I have two children. My daughter was born at 33 weeks gestation. I used an OB/GYN while pregnant with her, so when I became pregnant again with my son, I reached out to an OB/GYN again, but unfortunately had a very bad experience. I looked into Midwifery and found Melissa. I cannot say enough wonderful things about her. My first amazing experience was when I called My Radiant Beginnings just to get some information. Melissa, herself, answered the phone. Not only did she answer several questions I had about Midwifery, she also took an interest in what happened during my previous pregnancy. My Husband and I ended up meeting with her and decided that she was right for us. I met with Melissa several times during my pregnancy, and each appointment was about an hour long. I never felt rushed. She made me feel like I was her only patient. She was genuinely interested in my concerns, and answered all of my questions. This was my first Midwifery experience, so there was a level of anxiety present at first, but Melissa quickly made that disappear. When I reached 30 weeks gestation, I started getting worried. "What if I go into preterm labor again?" "What if my son is breech?" All of these "what ifs" started entering my mind. Melissa talked me through all of my what ifs, including what I needed to do if I went into preterm labor again. On February 11th at 3:00 A.M., I went into preterm labor at 32 weeks gestation, AND my son was breech. I called Melissa right away, and she met me at the hospital. She talked with the nurses and doctors, asked them questions, and answered several of their questions. She helped me through each contraction, stayed right by my side until I went into surgery, and was there waiting for me when I got out of surgery. Melissa kept checking on me each day I was in the hospital. When I was discharged, she came to my house for two of my postpartum visits, rather than just one, since I was going to the hospital daily to be with my son. She insisted I rest as much as possible while at home. In short, Melissa is amazing! She is a genuine person and truly cares about her patients and especially the little ones growing inside of them. God has a plan for all of us, and I feel truly blessed that Melissa was part of His plan for me. read more

What I have to say about Melissa Bates and her care won't fit in this box. I originally was going the route of OB + hospital buuuttt that quickly went south when the care I received from them made me feel like an item in a rotating vending machine. As a first time mom with no clue of how anything went or worked in regards to being pregnant I knew I wanted better care. So I went on a Google search that could rival a thesis paper, lol. I stumbled upon My Radiant Beginnings on two different occasions. The first time I was still on the fence about having a home birth versus a hospital because all the "what if's" came flooding in. So I remained with the OB until I officially met Melissa face to face. Melissa knocked it out the park so much so by the time my day came I wasnt scared or worried. Melissa listened to my concerns and took the time to reassure my fears at every turn! She picked up on my hesitations, concerns, and doubts and supplied the knowledge, resources, and comfort to make sound decisions about what I did or didn't want for my LOs arrival or my own personal care. What was soooo great and freeing about Melissa was her to the bone honesty! She provided requested recommendations for supplements, doulas (Melissa Nealy...a rockstar), she was always available and responsive to any of my texts. Even the ones in the wee hours. Melissa is more than a Midwife, she opened her doors to me for thanksgiving because I was spending it alone. She'a a special kind of woman. Her patience and calmness were sooo comforting the day of my birth. She was never flustered or out of sorts. She came in and guided me successfully through my first birth. Melissa made my experience becoming a mom one for the books and I HIGHLY recommend her!!! read more

A little "about me" while I spread the word and await reviews from clients! I was recently contacted by a student researching home vs hospital birth. After my initial response she asked me about my view on medications (in labor) and told me about her interview with a NICU nurse who believed many of the babies in the unit (at least half) may not have needed to be there had it not been for the reactions to the medications they received. This was my response: My opinion here would most likely be biased because I'm not speaking from research but rather from personal and second-hand experiences. I will say there shouldn't be a "one stop shop" for everyone. What I mean by that is I don't think we should treat human beings like cattle and just herd them in and try to quickly "turn the beds around" by getting laboring moms in, delivered and transferred to a postpartum room. We need to approach each person and situation individually. If we did that, I don't think there would be routine use of any medication. The more you do (ie Interventions) the more you invite the opportunity for problems to arise. Not all interventions are bad all the time. There is a time and a place for them. I am not anti-hospital. I am anti-routine and anti-"we are doing it this way because that's what we've always done". When the hospital and doctors are needed I am very thankful they exist. I just honestly feel clients/patients would be better served by having all low-risk women see a midwife and then, if the need arises, have a backup OB available to step in if/when needed. read more

This women right here is amazing! Melissa is my midwife and she has seen me through two pregnancies, deliveries, postpartums and talked me through an early miscarriage. Midwifery care from Melissa has been more than I could have wanted or expected. In my appointments with her we would discuss my nutrition, supplements, exercise, how I was doing emotionally, even parenting and marriage sometimes, as well as the normal weight, urine, listening to baby's heartbeat, measuring my uterus, and feeling baby's position. Our appointments were usually around an hour long and never rushed. I felt so comfortable with her and was able to discuss and ask her everything and anything I could think of. I loved how she would present all of the information to us about particular things and respect and support our decisions as the parents. She has been so invested in mine and baby's care. I love how she would talk to the baby in my belly every appointment and was genuinely excited even though she does this quite often. One of her biggest strengths is her ability to adapt to our needs as a caregiver and a friend. One of my pregnancies I needed a lot of extra support and there she was. I appreciate that she takes on a smaller client load than most so she can give her absolute best to her clients. If you are looking for a midwife now or in the future I can't recommend her highly enough. read more

Melissa helped me have the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience I was hoping for. She is AMAZING at what she does. I've been telling friends left and right about her. She is skilled, has a wealth of knowledge and is hungry to learn (any good provider NEEDS to be open and hungry for new knowledge as new research is constantly coming out on best practices), and cares for the whole mama. Prenatal care with her was so thorough. She has LOTS of suggestions to help support a healthy pregnancy and birth. I learned so much from her and I consider myself decently well informed. She is very professional and just so on top of things (for example, if you ask her for more information on something or a form to be filled out, you will get it emailed/sent to you asap). I love how organized she is. And above all that, the thing I adore MOST about her is the amount of respect she has for her clients. She doesn't coerce you or scare-monger you to do anything. She provides information so you can make the decision for your body and your baby. She supports YOU. If you're looking for a provider who will treat you with respect, you will find that in Melissa. She truly gets it. She really really does. I am so glad I chose her as my midwife! She was recommended to me by another friend in the birth community, and I'm so glad I listened! read more

This was our first child, we started with an OB and decided to make the switch to a midwife halfway through our pregnancy, it was the best decision we ever made. We had a consultation with Melissa and when we walked out my husband said, I love her, I want her to be our midwife. The care that we received from Melissa was incredible, she did everything with the goal of keeping me and baby healthy and therefore safe. She talked with us and listened to us, she always addressed concerns, answered questions, was available in between appointments for concerns or questions if we needed her. During my labor and delivery, she was amazing and I know that she is the reason we had the wonderful labor and delivery we wanted and we are praying that if God blesses us with another child, He will work it out to where she can be our midwife again because I cannot imagine going through this again without her by our side. I trust her completely and know that everything she does and suggests is ultimately for my family's good; I have never had so much trust in a medical professional before. Thank you Melissa!! read more

I couldnt be happier with my decision to hire Melissa for my home VBAC! From start to finish Melissa was knowledgeable, friendly, open-minded, and proactive. She was wonderful during the pregnancy, always taking her time during our appointments and always guiding me and giving me tips/ resources to ensure I had the best pregnancy possible. During labor she was an angle!! She went above and beyond what I imagined any midwife would do. I felt totally safe and secure with her. Not to mention I went in to labor the day before her son's wedding and she still made herself available and was by my side until after my baby was born. She is clearly dedicated to making your birth the best possible expierence. I will, without a doubt, hire her again for any future births. More than a midwife, Melissa holds a special place in my heart. Highly highly recommended! read more

We had an amazing experience with Melissa at My Radiant Beginnings. Our situation was a bit unusual as we were originally planning a natural hospital birth. At the time labor started, our hospital had been evacuated due to hurricane Harvey. We were so blessed to find Melissa at the very last minute to come to our home and deliver our first child. We had complete confidence in Melissa from the moment we met her. Her presence at the birth kept us calm, confident and focused. The outcome was absolutely perfect. We have also been equally happy with her postpartum care, as she is very supportive, thorough and has always been available to answer our many questions. We will strongly consider forgoing the traditional OB and hospital for our next child and will likely opt for prenatal care and a second home birth with Melissa! We could not be more thankful! read more

Melissa was my midwife for three of my four children. I had recently moved out of state and so I was no longer able to use her for my fourth child, however I absolutely would've if it had been possible! Melissa is always learning and growing professionally, and she is excited to increase her knowledge of midwifery and post partum care. She interacts with clients with humility, with a genuine care and concern for them, and a passion for what she does. I have had experience with other midwives, and they do not compare with her. My family has valued her relationship with us as we grow our family, and the time she takes to really get to know her clients during their pregnancies is tremendous. She puts so much effort, love, and knowledge into what she does, and that makes her incredibly talented in this career. I recommend her hands down, 100%. read more

Updated: we now have two littles and Melissa was with us every step of the way for #2 as well. This time, her skills continued to shine while addressing all of the new questions having a second baby brought for us. We felt so loved and cared for. Our whole family loves My Radiant Beginnings! Melissa was an absolute Godsend throughout my entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She ministered attentively to my and baby's health while also lovingly addressing my husband and my emotional needs when going though a first pregnancy. She is very skilled and brought such confidence to labor and birth with our daughter. We left each and every (1.5+ hour long) appointment with her feeling so cared for and safe. Never have I received such stellar care from a health care professional. If God blesses us with another child, we will be back! read more

I am very happy with my home birth experience. Melissa, helped me through a healthy pregnancy and delivery. This is my second baby, my first one was at a hospital. The difference in attention and help that Melissa was able to give me was amazing compared to the hospital birth. She never once pressured me to do anything I felt uncomfortable with. I trusted her and listened to her suggestions. Everything she told me to do during my birth was really helpful. Her team was also amazing, they made me feel so comfortable and confident. They are the best and took some pictures and videos that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I will be using her again for my next home birth. If you have any questions feel free to contact me! There is a lot more I can write about but it's a lot! read more

This was our first time working with a midwife and it was AMAZING! From the beginning Melissa was very professional and knowledgeable. Her skill and attention to detail throughout the pregnancy made this such a smooth and comfortable process. Melissa was able to ease any concerns we had and always was willing to answer all questions along with resources. She was thorough and always transparent. Melissa made working with her so personal...we felt catered to. The day of the birth flowed so smooth and went exactly like we wanted. Her team was also AMAZING. Each of the ladies were calm, patient, gentle and attentive to my needs and the needs of the baby. I could go on and on! I highly recommend My Radiant Beginnings! read more

Melissa is a warm, kind, knowledgeable midwife! From her wonderful bedside manner to her knowledge of all things birth and labor, she is a valuable addition to your birth team! If you've already decided to use a midwife, then choosing Melissa is a wise decision and will truly enhance your experience. If you haven't decided whether to use a midwife yet or not, then meet with Melissa and see what she can offer to your birth experience. I've used Melissa for a birth center birth and a home birth and both experiences were nearly flawless and Melissa was a great support! If you're looking for the perfect addition to guide your birth experience, you won't regret choosing Melissa! read more

I used Melissa for my last birth, it was a home birth to my fifth child. She let me make the calls I wanted for my little one. I felt confident that I could go with my plans and she was there to intervene if she saw anything go amiss. I was able to labor the way I needed to, she was present and not pushy. I felt supported and taken care of. When things slowed she had a wealth of knowledge to help me get things moving again. Even with this being my fifth kid she still added to my knowledge of birth, especially homebirth. I highly recommend Melissa as a midwife, she met and exceeded my expectations. She is not the first midwife I have used, but she was by far my favorite. read more

Melissa puts the care in healthcare. I've had the pleasure of working with her twice now. She delivered both of my boys in 2016 and 2019. She treats every client with love and respect with an emphasis on informed consent. Melissa explains every step of every process and makes sure you have a complete understanding of everything. I couldn't have asked for a better experience with her both times. She is always looking to add more knowledge to her already vast knowledge pool. Melissa has more patience than a saint and a heart of gold. Having her as my midwife was the best healthcare decision I've ever made. The phrase "highly recommend" is an understatement. read more

Melissa is amazing! Not only does her kind nature and knowledgeable practice solidify her at the top of our list for pregnancy support, but her professional practice is unparalleled to anything we've seen. Melissa was extremely supportive throughout my whole pregnancy and postpartum both emotionally and physically. She is a great resource for supplements, newborn care, nutrition, general health, referrals if needed and help with insurance. Our journey was a better place because of her. We never felt like a question was to big or to small for Melissa and the fact she offices out of her home creates a VERY warm and safe place for visits. read more

We have used Melissa since 2015 when I was pregnant with my first and I am still in postpartum care from my second now. I recommend Melissa for SO many reasons, from prenatal care, to delivery, infant care, and postpartum I have felt completely at ease, cared for, confident, and healthy physically/mentally thanks to the attentive care from Melissa. I am so thankful to have found a midwife that not only checks on me and baby but also provides tons of knowledge and research for any questions/concerns and is always available for clients! read more

I am overjoyed to recommend the excellent service of Melissa Bates. I have had the absolute pleasure of having her care for us through two pregnancies and a miscarriage. Melissa and her staff surpassed all my expectations in competency, compassion, and professionalism. Melissa knows her stuff, no doubt. Even when an emergency situation presented itself during delivery, Melissa was quick and calm responding and she resolved the problem perfectly. Melissa Bates and My Radiant Beginnings are the best choice. read more

As a birth photographer, I have seen first hand the caring professionalism Melissa brings to births, both as a midwife and a doula. Her affirming words and use of counter pressure during births is such a wonderful natural approach to pain management during labor. She truly knows what her clients will experience as she has 5 children of her own with the last 2 being welcomed at home. With My Radiant Beginnings you will have the best chance of getting that birth you envision with the support you need. read more