My husband and I learned about this class through our prenatal care provider with Women Partners in…read moreHealth. We registered for an all day Childbirth class complete with a Seton hospital tour-- it was a wonderfully informative day that left us feeling confident and prepared for what to expect on "Labor Day". Jillian Silva, our childbirth instructor, was communicative via email and text in the days leading up to the class and welcomed us at the door upon arrival. The class presentation was delivered through PowerPoint slides, lectures, videos and hands-on demonstrations and practice. Jillian was very knowledgeable on all points discussed during the class, and had tangible hospital items for us to view and touch for further understanding and familiarity. We covered topics such as: what to pack in your hospital and baby bag, stages of labor, relaxation techniques, responsibilities of partner, options for labor pain relief (degrees of natural and non-natural options), labor aids/tools that the hospital provides and more! Jillian, who is also a certified Doula, has such a calming and confident nature. She was professional, timely, prepared and very friendly; she even made brownies for the class! Anyone who chooses to have her presence and expertise during their labor and delivery is one lucky mama. The class was from 9am-4pm with a 30 min lunch and the hospital tour from 3-4pm. The long day was totally worth it! I walked away from the class feeling equipped to do what my body knows how to do naturally, and if and when I need support, I now know who to contact. Thanks Jillian for being a great instructor!

Brandi and Jillian are both amazing. Like another yelper wrote, "where to even begin?"…read more We engaged with Austin Childbirth for birth doula services. They come highly recommended, from my wife's OBGYN as well as some of the Seton Hospital staff and Shelley, also of Seton, who taught our "ABC's of Childbirth" class (recommended). I was skeptical at first. Being a traditionalist... and fearing the costs for, well everything as I stand on the edge of the financial abyss of having my first child. My wife wanted to go "all natural" for her birth which means NO PAIN MEDS. #scary At first we were considering birthing centers but that was a bit "too natural" for me. We compromised on getting a doula and having a hospital birth. The biggest benefit to me going in was that a lot of the pressure of what goes on during "go time" wouldn't be on my shoulders alone. In a large way, the doula was joining "team dad" to support mom. Having a professional who knows massages, counter-pressure exercises and other techniques to alleviate pain naturally is NOTHING SHORT OF MAGIC. Even small things like reassuring my wife that "this will pass" and coaching breathing techniques SEEMS like a small thing but when the rubber hits the road, you want that support; TRUST ME. Jillian and Brandi work as a team. From the beginning until after baby comes, Jillian and Brandi communicate via WhatsApp for any quick questions or concerns you may have. Brandi was personally present for our long session in the hospital. Brandi ... is ... AMAZING. So much so that I not only cried when hugging her as she was saying her "goodbyes" at the hospital but I also welled up a bit when she visited to check in on us after we brought baby home. (I just got a little emotional writing this.) ALTERNATIVE PAIN COPING TECHNIQUES: Brandi brought a calm positivity which is hard to explain. Early on she worked magic with massage and compression techniques, some of which she and I did together. She gave my wife coping techniques which brought her pain from an 8 down to a 3 WITHOUT MEDICINE. AGAIN: IT WAS LIKE MAGIC. The hospital staff looked on with admiration as she supported my wife, coaching her though contractions while doing lunges in the hallway at 8cm. ADVOCATE FOR MOM / FEWER INTERVENTIONS: Another thing that's important which can't be understated is that a doula is able to be an advocate for mom and her birth preferences. No slight meant for the medical staff here. The medical staff have their set of tools and protocols that they know and they will try to get you to accept them because that's their playbook. My wife was pretty adamant however about doing the fewest amount of medical interventions because each intervention makes you more statistically likely for more interventions as you careen down the rabbit hole to an unplanned c-section. A doula can help you stick with your birth preferences just by asking the right questions. Just having Brandi in the room was empowering because her goal isn't to get you in and out quick, but rather help you have the birth that you want. TENS FTW: Part of the package is that Austin Childbirth will loan you a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit for pain during your last few weeks of pregnancy and then also for use in the labor / delivery room. It works by This also was something that cut down on my wife's pain considerably. The units they provide has a "surge" button which, when pressed, will go into higher strength mode for use during contractions. My wife swears by it. Brandi stayed with us through it all and then was even willing to keep us company as long as we wanted post-partum. Both Brandi and Jillian engaged with us after we were home just to check in and Brandi even came over to our house a week afterwards to check up on us and see how things were going / see if she could help out. While we aren't planning on having another, if we do, I can't imagine not calling up Brandi and Jillian to join us on our journey.

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

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

Samantha was amazing!! She came to our home and covered the last few weeks of pregnancy, labor, and…read morepostpartum period. She answered ALL of our questions, made my husband more comfortable in supporting me during labor, & made me feel way more confident in my decision for a VBAC. Please reach out to her if you need a class or Doula Services!!

Samantha was amazing! Just great to have a doula in general but loved how she came to our house,…read moreloved her firm encouragement while I was giving birth, she helped me so much and her questions for me and baby during labor toward the medical staff was so helpful. Things got done sooner or slower because she knew what to ask! So helpful! Also loved how personable she is!! I felt like I clicked so fast with Samantha!

OK this is going to be a long (but VERY honest) review so bare with me. The care I received at…read moreAustin area birthing center was indescribable, in the best way. I truly felt so supported, so respected and loved during my entire experience. I transferred to Austin area birthing center around eight or nine weeks pregnant. I had received prior care with an OB/GYN and it was very impersonal. I didn't feel like she was listening to me and appointments were rushed. For years I've always told myself I wanted a natural birth but I never knew if I'd be able to do it. During my prenatal care all of my questions were answered everyone was so friendly so supportive and kind. This was my first baby and so I did a lot of research before going into labor and birth. I knew all the things that I didn't have to do and I knew all of the things that I wanted. At my 37 week appointment I asked for A cervical check even though I know I didn't necessarily need one. I was still working full-time and was experiencing some intense cramps a few days before and so I requested them to check. I was only a centimeter dilated so I figured I had time especially because it was my first baby. 38 weeks and three days at two in the morning my water broke. When I called the midwife on call she was super calm asked me how I was feeling the color of my water and if I was having contractions which I wasn't yet. She asked if I could meet her there in a few hours unless labor intensely progressed. Around 4 AM, I threw up, but I figured it was because I ate too much lasagna! Nothing I couldn't really handle, around five I called again because they were a minute apart and she met me there a few minutes later. She asked politely if she could check me to see how dilated I was but at the moment I was uncomfortable and so I denied. I had asked for a few minutes alone with my mom and my partner and they gave me the room to deal with the contractions on my own. About 15 minutes later, I told them they could check me and I was almost at 9 cm. Things progressed pretty quickly after that and I was in active labor for about five hours before my son came. The entire time they held my hand they listened to what I needed what I wanted and I was given exactly what I needed, every single minute during my entire labor. If there are any negative reviews, which I can't even understand how there could be, please read this one!!! I beg of you! I absolutely can't speak highly enough about the care I received. My son was born in a room filled with so much love and I couldn't be happier. All of my babies will be born here!! Rachel, Janae, Ellie, Betty, and Valerry. ADORE YOU. Will forever be grateful for you all over there.

I'm athletic, normally 125 lbs, I eat well and exercise regularly. I have no health conditions and…read morethe birth was still a disaster. The months leading up to my delivery were fine. I felt supported by the midwives. It was the actually delivery that was severely botched. Looking back, isn't that all that matters? I met many of the midwives during Centering and check ups. I felt like they were helpful. On the night I went into labor, I timed my contractions, called my doula. She said to call the midwife. The midwife that night was someone I had never met. Her name was Jamie. From the second I got on the phone with her, I felt belittled. She said she didn't believe I was in labor and that I should wait. She said the fact that I could talk was a clear sign it was too early. But, she said, if I insisted that I was in labor then she would meet me at the birthing center. I dilated very early & was instructed by Jamie to push, push, push. On every contraction, push, push push. For something like four hours (until very early AM), I pushed. My room started to fill up with random people. I used the ball, I used the blow up peanut, I used the bathtub, I used the stool. In a cycle, one at time, I used each thing. Then, once I'd tried them all, I circled back around and tried them all again. Never resting. Just pushing. At some point in the early AM hours, Jamie's shift was over -- so she left! She simply walked in the room, and said "My shift is over and a new midwife will be here shortly". Erin, the new midwife showed up. I knew her and I liked her. However, her guidance simply started over from the exact same beginning place that Jamie had started from. On every contraction, push, push push. For something like four MORE hours. All over again, I used the ball, I used the blow up peanut, I used the bathtub, I used the stool. One at time, I used each thing then circled back around and tried them all again. Never resting. Just pushing. Some time the next morning, I said stop. I cannot go on. I'm dying. Call 911. "You're so close!!" They said, "Keep pushing". So, several hours later, some time around 1pm, I passed the point of exhaustion and was on the brink of insanity. I slid off the bed, onto the floor, onto my knees screaming. I prayed. I begged God, what do I do? I am dying. So, I asked the midwife, "Is the baby coming? Is she going to come out any second now?" "Oh no! No way. Not at all. We don't even see her head." The midwife said. It almost seemed like she thought the question was cute. Now, I have never given birth before and I've never been at a birth before. My experience is limited. But I knew enough to know, that was not right. That was not right! There is no reasonable medical professional, midwife or person who would instruct someone to push that hard and that long with ZERO progress. "Call 911" I demanded. "We're so close!" The midwife pleaded. "You wanted a natural birth so bad, we're so close. It will be at least an hour before you get any medication at all if you go to the hospital". "It's not the medication I want, it's my life. I'm done. I can't go on." I had pushed, in active labor, for 8 hours. Seven hours after the ambulance came and 2 additional hours of active labor, my healthy, beautiful baby girl was born. The hospital staff was incredible. They were disgusted that these midwives allowed me to push for that long and that hard with little progress. Turns out, my daughter was posterior. It took the doctor 5 seconds to determine this. How did the midwives miss this? Just keep pushing, they said! The blood vessels in my entire face were completely blown out. I looked like I had been in a boxing match. ABC was a complete shitshow. After being at the hospital and receiving the level of professionalism they offered there, this group of midwives felt like a room full of middle school girls playing "let's birth a baby". By the time I told them to call 911, my birthing room was full of 7+ people all trying to "help". I'm not saying you need to go to the hospital, but don't go here. And yes, we still had to pay 100%.

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

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

Highly, highly recommend Empowered Beginnings!! Ciarra supported us through the arrival of our…read moresecond baby, and she is the best! Super informative and a wealth of knowledge, helping us to feel empowered and informed during the process. Many doulas wait for questions - not Ciarra. She was very proactive with checking in often and anticipating support needed. Her knowledge is gold and she's so generous with her time. Also, Empowered Beginnings presents a community of families and has a wealth of resources available. They are the best if you want genuine and caring support for one of the most vulnerable times for a family... 5 stars!

Jes at Empowered Beginnings was so great!!! I had such a positive experience with her for overnight…read morecare and would definitely recommend her and Empowered Beginnings to anyone with a new little one looking for some help. Getting someone that is the right fit for taking care of your newborn is so important, and it was great knowing I had someone so caring and trustworthy to make sure I could catch up on sleep the nights I needed it! Plus she's just awesome. Love her and working with Ciarra on the back end was always easy and straightforward!

Top-Tier Experience! Worth Every Penny! This was the most pleasant and amazing experience I have…read moreever had. From the moment I found Texas Placenta Service, everything was seamless. The instructions on how and what to prepare were incredibly detailed, making it impossible to mess anything up. The shipping and delivery process of the box and pills was flawless.To give some context: I had my son two and a half years ago at age 38. I did not encapsulate my placenta back then, and I suffered from severe postpartum depression.Fast forward to now: I am 40 and decided to try placenta encapsulation for this birth. It was truly the best decision ever! I am almost two months postpartum and have had absolutely no signs of postpartum depression. On day one, I took five capsules, which gave me an incredible rush of energy. By week two, while taking three capsules daily, I felt like my usual "happy-go-lucky" self. I have experienced no mood swings, no depression, no random crying, and no anxiety.I cannot recommend Texas Placenta Service enough. She provided exceptional service, communicated consistently, and answered every single question I had. It was worth every single penny. I am even having my last few capsules made into a tincture so the benefits will last me a bit longer. If I could, I would give this business 1,000,000 stars!

I used Veronica's placenta encapsulation service after my second was born and I truly believe it…read moremade a huge difference. After my first was born I felt like a mess. I was always irritated and my emotions were crazy. I often felt sad and unstable. With the pills, my overall mood was really chill and mellow. My emotions were in check and I felt happy; much more able to be present and in the moment. Pickup/delivery was easy too! 10/10 ! Would use her again in a heartbeat

We worked with Shayna as our doula and for postpartum overnight support for our family. As a first…read moretime mom, I had an idea of what I wanted labor and delivery to look like and we worked closely with Shayna to document our birth preferences. She helped my husband and I feel prepared for what would happen once labor began. When my water broke she helped us navigate what to do and how long to wait before going into the hospital. Once in the hospital she was with us for the majority of our 48 hours in L+D, helping me labor, ensuring I was comfortable and happy with the care I was getting, and chatting through decision points with us. She was instrumental in helping me achieve my vision for how birth would go! Once we were home with our daughter, Shayna came for overnight stays to help take the burden of care off of our hands a few nights a week so that we could rest and I could recover. She made sure that I was doing well with recovering and breastfeeding and we were able to check in frequently on progress in those areas. As paranoid first time parents, my husband and I would pepper Shayna with questions before settling down for the night every time she came, and she patiently shared her experience and wisdom every time, easing our anxieties and helping build our confidence as new parents. We are at the point where our 2 month old daughter is now sleeping 7-8 hours at night and we are graduating from overnight stays, which is so bittersweet! Our family is so grateful for Shayna and we will always look back fondly at our prenatal, labor and delivery, and postnatal experiences with her.

Amazing service and care! Ive learned so much to start my road to motherhood. Thanks for…read moreeverything. The service was patient, kind, and full of happiness. This is the type of care that I highly recommend for mommies.