Ellie Griffinger, CNM

After feeling like I had to fight for what I wanted in the natural birth at a hospital with baby #1, I decided to seek out a private midwife for baby #2 and Ellie was the perfect midwife for the delivery of our baby girl. From day 1 she was supportive, open-​minded concerning our birthing wishes and full of resources for prenatal and postpartum care (chiropractic work, placenta encapsulation, pelvic floor care). During delivery she was encouraging while also giving me and my husband space to bond and labor. She also made my husband feel like a part of the delivery process. This practice is truly the best of both worlds, support for a natural birth and continuity of care, while having the assurance that the hospital and nurses/​doctors give, if needed.

If I could give more stars for Midwife Ellie, I would. This review will be long but it’s because I have so much positive feedback. You know how it feels when you have been treated so well and you just wanna tell people about it.
I had a tough emotional birth of my daughter 4 years ago with an OBGYN, I felt disempowered and unheard throughout. With our son, I switched to Ellie for prenatal care at 22 weeks of pregnancy. From the start, I felt at ease by her comfortable manner. She was in agreement that the success of a positive delivery is NOT limited to the often said «as long as mother and baby are healthy.» She empathized with my dissatisfaction relating to my first birth and explained that there are indeed many options available to a mother regarding her healthcare and that of her baby, even within a hospital setting.
Thanks to Ellie, throughout the pregnancy and birth, I was well informed and felt heard and empowered every step of the way. The issues that were important to me became important to her. At each prenatal visit, she took the time to hear my many, many concerns and wishes for the delivery, as well as those of my husband. As soon as she learned that I had had post-​partum depression after the birth of my daughter, she respectfully and caringly provided resources including some to address the effects that the depression might have had on our family, something I didn’t realize fully until then. She explained options and provided such accommodations wherever she could. She included our daughter in those pre-​natal visits — the memory of our 4 year old daughter excitedly hearing our son’s heartbeat and her helping «Midwife Ellie» measure my belly will never be forgotten. With each visit with her, my anxieties were quieted and I felt equipped with more resources to help me with my needs.
When the time for delivery came, Ellie was waiting for us in front of the hospital when we drove in at 3AM. She promptly got us into a great delivery room and made sure that the nursing staff was brought up to speed regarding our birth plan. She wiped down the tray table in our hospital room with those ultra cleaning wipes while we were there because she knew that we were self-​declared germaphobes. Ellie was in my room from start to finish, through the contractions, the different coping options — in the shower, in the tub, out of the shower, back in the shower. She was flexible when I changed my original decision for an epidural. Just having the same caretaker there alone felt so wonderfully different from my first experience, let alone one who knew us well and sincerely cared for us. It was very clear to me that Ellie did everything that she could to ensure that our experience matched our birth plan as closely as possible, while always keeping mama and baby safe and healthy and being flexible to any changes of preference we may have had during the delivery. She was kind, more than competent, encouraging, and supportive from start to post delivery. Although my labor and the delivery of our son was physically and emotionally taxing (he was nearly 10 lbs and I am 5′ tall), it was also one of the most empowering and wonderful moments of my life.
I am so glad that when our son was born, the hands that caught him and the face he saw were those of Midwife Ellie with whom we felt all the confidence in the world. After our son was born, I actually really missed our appointments with Ellie. I realized she was not only my caretaker but that she had also become our friend that had guided us through pregnancy to postpartum with the kind of care a friend would provide. The residual effects of her care have left me feeling more positive, more assured of myself as a mama and more empowered with my own health and family. Really, having her deliver our son was such a gift to us.

When I got pregnant, I was seeing a well regarded OBGYN in San Francisco, but in the back of my mind was desiring a provider supportive of holistic pregnancy and natural childbirth in a hospital setting. Ellie was recommended to my husband and me by a close friend and we feel so lucky we connected with her and made the effort to switch to her care.
My pregnancy and labor was fulfilling and incredibly well-​supported thanks to Ellie. She consulted with us by phone and in person and right off the bat we felt her attentiveness and commitment to highly personalized care. My husband and I lived in San Francisco so were hesitant to have a provider in the East Bay considering driving time to appointments and for the birth. Ellie addressed our concerns at length and assured us that together we would mitigate this as an issue. She was flexible in scheduling appointments and was always available to us by phone and email which we found extremely valuable given all the questions that can arise during pregnancy! One example was when she reached out to me on a weekend with test results because she knew I was anxiously awaiting them. Her extra efforts made a big difference and put me at ease throughout my pregnancy.
Ellie encouraged us to hire a doula and connected us with one we loved and can’t imagine our birth without. The doula and Ellie were in constant communication during our birth and worked incredibly well together which took a lot of work and stress off me and also my husband.
We completely trust Ellie and feel she strikes a perfect balance between friend and professional. Ellie consistently helped us weigh the risks and benefits of decisions that needed to be made during my pregnancy — from routine tests to birth plans to pain medications. She provides a holistic approach through her combination of medical reasoning and presentation/​support of alternative approaches. For example, Ellie supported our birth plan for a natural childbirth and when my labor was complicated and the doctor on staff suggested we consider an epidural, Ellie went the extra mile to put together an alternate plan that allowed me to deliver our baby without pain medications. When I was almost two weeks past my due date she reminded me to remain calm and suggested ways to naturally invite childbirth rather than automatically suggesting I be induced. She enabled us to remain as in control as possible during our birth and I always felt my well being and the health of our baby were her top priorities. Overall, Ellie’s energy and commitment to her patients is above and beyond and she made my pregnancy and the birth of our beautiful baby boy a wonderful experience! We are so thankful for her.

Wow, what can I say about Ellie aside from the fact that she is incredible! After more than 30 weeks with one practitioner I realized that the type of birth I wanted to give and where I wanted to give it was not the path I was on. After searching for a midwife and finding Ellie there was an instant click and I knew I wanted her to deliver my child. Hearing her talking and explaining things made me feel like she is reading my mind, I just knew she is the right person for me.
We met only two times (as well as a few phone calls) before my little one decided it was actually time to come out. Ellie met my husband and I at the hospital and I was so happy that we had made the decision to switch. She was supportive, attentive and made me feel that everything was going to be ok. 48 hours later she delivered my first child exactly the way I was hoping it would be, and I couldn’t be happier with the whole process. When kid #2 comes along, I already know where I’ll be going!

My first birth experience left me wary of hospitals and scared of birth in general– I was determined to do things differently with my second. I actually really wanted to have a homebirth but when I first spoke with Ellie on the phone, I knew she was something special. I put my trust in her hands and never looked back. Ellie is a wonderful midwife, everything I could have ever hoped for. Friendly and yet incredibly professional– always on time for appointments and quick to answer any calls, texts, or emails (no matter what time of day!). I looked forward to every appointment simply because I loved spending time with her. I never felt pressured to hurry through check-​ups and there were times when she stayed later simply to calmly answer my numerous freaked-​out hormonal questions.
Ellie is completely in control and I really valued that during my labor and birth. My water broke without contractions, just as it did in my first birth, but Ellie never once mentioned induction. She had complete trust in my body and I cannot tell you how much that helped. When I was in active labor, she had my room all set up in the hospital and knowing that she was in charge helped me focus on my labor instead of freaking out about being the the hospital. When I wanted to push before being completely dilated, she trusted my body and facilitated the natural delivery of my baby boy. She is truly a master of her craft and it is her knowledge and expertise that enabled me to have a birth that left me feeling empowered. My whole family and I think she is a rockstar!

We could not say it any better than the previous reviewers, but we might be able to provide a different perspective. Ellie is simply AWESOME! We are a couple from the Netherlands and therefore had no idea about the US medical system. We wanted our care to be similar to what we would expect in the Netherlands, so that is why we chose a midwife. Since we did not like the idea of a home birth, we searched for a midwife associated to a hospital. This is how and why we chose Ellie.
Our experience with Ellie has been amazing. She was always there for us, she understood and worked with our wishes (and sometimes cultural differences) and it simply felt like she has always been a friend of us. Also, for me it was great that Ellie could provide us with a lot of information (and as a scientist I need a lot) and point us to relevant publications. This helped us to make very informed decisions on how we thought the delivery would have the least risk for our daughter and her mother. Also, it was very reassuring that Ellie was very supportive in these discussions. Not only her knowledge, but also her people skills (motivational, sympathetic, etc.) perfectly matched what we needed. Thanks to Ellie the delivery of our daughter was the best!
The best is yet to come though: After our daughter was born and when she was two weeks old my wife got really sick and had a fever of over 104 °F. We ended in the hospital for almost a week and it was terrifying. Even during this time, Ellie made sure we got the best care. She checked on my wife every day, moreover she explained in layman’s terms what was happening and helped us talk to the experts. I am sure that behind the scenes she did even more for us. Note that at some point the doctor’s concluded that my wife’s medical condition was unrelated to the delivery, so Ellie didn’t had to be involved at all. This, I think, exemplifies how much Ellie cares and that this is more than a job for here. Thanks to Ellie we made it trough this terrifying period.
–Bart & Ilse

I was lucky. I had what I would describe as the perfect birth with my first daughter. I went into spontaneous labor on my due date. Labored at home for many hours before going to a birth center to meet my midwives and without any medical intervention had a beautiful water birth. This experience was transformative and empowering. An experience that I would have given anything to be able to re-​create the second time around. However– we were new to the Bay Area when we found out we were expecting. And this first birth happened in Chicago. As we set out to find a midwife to carry us through our second pregnancy and birth, at first I was excited. I felt like I was in the perfect place to find a provider and a birth space that was the combination of low intervention, personal and compassionate that we were looking for, but also had strong clinical skills and was equip to address medical issues if they arose. However, this search was more difficult than I expected it to be in the Bay Area. And then we met Ellie! From the moment my husband and I met Ellie, we knew we were in incredibly capable, smart and relatable hands.
Ellie’s model of care is everything that healthcare should be. As a nurse practitioner myself, often frustrated by the bureaucracy and inadequacies of healthcare today, I am inspired by her model of care. Our prenatal care was exceptional. It was individualized and caring while also being current and clinically sound. She involved my husband and our three-​year-​old daughter authentically in the visits and got to know our family while also checking in on our growing baby. Ellie was exceptional during my birth as well. She supported my decision to labor at home before coming in and was 100% accessible on the phone during this process. And, seeing Ellie as we pulled up to Alta Bates was just the comfort I needed in the height of labor. She was by my side and believed in my body’s ability to birth my baby, just as much as I did. And when we had a brief moment of concern when my very big baby’s shoulder was stuck for a few moments, my husband says seeing Ellie’s calm and competent face made him know, everything was going to be ok. Ellie advocated for my post-​partum care even before I knew it needed to be advocated for. She helped me plan how to ensure I had the support I needed and checked in many times to ensure our transition was going well.
I am forever grateful for the care that Ellie provided our family. Thanks to Ellie the birth of my second daughter was perfect as well. And this time around, my prenatal and postnatal care took care of me in a way that I did not even know I needed. Working with Ellie was the best decision that we made in this pregnancy and birth.
Thank you, Ellie, so very much!

Ellie is the best. The best. We liked everything about Ellie. Everything.
Ellie’s own knowledge and network of resources she pointed us towards (e.g. birth classes, literature, and references to other unique practitioners that Ellie has integrated into her community) perfectly prepared us for our firstborn’s arrival. Although there will «always be surprises», we felt there were none for us that weren’t already pre-​empted with a discussion or with education that Ellie gave us around all topics of interest or potential concern.
In regards to communication, we felt like there was very quick turn around and we always felt prioritized (quality over quantity). Our specific needs were met every time, and she was very clear as to how to best communicate with her to allow us to really get to know ourselves as future parents and to get to know her as our midwife. She set us up for success and confidence in the birthing process, and everything leading up to it, and will continue to be an asset in our lives as someone we trust whole heartedly to ask ourselves, «What might Ellie suggest?» But we know that, with her trust in us, that we know ourselves as parents better than anyone else. She taught us how to create, grow and nurture that power.
Ellie’s bedside manner was outstanding. She did a good job of advising and being very direct at times when she felt like a particular option was in our best interest, while not being so direct as to take away our feeling of choice. We felt empowered always, not belittled. She got to know us so well as individuals and as a couple, and could really advise according to what she thought would be best suited for how we view the world.
Ellie’s skills and presence during labor and delivery made us incredibly comfortable and confident, and we both felt safe and secure in her care. With Ellie, we felt like we had the benefit working with a midwife who would help us avoid unnecessary medical intervention, alongside the benefit of birthing in a hospital, where we had all our bases covered.
We wish we could give Ellie one million stars instead of just five.

Deciding on a caregiver for our first pregnancy and birth wasn’t a light decision. We initially planned on going with an OB but soon learned that they rotate depending on who was on duty and we weren’t guaranteed to have the same OB for delivery. We were hoping for a more personal experience and wanted to build a relationship with the person delivering our child, so we opted to go with a midwife.
From the moment we first met Ellie, we knew we were in good hands. Her warmth, intelligence, and approachability were exactly what we were hoping to find in a caregiver. On top of all of that, she was one of a handful of midwives with practicing privileges at Alta Bates which was really important to us.
Throughout our prenatal visits, Ellie made us feel so at home. It was refreshing and we looked forward to each meeting! We could talk about anything, we never felt rushed, and Ellie did a great job of keeping us prepared for each step throughout our journey. Between visits, she was always accessible. We could text her a question and she’d get right back to us. We had a direct line to her – no having to go through receptionists. It was the type of responsiveness we would have never received from our old OB. We also really loved the fact that Ellie emphasized partner involvement as a core tenet of her practice. It created a great foundation for our entire pregnancy, labor, and now parenthood.
When we finally went into labor, Ellie was there every step of the way – from the hospital check-​in to our post partum recovery. She was extremely reassuring and comforting, and made us feel informed and secure about every decision we were making. And though she didn’t have to stay with us through the early labor, she did – giving us advice and helping us through all. She gave us room to labor, but had our backs the whole time – communicating with the nurses and keeping us well informed. We ended up having a long and difficult labor full of intense emotions and on her advice gave birth via C-​Section. It wasn’t a decision that any of us made lightly, but Ellie had our best interests at hand the whole time and we completely trusted her.
Despite having to have a c-​section, our birth was a beautiful one because of Ellie. She was 100% invested in us the entire time and we had complete trust in her. The energy, emotion and support from her for the birth of our son was so incredibly moving and powerful that we will forever be touched by that love.
Ellie has been an amazing midwife, friend, and counselor throughout this fantastic journey and we’re so glad to have shared it with her.

When I got pregnant I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted or needed but I quickly realized that I wanted more after only 4 min with an OB including 3 min with the nurse.
When my husband and I met with Ellie, she took a full hour to answer our questions & walked us through what type of care she would provide. She didn’t dismiss my vain concern of gaining weight like the OB, she reassured me on my genetic tests, made me understood the value of getting a doula and was always giving us advices and tips on how to get ready (as much as one can be!). Every prenatal appointment was as long as I needed them to be, and every phone call and email was returned very promptly.
My labor was long, hard, challenging but it was also nothing short of magical and extraordinary. When I had a complete meltdown after 20hrs, she had the right words to keep me going and not doubt myself, when I got to the hospital after 24hrs and being 8cms dilated we all thought «that’s it, baby is coming within the next 2hrs!» Yet after 5 more hours still nothing… I had a lip on my cervix and my baby was sunny side up which kept the baby from coming and nothing seemed to make it better. At that point I was frustrated, annoyed, desperate and again ready to give up asking for a C-​section, vacuum & forceps all at once! Yet Ellie didn’t give up and came up with what sounded like the weirdest idea of tilting the bed so that my head was lower than my legs… and it worked, within ½hrs I was holding the most precious baby on earth 7lbs12oz, 21 inches and an no perineum tear, that’s what you get when you choose Ellie.

Midwife Ellie is simply exceptional. She is not only extraordinarily knowledgeable about all things childbirth related, but combines this with a knack for clear and direct explanation while at the same time being super empathetic and compassionate. She also loves what she does and is truly passionate about doing everything both before, during, and after birth to ensure that her clients have the safest, most positive birthing experience possible.
We first met with midwife Ellie when my wife was 30 weeks pregnant, as up until this point we had been meeting with a group of OB/​GYNs and only found out that there are midwives that do hospital births at around 30 wks. Switching from an OB/​GYN to Ellie was like night and day. The OB/​GYNs were rushed, our appointments weren’t all with the same doc, and they generally didn’t know us well. From day one, Ellie started establishing a truly personal relationship with us and helping us to understand how to set ourselves up for the best birth possible – educating us on the advantages of laboring from home, peri prep to reduce tearing, etc. She was also always reachable, which we really appreciated. This is all possible because Ellie only takes a limited number of clients per month to ensure that they get the personal attention they need. It also means that unlike docs who generally have multiple births at the same time that they are managing, with Ellie she sets up her schedule so that she only has one client at a time in labor so that she can be there in the room the entire time.
My wife had a painful 21 hour back labor, but thanks to Ellie (as well as our Doula Sarah Hamilton – also exceptional) we spent the first 15 hrs at home even though it was slow going and very painful. If it wasn’t for Ellie/Sarah’s excellent advice, and what we learned in our Loving Arms birth class, we would have been at the hospital far sooner and I think my wife likely would have been given petocin due to failure to progress. But instead, my wife did a lot of the labor at home so when we reached the hospital she was 5 cm. Ellie lives 10 – 15 mins from the hospital so she was there before us and scrubbed in, and since my wife was active we were able to be admitted directly and avoid the frustration of Triage. While my wife was laboring in the hospital, Ellie was really engaged and on top of it – both from a clinical standpoint (fetal monitor, etc) as well as providing support to me & my wife about how well she was doing and suggesting different positions to labor in. Despite having an incredible painful back labor, my wife had an all natural birth – no IVs, no epidural, no pain meds – both a testament to her strength as well as to Ellie and our Doula Sarah who were so solid all the way through. When the pain was super intense and my wife was considering an epidural or fentanol, Ellie did a great job of walking us through the pros/​cons, giving her recommendation (that my wife stick it out b/​c she was close to pushing) but not being at all doctrinaire or judgemental about it and totally leaving it up to us. She also was thinking creatively about how to speed up the labor which led her to bursting the amniotic fluid sac since it was between the baby’s head and cervix and slowing things down – something she was able to feel with her fingers. And then after a short while more of transition and 30 minutes of pushing Ellie delivered our totally perfect little girl. Being there for the birth was the most incredible experience of my life.
Ellie visited each day we were in the hospital after the birth and gave us great advice on lactation, emotional support on how to manage visitors/​family, etc.
Overall, I cannot say enough positive things about midwife Ellie and how fortunate we were to be able to work with her!

Instinct told me Ellie was the right choice for our growing family after just a few phone conversations with her, and we are so thankful! She provides a beautiful balance of western medicine, traditional midwifery and loving friend. The midwife we used for our first child left so much to be desired (to put it nicely). Although we had a disappointing first experience with that midwife we still felt strongly about the benefits of the practice and Ellie helped us to work through our fears/​anger and assured us that this time would be different. She has shown us what a truly competent midwife can be and fully restored our faith in midwifery.
All of our appointments and prep went very smoothly. We always felt allowed to be open with Ellie throughout the pregnancy and that she was truly present in our interactions. That said, where Ellie really shines is at showtime. She had encouraged us to find a student doula, labor at home for as long as possible, and when the time came she was waiting at the hospital door. She took command of my labor from the very beginning, directing the nursing staff, telling me what to pay attention to and what to ignore in hospital protocol, gently guiding me to keep labor progressing, and using my doula to assist me physically so that my husband could remain present emotionally. This meant the world to my husband especially, he was honored as an important part of the process. We knew our baby boy was big, so Ellie took every precaution to be prepared while remaining supportive and confident that we could have the natural birth we wanted. Together we brought a 9 lb 14 ounce little man into the world!
Ellie’s attention to my recovery and «de-​briefing» about the experience with us was also exceptional. This provided a chance to ease into a healthy post birthing emotional state. So important.
She is an excellent option for mothers that have had a tough pregnancy or delivery previously, as she takes every needed precaution without being an alarmist and continuously communicates with her colleagues to make certain the best outcome is achieved.
We have the highest regard for Ellie and her work.

With Ellie I had the pregnancy and birth I wish every mother could experience, every time. She was the supporting anchor on our little birth team, our advocate, and our friend. She empowered my husband and I to put our wishes and comfort first. With Ellie’s help I felt prepared, confident, and capable through my delivery, and for that I am forever grateful.
We transferred to Ellie when I was 26 weeks along with our first baby. We were new to the East Bay and a mid-​labor trek across the bridge to UCSF was not an adventure I was keen on taking. (As it would turn out, my labor escalated crazy quickly – one of many reasons this was a VERY good decision.)
In looking for a provider I’d hoped to find the care of a midwife with the security of a hospital. What I found with Ellie was that and SO much more.
We looked forward to every appointment – not just because we got to hear our little guy’s heartbeat, but because we thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together. We’d come with questions, as you do, and always felt like we were simply catching up since last time and never rushed.
Ellie is relatable, smart, and current. Her perspective is a mix of her hands-​on experience, the latest information, and her nurturing intuition. Throughout my pregnancy, and postpartum too, Ellie was just a text or phone call away. She put me at ease with every «is this normal?» and «is it okay if???“question, even at 10pm.
With young kids of her own, I often found comfort in the idea that Ellie had been «in my shoes» not long ago. Her pregnancies and caring for her own little ones are still very top of mind – something that also comes in handy when chatting about local services, all things kids, or when you need a lactation specialist pronto postpartum day 3.
As ready as I was, labor and birth are unfathomable until you’re in it. Seeing Ellie’s face as we pulled up to Alta Bates bright and early that Saturday morning was one of the most reassuring moments I’ve ever encountered. As my midwife, she was a partner and collaborator on the most life-​changing day of my life and I’m honored to have had her by my side.

Ellie gave me a gift. She enabled me to participate in the childbirth, rather than try to manage it. I had such a greater sense of calm about the entire pregnancy, knowing that Ellie was going to be there with us every step as our advocate.
She’s an amazing midwife, a top-​notch medical provider and an authentic person. For me though, Ellie was our guardian. She made it possible for my wife and I to enjoy each step of the journey together.
Ellie works hard to create a trusting relationship. She’s great about spending time chatting, listening to crazy what-​ifs and discussing how we’d handle any particular situation as a team. Every time we met, I felt like we were her only patient.
I couldn’t imagine going through the experience again without Ellie by our side from day one.

Ellie is simply the best. I feel beyond lucky to have her by our side as we head down this whole path to parenthood. She is so much more than a care provider, she has proven to be a friend and an incredible advocate. This is our first baby and as generally comes with that, we’ve had plenty of questions, fears, and hopes for how this will all unfold. She has been so accessible throughout, truly hearing us, helping us to understand our options and reassuring us that we have someone who will do everything in her power to help us have the best birth for us and our little one.
The best example of her work would be helping us navigate our low lying placenta issue which was picked up on our 20 week ultrasound. We went back at 30 weeks and 34 weeks without it moving enough to eliminate the need for a cesarean. Ellie absolutely advocated for us, and educated on us on all of our options. As a result of her efforts, we chose to have one more ultrasound at 38 weeks — which showed we were clear for a natural birth! She gave us the space to understand our options, without pressure, but plenty of support for what was right for us and our baby. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this lovely midwife. The Bay area is lucky to have her!

Lindy and Ellie helped bring our beautiful son into the world just a few days ago. This baby was posterior, had his head tilted to the side, was almost ten pounds, and took 36 hours of labor — many other practitioners would have c-​sectioned my wife, but instead, Lindy and Ellie helped us achieve the natural childbirth we wanted, making this an empowering, transformative moment for our family and setting my wife up for a speedy recovery. If you are pregnant or know someone who is, the greatest gift you can give yourself or a friend is to consider this team. It’s a wonderful entry into parenthood to work with Lindy and Ellie.