I was so scared to give birth and they were the most patient people. The people there make you…read morefeel calm and welcome. Come to the day I give birth and Sara handled my near death experience like a pro. The team was calm yet fast the whole time. So they basically kept me from freaking out. My body was being very uncooperative with birthing and it was the team that came through. They did everything on their end despite the challenges they were faced with. They made a pretty abnormal birth feel like it was all in good hands

I have always been the kind of person who goes for the least amount of medication and prefers…read morethings the natural way. But this was a mistake. Primarily because of the after birth support which was hardly anything. They sent us back home in just about 6 hours after birth and I had a terribly long labor. After that, figuring out breastfeeding, and coming back for the baby and my check up was difficult beyond measure. Ladies, do yourself a favour and do not opt to birth here. The midwives are all sweet and the pre birth consultations were great. But what mattered for me was the fact that my husband and I were under constant fear of being transferred to the hospital midbirth. And then when I gave birth after being in labor for more than 3 days, I bled excessively and there was scolding and discussions in spanish between the midwives and the help which we could not understand as we dont know the language but it was clear that something was wrong and they were considering a hospital transfer. Luckily that didn't have to happen. But it was stressful none the less, knowing that I could not get all the care and support in the place where I was. Ofcourse we knew this before hand but who anticipates the worst? And then with hardly any rest, when I was barely able to walk, I was sent back home. They asked my friend who came to pick me up to help with breastfeeding. All of this additional stress could have been avoided if I were in the hospital. I would have gotten to stay for 3 days, got breastfeeding support, I would not have to do back and forth to visit the doctor within 2 days of giving birth and could have been stressfree that I have all the support needed around me. Apart from the time that the midwives spend with you to get all your questions answered while you are pregnant, there is nothing that was nice here. If you have good insurance I would not recommend to birth here.

Working with Leonora, Brittany, and Meg during my third pregnancy was a dream. Pregnancy is hard on…read moreme, but they were so supportive and helpful as I walked through. I'm so grateful to have had their support, and know that my pregnancy and birth would have looked incredibly different without them! Can't recommend enough!

I just birthed my 3rd baby and 2nd home birth honey with the honeys :) (baby #1 was born in a…read moredifferent state). The care I received was nothing short of life giving they supported me holistically as a woman - mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I adore these women for all that they are and would not want to birth any other way! If you're considering birthing at home, this is the way to do it. Their breadth of knowledge is amazing game changer, and the fact that they really take the time in each appointment to listen to your questions and concerns helps you to feel empowered as a woman and a mother. I'm sad this is my last baby, because it is so nice to see them regularly

Where to begin?! We moved to Austin from Arizona, and within about six months of being here, got…read morepregnant with our second child. We had an amazing home birth team in Phoenix, so our expectations were really high for the type of care and knowledge we wanted in our Midwife. Being new to Austin meant we didn't have a large network of people to ask for references, so I researched online, read reviews and looked through credentials. I knew very quickly I wanted to work with Christy and Jenni. I had an extremely difficult pregnancy, although I was also sick the entirety of my first as well. I had hyperemesis gravidarum, meaning I was throwing up constantly, losing weight, and unable to keep down hardly anything. Christy has a huge wealth of knowledge and practices functional medicine alongside traditional options. I was always given information of references for alternative therapies to help my nausea. They were always helping me manage my sickness and we worked closely with a perinatal MD for any tests or services Christy couldn't provide herself. I had incredible care throughout my pregnancy and can't stress enough how great a resource Christy was for every ailment. Our birth experience was awesome! It only lasted an hour and a half (sooo fast!) but it was in the middle of the night with a birth tub. Our baby was born in a state of shock, partially because of how quickly everything progressed, and had a little trouble breathing. Christy knew what to do immediately and got her breathing and feeding perfectly in no time. The postpartum care we received was incredible. I had pelvic floor issues and our baby had some skin issues and Christy and Jenni were always available to answer questions and connect us with a provider that could help if it was outside their realm. Truly, we can't say enough about our experience and this team of women! They are wonderful and you and your baby will be in great hands.

Finding Jenni and Christy was like winning the lottery. I literally can't put into words how…read moreamazing these two women are...and how positively they have impacted my (and my family's) life. They are just. The best. Jenni and Christy helped my wife and I through two births, and unfortunately a few miscarriages. We first met them while interviewing for a midwife back in 2015. We interviewed a few other people around town, but instantly clicked with Jenni and Christy. They are warm, responsive, realistic and the best part - they really care about you, your pregnancy and your experience. Our meetings were sometimes long - filled with laughter in addition to medical explanations of my changing body. They took a few minutes each time to do the medical stuff, blood pressure/pee test/feel for baby...but then, the rest of the time they just wanted to know how I was feeling. I miss them. When my birth came around, Jenni was my rock. She is kind and gentle - her presence during the chaos of birth was invaluable. She kept me calm, centered and most of all, feeling safe through 8 hours of active labor and a 3 hours of pushing. My kiddo didn't want to come out, but they literally pulled out a bag of tricks: peanut yoga balls, weird positions, ropes to pull on and things to rest my legs on. They kept my spirits up, even when in those moments of wanting to give up. And, with their help I birthed a healthy little girl in the comfort of my home. It was amazing. Women are amazing. Now I'm crying. I can't recommend these MotherBloom midwifery enough. They taught me about the power of being a woman - and I know that I am a better mother because of my experience with them as my midwives. They really are, the best. I heart them so much!

We used multiple resources from Empowered beginnings to get ahead as first time parents:…read moreHypnobirthing Child Class, Breastfeeding class, Doula Service, Newborn sleep class, and of course the birth baby podcast. Save yourself the effort/stress of researching on your own and go straight to the experts at Empowered Beginnings. The lessons and instruction is calm, clear, and most importantly CONFIDENCE BUILDING. From day one, Empowered Beginnings helped us to enjoy the process instead of feeling overwhelmed. Our Doula answered every question, no matter how small, and gave us practical, evidence-based advice we could use immediately. We cannot imagine the pregnancy, birth, or postpartum without our Doula, Ciarra. We will use Empowered Beginnings for all of our future children!!!

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!

Julia has the calm wisdom of an experienced midwife and the informed proactivity of an educated…read moremedical provider. If you're looking for the best of both worlds, where you can let your body do the work and know that any deviations from plan will be well in hand, then Julia is the perfect choice. I think she's absolutely phenomenal at her job, but she's also a lovely and wonderful person.

I delivered both of my babies at home with Julia as my midwife and I have nothing but positive…read morethings to say about both experiences! As a first time mother, Julia really instilled a confidence in me I didn't know I had. She has such a calming presence and really takes time to listen and connect with you during your prenatal visits so I felt so very supported during my pregnancy. She does an incredible job of providing her knowledge and expertise, but ultimately empowering you to follow your intuition and make your own decisions regarding your birth experience and baby's health. I am so grateful to have found Julia and she will always hold a special place in our hearts!

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%.

Mandy and Melek were AWESOME! I was worried about switching from an Ob/Gyn to a midwife during my…read morelast trimester. I only wanted a home birth but ended up with an experience I would never forget. During the check up I was comfortable and my kids love Mandy and Melek. I was learning things from them that would make things easier during labor (I did not get this type of service from an Ob/Gyn and I had 3 kids before the home birth). It was much more than I could have asked for. My husband enjoyed the whole process. He said it was easier than having a hospital birth. He did not have to take the sleeping kids anywhere and they were able to sleep during the delivery. I was not pressured into doing anything I was not comfortable with. I was even learning things after the baby was born. The whole experience was amazing for me and I am so glad that Mandy and Melek was there for me.

If you're considering a home birth but have some reservations, Mandy is an excellent midwife to…read moretalk to. She is very caring and patient, and explains everything in detail. My wife's prenatal visits were never rushed. Mandy listened to all our concerns and questions and was incredibly helpful. We also felt well prepared for the birth by taking classes that were part of Mandy's package - taught by Genieveve (her back up midwife). During the labor Mandy and her students gave helpful suggestions for breathing and positions, but they also gave us plenty of space to let the birth progress naturally. When our baby girl did finally arrive, it felt like we were among family who was just as excited and joyful as we were to welcome this sweet little one into the world. After the birth, Mandy and her students changed the sheets, started the laundry, helped us with the first diapers, showed us how to hold a newborn, and helped establish breastfeeding. Mandy and her team were true baby whisperers. They were so sweet, loving, and tender with our newborn baby. My wife and I felt like we had the best birth experience possible. It was so nice to be in our quiet house after such an amazing and intense experience. We also felt very safe and reassured through the entire process. Mandy is a true expert and professional. We recommend and trust her wholeheartedly and are immensely grateful for her care and support.

ARC nurture, now known as North Austin OB is phenomenal. I had previously been going to ARC…read morenorthwest but transferred to seeing doctors at this location because my doulas had referred me to going to Dr. Kaufman. Kaufman is phenomenal as well and had she delivered my baby I would have been ecstatic. To be honest, all the doctors I've seen have been wonderful through my pregnancy. I came to them at my 3rd trimester around the 30 week mark and as they moved from their old location to their new office. So I was able to make my first and last visit at the old place before they moved closer to St David's North. The practice is cozy and warm as much as a doctors office can be and compared to my old OB experience it's night and day. I feel heard and didn't feel like I was going through the motions, no crazy waits to see the doctor for 10 minutes and each doctor I saw since you're not guaranteed a specific doctor to deliver your baby, was kind and reassuring when I met them all. During my pregnancy, all was going well until it was found that my 3rd trimester, I would be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Dr. Sandu gave the diagnosis and while I was upset at first, I realize it was her by the books and no nonsense care that ensured a healthy mommy and healthy baby. Which is the ultimate goal when you think about where you want to land on D day. I am forever grateful for her kind words to give me the reality check so I had as little complications as I could in the hospital when delivering. I was scheduled for induction on Friday and Dr. Sandhu checked on me that evening, and as we saw no progression made, Dr. Bandi took over into Saturday. With my doula and husbands help to support me in the ordeal, we realized after over 24 hrs of pitocin administered and laboring that I wasn't making fast enough progress. I also saw our baby boys heart rate dip on occasion and was worried about his health. Due to the pain being unbearable even with an epidural as the pitocin overtired my body, Dr. Bandi was kind with her words to help guide and inform me of my options of how we could continue to labor or in the final outcome, an unplanned c section. While I balked at the idea of surgery, the pain was honestly too much and I didn't feel I would have the energy to continue if I would wait it out. I let my team know I wanted to think about it and we would see if/when I could be taken to the OR. We were able to be taken back immediately and Dr. Bandi was able to reassure me we'd be able to see our baby boy soon. Surgery done, and we got our healthy baby boy and my birth although not what I planned, still got me wonderful positives and an outcome I loved. Thank you for your love, support and care!

This clinic over books themselves and cannot give each patient the attention they need, I've been…read morewaiting for my medication to just be SENT over to my pharmacy. I'm 2 weeks postpartum and in so much pain and discomfort all I get anytime I call is put on hold. Do not go to this clinic.

Marimikel Potter is everything you would hope for in a midwife and more. Thanks to Marimikel, we…read morenow have a happy and healthy 2 week old baby girl with a happy and healthy mother. That is all anyone can ask for but Marimikel gave us so much more. The education and accountability you get from working with Marimikel is INVALUABLE. From the very beginning, she has poured hours into educating us. If you want a healthy child and to be healthier parents for your child, work with Marimikel. She made sure we understood everything that was happening throughout the entire process and she always gave us options to appropriately handle any situation in the most health conscious way. It was reassuring seeing how prepared Marimikel and her team were for our home birth. While safely and confidently guiding my wife through labor, they were also cooking meals, cleaning the house, and even taking care of our pets. Everything was organized and intentional. They all had a very calming energy about them and my wife was kept as comfortable as possible the entire time. Nothing ever felt rushed or chaotic. What completely blows me away to this day is that Marimikel is always a phone call away. She was always available during pregnancy and now postpartum. That level of availability and care is rare. I genuinely cannot imagine going through this process without her. She doesn't just provide care, she wants do deeply in her core for my wife and our baby to be as healthy as possible. We are incredibly grateful and would recommend her without hesitation.

We used New Life Birth Services with MariMikel for both of our home births. MariMikel provided us…read morewith education on nutrition and wellness not only for pregnancy for but for the entire family. She's very informative and passionate about what she does. She's a book of knowledge and what we've learned from MariMikel has set a foundation for our family. Her prenatal vitamin regime is GOLDEN and I'm a firm believer that this is one of the main reasons why my body was properly prepared for a quick labor & recovery. You can't beat her experience in Austin: over 45 years delivering/attending more than 3,000 births. We are very blessed to have met MariMikel and thankful for the safe and loving births with her in our home. Bonus: Her hugs are magical! During my last birth, we hugged while singing "you are my sunshine" during a contraction. It was a very special moment.

Laurie was the midwife for all three of my boys births. As a husband the first one was a nerve…read moreracking experience but the energy she brought to our home was incomparable to anyone I've ever been around in a potentially tense moment. The comfort she brought, the environment she was able to create, her knowledge and care kept everyone and the entire house grounded to reality. It was the most beautiful experience, we chose to use her again and again. If we were going to continue to have babies, she would be right by my wife's side. I cannot recommend Laurie enough.

If you are considering Laurie as your midwife, I would encourage you to ask a lot of questions up…read morefront and to carefully consider whether she's the right fit for you. I personally would not choose her again, and I'd like to share why. Throughout my pregnancy, I initially interpreted Laurie's relaxed and laid-back demeanor as a positive, but I later came to feel that it reflected a lack of attentiveness. For example, I had multiple episodes of high blood pressure that she was aware of, including one that resulted in an ER visit where she sat with me. Despite that, during my active labor she never checked my blood pressure, nor did she regularly monitor fetal heart tones. When she arrived while I was in active labor, she ended up resting on the couch while my support team stayed engaged. I also had specifically asked ahead of time to meet her assistant so that I wouldn't have a stranger enter my home in the middle of labor. Despite asking multiple times for an introduction--even a quick FaceTime--that never happened. So when the time came, I was in labor and unexpectedly meeting someone I'd never seen before. During labor, I repeatedly expressed that I felt "stuck." My doula took this seriously and helped me try different positions, but Laurie reassured me that this was normal and something every woman goes through. In hindsight, I wish my concerns had been acknowledged more fully. Ultimately, my labor ended in a hospital transfer and a C-section. We later learned my baby was wrapped in his cord three times around his torso, was facing up, and I was diagnosed with preeclampsia--all factors that explained why I truly was "stuck." While I don't place the responsibility for the C-section on Laurie directly, I do feel her lack of attentiveness to my blood pressure and her dismissiveness of my concerns were significant. Afterward, when I reached out to process the experience with her, she declined to meet with me and instead suggested I see a therapist. This left me feeling dismissed again. I understand that after 20+ years in practice, it's possible to become desensitized to certain situations, and my impression is that this may have been the case with Laurie. For that reason, I urge you to reflect on the type of care and attentiveness you want from your midwife, and whether Laurie is the right fit for your needs. If anyone has any questions and would like to discuss the details of my experience further, i'd be more than happy to chat. You all deserve to know exactly what you are getting yourself into when it comes to the care and safety of you and your baby.