Willow Midwife Center For Birth & Wellness AZ, LLC — Attraction in Mesa

I wish I could be writing a glowing review of a peaceful, empowering birth. Instead, I’m writing this almost two years later, still recovering emotionally, physically, and mentally from what was supposed to be one of the most meaningful moments of my life. What happened at Willow Birth Center endangered both mine and my daughter’s lives

I was in labor for nearly 67 hours after my water had broken. I had premature rupture of membranes (when the water breaks before contractions begin) which is not normal, and should have prompted closer monitoring and different protocols. I was admitted to Willow reluctantly after laboring at home for a few hours, and from the start, I was treated with a concerning lack of competence and compassion. Throughout my 48 hours, I was given conflicting instructions, which included multiple midwives and birth assistants telling me to push, even though my body clearly wasn’t ready.

I was in excruciating pain for hours, screaming during contractions, so exhausted I was passing out between them—and yet some staff treated me like I was being dramatic or unreasonable INSTEAD of investigating why my contractions were so painful at such an early stage of labor.

For over 36 hours, no one checked my bladder despite me repeatedly mentioning issues with urination for WEEKS prior. When someone finally inserted a catheter, they drained over a liter of urine. A LITER. My full bladder was physically preventing my baby from descending and blocking my labor from progressing. It was a dangerous oversight that delayed progress and caused me immense suffering.

I wasn’t kept informed of my dilation or labor progression throughout the process either. Instead of objective information or medical guidance, at one point, I was even instructed to reach my bare hand into my own body to “feel my baby’s head”—an appalling attempt at comfort that misled me into thinking we were close to the end, when in fact, I wouldn’t give birth for another 24 hours or more.

Once the 48 hours was up and my labor was still completely stalled, rather than calling an ambulance for my safe transfer, Willow convinced us to drive ourselves to the hospital. I was delirious, in pain, and physically depleted.

Once at the hospital, I had no choice but to get an epidural and pitocin, neither of which were part of my original birth plan, but I needed sleep and medical intervention to restart labor.

Despite everything, I delivered my daughter vaginally… no thanks to Willow. But the aftermath was brutal: we stayed in the hospital for a week. My newborn needed days of light therapy for jaundice caused by the prolonged and stressful labor. I needed a blood transfusion, iron infusions, and a blood patch after the epidural.

I developed postpartum eclampsia and had to be on blood pressure meds for weeks, as well as iron pills for enema. I suffered tears in both my cervix and vagina, likely due in part to the swelling caused by premature pushing. And I developed postpartum depression, likely exacerbated by the pitocin that I had to take after Willow screwed up, not to mention mourning my birth plan that was ruined by the traumatic experience caused by Willow’s negligence and incompetence.

Willow turned what should have been a beautiful, transformative moment into a traumatic ordeal. I wouldn’t recommend Willow Birth Center to anyone. Their negligence, lack of clinical judgment, and dismissive treatment turned my birth experience into a nightmare… and I know we were a lucky case. As some of the wonderful O&D nurses who treated me once I transferred to the hospital said: “At least you still have your baby and you’re both safe now.” (They get all of Willow’s transfers and I honestly wish I would’ve spoken to their Labor & Delivery department for that perspective BEFORE going to Willow).

I truly hope they are held accountable someday. And I sincerely hope our story makes you think twice before going—ESPECIALLY if this is your first birth....

GROSS INCOMPETENCE

I really lament having to leave this type of review. However, this was my truthful experience and it is valid, and needs to be told.

I was shown exceptional compassion by Rachel and Ruby during office visits. I enjoyed how easy it was to talk with Pam. Unfortunately, my labor and delivery rang a different tune, and was sorely mismanaged.

Nicole was in training the night I went into labor so she was “lead” midwife. A few minutes after delivering my child, Nicole states, “let me work on this placenta”, and then proceeds to SNAP THE UMBILICAL CORD right off the still attached placenta. Then proceeds with saying “OH FUCK”. I hemorrhage. Bleeding out from the unopposed 3 vessel cord that was just RIPPED AGAPE. Cue the downhill trend of events. My emergent IV was missed 3 times, on my hose pipe veins. Meds including Pitocin, TXA and Misoprostol were administered. Pam, then has to step in and perform a manual reduction (layman: going in, fist in uterus to scrape retained placenta/products from uterine wall). Still hemorrhaging, Pam went in a second time for manual. Uterus clamps down due to med cocktail. I am stable.

They deem me “appropriate for discharge” 4 hours later despite PPH, exceptional interventions, and slew of medications needed to obtain hemodynamic homeostasis. Not even a CBC was drawn upon discharge. An order for ultrasound was given, to multiple places not open on the weekend, or no openings for a week.

Pam states I have a “FIRST degree tear”. Nicole performs “one interrupted stitch” there on the bed. Of which I really had to insist to get. At the next day home visit, I ask for a more thorough repair to which the response by Pam is “JUST KEEP YOUR KNEES TOUCHING and it’ll heal just fine”. I had to BEG and get pretty uncomfortable when asserting that I needed a proper repair. Pam obliges and drives to get sutures (which I was so appreciative of), performs repair- 3 switches placed very superficially. Nonetheless, just happy to get something. That afternoon, all 3 sutures tear through and just are hanging there on one side, agape.

Fast forward to the very next day, I begin cramping and contracting to the point I go to the ER. Long story short, I spent 24 hours in a mix of the ER waiting room with sick, hacking people just hours post birth, WITHOUT my baby, in ED bay, and in the OR and post op, all of which required NPO/fasting- when I’m trying to get my milk to come in. :(

My uterus showed large amounts of retained placenta, and was scheduled for a stat D&C that day. The OB that cared for me at Mercy Gilbert was exceptional. She confirmed my suspicion, I did in fact have a SECOND DEGREE LACERATION (meaning perineal muscles were torn). In the O.R., she repaired my SECOND DEGREE LACERATION, and actually approximated my perineal muscles. She did not tell me to just sit with my knees together; Though that is the perspective in some THIRD WORLD countries where they have high rates of fistulas!! Without proper repair, i would be more susceptible to infection, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and fistulas.

Additionally, there were several issues with inaccuracies in willows documentation which is very, very concerning.

I, as a patient, but also as a medical provider, who works in OB, CANNOT in good conscience recommend this birth center. Absolutely unnecessary morbidity in my case, where MULTIPLE surgeries (D&C and hysteroscopy) were needed to mop this train wreck up.

This was the most horrifying experience of my life. Pictures of me the next day in ER bay, and post op, wishing I had just delivered at the hospital since I found myself there regardless, but without my baby or...

It’s taken me about 2.5 years to come back and explain my experience with Willow. I transferred to Willow from MomDoc alittle over half way through my first pregnancy. I wanted somewhere that I could have free range to labor as I felt comfortable, I loved the idea of being able to give birth in the tub. It all seemed great for the first few weeks, I had gestational diabetes, and granted I wasn’t the best at remembering to bring my logs, I knew what my numbers were and I continued testing. One of the midwives at my first visit with them told me to cancel my appts with my MFM because my insurance would not pay for Willow and the MFM. Upon asking my insurance AFTER the birth, they said they would have due to the MFM being a specialist. Anyways, I canceled them and proceeded with Willow because the midwives seemed genuine and caring. For my routine appointments they would ask if I had question, take my weight and blood pressure, feel my stomach, measure my fundal height, and listen to baby on a Doppler. Okay cool right? Loved having myself and baby cared for without overly intervening. At my 35-36 week appointment I was given the swab to perform my OWN group b strep test. This was a bit weird to me, just because I feel like there’s no way to prove the mother did the test correctly, but I didn’t think much of it after because this place is a minimalist when it comes to hands on care which made sense. At my 38 week appointment with Pam (if I remember correctly) my blood pressure was elevated to 150ish/90ish. In the week or so prior I had gained 11 pounds in a week!!! I had SEVERE edema in which I had brought up to the midwife and was told it was completely normal. It was not. I had went in around 31 weeks for continual left sided rib pain, the midwife at that visit checked my cervix and placed her hand on my stomach and told me I’m not dilated and she’s not feeling contractions so I’m free to go home. At the 38 week appointment, I was told to go to the hospital for blood pressure monitoring….the midwife FORGOT me in the room for 45 minutes and when my husband went out to ask what we were waiting on, she said “oh we thought you left already”. Long story short, the midwives did not see my signs of preeclampsia despite very obvious symptoms. I went to the hospital just to have a 3 minute seizure and an emergency c section all within 30 minutes. My husband was told to prepare to lose myself and the baby that day…The midwives never once checked on me, they dropped food at my door, but didn’t talk to me. I didn’t even know it was there, I have zero idea if they even knocked. HERE’S the kicker, Willow said when I went to the hospital that that qualified as a transfer of care. I was in the hospital for six days following this incident yet there were papers requested of my medical records from the hospital from Willow that were signed with my name while I was still in the hospital…. When I talk to the hospital about releasing my records, they told me that they were under the impression that I was at Willow. DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

They also sent me a bill AFTER I had my child, and when I said I didn’t want to pay it because I literally almost died at their hands…. The front desk said “well we will just send it to collections then”… no regard for my comment regarding almost dying… nothing. Just concerned about the MONEY. It was $35 (if my memory serves me right), and of course I could’ve paid it and did since they threatened me with collections, but I was bitter and upset,...