Austin Area Birthing Center

We love AABC! Our experience here simply couldn’t have been any better — from our first introductory appointment all the way through to the follow-​up appointments with our new baby boy.
Before we visited, we were concerned that we would be classified as a «high-​risk» pregnancy due to our age, but AABC did a quick physical and said to my wife, «Are you kidding? You’re in great shape!»
The staff were all great. Thank you all so much! Their approach is very much to inform you about your options and leave the decision-​making up to you — which was a perfect fit for our situation. We were not pushed to do anything we didn’t want to do. And we always got multiple, thoughtful opinions when we asked for help with making a decision.
The facility is tip top — very comfortable, clean, and well-​maintained.
We had a good experience in the group centering class. My wife attended several optional support classes (yoga, breastfeeding, etc) and found them all to be helpful and time well spent.
I would recommend this place to anyone who is interested in a natural birth with a midwife — no question!

I’m in love with this place! I’m so excited to have found it. Everyone is extremely friendly and their setup is amazing. I highly recommend going here! I went for my well woman exam and will definitely choose their midwife services in the future.

I just had my first baby and delivered her at the Austin Area Birthing Center. I just want to say it was the best experience. The care factor and standard of care is amazing. I will do a more complete/​in-​depth review at a later point but for now I just have to say that my husband and I couldn’t have been happier with every aspect of our care there and highly recommend AABC!

This is the best choice we made as new parents. The staff is more like a group of friends that willingly offer honest, sincere advice about pregnancy and delivery. I rarely had questions to ask because they were so thorough. The facility is cozy and luxurious at the same time. My 25 hour labor was a dream of a wonderful experience-​I don’t know many moms that can say they enjoyed their 25 hour labor, but I did! We chose «Centering» vs the traditional one-​on-​one midwife visits and found them so helpful to hang out with other parents that were going through the same stage of pregnancy. I wish all my friends lived in Austin and could enjoy birthing at AABC.

YES to AABC. It’s amazing. Case in point: I just got back from Baby Love class (a group that meets weekly for AABC moms to talk, play with baby, and check in with one another — it’s incredible). While I was there I ran into Vicki, the wonderful (life-​changing, rockstar, one-​in-​a-​million) midwife who delivered our son 10 weeks ago. Our little boy has a big smile that so far only my husband and I have seen. The minute our son saw Vicki, his eyes lit up and he gave her a few of the biggest smiles we have seen yet. This means two things to me: 1. My kiddo recognizes our midwife as family and/​or 2. The women who work at AABC are people who genuinely love to be involved with women’s health, care deeply about families and — most importantly — are good people (babies can tell).
I switched from OB-​Gyn care to AABC at 28 weeks when I didn’t feel like my doc «got» me or my desire to have a birth with as little medical intervention as possible. AABC welcomed me with open arms (I was low risk) and I delivered just before 42 weeks. Throughout my pregnancy I felt safe, listened-​to, prepared, and excited to deliver. When the big day came I was prepared and I was able to have exactly the birth I had dreamed of. It was challenging to deliver without drugs, yes, but if you are reading this and are on the fence –you are strong, you can do it, you can have support to have the birth you want. I feel incredibly lucky to live in the same city as AABC. Instead of being yet another patient in a brightly lighted hospital with a changing staff of people you have not seen, AABC moms have a beautiful home-​like space to labor and deliver babies. Being able to change positions, be in water, dim the lights (this was huge for me), and see familiar faces can make a lot of difference.
My husband also raves about AABC. Our previous OB-​Gyn didn’t know his name and never even made eye contact during appointments whereas the ladies at AABC engaged him in conversation during appointments and encouraged him to participate in helping me labor. He says the difference between the two providers is the difference between Motel 6 and the Four Seasons :)
The experience of delivering a baby is transformative and memorable regardless of who attends the birth or what happens. I truly believe that the choice to deliver at AABC was the first in a chain of parenting decisions that have shaped who I am now and the relationship I have with my son. I will recommend it to anyone who asks (or doesn’t ask) and am confident that I will have baby #2 there as well, if we are so lucky.

We made the switch to Austin Area Birthing Center after our OB decided to tell us the sex of the baby, after we said we didn’t want to know, and forced us to take many unnecessary and expensive tests, and it was the best decision of our lives! I knew I wanted to go there the second I found out I was pregnant, but my husband was not familiar with the idea of a birthing center and insisted we have our baby «the normal way» aka OB and hospital. After the disasters with the OB I insisted we look at other options, and after the tour my husband was convinced that this was the place for us, AABC was so welcoming and the midwives were so knowledgeable and warm, that all his worries eased away. We took part in the centering program and I highly recommend it for all first time parents. You get a wonderful sense of community meeting with other couples and learning all the wonders of labor and parenthood. They also offer pre-​natal yoga classes which is another chance for you to meet expecting mothers! Labor was a positive experience and it was so great that our attending midwife was one of the midwives who also attended a lot of our Centering classes, Cat, and the birth assistant was Michelle Gold who runs the centering program. The second they walked in the room and I saw them was the most reassuring sight to see when you are deep in the throes of labor. AABC also offers post partum classes for Mommy/​Daddy and baby which is a great way to get out of the house and make more new parent friends! Our family loves Austin Area Birthing Center and we are forever grateful for our wonderful experiences we had with them for our prenatal and post partum care, and labor.

Austin Area Birthing Center has been amazing to us. We go here to the South location on William Cannon which is close to home
We made the switch from my ARC OBGyn to here after I started thinking about actually giving birth, and my husband & I were not enjoying our prenatal visits with my OBGyn. In just taking the tour we got so much information and felt so welcomed. We started attending the Spring Centering class & it’s been amazing for us. We have learned so much, being first time parents, that it has eased our anxieties and made us feel a bit more prepared (not that one can be fully prepared becoming a parent but we feel more optimistic about the adventures to come).
I love that we’ve developed a sense of community with the other couples in our Centering class. We go to our last class next week and two of the mom’s in our class already gave birth. We plan to have a reunion once all our babies are born .
I love all the staff here. All the midwives have been helpful and so caring. Some give more tough love than others, they all have their own style, but it’s all to provide the best care and ensure the health of mommas and babies so I fully appreciate that.
I also appreciate the Yoga classes, breastfeeding, and infant care classes (they have more to offer as well) as I’ve learned so much from each. This is what I wanted when I switched from the hospital, more education so I could feel like we could make better decisions about our new little family.
I don’t regret switching to the birthing center, best decision we could’ve made. My husband is enjoying all the visits as well.
Now we’re just anxiously waiting for our baby boy to be born

I left my OBGYN to have my baby at AABC. I am so glad I did! They try and make sure you meet all the midwives so when the big day comes you see a familiar face. You always feel welcome and the atmosphere was always calm and relaxed.
They offer a centering class for all the moms and dad’s with the same due date month. This class is extremely helpful. It was nice to be with a group of parents-​to-​be and know you are not alone in the process. Our class (due dates were in Oct 2015) has a Facebook group and we still chat, post pics, ask questions and support eachother! I plan to have #2 at the birthing center when that time comes. I would absolutely recommend this birthing center if you are pregnant or considering pregnancy.

Experiencing my second pregnancy with AABC South has been incredible. The entire staff, from midwives to admin, has made us feel a part of their family. Everyone knows you really well, and you always leave feeling comfortable and knowledgeable about your pregnancy/​baby.
They have a program called Centering that I would highly recommend! I was a total skeptic at first, and I must admit, I didn’t want to do it because I thought I didn’t have time with my work schedule. All that to say, they had a time that worked for me, so I gave it a shot. I am SO GLAD I did. Centering has been a game-​changer, in terms of having a community of women (and men) that I can lean on throughout my pregnancy. We all learn (a lot!!), laugh, ask questions, and share awkward moments together. Even though this is my second pregnancy, I feel like I am learning so much because I get to hear about the experiences of others too.
I would recommend AABC to ANYONE who would like to a smaller, chill environment for their natural birth.

I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful experience here in 2014. Not only did I have an amazing midwife (Leonora Cohen) the community I felt there was exactly what I was looking for in my search for the best possible pregnancy/​birth experience. A huge factor that made it different than going to a hospital was my centering experience. Here it is, almost 2 years later, and I still keep up with the families that I met centering. Community is something that is lacking in today’s society, but it still existed, in a way that seemed necessary, as well as nurturing and reassuring. I don’t know what I would have done with out. So, here is my plea: PLEASE KEEP CENTERING. You will be doing a disservice to your staff and clients if it goes away.

We wanted a natural birth for our daughter, so we chose to come to AABC after a recommendation from a friend.
We were offered to do regular visits or a centering program where we’d be doing basic belly checks and birthing classes with other couples due at the same time as us. The group we were in ended up being a lot of fun and we learned a lot together. We still get together on a regular basis and chat via whatsapp daily.
I can’t speak highly enough about my experience there. By the time we had our daughter most of the staff knew me by name. The free yoga classes prepared me mentally and physically for a natural birth. Also, between the staff, my centering group mommas and the Facebook groups, I feel like I have a wonderful support group in my journey of motherhood.

This place has been a life changing experience since moving to Austin less than a year ago. My husband and I got involved in Centering and have loved it! We covered so many topics in Centering, there was no need to attend extra birthing classes at all. We were able to connect with other couples who have previously had kids and who were also first-​time parents. The community we have built has been invaluable to us especially not knowing any other pregnant families in the area. We had so much support and were able to cover so many topics that we would not have discussed in a hospital setting. Having a midwife and a facilitator in the group every week was incredibly helpful and educational. Centering was an invaluable resource that prepared us for birth and parenting and we will forever be grateful for the relationships we made.

AABC is THE BEST! I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone who is having a baby or thinking about having a baby or who even has a uterus that might someday hold a baby go here! Basically, if you’re a woman… go here.
AABC has the most wonderful, knowledgable and caring staff. There is not one person at AABC that did not go above and beyond to make me and my husband feel welcome and at ease. We started our prenatal journey at a traditional OBGYN office before making the switch… and I’m so glad we did! AABC really makes you feel like you are a part of a community. Going there makes you feel inspired and empowered!
There are so many great things about AABC. The pre and postnatal care, the birthing experience and environment, the staff, the prenatal classes (there are tons… yoga, cloth diapering, first aid, birthing, etc.) and the mamas you meet along the way are all what make birthing with AABC amazing.
BUT one of the BEST things about AABC is that they offer a program called Centering, which is basically like having your regular prenatal appointments, but instead of going at it alone (which can be daunting) you do the appointments with a group of moms and dads. These group appointments allow for open communication amongst the group so it’s a great place to bond, share ideas and ask those questions that you had planned to ask in your appointment then forgot but then felt relieved when one of your group members also had the same question and she remembered it! Oh the prego-brain…it’s a real thing! And… don’t worry… you also have plenty of one-​on-​one time at Centering with the midwives to ask more private questions and to get to know about your individual progress through pregnancy.
Centering was so fun and educational and helped foster a lasting community of moms and dads that I can now call my friends. We still get together as a group, which is so fun since we’ve all had our babies now. I literally just got home from a group play date and springtime photoshoot.
The whole idea of Centering has made me wish that ALL of healthcare could be like that. If only I could find a pediatrician who wanted to do Centering.
I am forever thankful to everyone at AABC that made my experience there such a positive one. And I will DEF be having baby number two at AABC!

–UPDATE:
Having our third baby here in April! Two waterbirths so far.
We still feel at home when we walk in and could not ask for a better facility to bring such a blessing into this world with.
I have been here many times through my three pregnancies with them. Never have I heard the staff talking down on any moms they are so uplifting and there for you in every way. I have never had to wait over ten minutes to be seen by a midwife 99% of the time they are right on time. When I have questions even silly ones they are always there to answer and take my call or if I am worried about the baby they let me come in last minute to make sure everything is just fine and give me a piece of mind.
During labor I am never questioned about any of my wants, needs, or how I want to labor.
They are beyond supportive!
HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Sorry that my review ended up in the North location, but I’m adding it here too:
It is extremely incredibly difficult to summarize my experience here in one review but I’ll give it a go. **this is a review for the south William Cannon location**
Firstly, I don’t know what I would have done without the community here, seriously. Not only did the midwives and practitioners care for me like family, a few them saved me from a nervous breakdown! (I was a nervous first time mama with almost no family here and sleep issues and panic attacks — yikes!)
Everyone here is caring and efficient. Two things that are awesome when dealing with a situation that is seen as a «medical issue» in this country. Aabc really makes you feel as though this is a natural and beautiful event. Having a baby, of course. ;)
Every appointment was wonderful because they really assured me that all was well. Sometimes they pushed a bit too much, asking me if I needed support or counseling, but I know it’s because they care and probably also because I’m a quiet person in general.
Now for a specific mention, a shout out if you will, of certain amazing people. Vicki sat with me after a centering session and helped me work through a lot of my concerns. She is an amazing midwife, a vast library of practical knowledge, and a fantastic human being. Lynn Ann and Cat helped bring my son into the world and they are incredibly hard working, knowleadgable, and badass. Besides stitching me up for a couple hours after the birth, they were persevering through the birth and I don’t know how they do what they do.
DeLora, the yogi and goddess, is a great support, day in and day out, and I highly recommend her prenatal classes. Yoga really helped me through my pregnancy and it’s another amazing thing that Aabc offers (for free!). Kelsey is also a great yogi too.
As for centering, I think that some of the instruction time is wasted and the structure of the course needs some revampng, but we made friends that we still talk to! This group has been a web of postpartum support that has been invaluable to our family! We even had a group first birthday party!
The only criticism that I have for the facility is that when I went into labor it just so happened that I had to fight for a birthing suite which they said would never happen. A lot of babies were born that weekend! So that was a bit stressful, but thankfully we got one. Also, during the birth the nitrous oxide machine refused to work. While I completely understand that these things happen, when I’m in labor for 48 hours, it’s pretty aggravating. This could have been checked beforehand, I think. Also, the tub was not filled and waiting for a slow faucet to drip water while in back labor is infuriating. When it was full, the jets stopped working and the godsend that was the sprayer thing stopped working too. That was insanely infuriating and if I didn’t have my amazing doula Jamie pressing on my back, I don’t know what I would have done.
Oh, also, I must mention the care offered by Michelle on the morning after I gave birth. She was so patient and understanding that I felt like my mother’s spirit was acting through her. Sounds cheesy but it was true.
Brittany was awesome with the many needles she had to stab me with and the entire staff is great as well.
Whew! So much to say, so little time. The swaps they offer are amazing too. Between (long distance) familial presents and grabbing great stuff at the swap, we hardly had to buy anything for our newborn.
Overall, I’m so glad that Aabc is succeeding, expanding, and opening new locations. I love that they take the horrible stigma out of birthing without taking any of the knowledge and care. I know I made a great choice and I have a beautiful, amazing son out of the deal!
** I forgot to mention that having lactation care, specifically Renee come to your house, was so great. So so great. My boy latched on to my boob one minute after he was born, with the awesome fabulous aid of Cat (booby sandwich, anyone?), but I know breastfeeding can be very hard without help. Another great service offered by Aabc!
*** My last little tidbit concerns the horrible, slightly traumatizing experience I had with an OBGYN in the area. He used fear to intimidate me and I’m so glad I had the midwives at Aabc were there through this experience!!!

I had an incredible experience with AABC! Katrina gave our tour — We loved her and the facility! We have stayed in touch with Katrina, our first face of AABC, and she feels like family! She made us feel comfortable about the facility and held my hand through the whole process. Then we met with Joanne and Sam to talk about what to expect delivering at AABC — we felt safe and comfortable. They answered all of the questions we had and educated us about the birth experience.
Tiffany, at the front desk made billing a breeze — I even changed from private pay to insurance pay after a few visits and it was seamless! Katrina and Tiffany personally made sure any questions I had were answered and I looked forward to visiting with them! I miss seeing them regularly! They made me feel like I was part of the family.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about the facility or the staff. Viola, Charlotte, Rosthwita, and Erika were incredible. I felt like I was in very capable hands with these women. They are encouraging, smart, confident, comforting and capable.
It was nice to get to know each of the midwives at each checkup, but I’m positive the midwife you deliver with is the one you were supposed to have :) Erika was on call the day I went into labor. It was such a beautiful and peaceful labor! Erika has a soft and caring personality that was comforting during labor. Her experience and gentle personality were absolutely perfect for us. I can’t imagine a labor being any better than it was. We LOVE Erika and will find her for the next one.
If you are on the fence about a birthing center birth, I describe it as a bed and breakfast experience rather than a sterile hospital environment. I felt like I was with family rather than doctors who won’t remember me and several nurses in and out of the room. Most of my friends and family thought I was crazy for giving birth at a birthing center, but keep in mind it is YOUR choice. Having a baby is not a medical procedure (if you are healthy with no problems). It is as natural as puppies, kittens, and cows being born. I chose to have an anxiety and drama free delivery with my husband at AABC and enjoy the experience of life. It was amazing.

Don’t go here unless you’re statistically perfect.
I was a well-​woman care patient here for two years before I decided to get pregnant. The midwife did mention that they have a BMI cutoff, but that exceptions are made in some cases.
Imagine my surprise and dismay when I informed them I was pregnant and it was like I didn’t exist before and was a completely new patient.
I had to schedule a «tour» of the facility and interview with a midwife. While I waited for that midwife to have time with me, I spent about 45 minutes in their not-​very-​soundproof waiting room listening to staff spew venom about patients. I understand everyone needs to gripe, but let’s not do it when someone’s in the waiting room and can hear you.
Especially when that someone was in the category of people you’re talking about.
I’m overweight, and I know it. Apparently, fat patients are not welcome here, because everyone knows that overweight pregnant ladies immediately mean more hassle and higher risk. I overheard this midwife tell someone else that they were letting in too many questionably obese moms and that it was creating a whole lot more work.
Then they talked about how they immediately risk out some patients and work with others because of their insurance status. Awesome.
When the midwife finally showed up, I was in tears and just wanted to leave. I went through with the interview anyway.
I was told to immediately go on a diabetic diet, despite not ever having had problems with blood sugar. I was told I was going to have a slow labor and a huge baby. I was told that I’d have to submit to a 2-​hour GTT instead of the 1-​hour standard test. I was told my weight gain would be carefully monitored.
Listen, I understand statistics and know that statistically, I’m more likely to have GD, swelling, slow labors and the like, but this wasn’t my first rodeo. I already had an uncomplicated pregnancy, an unmedicated, 5-​hour labor and easy delivery at a hospital with an OBGYN — and they knew it. They had my records from my previous pregnancy.
The midwife told me they’d discuss my case at their next meeting and get back to me.
I left, and called my old OBGYN from the parking lot.
She was awesome, and 7 months I had another uncomplicated, unmedicated delivery of an 7lb 15 oz baby at 40 weeks + 2 days.
This place doesn’t want you, and is too busy to care unless you fit in to their ideal, perfect model of pregnancy.

The admins, nurses and midwives greet you with smiles and do their very best to know your name, spend time answering all your questions and bring a positive and supportive energy. They offer birthing classes, as well as postnatal classes for free. My daughter was born happy and healthy. And the birthing tubs are wonderful!

I read some of the recent negative reviews on this place but wanted to give it a shot anyway. I am currently 7 months pregnant, moving from Seattle to Austin at about ³³⁄₃₄ weeks pregnant, and preferred to have a midwife deliver my baby. I’m sure this place does great with that for many people but their office/​administrative problems were enough to warrant a negative review for me, which I hope will serve as a warning to others — particularly those moving from out of town.
At my initial call I explained about my move and that the midwives in their practice were the only ones listed with my insurance, so I was hoping to use them, but I needed to know if they were a preferred provider with my insurance. Our out of network costs are not affordable for us at this time, unfortunately. The person on the phone said they thought they were a provider but weren’t sure. I was told to fill out two different extensive online forms (one with AABC, one with a billing service they contract with). I was told there would be a charge for the billing service to check on my insurance, but figured since their midwives are listed on my insurance’s site, it was probably all going to work out and would be worth it.
I spent a good chunk of time filling out the forms within a couple hours of my initial phone call and paid their fee to check my insurance. I was told my information would be reviewed and I would hear back «in a few days.» I waited a week and called and was told I would definitely hear back «in a few days.» No call. I waited a few more days and was told I would definitely hear by the next day. Finally, more than 3 weeks after my initial call, filling out forms, and paying for the service, I called again. The person on the phone said that they were having computer system issues that were not alerting the midwives to review potential patients (which didn’t totally jive with my experience since I’d already made several follow-​up calls, but OK). They said I would get a call back that day and I did! Hooray! I started to get hopeful that it would work out.
I explained to the person who called about how I was moving soon and hoping to get everything all set so that I wouldn’t have to scramble to find an alternate provider at 34 weeks pregnant (because otherwise they’d just have had me come in for the tour and figure out if they had spots/​I was approved at that time). They said they just needed my records from my current midwife and sort of brushed over all my insurance questions. I had to send several more follow-​up emails explaining how much I hoped to work with them and that I just needed to know if they were in-​network for the labor and delivery through my insurance. Finally, after all that… the answer was no. Which is fine. It’s just — that wasn’t even the detailed insurance analysis I paid for 3.5 weeks ago. It’s just something that the office should be aware of – and apparently someone did know, it just takes repeated questioning to get them to tell you.
I’ve gone on way too long, I know, but wanted to give a heads up to anyone moving from out of town or concerned about insurance/​cost issues.

We went to the south (William Cannon) birth center for a tour in late 2014 and immediately were impressed with both their facilities, medical accreditations and with the honest and integrity of the midwives we spoke with. They spoke honestly about this being the place to go if you want to try for a natural birth. We were told that in first time Moms, a little upwards of 10−15% will end up transferring to the hospital for one reason or another.
So we joined the pre-​natal centering classes where we got to hang out and discuss all aspects of birth, labor, pregnancy and parenting with a number of other coms and couples every few weeks, as well as have comprehensive health checks to make sure baby was as healthy as mom.
Towards the end of pregnancy, we attended some of the classes for newborn care and they also have breastfeeding, cloth diapering and other informal classes.
Every visit we got to meet with the different midwives as you don’t know who’ll be available when your time comes. Every one of them was refreshingly honest and willing to listen to every question and concern we had.
Then at the end of April 2015, our baby decided to come. from the moment we arrived, late on a Saturday evening, we loved the quiet, calm, lights dimmed environment. So many options in the birthing rooms, balls, birthing stool, bed, shower, bathtub, we could play our own music, have the AC just what Momma needed. Labor was tough and they helped making some tough decisions throughout the process and ultimately led to a wonderful natural delivery.
Midwives Meg and Leonora are astounding women, both are CPM and LM and both so understanding and good at listening and seeing what the right course is. And special thanks to the birthing assistants Salkanna and Michelle, right there when we needed them.
Post birth you get multiple home visits from the wonderful Renee, a registered nurse and lactation consultant who was invaluable in listening to our needs and then sharing her years of advice and stories about latching during breastfeeding. She is a true wonder and never makes you feel rushed or stressed. She is a real life fairy godmother.
This is a review, not just heaping praise on the AABC, so what negative things are there about the process, virtually nothing, looking back, tiny things like a little step to help get into the tub or onto the bed whilst laboring, slightly more flexible times for centering classes may be useful for others. But overall a wonderful place with wonderful people.
And after birth it doesn’t end, we intend to go to their baby love classes, daddy and baby class, breastfeeding meetups and more. If baby number 2 decides to come one day, this is the only place I would ever consider.