Special Beginnings Birth & Women's Center Review

I wish I could review the midwives separately from the facility. They were great and I'm very sad I won't be using them for my birth. I just can't take the awful service I've received from the administrative staff any longer. They were rude from the very first phone call, sarcastically asking if I had done the tour (how was I supposed to know what their procedure was since I've never been pregnant?!?) to the refusal to fill out my paperwork so I could be put on light duty at work (I work in Law Enforcement) and telling me they would call back and never doing so. The final straw was no one calling to tell me to schedule another ultrasound (advanced radiology told me I would need one) even though someone typed in up in my chart and when I called to ask about it I spent an entire day calling back and forth to get the order so I could schedule the appointment- nine times I called and was told the order was filled out and just needed to be faxed. No one communicates with each other, every time I call I have to reiterate what's going on and one of the last times I called I was told that it's so late in the day I would have to wait until tomorrow. When I pointed out that I had been calling since 8:30 I was sarcastically told they don't open until 9.... by the end of the day I was in tears and my stress level was high (by 20 weeks I dreaded having to call SB at all) I didn't figure this was good for me or the baby- so after calling my husband we decided it was in our best interest to change providers even though I really wanted to go there.

This review is about the facility and director only. I'm a doula and childbirth educator, I took the tour yesterday with one of my clients and found the facility and director to be wonderful. I very much liked the fact the rooms had full/queen size beds. Some rooms had jacuzzi baths and those that did not had birth pools the laboring person could use. The facility also had birthing stools/chairs, peanut balls, birth balls, oval therapy balls. For ME that is a plus because its one less thing I as a doula would need bring. Speaking for just the facility, I really liked it. The only thing I did not like was the stairs up to the birthing suites. If you have a family member who isn't good with stairs that can be a problem. However, the parking lot wraps around the location so you could park close to the second level and avoid the stairs. Once I meet some of the midwives I will update this! But once again, regarding the facility- that gets 5 stars!

What an awesome staff! My wife got the birthing experience she had prepped and hoped for thanks to the caring midwives and nurse at Special Beginnings and the awesome Doulas from Hopkins!

The midwives who delivered my son were amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The home-like atmosphere, big birth tubs, and nitrous oxide were all awesome. It was a difficult birth that I'm pretty sure would have resulted in a lot of interventions if I'd been in the hospital. The knowledge and experience of the midwives and their constant personal attention are what really made the difference.

Cannot say enough good things about the care I received here. I work in healthcare myself, so it s really refreshing to see a team of providers who truly care about their patients, listen, want the best for them, and want to make them happy. They were out of network for my insurance but still worked with me, and managed to deliver my healthy baby girl completely unmedicated (Woot!!!) at the hospital (AAMC). These wonderful women just get it, highly highly recommend !!!!!

I had some really good midwives but then I had others who were awful and treated me like I was stupid or crazy. I m a young mom and I felt like I was being bullied a lot. I had an awful pregnancy and was a week and a half overdue and ended up having a c section and the midwife Kathleen told me that I was being selfish and putting my child at risk. She constantly put me down and made me feel awful. I tried to switch to a dr and beg dr offices to take me but no one would that late in my pregnancy.

I think when they tried to induce me in the hospital that was the worst. They sent me home cause the induction didn t take and then they had me come back a week later to try to be induced again. Every day I was in the hospital it was a different midwife with a different approach to getting my baby out. Disorganized and my opinion and feelings did not matter.

I wanted a natural birthing experience so badly... my whole birthing experience was awful

Not only did I find out from an Advanced Radiology portal that my baby was dying when SB had these results for 4 days already but when I called they did not prepare me at all for what to expect when losing my baby. The midwife simply told me that I could wait up to 4 weeks to miscarry on my own or they could refer me to an obgyn for a D&C. As if that wasn't bad enough they called me a month later wanting to know why I missed my appointment (serving only as a reminder to me that this was the day I would have heard my baby's heart beat for the first time). They apparently have terrible communication amongst each other and they don't update their files. This was my first experience being pregnant in my life and that is after multiple surgeries for infertility, not once was I offered information on where or how to receive support through the grieving process. I informed them when I made my first appointment that I had an ultrasound at the emergency room to make sure it wasn't a tubal pregnancy since I was at high risk for that and they found a subchorionic bleed at that time. SB insisted on waiting until I was 10 weeks to be seen instead of seeing me sooner since there was a known complication. I was never told I should restrict my activities or refrain from having sex until seeing if the bleed would resolve itself which I found out later from an obgyn that they are common and when put on bed rest often do resolve. They are completely absent minded and need training on not only how to have proper bedside manner but also how to run a business. If you have a completely healthy pregnancy and uncomplicated delivery you may like SB but for the rest of us who have to deal with anything ouside of perfection you will be all on your own in your experience with Special Beginnings by your side.

I absolutely LOVED my experience with special beginnings birth center!!! I had a normal pregnancy (go to a doctor if your pregnancy is abnormal just to be on the safe side). From my first appointment, all the staff, nurses and midwives were all friendly, kind, patient, and competent. I felt very comfortable here. I experienced a terrible birth at the hospital with my first child and decided to give birth to my second child here . I gave birth to my son naturally and peacefully and my midwife, Myra, was AMAZING!!! So was the nurse!! I am so happy to have given birth to my son here. A BIG thanks to everyone at special beginnings birth center!!

Wouldn't dream of going anywhere else!!! Two of my babies were delivered here and we taken care of so tenderly. After experiencing the 'traditional' delivery for my first baby, I would NEVER wish to to that again - it was so restricting & they wouldn't let me walk around/I was strapped to the bed and it was very stressful. So, when my second child was ready to enter the world, we had a midwife at the hospital which was better but still so confining. So, when I was expecting baby 3, my friend who was pregnant when I was & delivered the same day/time frame at Special Beginnings, we literally had a Party with our Family & Friends in Labor & Delivery at Special Beginnings. It was such a wonderful & fun experience. Not only to have our sons born the same day but to have such a wonderful midwives, nurses & staff. So, when our last baby was ready to be delivered, you know where I was.... in the tender loving care of David Paad, Midwife & staff. I love you all - you made our deliveries very special & I love sharing my experiences at Special Beginnings with all who are expecting.

I had my first appointment yesterday at Special Beginnings! I can't say enough positive things about them! For starters, the online forms make starting care super simple! I was able to fill out almost every form online before my initial appointment! Upon arrival, yesterday, I was greeted by Yvonne. She had a few more forms that I needed to fill out in the office. She was so pleasant and friendly! She even got me a cup of water upon request because I left mine in the car. I was then called back by one of the midwives, Melissa. She was so attentive to everything I said and she didn't rush through our appointment, which was so important to me, given some certain personal circumstances. There was also a student in the room (I think her name is Chelsea) and she was very knowledgeable and informative! They went over everything from eating healthy, to prenatal testing, to touring the center...they left nothing out and listened to all of my questions and concerns! After my appointment, I had to get some blood taken by the in-house phlebotomist, Ivy. She was very thorough and careful! We had a small conversation while she worked and she had me laughing the whole time! I then went to the room next door to look at their breastfeeding boutique and Tammi was there to assist me with finding one that fit me perfectly! They even had a sale going on, so that was a bonus!! The office, itself, was very clean, from the waiting area, to the exam rooms, to the boutique! It is also kid friendly, with a little children's area and toys in the waiting area! I am glad I chose to establish care with Special Beginnings and I'm looking forward to bringing my little one into the world with them by my side!

I had the most wonderful experience anyone could ask for. The midwives are wonderful. I continue to return for my gyn care. I've had two babies and been treated after three miscarriages with the utmost care and concern.

I highly recommend Best experience! When I have my next child I will be having them here.. everyone is friendly, understanding.. even the Midwives Students. I had one in my labor her Name is Laura she did an amazing job!! At first I was skeptical about new faces/energies.. She was perfect! From Midwives I love them all...My nurse Britta was amazing! My labor midwife Michelle was amazing too!! Thank you all for the perfect delivery Water birth!!! The staff there from front desk to lab are friendly and understanding!! I gave birth at the birthing center!!

WORST every experience you will have depending on the midwife you get. NO one is on the same page. I want to elaborate more but I have a pending court case...yea, that bad...I was told I wasn't in labor with my FIFTH child and I didn't get the medication I needed before delivery and we both almost died.

I had my second baby at Special Beginnings and I can honestly say, from start to finish, I had the most amazing experience. Throughout my pregnancy I felt like I was treated with so much respect and compassion. Any concern or question I had was addressed and I was encouraged to be an active participant in my care, which made me feel more in control. They were very welcoming when I needed to bring my toddler with me to my appointments, and even had baskets of toys in the exam rooms for her to play with! It truly is a family-like atmosphere. Front office staff were always helpful with scheduling appointments and answering insurance questions.

My labor was not an easy one, but I felt so supported by the midwives and nurses who were there with me. During early labor, I was able to go for a walk outside which I LOVED (it was a nice distraction for me as things got more intense) and the fresh air helped to keep me calm. I used the laughing gas for a while which definitely helped me to relax when I was transitioning. I was even able to labor and give birth in the birth pool, which was the most amazing feeling! I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and to say that I was proud of doing it my way would be a huge understatement! There were times when I didn't think I could do it, and the nurses and midwives were right there by my side reminding me that I WAS doing it already and that my body knew exactly what it was doing. Then, I was able to go home a few hours later and relax in my own bed with my new sweet baby. It was such an incredible experience.

Words can't express how grateful I am to everyone at Special Beginnings for all that they do.

I gave birth at the birthing center. Every single midwife and nurse was incredibly caring, competent, and encouraging. I'm very thankful for the experience I had with them. I also went to most of their classes which were very informative. 5 stars all-around

I gave birth to my first child at Special Beginnings and loved the experience. My husband and I knew from the beginning that we wanted to have a home-like birth where we could all be comfortable.
I was concerned about billing (due to some reviews I had read), but have not had any problems with that department. There was some confusion about how much and when I needed to pay them for services, but when I inquired about it they were happy to talk with me. During labor I ended up using the pool, and afterwards used the nitrous oxide when I had to get a tear stitched, but I had already known the cost and rules-for-using-N2O . I m very thankful that I was able to give birth in such a pleasant atmosphere.
Thankfully, my pregnancy was uncomplicated and I appreciated that the midwives did not pressure me to do a lot of tests/ultrasounds that would have cost money and been completely unnecessary in my case.

As far as my birthing experience was concerned, the midwives generally suggest that you labor as long as possible at home, but since they knew my husband and I would have to drive to the birthing center from Baltimore they took this into consideration while we were on the phone with them periodically, checking in. They were very in-touch with how I was doing even while I was at home. When we did get to Special Beginnings, there was already a room ready for us. The midwife is there primarily for the delivery and since another woman was giving birth in another room, her attention was there for a lot of my labor, but she checked in with me often and was there (full attention) the entirety of the last 4 hours (or so, time gets a little weird during labor, especially towards the end). I was even able to give birth in the pool which I was in for the last 3 hours (and for all of the pushing stage). I really enjoyed the flexibility of being able to labor in different positions as I felt comfortable and being able to use the pool. My doula and husband were both invaluable (I highly recommend a doula during the birthing experience the midwife s primary job is to make sure the baby is doing well, so a doula can really be helpful since the doula makes sure *you* are doing well). I was able to make an appointment with each of the midwives, and so I had met them all before I went into labor, which also added a layer of comfort during early labor. My family and I are glad we were able to enjoy our birth experience at Special Beginnings.

I have used Special Beginnings for all three of my children. For my last child I birthed at the birth center instead of the hospital and it was an amazing experience. My husband and I wished we had chosen this for our first 2 kids! If you are interested in responsive, seasoned care this is the place.

I had a great experience with all of the midwives and RNs that I came across at special beginnings. They are knowledgeable and compassionate. I delivered at AAMC since I had to be induced, but my midwife was there and was amazing! My birth plan changed due to circumstances out of our control but I couldn t of asked for a better care team.

I could not recommend a better place to birth!! They have the best team of midwives and nurses that you will find and they will do everything in there power to make sure your child and you have a great start together!! Thank you ladies!!

I wouldn't go anywhere else to deliver - the midwives are compassionate, attentive, knowledgeable and genuine. Joanne's support was invaluable - the calm and comfortable rooms at the center were ideal to labor and deliver in. 3 deliveries with them over 7yrs and for each I was thankful for SB support.

My husband and I welcomed our baby boy on Friday December 14, 2018 and we had the most supportively amazing care and birth experience here at Special Beginnings! Although I am a FTM(first time mom) the care at Special Beginnings(SB) was like no other and I should know because I transferred my care from two other providers during my pregnancy before deciding to receive care with the wonderful midwives at SB! Each Prenatal visit at SB, the midwives were genuine and attentive. I never felt rushed during visits and they welcome family members to attend. The waiting area is very kid friendly with toys, books and even a library of books and audio visual material you can borrow from. (I never did but it was nice that it was available.) I attended free classes such as the Breastfeeding Basics class with SB's lactation consultant Leah. Who stressed her commitment to helping new mom's even offering her cell phone to moms for support.

On Labor day I was offered care and control of my birthing experience. the care was guided by what was best for me and baby and the staff were calm and confident the whole time. The room where I gave birth was dimly lit and home-like, nothing like the sterile smell, fluorescent lights beeping monitors of a cold hospital environment.

The best part of my experience was the care and support after I gave birth. I received a home visit from a nurse the day after I gave birth and nurses have called to check on me at least twice since then. What hospital or OB doctor does that? None. The genuine care and concern from the staff here is amazing and you can tell they really love the work that they do!

I could not be less satisfied with my experience here. My daughter nearly died and is left with an MRI read of mild-moderate brain damage as the result of our experience with these "professionals". When I came up with a rare pregnancy complication in late pregnancy, they were completely uninformed about the current protocols. They did not prescribe the necessary medication and did not induce me by the necessary date for my condition. The absolute worst was that they thought they were somehow capable of continuing to manage my pregnancy when in reality I should have been immediately referred to a high risk OB and/or induced. I trusted that they knew what they were talking about. You don't expect a midwife to be up to date about every possible pregnancy complication. That's why there are doctors. You do expect that you midwife is going to have the sense to know when they are in over their heads. Instead, I was told that my condition was "mild" (in fact, my lab results were 2.5x the limits for diagnosis at 37w2 and progressed to be 6x the limit by 38w2 - which is why people are supposed to be induced by 37w with my condition - because you can go from "mild" to stillborn baby in just a few days). I won't even get started on my other minor complaints which were plenty because honestly nothing matters except that they nearly killed my baby.

BEST BIRTH EXPERIENCE EVER!! I had the best care I could've asked for. If you're seeking a home environment to labor and birth your baby in peace this is the place! The midwives there are always available, loving and kind. They know exactly what they're doing and will always make the best decision for you and your baby. I've even had continuous care after my son was born. I love this place and will be having all my children there, God willing.

Wonderful & knowledgeable staff, Always a wonderful experience! I have been coming to special beginnings for 4 years because I love midwives & I ve always wanted a water birth. The staff is always friendly, helpful and professional. They are also great at well women visits. I didn t get to have a water birth with my 4 year old due to complications, but I just had my 2nd child there this past Tuesday, and it was such an amazing experience. I didn t think childbirth could be so calming and empowering, but it was thanks to Joann & Marie. I m sure it would have been the same way with any of the lovely ladies that make special beginnings so special. Trust me I have met all the midwives, which is a nice requirement, because you never know who will be on call. I have nothing negative to say about anyone. They take their time to assess, evaluate answer questions & most importantly, they Listen to you!! I m so glad I found special beginnings and I highly recommend them. I would give them 10 stars if I could! Keep up the great work!

I made a mistake to choose this place. I liked two midwives and one of them was with me in the hospital to deliver my baby (Cassandra). Another good midwife is Genee. Here good experience ends. 1. Some midwives don't have necessary medical knowledge. It is just a fact. 2. They offer you homeopathic medicine to induce labor. and DATES. They act offended when you say you are not going to eat pounds of dates and use sugar pills. 3. office staff is ok some days and rude other days. The receptionist lady behaves borderline. You never know if she is in a good mood today or not. When I came back for my 6 weeks appointment no one even congratulated me for having a baby. 4. When I figured out that my due date is wrong (by a whole week), I told this to one of the midwives. She told me it is the least convenient time to change my due date officially. Really? I thought it is important info when we plan for my induction day. Maybe induction is still not necessary? Maybe I am not overdue? Anyway, I can go on and on.

Awful place! I had terrible experience with them. Unprofessionalism of midwives.. Had and still have the worst memories about my delivery for rest of my life. It was a terrible mistake to pick them as a delivery provider. Giving birth a baby extremely important moment for every woman. And provide a terrible service for this I think it s a crime! The midwife that was with me acted as a butcher. Shame on them. Unbelievable that these kind of places still exist in America. And yet they charge 10K for that horrible service. I wish you go bankrupt, shut down and anyone of you returned to this business again!

Special Beginnings was absolutely everything we hoped for when it came to the birth of our first baby! All of my prenatal care was amazing. At every appointment a midwife would sit down and give all of my questions and concerns her full attention. I never felt rushed through an appointment or was made to feel silly for asking questions. All of the midwives have a knowledgeable and calm approach to pregnancy which really helped to balance my naturally anxious nature.
Our birth center birth did not go as planned and ended up with a bit of an emergency but Myra and Jamie handled everything SO beautifully. In a stressful situation, they were calm and took amazing care of me and our baby. And everyone was healthy and fine thanks to their amazing care. I know that had I birthed in a hospital, there would have been more intervention and probably separation from the baby after birth and we are SO grateful to have birthed at Special Beginnings instead. I'm happy to reassure anyone with reservations about a center birth that even when unexpected issues arose, the Special Beginnings team handled everything quickly and perfectly.
As a first time mom, Myra's soothing presence was invaluable while I adjusted to the surprise of a super fast labor. Even with the quick birth we were still home with our brand new baby 7 hours later and sleeping in our own bed. We are so happy with our decision to go to Special Beginnings. The team, the center, and the experience were absolutely perfect. We couldn't recommend them more. :)

The midwives here all are kind and welcoming. I felt like they genuinely love doing what they do, and care about each and every patient. The appoinment times are twice as long as other OB/GYN offices so patients do not need to feel like they are on a cattle line being run thru! They take the time to talk with you. They are respectful of thoughts and beliefs of each person. I've been working in healthcare for more than 10 years and found this to be the BEST setting.

Great! I had my baby here . I had a natural water birth and was provides with excellent care. The only reason I may not go back is if I have my second baby at home !

We welcomed our first child on July 29, 2018 into this wild and crazy world with the help of the awesome midwives and nurses at Special Beginnings and the incredible nurses at AAMC. Throughout my pregnancy I received intimate care and felt like the midwives were really paying attention to me and caring for our child. As a first time mom at 40weeks + 10 days I wasn't sure that baby girl was ever going to come out. The midwives were caring and assured me she would. After a few sonograms showing low amniotic fluid levels Cassandra recommended I be induced for the safety of our child. Reluctantly I said yes, knowing that Cassandra had all our best interest in mind. The next morning Melissa came on call and the transition was smooth. She already knew everything going on. I labored for quite some time at the hospital. Melissa was amazing throughout. She encouraged me when I needed encouraging and was reassuring throughout the process. She listened to me when I said it was time to push. She, the nurse, my doula, and my husband made an outstanding team and I could not have done it without them. Melissa was the perfect balance of professional and tender. I'm so thankful for her. Oh and I must mention the relationship with the birthing center and AAMC is perfect. Thank you all for helping to deliver safely our sweet Sydney Lynn. She's a bundle of joy and we hope to come back to special beginnings for our next baby.

I gave birth to my little guy there june 11th of 2018 , it was the best experience ever , I cannot say enough . Deff will come back to have my second here . Thank you to all the staff

I have not given birth here, but please read. I transferred here because I was looking a more personal and warm experience since I had come from a typical medical doctor's office. I felt like I was in good hands after reading most of the reviews and watching YouTube videos. The midwives are friendly, but doesn't really take interest in your birth as far as asking you what kind of birth you want etc... They said, "well we get to know you each visit" and I'm thinking how?! If there way of getting to know me is asking, "how is your pregnancy going?" that is not good enough. They were very good about taking my blood pressure, routine Doppler, and blood work. They said that if the labs were not normal that they would contact me and let me know. I had not heard from them, so I had assumed that everything was good. When I arrive for my visit they are going over my labs and told me that my iron was low, so I went on 3 weeks with low iron levels when I could have easily increased my dose. Another thing thing is billing! My husband and I asked how much the birth would cost and gave him some numbers over the phone. Again, same appointment they hand me paperwork to fill out and the numbers were almost double! They said they needed that paperwork signed. Very shady if you ask me. After that visit my confidence in them dwindled. I then called 7+ doulas because I know I couldn't fully rely on their care. They were just going to go into my birth and do what they did for many patients; which is deliver babies. In my interview process three other doulas told me that several of their clients had similar issues, some others were, high turnover of midwives and complaints that their experience was not very personal. I have 7+ months and am hoping I can switch care. I will never reconsider them. Too many people with similar issues. I want the birth of my child to be a happy one and not have to deal with billing issues or a stressful labor because we are not on the same page. Hospital is much cheaper and the majority of doulas I spoke with recommended BWMC(midwife center) and Bay Area Midwifery giving them the most freedom in their practice. I will check out those places. If you are looking for a doula make sure they include discount with birth classes. I wish we had considered that. Could have saved money.