Words of Gratitude

“I am not someone who writes online reviews about anything, but I’m breaking my longstanding social media non-compliance rule so I can gush a little about the people at Vivante. As a nervous couple who lost their first child in a traumatic fashion at the 20 week mark, we were eager for a specific kind of care outside of the medical establishment. Naturally, we not only desired people with the smarts and the patience to answer all our prep questions, but also individuals who had the spiritual depth to walk with us mindfully through what is, essentially, one of the biggest transformations any of us encounter as human beings. We found both in our friends at Vivante, and had this prep work been all they did for us then it would have been enough and well worth any money paid.

But when the time for labor came and the true complexities of this moment revealed themselves (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) this is when their true quality emerged. The Vivante midwives put in the kind of time and heart that one could only expect from the closest of friends and family. As one of them remarked to us after the fact, this is more than a job for them, this is a calling, and my wife and I were left in humble awe at the deep service we received through their compassionate work. In a time when such miraculous (and at times terrifying) life moments are managed through bulk factories, we remain deeply grateful to have found an alternative. I cannot recommend these good people highly enough, and they will remain in our hearts forever.”

— Michael E

“I’m all about the feels so, before I delve into that, I want to focus first on the quality of care, the in-depth knowledge and the experience all these women hold collectively. My appointments were personal, unhurried and thorough. There was a level of service and commitment I have never felt in the medical world. I truly felt like an ancient tribal queen surrounded by birth sages. Vivante Midwifery was the best choice we made in our prenatal journey. The support, the wisdom, the acceptance , the authenticity, oh and the love, such a profusion of utter devotion and adoration for what they do and what you are doing as a Momma! Part of me wants to get pregnant again just so I can spend more time with these amazing women. Our birthing journey was a dream actualized. It was incredible and I will never forget how empowered I felt because of the incredible support around me!”

— Jade Christensen

“I feel extremely grateful to have found Vivante Midwifery & Women's Health for my homebirth! From the moment that I met Sharon I knew I was in compassionate hands. As a woman of color having a safe space to birth my way, with diversity reflected in my care providers, was super important to me.

I had difficult, traumatizing experiences in hospitals, previous to this pregnancy, and so Vivante was a perfect fit for me. They walked me through each decision of my pregnancy & birthing experience in a calm and educational way. I also really appreciated the way that everyone used anatomical terms in a very direct way that normalized the human body and the general birthing experience. I felt so empowered and calm after each visit. They were very non-invasive in their approach and neutral when presenting information, yet balanced that with lots of experienced opinions and suggestions. They even offered me a payment plan for my limited budget and provided community resources, including items for my birth & postpartum that were donated by other families in the community. When it came time for the birth they walked me through the early contractions over the phone to the point that I knew when to call my photographer & doula. They also arrived at the perfect time. I really appreciated that they always had a 24/7 pager in times of uncertainty. My birthing day was swift and smooth and I was able to walk around, have a snack, shower and be myself throughout the laboring process. They gave me space and also respected my cultural and physical boundaries. They made space for my photographer and my doula to be present with me and also provide that circle of safety. During pushing phase everyone was quiet, encouraging, and calm which allowed me to use my inner wisdom and guidance to birth my baby. I had immediate skin-to-skin and breastfeeding & they were compassionate and kind during the hours and days after birth. In the postpartum visits that followed they also checked on my emotional and mental health! Thank you Vivante!”

— Alberta Q.

“I am so thankful for my experience with Vivante! I didn’t really know what my expectations were for my second pregnancy and birth until it happened. Even though we talked about the possibility that my labor could be longer, one of those expectations was that it would be faster since it was my second time around. Unfortunately, I did have 2-3 days of prodromal labor and my son was in a ‘wonky’ position, making it difficult for my body to get into full active labor. Sharon was on-call those few days and I’m so thankful! She was absolutely amazing and always had a plan, always had options to give me even when I felt completely defeated and drained. She was so encouraging and put my body in positions that, although painful, I knew they were working to open my cervix and bring my baby down.

After it was all over I had mixed feelings about my home birth. With my first I had given birth with Linda and the midwives at OHSU and felt like I had an amazing experience. I felt very fulfilled. With this homebirth things didn’t go quite how I thought and I felt confused. A couple months after the birth, Sharon met me for coffee and we were able to talk through the whole birth and I got a clearer understanding of what she was seeing while I was able to express how I was feeling. A lot of things stemmed from my fear of believing that my body couldn’t birth naturally, without the help of pitocin which I had with my first. I knew that I had this fear but I didn’t realize how much it would impact me during labor. I have always been fearful that my body isn’t “normal” and that it would fail me. Processing with Sharon was the most beautiful gift and gave me such closure on a long and difficult birth. It also gave me insight into the things I want and need during my next labor and delivery. How amazing and empowering it would be if every provider could process a woman’s birth with their patients!

I am so thankful for Sharon, her assistant Sarah, and student Khady who were all there at the birth, along with my husband and ‘woman tribe’ of sister in laws! I honestly have never ‘clicked’ with a midwife like I did with Sharon and I’m so thankful she was on call those days ❤️ She is a sweet and beautiful soul who I miss seeing every few weeks!

Thank you all for your commitment to providing a holistic experience, appreciating both evidence-based practice and complementary therapies. Thank you for empowering women and respecting the natural birth process. Your practice is one of a kind and I’m honored that I had the opportunity to work with you all.”

— Monique M

“These women are AMAZING, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I’m a nurse and I knew laboring and birthing in a hospital was not what I wanted, but I was also worried about the risks of a home birth. After researching, interviewing and asking friends in the midwifery field I chose Vivante because they are a strong, safe and evidence-based practice.

I didn’t know what to expect during my pregnancy or labor and birth, and like most first time moms I had plenty of questions and anxieties. The women at Vivante had compassion, clinical expertise and humor to offer me. I was so happy to have an hour long pre-natal visit to check in about questions or fears, listen to my baby’s heartbeat and most of all bond with them. Vivante has a group practice model, you meet with each midwife multiple times throughout your pregnancy, so I was able to develop a relationship with all of them. The trust we built over the nine months of meetings was what I needed to feel safe and secure during my labor and birth.

We used Vivante for both of our pregnancies and were lucky to have two beautiful and quick water births at home. I felt so at ease having the midwives by my side. I always felt like they had my and my baby’s medical safety in the forefront as well as being MAJOR emotional supports. The home postpartum visits were also amazing-being able to spend those first few weeks cocooned at home with our daughter(s) was a joy.”

— Deanna T

“We had such an amazing experience with Vivante and as first time parents we couldn’t imagine having better care and support through such an exciting journey!

All our midwives were incredibly welcoming and full of valuable information. These women truly love the work they do and maintain the joy and awe that this process inspires. They respect and appreciate the functions of our bodies as we create life and that added so much to our experience. It was so wonderful to never feel rushed or dismissed at our visits or made to feel stressed about the natural process of pregnancy and childbirth. All of our questions were always answered and we were provided a wealth of further resources, from books to other medical services, to cover every concern or just curiosity we had.

Ultimately we were able to make the process our own and having that freedom while also feeling wholly supported was incredibly liberating. And what a beautiful luxury to labor and birth in the comfort of our own home and within a matter of hours be left alone as a family unit in comfort and security. I will be highly recommending Vivante (and home birth if feasible!) to any and everyone I know!”

— Rosie