Tree of Life Birth and Gynecology

I delivered my son with Kaleen and had the most amazing experience. I had started my pregnancy with a typical OB GYN and at 31 weeks started to realize they were not going to be supportive of my wishes to have a natural unmedicated birth. My doula suggested I contact tree of life. After talking to Kaleen on the phone for a few minutes I knew that I needed to make the switch! Kaleen was very patient, listened, and taught me so much about my baby and pregnancy at each prenatal visit. She was very easy going but at the same time extreeeemely knowledgeable and thorough. I am a nurse practitioner and birthing safely was a huge concern of mine and I felt very comfortable with Kaleen. She made me feel at ease and very well taken care of. I never had any problems with any of her office staff, billing, or scheduling appointments. Looking forward to birthing my next little one with tree of life!

I contacted Kaleen via email in my 7^th month while living in Europe. I had googled «Birth Centers in Orlando, FL». Well it’s not in Orlando (and neither am I any more) but it had the highest star rating and I wanted the best. So I was willing to drive the 40 minutes. Our first visit was to the birth center. The staff is super friendly. Jaclyn, put my worried husband at ease by answering all questions and addressing his concerns. He was wary of me delivering outside of the hospital, even though this was our 3^rd pregnancy. Every appointment went well as I felt comfortable and among friends. When it came to the day, Rebecca and Jaclyn were at the birth center for me. They let my husband be most involved with managing my labor and they helped me through delivery, also allowing my older children to be present. There is not one day that has gone by that I don’t think fondly of that day. I’m so very thankful to this center and staff for letting me have the birth experience I had always wanted.

I had a pretty good experience with Kaleen as my midwife the first time I used her. Healthy homebirth and healthy baby. There were some communication issues the first time around but I still chose her as my midwife for my next pregnancy.
However, the second time around I had several issues:
— she prescribed me medication my pharmacist wouldn’t fill bc it was dangerous in the 1^st trimester (which I was in)
— I began to have miscarriage symptoms over a weekend and could not get ahold of her. When I did, she was very curt and said «it sounds like you know what is happening. I guess you could go to the hospital if you feel like you need an ultrasound.»
— after my first hospital visit where miscarriage was confirmed she advised me to return home and miscarry on my own and that it wouldn’t hurt worse than an average menstrual cycle. I later returned to the hospital that evening and spent the weekend there under an OBs care. My blood pressure was severely low due to blood loss.
— I received a bill one week later for one office visit with her, with no note of condolence.
I have since had several friends interested in natural/​birth center birth come to me for recommendations and I have advised them to seek another health provider (which they did and had good experiences elsewhere).

Loved them! I want to thank them for being soo inspiring and educational! I got the birth I wanted! Love you girls, all of you! soo much better than regular OBs never going back to them! Thank you!

Grab a number and your paperwork and sit down, because a number is all you are to them.
I was really excited to schedule my appt and meet my future midwife after conversing with Kaleen over email… but when I went in for my consult I ended up with Maggie and boy did she make my entire experience awkward as hell. First off, they have a video playing in the waiting room of women giving birth which to me… being this is my first pregnancy was unnerving. I don’t feel emotionally ready to think about going through the worst pain of my life yet, let alone watching other women do so in the company of complete strangers… women, children, grandparents… awkward.
Then when Maggie came to get me for my consult, she just assumed whoever was in the waiting room was with me and invited everyone back. I told her how awkward that could be seeing as we didn’t know those people — some of which were children. What if they were with me and I wanted my consult alone? How uncomfortable a position to put ME in.
Maggie was unorganized, not very personable and just did not relax or comfort me or educate me in the least. She told me next to nothing and asked if I had questions. I didn’t even know where to begin — it’s all new to me! I thought she would fill me in! I was no at all at ease with her, I found myself unable to talk to her even if I wanted to (which I didn’t) and would never recommend anyone else to go here. I would have asked to see the other midwife but usually one midwife is the back up for the other and I would hate to end up with Maggie as my back up.