My daughter is 15 months old now (holy crap!) and I can't look at her without thinking lovingly of…read moreMonica & Jennifer! I switched from an OBGYN to LA Midwife Collective around 30 weeks pregnant with my daughter and it made all the difference in how I felt about my prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care. I felt cared for, listened to, and protected, which is almost the exact opposite of how I felt at the OBGYNs office. Each visit felt private, calm, and un-rushed (exactly like the birth of my baby!) and after every appointment, I was more and more convinced I was always meant to have my baby at home with M&J. Skipping all the fun stuff: Jennifer caught my baby in my own bed, and then Monica made me the best sandwich I've ever had in my life, and then I got to cuddle with my newborn at home. 10/10 would recommend. We love Monica and Jennifer so much. I won't go into gory detail about HOW much we love them but...I would have another baby just to hang out with Monica and Jennifer again.

Completely unprofessional and neglectful. My experience with Jennifer as a midwife was truly…read moredisturbing. This was my first pregnancy and I was relying on Jennifer to guide me through birth. A couple hours after my contractions became constant and increasingly intense, I called her. She told me to lay down and get some sleep, that it would be at least 24 hours. When I asked if I should let her know when contractions reached a certain timing, she told me not to time them at all. I asked when she would know to come, and her answer was: "I'll hear it in your voice." Apparently that means when you can't speak then she'll come. Four hours later, I gave birth. During that time, I labored alone--scared, confused, and unsupported. Jennifer did not check in with me by text or phone. The doula Jennifer referred me to was also no help during labor. I called her 4 times to please come but she kept saying it wasn't time yet and only telling me to keep breathing over the phone. I felt helpless. Finally, after the fourth call she came and arrived at 10:30, by 11:20pm I gave birth. Jennifer didn't arrive until 12:30am--well after my baby was born. I was worried because she lived over 40 mins away but always told me she would be there. She reassured me she never missed a birth which is obviously a lie. Afterwards, when I tried to express how traumatic this was for me she took no accountability. She claimed she did everything right and only blamed the doula for not communicating with her. She also put the blame on me claiming my labor was just "too fast." She had always told me to wait until she arrived for the tub because she would set everything up. So everything we planned was pointless, I gave birth standing up over my bathroom counter. She said there were absolutely no refunds and never apologized for what I went through. I was robbed of my water birth experience. This was supposed to be a supported, empowering home birth. Instead, it was the most frightening experience of my life. I'm now terrified of ever getting pregnant again. I could never recommend Jennifer as a midwife she will not be there when you need her the most.

Andrea and Maggie are truly wonderful! After several frustrating experiences with various doctors,…read morethey were a dream for my well woman visit. They listened to me and knew all the right tests to do for a woman in the perimenopausal age. Maggie is so helpful in explaining what is going on in your body and why things could be going awry. Andrea clearly loves learning and is always researching to know what are the best options out there for hormones and weight control and women's health. On top of it all, they are both so fun and real and honest! I can now look forward to aging well with their support!

My husband and I couldn't have chosen a better care team for our family. Andrea and Maggie…read moresupported us through our entire first pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We left each prenatal visit excited and without worry. They are both so knowledgeable and have great energy. My birth experience was so special. They came to my house early morning and by early afternoon my son was in my arms. Maggie coached me through contractions on the phone allowing me to relax until they arrived. Once they arrived at my home, they set up quietly and quickly making sure not to disturb me. Throughout my labor, they massaged my back with essential oils and made sure I stayed hydrated and energized with water, juice, and snacks. They encouraged me as I pushed and helped move me into different positions when things got tough for me. When my boy was born, they handed him directly to me for skin-to-skin. Within the first two weeks after the birth of my son, Maggie and Andrea helped educate us on tongue ties(while still recommending we do our additional research). They referred us to a specialist who successfully cut our son's ties(tongue and lip). We saw Andrea and Maggie shortly after and they were able to demonstrate how to properly stretch the wounds. At about 5 weeks postpartum, I went to the emergency room for pain and ended up getting surgery to remove my gallbladder. While I was in the hospital my son ran out of breast milk. My husband reached out to our midwives and they were able to help us get donor milk. Once I was released, I noticed a dip in my milk supply and they saw us for two additional visits to help me increase my supply and then to confirm our baby was transferring enough milk. Andrea and Maggie are wonderful midwives with so much knowledge. They truly care about the families in their care, not just the moms and babies but the dads too. I am so lucky I found them and would never do a birth with anyone else. If you or someone you know needs quality people on their care team, Andrea and Maggie are the best.

My daughter is 15 months old now (holy crap!) and I can't look at her without thinking lovingly of…read moreMonica & Jennifer! I switched from an OBGYN to LA Midwife Collective around 30 weeks pregnant with my daughter and it made all the difference in how I felt about my prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care. I felt cared for, listened to, and protected, which is almost the exact opposite of how I felt at the OBGYNs office. Each visit felt private, calm, and un-rushed (exactly like the birth of my baby!) and after every appointment, I was more and more convinced I was always meant to have my baby at home with M&J. Skipping all the fun stuff: Jennifer caught my baby in my own bed, and then Monica made me the best sandwich I've ever had in my life, and then I got to cuddle with my newborn at home. 10/10 would recommend. We love Monica and Jennifer so much. I won't go into gory detail about HOW much we love them but...I would have another baby just to hang out with Monica and Jennifer again.

Jennifer was a complete blessing for my hub's and my first baby--she went above and beyond to help…read moreus make the best decisions we could with all the information and research she shared with us. I really wanted a home birth, and I'm so thankful Jennifer helped make that happen. Postpartum care was unmatched in my opinion, that was really another huge highlight for us--so much more personal and helpful than our visits to the cold and sterile doctors office. Jennifer also helped me figure out which supplements and natural herbs/tinctures were safe for me during pregnancy in addition to postpartum. So thankful for her kind and skilled care!

Having my fourth baby with Robyn at Push has been the most incredibly and empowering experience of…read moremy life. The care throughout my pregnancy was unmatched because each appointment whether it was 30 minutes or over an hour was with Robyn! That means I really got to know her as a person, as a mom, and as a professional. I got to create a real relationship with the person who was going to help me deliver my baby. Robyn is so knowledgeable and has a way of making you feel good and confident in every decision you make. During my birth at home, she really let me guide and choose what I wanted every step of the way. It was so refreshing after three births in a hospital. She also had such a calming presence and during my really bad contractions would whisper affirmations and tell me to breathe my baby down. It was so helpful in those moments. My favorite part of using her is the access of care at all times. Whenever I had a question or concern I was able to text her and get help. Even after my son was born she is there for me. One month after birth I got a hemorrhoid and she squeezed me in to check me out immediately. Speaking with her is like therapy for me. Her passion for empowering women and choice is intoxicating. I honestly can't rave enough about the work she does and how good it felt to have someone like this supporting me for the past year.

If you are even the slightest bit open to a birthing center/home birth please do research and…read moreconsider this option. I watched "the business of giving birth" (2008 documentary) a decade ago and this was the start of potentially being open to this option (midwife/birth center/home birth). (Highly recommend this documentary, wish there were more!!!) Robyn is phenomenal. She is an expert. She knows what she's doing and is an excellent midwife and human. What a blessing My experience was her being extremely responsive and supportive. Ask ALL the questions!!! Sometimes we don't know what all to ask which is okay too, she informs you on so much. Especially home aftercare. Regardless of what decision one makes on giving birth it's a magical and empowering one. Sending health and happiness to all mothers and expecting mothers. If anyone has questions I'd love to be an advocate for this hospital alternative so please send a message.

She's the best. I don't know what to say. The level of care she has for her patience is unmatched.read more

Dr. Phabby is the OB/GYN of my dreams. She was exactly what I needed during my pregnancy, birth,…read moreand postpartum. So loving and compassionate, perfect bedside manner, excellent service. It was only an added bonus that she makes house calls and takes my PPO insurance. She recommended that I deliver my daughter at a local, private hospital and she was absolutely correct. I received personalized care and felt like both, a dignitary and a family member. I highly recommend Dr. Phabby to loved ones and friends.

For my second pregnancy, I knew I wanted to be in an environment that would let the natural process…read moreof physiological birth unfold. At Pure Births, the prenatal appointments are rooted in connection, while being very thorough and professional. The midwives have a wholistic approach to pregnancy, while also ensuring that you and your baby are safe up until the day of delivery. Mid Wife Angela and Summer were on call the day my baby joined our family. They welcomed us into the birthing room and empowered us with space- they trusted my body and baby to know what to do, while also being very attentive by monitoring the baby's heart rate, and checking in with me throughout the process. I felt safe and comfortable every step of the way, and our sweet baby girl joined us an hour and a half after we arrived at the birthing center. It was a powerful and beautiful experience I will never forget. The post partum appointments are just as caring and attentive, the midwives want to ensure mama is healthy and healing, and baby is thriving. I would recommend Pure Births to any family seeking an out of hospital experience, seeking genuine and empowering care.

I'm so glad I decided to have my placenta encapsulated with Tiffany at Pure Births! Tiffany was…read moretruly so great to work with. She was always quick to respond, answered all of my questions, and was really informative throughout the whole process. She made everything feel so easy and stress-free. Even being a holiday weekend, dropping off my placenta was super easy and convenient, which I really appreciated, especially with a newborn and everything that comes along with those first few days postpartum. I personally felt like the pills really helped me with both my energy and my mood during those early postpartum weeks. I felt like I had a little more energy to get through the long days and nights, and I noticed a positive difference in my overall mood as well. I know everyone's experience is different, but for me, I'm really happy I chose to do it! The capsules were also wrapped so cute, and Tiffany included our sweet baby boy's umbilical cord as a keepsake, which was such a thoughtful and special touch.

Words can't describe the vibes & energys that was on our birth room ..my wife was having her birth…read moreexperience to the fullest and exactly like her birth plan and all of that couldn't happened without Cynthia's services Cynthia is well educated in all of birth world and know everything about woman's needs in this precious time of newborn coming to the world she made our birth room look like a yoga class in a spa and our minds clear of fear allso as a husband i felt much more confident and secure to have a professional educated and highly sensitive doola that listen to my wife's needs ( and allso giving me my sleep time :) .. me and my wife moved into California not long time ago and our families are over seas it was so important to us to have a natural birth experience she was giving birth in a hospital and we were afraid to deal with medical intervention i really believe and know that we couldn't do that without Cynthia's help Thank you Cynthia for giving us the opportunity to have an amazing experience of life

From the owner: The Birth Whisperer, Cynthia Marie, PhD, has a passion for the birth process and wants to support…read moreevery woman in having the birth they choose with as few interventions as possible. She encourages each client's partner to be involved as little or as much as they are comfortable with. She offers doula and lactation support during conception, prenatal, birth, and postpartum She supports all births including Natural/Non-Medicated/Minimal Interventions, VBAC, C-Section, Home Birth, Water Birth, HypnoBirth, and Birth Center. She offers special sessions in Couple’s Birth Preparation, Childbirth Eduaction, Child Development, Reiki Energy Healing, The Fourth Trimester, The First Forty Days, Attachment Parenting, Safe Bedsharing, and Effective Child Discipline. Clients may attend sessions with a partner or solo. Birth the way you choose... Get attached to your birth plan... Happy mama, happy baby, happy family.

If you have been considering a natural home waterbirth as a possibility for your next birth…read more Seriously... you can look no further. Pick up the phone and call Birthwell... RIGHT NOW! Words can not begin to describe the appreciation I have for Mari and her team. The care I received from Birthwell exceeded all of my expectations and I felt like I was in this big bubble of love during every visit. I know that sounds a bit sappy, but when you have been working so hard being pregnant and preparing for that perfect birth, feeling supported with love and acceptance really makes a difference. And that is exactly what I was blessed with- an absolute perfect birth. I had been receiving prenatal care through my insurance provider at a local hospital, not very happy with the rushed, impersonal experience of being there. After my first ultrasound, doctor after doctor told me that my placenta was too low for a home waterbirth- it wasn't quite a previa, but "too close for comfort" in their eyes. At 36 weeks they were adamant about scheduling me a c-section (the last thing you want to hear when you had been committed to a natural birth), so I demanded one last look. I had been praying so much that my placenta move just the 2 millimeters out of the way. My OB really didn't think it was going to in only two weeks since the last ultrasound, but low and behold, it had! I took this as a sign to get a Midwife and do it the way I wanted from the beginning - at home and in the water. Mariposa of Birthwell was recommended to me by two difference sources - coincidentally the first two people I had asked. I knew that choosing a midwife was a very personal and important decision, so I did my research and looked at all the different midwifery service providers around LA. Before I gave Mari a call, I went on to her website to check her bio. The second I saw her amazing eyes, I was overflowing with tears. I knew right away she was the one. It was a great bonus that she ended up having so much Labor & Delivery experience and that she was super-sweet an empowering. I don't think I've even told her this, but she had me at the online photo :-) After an in-person meeting with her and my partner, we "tied the knot" and she put me to work. There was so much preparation my body needed for the birth that I had no idea about. I was shocked my OB hadn't told me even a fraction of tricks Mari filled me in on. From the yoga moves, to the borage oil, to the squats- I was on a daily regime that got me ready for the big day. One night at around 10:00pm, just after finishing Mari's prenatal yoga video and downing some fresh coconut juice, it started. The contractions were happening every 6 or 7 minutes, but they were pretty manageable. I called Mari up and she told me to call her every hour to tell her how far a part they were at each hour increment. I was pretty surprised, considering it was already so late at night and worried I was going to keep her up all night with phone calls until it was time for her to come (I have a family history of 30-40 hour labor "marathons", so I knew it was going to be a while). After a few hours, I ended up falling asleep somehow. At 5:30am I woke up to my water breaking in bed (luckily Mari had given me a checklist for preparing my home for the birth- including a full waterproof bed pad we had on the bed ready to go!) I called up Mari and she said she was on her way over. She lived pretty close and was at the house within 20 minutes. The contractions weren't that bad, but they were happening every 2 minutes or so. She checked me and we both couldn't believe that I was already dilated 8 centimeters! I got in the water (we had a hot tub prepared on the deck) and she called her assistant to come. Less than 3 hours later, our precious little girl was born. It went so perfect in every way and Mari & Beth were a true blessing. Mari taught me how to breath, low and slow, and she made me feel fearless and so powerful. I was able to birth my daughter in the water and Mari talked me through how to birth most of her by myself- something I really wanted to do. It was the happiest moment of my life. It's been 3 months and, safe to say, Mari is definitely a part of the family.

The level of pre and postnatal care I received from Mari was beyond my expectations. I began my…read morecare with Birthwell at 10 weeks pregnant and just delivered my healthy, beautiful boy on 7/21. He was born at home, in the water, drug free-Just how I imagined. If you want a beautiful, empowered, natural birth with a practitioner who brings the energy of a professional nurse as well as a supportive best friend-She is your girl.

I just started seeing Dr. Diesfeld and this office is amazing. They're so helpful and kind. I'm…read morevery happy here at women's health group.

I've had an overall disappointing experience with this practice, and unfortunately I can't…read morerecommend them. The midwives themselves have been great. They are kind, knowledgeable, and supportive, but the front office and administrative side has been consistently frustrating. The administrative staff is disorganized and unprofessional. They frequently mix up appointment times, give conflicting information, and make even simple tasks feel unnecessarily difficult. They don't use email or an online portal to send updates, test results, or appointment confirmations, which makes it almost impossible to keep track of anything. Everything has to be done by phone, and the communication is often curt or dismissive. Another major frustration is that any time I need bloodwork, I have to schedule a completely separate appointment with a third-party lab instead of being able to do it in-office. This makes routine prenatal care far more inconvenient than it needs to be. I really wanted to have a good experience here, especially since the clinical care from the midwives has been positive, but the front-office management has caused so much stress and confusion that I'm choosing to switch practices. I hope they improve their administrative processes and communication in the future.