Full Circle Women’s Health

Excellent staff, excellent facilities. Staff are friendly, professional, knowledgeable, caring. Works with Phelps Memorial in Tarrytown /​Sleepy Hollow, NY. Both my children were born, assisted with the midwives.

The midwives at full circle are so great. Very personal, knowledgable, and professional. My first pregnancy was supposed to be a home birth but I ended up at the hospital with the full circle midwives (my water broke early and they were my back up plan). Ended up sticking with them for the second pregnancy. Never had a bad experience with any of the four midwives. Michelle delivered my son and was very gentle about offering pitocin late in labor. I never felt pressured into any medical procedures. Their billing department and the rest of their staff are super helpful and I love the yoga instructor at full circle as well.

After almost 27 weeks of being at an ob/​gyn practice that just didn’t feel right to us, we made the choice to switch to Full Circle. It was the best decision we made. We went from feeling like a gerbil on a wheel at the ob/gyn’s office, just going through the medical motions with no say in the process, to feeling like human beings with a voice and a choice in the birth of our first child. Every midwife we met was honest and trusting making us feel heard and safe. We ended up having the birth that we wanted and it was a natural process rather than a medical one. The resources we received through Full Circle are limitless. Delivering at Phelps Memorial Hospital was like a breath of fresh air. Every person that we encountered was courteous and curious about our needs. It wasn’t the typical «flashy-​huge– updated» hospital like the others in the area, but we were more interested in quality of service and one that was the most baby friendly. I’ll take that any day over any other hospital. It gave our baby and our family exactly what we needed and the rooms were private. No sharing of rooms, no chaos, just very peaceful. Highly recommended for any mother who would like to have an amazing birth experience. We will definitely be going back to Full Circle with our next child.

I delivered my second son at Phelps Memorial Hospital with Michelle, one of the midwives here. She and her student were amazing! They were so patient, calm, reassuring, and encouraging throughout my labor. Her and her student coached me how and when to push so I didn’t tear at all! They were also very proactive in perineal massage and warm compresses, as well as getting me to change positions to help me cope with the contractions. After delivery, my husband commented that he liked the midwives much better than the OB who delivered my first son. The OB didn’t offend us in any way, but he always seemed rushed when coming into the room, didn’t spend much time with us until my son was crowning, and didn’t coach me through pushing at all. My husband pointed out that the midwife was much more present and not rushed at all. To have my husband say this without any prompting really shows how big of a difference it made to have a midwife versus an OB! And I completely agree with him. If I were staying in the area, I would deliver my future children with this group without hesitation. The other midwives I met at the practice seemed fantastic, as well. They always took time to answer my questions and talk me through things during office visits. And Regina, the lactation consultant, is fantastic. She spent over an hour with me when I saw her just days after delivery. She promptly noticed my son’s tongue tie and recommended me to a great ENT in Manhattan to have his frenulectomy. I can’t say enough good things about Full Circle!

I did a lot of research on hospitals before trying for my first baby and decided Phelps was the one for me. I loved how much encouragement of mother/​baby bonding they gave straight from delivery, how much breastfeeding support there was and the beautiful labor and delivery/​recovery rooms were just a bonus (whirlpool tubs in most of the L and D rooms!) So naturally my next step was to find a midwifery who delivered at Phelps since I wanted the most natural prenatal care I could get. I read some of the reviews on Unilocal for FC and honestly was on the fence but decided to give them a try. At my «meet the midwife» appointment I met with Michelle who asked me why I chose a midwifery. I explained why but did emphasise that I did not want to deliver with out an epidural. Michelle explained that everyone would work to make sure my delivery would go exactly how I wanted it to. My next appointment was with Robin who was very thorough in getting myself and my husband’s medical history and also talked to us about the importance of mental and emotional health. She explained that certain feelings we may have throughout the next nine months were normal and made sure we had good ways to cope to keep our relationship strong. From then on I met with all the midwives at full circle including Bevin, Jen and Kristen. Each one amazing. As a person who suffers from anxiety, especially in medical settings, I never once felt anxious or uncomfortable with anyone. I had everyone of my questions answered at every appointment no matter how long it took and everyone always had a smile on their face, including the nurses Ashley and Judy who always took the time to chat with me about life while taking my bp or when I had to have blood drawn. I do believe Judy even shed a tear with me and my husband when she revealed to us that we were having a boy. My delivery was with Jen and Robin and true to what Michelle said it went exactly the way I wanted to. I got my epidural the moment I asked and before that Michelle made sure I was as comfortable as possible (I had a long labor. Michelle was with me for the first half, Jen for the second.) I was completely calm (and so was my husband) and focused from the first push to the last and it was all because of them. After I left the hospital I met with Regina, Full Circle’s lactation consultant, who quickly diagnosed my son with a toung tie, told me exactly where to go to get it snipped and had us successfully breast feeding by our next appointment. I just can’t say enough good things about everyone there who helped me along my journey. They made what could be a very scary experience (especially when its your first pregnancy) a very happy and comfortable one and I am truly grateful to each one of them. I know this was a long review but I could just go on and on. Thank you Full Circle!

I switched over to Full Circle at 20 weeks because I wanted a natural birth and it was the best decision I made. The midwives, Robin and Michelle, really took their time with me at every visit. I never felt rushed or ashamed to ask any questions. They are very knowledgeable and caring people. The whole staff always greeted me by my first name. I love that it’s a full service office. I was able to see the midwives, take prenatal yoga with Beth, get my prenatal massages with Suzu, do acupuncture, see the lactation consultant, Regina and take all of my birthing classes at one place.
Robin delivered my baby 2 months ago at Phelps. She really helped guide me through my labor. At one point I was so weak and tired and asked for drugs and Robin suggested that I get in the tub instead. She knew I wanted a natural birth and because of her coaching, I had a drug free birth! I’m sure other hospitals/​Doctors would order you the epidural the minute you ask, but not the midwives. The team of nurses at Phelps were also amazing. I had an amazing birth experience and I have the midwives and Phelps to thank for that! Regina, the lactation consultant calls you at home to make sure your breastfeeding is working out the following week after birth. I am so happy with my care that I am going to continue using them for my annual visits. I would 100% use Full Circle for my next child. I am thankful to live so close to such a wonderful place!

I just had my first baby with Full Circle, delivered by Robin. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with them. I switched from my Manhattan-​based OB practice in my 35^th week (very scary move) to make the trek to Westchester all the way from Brooklyn to be with a practice who genuinely supported a natural birth. By far one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I will be continuing to make the trek for my regular gynecological care as well; once I’ve gotten a taste of what kind of medical care I can have, I don’t ever want to go back to anything else.
From day one, every person in the practice (billing, reception, nurses, etc) all were briefed on my transfer and effortlessly took the transfer off my hands («you have enough to think about these days») so that it was a painless, seamless transition. The office itself is clean, modern and calm so you feel like you’re more in a spa than a medical facility. Everyone greeted me by name as if I had been there for my entire pregnancy. I met with all of the midwives, and they are each so thoughtful and attentive, genuinely taking time with you and making true efforts to get to know you. The style of care is extremely professional, while still feeling warm and nurturing. No more 6 minute visits like I had with my OB, these midwives took their time with me every single appointment. Robin even came to introduce herself while I was waiting for an acupuncture appointment just because she heard I was there and wanted to get to know me.
My birth was the most incredible experience of my life, and I have Robin and Phelps to thank for that. I initially went in with a less than ideal prognosis, but Robin patiently walked me through the options and stayed with me the entire time. Unlike a traditional OB who pops in and out of your labor room, Robin was there stroking my arm, saying all the right things to help me get through the pain. She played the role of midwife, doula, mother, friend… She has a nurturing air about her, while still being extremely professional and confident. She «tells it like it is,» and the value of her honesty and candor during this experience is not to be underestimated. It is clear Robin has delivered thousands of babies, allowing you to easily surrender to the experience of your labor because you know you are in the best of hands. I can genuinely say I had an AMAZING birth experience, and while it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I loved it because it was real, it was raw and I was surrounded by an incredibly caring and respectful birth team (nurses at Phelps included — they are incredible!).
Full Circle takes the concept of «holistic» to a new level. Yes, they have acupuncturists, massage therapists, lactation counselors, yoga, etc all in one facility, (amazing!) but that is only a small piece of it. Having your child with Full Circle (especially your first), is like having your hand held throughout this incredibly vulnerable life stage. The midwives talk about your health, but they also talk about your personal life — what kind of support system do you have in place for after the baby is born? Are you getting out of the house with your new baby? After the birth, Robin took time to explain not only what I can expect to see with my body and with the baby, but also what to expect emotionally in the coming weeks, and how it might affect my relationship with my partner. Rather than just leave you on your own for 6 weeks post-​partum, they see you one week later as well. A lactation consultant calls you to make sure you’re doing okay. I learned more about my baby from Robin in one post-​partum visit than I have in 6 visits to my pediatrician. You could not possibly feel alone or lost during this time if you’re a patient at Full Circle.
Basically, Full Circle thinks about every single detail, and it shows. I want to have all of my children with them, and only wish that my other medical care providers gave me half of what they offer. Now I’m on a hunt for a new pediatrician because I now have new standards for my medical care :)

I love the midwives at Full Circle. I wouldn’t have my babies anywhere else after experiencing the balance of holistic and conventional medical care at their practice and at Phelps. They’ve handled my complicated pregnancies with total competence. I highly recommend them.

I switched to Full Circle in my second trimester because I really wanted to pursue a natural birth, and Phelps Memorial Hospital and Full Circle Midwives seemed to be the best way to go here in Westchester if you look at stats. I also had a horrible experience at the practice I was at before Full Circle so I was beyond happy with the personalized and holistic care I got here. My appts were always on time and never rushed, and the hours extended beyond the traditional 9 – 5, so it really worked well with my schedule. The midwives really supported my goal of vaginal and med-​free birth and gave me the tools I needed. All of my exams were thoroughly explained to me and also posted on a great portal site where I can review results also, see upcoming appts, billing, etc. Besides all the prenatal care and exams, they also worked with me on nutrition plan, the practice has yoga classes available, breastfeeding classes, etc etc. Overall, it was a very positive experience for me. I gave birth to our baby girl last week and I am so happy to say with all the tools made available to me, I was able to deliver naturally as I had desired and it was the best experience I could have hoped for. Very thankful that Full Circle exists to make pregnancy and birth an enriching experience! I would definitely come here again without a doubt for my next pregnancy.

RUN!!! This organization is horrible. The midwives are completely incompetent. They maintain a façade of being more caring than traditional OBs and hospital protocol, but they are not. I was being scared into a C-​section at 38 weeks. We left the practice and after getting all my medical records reviewed and physically examined by 3 others (an OB, an RN, and a midwife), all concluded induction and C-​section was completely unnecessary. Then we went to their home birth practice hoping the finances and medical records under the same roof would make for a smooth transition. After signing all the paperwork (and they increased the fee on us after we signed), buying all the supplies, following every instruction and meeting every request, being led to believe we were moving forward, their home birth midwife bailed out on us THE NIGHT BEFORE MY DUE DATE.
Fortunately, we found a new midwife in NJ with a doctorate and 37+ years of experience. She, along with another OB and another home birth midwife from NYC, confirmed that I have no complications to be concerned about. In fact, an OB — chosen by this practice at FC — told us the home birth midwife is «paranoid» and «neurotic.»
This is not a holistic practice. All of the services offered there are completely separate businesses that only use «Full Circle» for billing purposes. The practitioners do not work together or support each other. One of the two main midwives doesn’t even know how to use their own ultrasound equipment. The other one constantly referred to my baby as a «brat.» They don’t follow up and are overbooked taking on too many clients to call you, though they seem to have no problem contacting you for payment (if you have out-​of-​network coverage, you have to pay their fees upfront whereas other practitioners deal directly with your insurance and do not charge you thousands of dollars.) And no problem contacting me to get the birthing tub we rented returned to them for another client right after dropping us while I’m in early labor. When we tried reaching them to get reimbursed for their last minute cancellation, we were told the owner was on vacation for a week as we are scrambling trying to find a new practitioner. After thousands of dollars lost, so much time and energy spent arranging for our home birth, purchasing and renting their supplies, and more phone calls, demands, and a tremendous amount of upset, they finally called back but the owner still needs to think about our reimbursement.
In the meantime, while I’m in early labor without any resolution regarding our money they have all tied up, they continue contacting me asking for their birthing tub back for another client and asking for my husband’s contact information, which they’ve had from the very beginning. Full Circle Family Care? Women’s Health? They seem to care very little about the well being of a pregnant woman and her family than they do about making as much money as possible at the risk of her physical and emotional health. Since our experience with them, I’ve discovered that I am not the only one who is amazed and concerned that they are still in business. Word around town will eventually catch up with them if it hasn’t already. Don’t be fooled by how nice they seem. Nice doesn’t replace competence especially when you and your baby’s health and lives are at stake.

I’ve decided super late in my first pregnancy to switch to midwife care and I am glad Full Circle accommodated me. On my second pregnancy I had no doubt I wanted the same amazing care. Billing helped with insurance (to get out of network exemption). Midwives listened and patiently answered my questions and concerns. I felt cared for and not just a number in their list of clients. When reached the answering service, all my calls were returned right away. Ladies at front desk are nice and helpful. Nurses are kind and kept me updated with blood work results. Full Circle not only have midwives but also a lactation consultant, yoga instructor, support groups, etc. I’m very pleased I was cared for by the midwives at Full Circle and highly recommend them!