should come in right away to get checked. She told me that it was my call. Not sensing that it was a big deal, I waited till the next day to come in and get checked. Turned out I was leaking amniotic fluid, and apparently had been for several days. I should have come in to get checked sooner, I didn't realize that many days of leaking water without labor starting was potentially dangerous. Michelle failed to communicate this when I asked her about it prior to coming in. Poor communication, at best. They did a membrane sweep and gave me some herbs to get labor started, which did work. I went into labor that night and had my baby the next day. For a birth suite, the labor position options were sadly lacking. The tub had no grips on the inside which meant you were constantly slipping down into the water. The bed was hard and didn't adjust like a hospital bed. There wasn't a bar or anything to hang onto. I ended up bent over a stack of pillows, my arms supporting my body weight for a lot of labor and it was very uncomfortable and difficult. For some reason when it came time to push, Michelle made me lie flat on that horrible bed which made my contractions unbearable. I had back labor, so lying flat on my back to push was horrifically painful. During pushing, Michelle was aggressive and condescending. She yelled at me and was rude and awful. I should have told her to leave the room but I was in too much pain to speak. Baby was born without too much difficulty despite the mind bending amount of pain I endured. In the few hours after birth, my baby wasn't latching or breathing well. He didn't look right. I kept asking the midwives if something was wrong, and they kept telling me nothing was. My mom finally demanded that someone evaluate him, and after performing a series of tests, they said he was having some trouble breathing but they thought he should be fine. My mom and husband rushed him to the ER, and I was left behind at the midwife center. Turns out, because of my positive GBS status prior to birth and my multiple days of leaking water, my baby was born with an infection. By the time they got him to the ER, his face was turning blue. He stayed for a week in NICU on antibiotics to kill the infection, and was great after that. I was not happy with the care we received at CMS. Post birth, Michelle blamed me for not coming in sooner to get checked, despite the fact that I had asked her if I should and she blew me off. Negligent care at best. I was not at all satisfied with their evaluation of my baby post birth. They do not have the medical experience necessary to handle anything that is outside the realm of normal. They deny this, but my distinct impression was that they were planning to send me and baby home hours after birth. They gave me the "discharge instructions" and prepped everything for us to leave. If they were really concerned about my baby's breathing status, AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, they certainly didn't communicate it with me, my husband, or my mother. It was my mother demanding they evaluate my baby that made them notice something was wrong, and they did not treat the situation with the urgency it necessitated. If we would have gone home, my baby could have died on the way. Bottom line, CMS is not worth the money nor the risk. They don't have the medical training to safely assess emergencies and potential risks. If your birth goes 100% smoothly then great, but you have no guarantee of that. I seriously contemplated suing them after my experience, but because I actually like some of the midwives there and don't have the money to afford the lawsuit, I chose to let it go. But let my experience be a warning. I would never personally chance having another baby at CMS. read more

Anonymous because I fear backlash. However I was a client with CMS Do not recommend. Risked out for non evidence- based reasons. Hospital pitocin birth leaving me with pelvic floor injuries. The midwives assistant they sent to be with me at the hospital 1. I had only met once, 2. Left once I got hooked up to pitocin, came back later, 3. Started pushing me to get an epidural 7 hours in rather than more gentle pain management. There are more conservative midwives around the area, explore your choices. I am not a rare case. read more

These ladies each provide excellent care. I am so thankful for all of the time and patience I've received from them. Nikki was absolutely wonderful, there are not enough words to describe! Crystal helped to guide me through what could have been a sticky situation, and I ended up very happy. Each of them brings their own talents and it's a huge benefit! I was so glad there was a team, what initially seemed like it could be a drawback to not being able to hand select who was attending my birth, ended up being a huge blessing. They were RESTED and HAPPY to be with me whenever I needed them. I will be using them as much as I possibly can for future pregnancies. read more

OMG, I'm posting on behalf of my wife. Don't just walk, but run away, flee from this business with all haste! After taking our money for the full-term service (counseling and delivery) they found an excuse at the very last minute (yes, last calculated minute) to risk out and dump us on the hospital. It was non-negotiable from their point of view and no refund would be offered for any undelivered service - which was 80% of what was already paid for and remaining to be done. You pay them up front (in portions), not afterwards like any other business. In retrospect I cannot see any justification for their doing business the way they do. Somehow they talked us into it. We wanted a midwife and there just isn't that big of a selection around Norman. Paying over time until the big day seemed to ease the financial burden for us and make using them seem like a reasonable thing to do. It was indeed trickery of the basest sort. I fell for it because they indeed present as very sincere and caring. I just didn't see them taking advantage of us. As I look back I'm sure it is and was all calculated to bring the maximum number of dollars to their pockets and the minimum of service to us. Their attitude and flagrant disregard for our lives and well-being at a crucial moment added to the stressful situation already at hand. Instead of a peaceful home delivery we dashed to the hospital in OKC. Her water broke just 5 minutes away where she then delivered a beautiful baby girl (with womanly effort) in the natural way, quite normally. Not one of them offered to assist or visit during delivery or afterwards. We hadn't made other plans and so were alone, without any familiar faces. We left the hospital as soon as we could for the mounting bill had already added several thousand dollars to our cost. Yeah, they ripped us off, big time. Nothing in return for it. Weeks later they still maintained they owed us no refund. Slick shyster is what I'd particularly call Michelle. She's had decades of experience doing these flim-flam jobs. read more

We had a wonderful experience being cared for by the ladies at CMS. I have no health issues and had an uncomplicated pregnancy and had a great delivery at their birth center. I'd highly recommend them for other low risk women who want more time for questions and a more personalized care. They are seriously the best. read more

We had a wonderful experience at CMS. They listened to us, adjusted to our birth plan, and made recommendations when we got stuck or felt like pregnancy or labor wasn't going as it should. We had the water birth we hoped for, and are indebted to Hannah for her care and support along the way, and for she and Crystal for their assistance when it was time for baby to make an appearance. They were efficient, supportive, and almost felt like family. For all the late night texts, the gently offered natural remedy tips, and the reasonable rates, we are so grateful to the whole team! read more

I firmly recommend not doing business with CMS. Unless you are healthy and know as a matter of fact that nothing will happen during your pregnancy, but even then I would never give my money to them if I had it all to do over. They refused to cooperate with a BBB investigation and now I am left with no recourse because we do not have the money for a lawyer. I encourage anyone who has had a poor experience with them to complain, get a lawyer, and let people know. CMS left me without a doctor, because the one they told me they had retired before I even signed the contract. I have spoken with the doctor directly, who has so far been the only person associated with CMS to give me an apology. I was very sick during my pregnancy and was only transferred to a doctor after an ER doctor decided he'd had enough and went over CMS to get me the care I deserved, after the deadline for a refund, even though I asked for a transfer at 18-20 weeks pregnant. My third appointment with my doctor ended in an emergency induction. After a bit of research, I've found many, many other families who were put in the exact situation I was by CMS. Check out OSCN for one such family. This family was threatened with a counter lawsuit because they decided to defend themselves. I only want everyone to make an informed decision, I know many people have had good luck with CMS, but they have put others in great dangerous, and have yet to apologize to any of us. The only thing they have said to explain themselves is to send complaints to the OMA board, which is primarily made up of the women of CMS and not an unbiased way to resolve such a situation as this. If you'd like to read my entire complaint, you can find it by typing "Community Midwifery Services, LLC" into the Better Business Bureau website. read more

I was saddened to read the one review of CMS on here, and my heart goes out to the situation (yes, they have a refund deadline, but it's a business, and papers are signed agreeing to that deadline), but I also need to speak from my own experience. I had two beautiful births with CMS. Their prices are incredibly reasonable as they try to make them comparable to an insurance deductible. The women of CMS are compassionate, professional, and fully conscientious of the health of both mamma and baby. If I lived in Norman, I would go to CMS just to hang out sometimes, because they are such lovely, thoughtful ladies. As to my prenatal and birthing experiences, they were both fantastic. Every birth story is different, and the midwives at CMS allow for that and work with each situation as it comes. I couldn't be more pleased that I used CMS midwives for both of my children's births. I can truly look at those two days as some of the best in my life-- days I'd choose to live over again, if I could. read more

The midwives at CMS have assisted me through my last 3 pregnancies and births. I have had a wonderful experience with them for all 3. All of the midwives and assistants are extremely knowledgable. They are great at listening, respecting your wishes, and always keeping the safety of baby and mama at heart. read more

Wonderful ladies with so much experience and skill! You won't have to worry about your safety or baby's safety! I highly recommend these women! read more

Community Midwifery Services has been such a blessing and support during my last two pregnancies. I've appreciated their guidance, knowledgable insight, kindness and professionalism. In 2016, when things went wrong, they were quick to get me to a hospital (even driving me themselves while my husband arranged childcare) and did not take any risks. While I've heard friends and others bemoan this approach, I believe it is wise and sound. I do not want someone's pride or concerns about profit undermining the safety and well-being of my child. When a hospital is necessary, we should expect and demand nothing less...no matter how disappointed we may be. I salute CMS for their dedicated care and believe that every dollar paid in 2016 was more than repaid in quality care before and after the delivery and through sound judgement in a moment of crisis. read more