Santa Clarita Birth Center

I can’t even begin to describe the magic that is the SCV birth center. I remember I had called a few birth centers and made my appointments to visit each. I was dead set on a natural earth mama water birth. And once my mind is set that’s pretty much it. I visit one in the valley that I was not impressed with. The SCV birth center was my second visit. Automatically I looooooved Renee’s energy and I was sold. The rooms were gorgeous, the vibes were all positive, and everything about it was everything j had imagined. From the moment I signed on I had my set monthly appointments with Renee and Sara. They were incredibly helpful and supportive in my prenatal journey. They listened to all my concerns and Felt extremely comfortable with both of them. After I couple of months it felt like a family and I was visiting a second home.
When it came down to the birth it was absolutely amazing. Sara and Renee both attended and I realized I can never picture anyone else catching my future babies. They read me and knew what I needed throughout the process. Sara helped my husband catch my baby, she stayed close to the tub in case I needed anything and Renee (in her ninja like ways) came behind me on the tub and started rubbing my back when it was getting difficult. I could say so much more about the birth but in a nutshell it was perfect.
I came to the birth center every week for 6 weeks after. They helped me through the difficulty of breastfeeding, my changing hormones and just helping me every step of the way into new mommyhood. They were always available to talk and to answer any questions (which obviously I had many). My final 6 week appointment it took a lot for me not to cry because I had grown so accustomed to seeing my two favorite midwives. Their smiles, their personalities, the silliness, etc.
I’ve written many Unilocal reviews but this is by far the most important one because I believe in this place with all my heart. And I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone :). I pretty much can’t wait to have another baby to start the process over again.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the midwives at the Santa Clarita Birth Center. Rene, Sarah and Cindy were amazing not only the night I had my little one but all the days leading up and following the birth of my daughter.
Some backstory: My first child was born in a hospital. There were TONS of interventions and as such there were many complications I had to deal with. My labor was VERY long (over 38 hours) and I had a horrible reaction to the epidural. It just was not ideal. So when I got pregnant with my second child I had a strong desire to looking into a more natural way of doing things. I was about 60% sold on a home or birth center birth when I walked through the doors of the Santa Clarita Birth Center for my initial consultation/​meeting with Rene. After chatting with Rene for nearly an hour about natural birth, my history, my concerns, her vast experience and just life in general, I was 100% ready to do this the old school way.
The experience I had with SCV Birth center was by far the most amazing experience and so different that before. They give you an hour for your appointments and make sure all your questions are answered, unlike at the doc office I went to before where I felt rushed or they didn’t seem to want to hear my questions or concerns. The ladies were so kind and welcoming that it is little wonder why so many mommas come back to the center for visits and to say hello. These midwives really become friends, and you LOVE to stop in and show off your little one or just say hi and chat. They are always warm and welcoming and super helpful.
Jump to my labor: Although I was very fortunate to only have to labor for 4 hours (something I credit the lack of interventions) I am not going to lie, it hurt. More than anything I have ever experienced. However, Rene, Sarah and Cindy where there with me every step of the way. Every time I said I just couldn’t do it Rene was right there saying I could. She was a rock and I could not have done it so smoothly without her. The experience of being to immediately hold my baby girl after giving birth and cuddling with her for an hour or so without anyone taking her from me was amazing. And because I was not all druged up like before, the experience of meeting my little one for the first time was totally different. I was so there in the moment. It was amazing.
The after care I received from the ladies at Santa Clarita Birth Center was also top notch. They were with me all the way through some breastfeeding issues, and all my post birth check ups and appointments. Rene is also a lactation consultant so she was able to immediately identify some tongue tie issue and help us get them resolved. She also helped me establish great breastfeeding habits. I really did not have that kind of support with my first so it was so refreshing to have it here.
As you can see, I can go on and on about how much I LOVED my experience with these ladies. If you are even slightly considering a natural birth I would encourage you to go talk to Rene. She is amazing. Her staff is amazing. The whole process is amazing and you will totally see it was all worth it when you can hold your little one for the first time totally clear minded and in the calming environment you choose.
Do it. Call them. I am so glad I did. These women are the most caring and smart ladies around. I would not trust my birth experience to anyone else had I to do over.
In short they were and continue to be amazing.

I’ve had two out of three of my babies here. And it was such an amazing experience. Renee and her staff really care and take care of you. After going here I’d never go to a hospital for a birth again. I love midwives! Thank you so much for keeping me and my babies safe!

I don’t have words for how wonderful my birth with Renee was. It simply could not have been better. Unlike traditional OB care, midwives like Renee spend about an hour at each prenatal appointment really getting to know their clients.
Renee was very warm and knowledgable and walked me through each stage of my pregnancy and prepared me for a natural birth. My 2 young boys loved playing with all the toys and were an active part of all my prenatal visits. My husband also came to visits when he could. It was really a full-​family affair.
Renee gave me her cell phone number so I could call her in case of emergencies and when I went into labor. During labor she massaged my back and did exactly what I needed her to do – just leave me alone! She was calm and composed yet in control of the whole birth situation. She let me catch my baby which was an amazing experience! After the birth we ordered a ton of sushi!
It was so amazing to be home and sleep in my own bed! I hated giving birth in hospitals and being stuck in their uncomfortable beds and yucky food. Renee came to my home a few days later to check on me and baby and ensure nursing was going well. What’s more, if cost LESS than my hospital births! I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Renee and the birth center. If you’re pregnant and want maternity care that goes above and beyond, give her a call!

Finding a maternity care provider for your journey to motherhood is of the utmost importance. «Women caring for women» should be a motto for the SCV Birth Center. Renee, Sarah, Angie, and Kat make you feel important, firstly because you are. Of course the health of the baby during pregnancy is the most important but having women in your corner who can understand and listen to your concerns helps as well.
I chose the birth center because of the relationships I forged with Renee and Sarah. During prenatal visits it wasn’t the hurried visit you come to expect from standard OBG care but we (my significant other and I) often spent more than an hour or so discussing issues of concern or just easing my first time mommy mind. They also treat the partners of the pregnant women with respect and listen to them as well.
The center is warm and inviting and the birth rooms are lovely. You can feel the love emitting from each room and know that intense and powerful work has been done in each room to bring sweet little squishes earth side.
My birth at the center was/​is the most important day of my life. The support and love I had in the room impacted my birth in the best possible way. Renee and Sarah both helped me (along with my doula, my mother and my sons father) to help me achieve my goal of the birth I wanted. When I felt I was faltering and couldn’t push anymore or work anymore, I looked at Renee and told her tiredly «I don’t think I can do this anymore.» To which she calmly replied «Of course you can.» A few last pushes and my beautiful son Killian Noah was placed on my chest. I have made new friends who I can rely on even after birth. The care and love they give you during care continues after birth as well. Always a phone call away they genuinely care about their clients.
The center also offers wonderful classes and mommy group meetings. Which every mommy benefits from, having others who are experiencing the same things they are.
Choose the birth center and you will have the support that each woman needs and deserves during pregnancy and beyond.
We love you guys so so so MUCH!

I was so blessed to stumble across the birth center early in my search for a midwife. Although we are trying to get the cost reimbursed through insurance, if it doesn’t happen, it was well worth the cost.
From the initial appointment, all the women were (and still are) SO welcoming and knowledgeable. Angie first took my initial appointment for an interview and had me laughing within seconds. Upon meeting Renee, she came off as this strong, confident woman who both my husband and I instantly trusted. We were lost in questions to ask, but she intuitively covered things we forgot such as transferring and safety concerns. She also asked if we were Christian (we are) before delving into how God designed the body and birth to work perfectly together. We both appreciated this point of view.
Throughout my pregnancy, we were support by Renee, Sara, and Kat — all of which educated me on what my body was doing and what to expect. I didn’t get this treatment with an OB/​GYN. My previous doctor was so ready to prescribe me medications to mask symptoms instead of teaching me how my body was reacting to pregnancy and how small changes in diet could make a huge difference. The midwives also provided us with peer-​reviewed articles on common pregnancy and birth concerns and allowed us to make our own decisions. I love that! At a doctor’s office, I felt I was just another mom that would follow whatever the hospital protocol was without being informed on why anything was being done.
We also participated in a childbirth class with Allison, who was remarkable — knowledgeable, encouraging, and open-​minded to all the different lifestyles and parenting beliefs of the people that attended the class. She made my husband and I both feel comfortable with all the possible outcomes of our birth.
We had originally opted for giving birth at the birth center, but our baby decided to make his appearance at home. Renee was by my side in 15 minutes, completely prepared, and delivered our baby at home. Completely unexpected, yet she handled our situation with such confidence. My husband and I have raved about our experience, though not our original expectation, still a beautiful birth story we will be able to share with our son, friends, and family members for years to come.
Even after the baby was born, the support continued. New mommy concerns and such. She set up an impromptu group of new moms for us to get together and talk about how our new motherhood was treating us. There’s definitely a sense of support and community throughout the entire birth process.

We have a beautiful, healthy baby, and when you are an expecting parent, it is all you ever want. Like most expecting parents we had a choice, go through the «normal» routine of the hospital or doing a natural birth at home or birth center. As first time parents you have so much going on in your head as what is the right decision for your baby. SVC birth center was the best and only choice we made and will make when we plan on having another child. There is so much support, love, and great information. They made us feel like a person and put our faith back into natural birth as the real «normal» routine. The classes, community, and activities to help soon to be mothers was gold. The dulas and assisting mid wife’s were are nothing but angels. The biggest angel of them all is honest, respectable, very knowledgeable, and trustworthy. Those are just a few words to describe Renee. She is nothing short of amazing and we trust her more than ever. We had so many questions and we got nothing but facts from her to help. She help give us guidance through out the pregnancy, during labor, and even after, we are forever grateful.

I delivered both of my babies with the loving and wise guidance of the midwives at SCV Birth Center. I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. Renee and Sara are evidence based-​I really appreciated that their advice and support is rooted in science and evidence as well as experience and compassion. I loved my full hour during prenatal appointments and felt this really prepared me for a healthy and informed birth as well as motherhood. I had my first baby at the birth center and my second at home. Both were fantastic options. I also really like that Renee and Sara are trained ibclcs-​the breastfeeding support and postpartum support have been wonderful-​being able to be seen for both me and baby have really helped me heal. Lastly-​I love the community at the birth center. The classes, free support groups, and welcoming group of women helped me to be the mother I am today. I highly highly recommend. You won’t find a midwife who is more experienced or more loving in the area.

There is no one I would trust to help me through the most important moment of my life… giving birth to my child… than Renee. Sorry babe… I promise our wedding day was amazing too. Renee helped me deliver both of my children and if I can talk my husband off the «2 child bandwagon» (wish me luck) she will deliver the third!
After watching «The Business of Being Born» and deciding against the hospital birth I always dreamed, I mean thought was my only option, I would have… my husband I immediately began interviewing with midwives. We had some meetings but after sitting with Renee for an hour… yes she gives you an hour just to talk to you even though you aren’t her client yet… we walked away and immediately agreed she was the one.
Why is she the one?
I’ve said it before but she is like having your closest, most trusted friend by your side who just happens to know how to deliver a baby. She gives such wonderful attention to her clients, is warm and caring, incredibly knowledgable, has an absolutely beautiful facility to deliver in (you must see it!), is passionate about her work and is just one of those people you know has the heart for what she does. She gives you confidence in your ability to birth naturally and helps you through every step of the way making sure she is paying attention to what is best for you throughout your pregnancy and birth. Throughout every stage of the process she makes you feel empowered about your birth and ability to make good decisions for yourself and your child. Also — her assistants and staff are so incredibly sweet and wonderful to communicate with.
So, now that you have read this… you have to birth Renee.
Just kidding. But in all sincerity, if you are looking for an incredible woman who is also a midwife, call her and make an appointment to visit with her and see SCV Birth Center. It is such an important decision who you are going to have by your side as you bring your little one into this world… the most important really… and I am so glad for me, that wonderful person was Renee.
Thank you, Renee!

We had all three of our babies with Renee and her team and loved the entire experience. The care was so far better than the care I received from my doctors visits on the first half of my first pregnancy. Renee is knowledgeable, confident and genuinely caring. She focused on getting me in the best possible health for my deliveries and she did just that! My deliveries went very well and were precious memories that I will always cherish. My husband and I would highly recommend her practice.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience with the SCV Birth Center. We were very impressed with Renee and her extensive knowledge about pregnancy and the birthing process. We appreciated that she didn’t subscribe to hearsay, stayed current on scientific studies, and would often remark «the evidence doesn’t support that,» to remedies we read online (big surprise, lol).
Renee is very straightforward by nature, but knowing my sensitive personality, she made a point to be very gentle towards me and (always) emotionally supportive.
My husband and I appreciated how much Renee involved my husband in the pregnancy, acknowledged his experience as an expectant father, and validated his feelings as well as mine.
Renee was a wellspring of knowledge and support during and after the pregnancy. She or Chemin would respond to calls and texts at anytime of day or night. Renee even came into the birth center one Sunday night to do an ultrasound for me when I was concerned about the baby’s movement. I highly recommend Renee if you are in search of a midwife.
Thanks, Renee!
Alex, Casey, and Jorah
I should also mention that in addition to all of this, Chemin helped me train my dog before Jorah was born so now my dog actually responds to my commands to «leave it» and «go lie down,» which has been invaluable now that baby is here.

Renee and Chemin are amazing! I am so glad we decided to have our second baby at SCV Birth Center! We have an HMO and had to pay out of pocket but it was soo worth it! The level of care surpasses any OB doctor by far. Renee is very knowledgable and shared a lot of her wisdom, not only about baby, but nutrition and health. We had a great experience.
I had a hospital birth with our first son and the difference in labor, delivery and recovery was so different. I would highly recommend the birth center over a hospital.
Thank you Renee and Chemin for everything!

I can not say enough good things about the SCV birth center! After figuring out that my husband and I really wanted a natural birth, I suggested that we try the SCV birth center. I had a friend that had given birth there and loved it, and it seemed like the ideal place to have our firstborn son — beautiful, friendly, personal, and respectful of women and babies. He was a little hesitant, and wanted to birth in a hospital at first, so I set about researching the best way to have a natural hospital birth.
To get a recommendation for an OB, I reached out to Renee, who was incredibly helpful and so sweet! She gave me lots of great advice and referred me to a great OB and hospital for natural birth even though I wasn’t her patient. I longed to have her as our midwife but was convinced I just wouldn’t be able to. BUT (luckily) as my pregnancy continued my husband suggested we meet with Renee to see if that was a good option for us! I was ecstatic, since I had not been looking forward to the interventions that a hospital setting usually leads to. We met with Renee and immediately felt at home, in trusted hands and we knew that we wouldn’t want to give birth anywhere else! She has such an amazing passion for birth and for moms, and she is very knowledgeable and helpful, yet also able to help you make your own decisions for your own birth.
I am almost 39 weeks along now and thanks to her care, I have never been in better health thanks to her care. Now I really look forward to each and every appointment, (even my glucose screening was enjoyable — including walking in the park and an aromatherapy class that was scheduled for that day). She gives great and personalized healthcare advice, and takes time to build a great relationship with me and my husband. Every question we have about safety has a backup plan, experience and medical research to reassure us that we are in the safest place you an be as a low risk birth.
I am really looking forward to our birthing day which is such a blessing instead of dreading being checked into a hospital. And also looking forward to her weekly baby group classes, mommy classes, Facebook page support, and lactation consultant expertise. I already feel like I have met and gotten to know a group of moms in the area, and feel so supported and cared for in preparation for our baby boy! If you are at all considering a natural birth, please call the SCV birth center, I know you will be so glad you did!

Renee is absolutely amazing. If you’re looking for a natural birth setting, you absolutely won’t regret choosing her as your midwife. I could go on and on about how great she is.
She takes an hour for each appointment, so there is plenty of time to answer all of your questions. She is great emotional support and truly cares about her moms as if they were family. Through her birth center, we took a CPR class, a breastfeeding class, and a hynobirthing class. All of these helped us (as first time parents) feel a little more prepared for the scary life change that was about to happen. She also recommended a nearby chiropractor when my back and sciatic pain started up, which helped a great deal.
Unlike most of her moms, I was one of the few that had to transfer to the hospital and ended up with a c-​section (baby’s head was stuck in a weird position and she wouldn’t come out). I had a long labor, and Renee was there for us every step of the way encouraging me and doing everything possible to have a natural birth. She had all kinds of suggestions on laboring positions to try to move baby’s position. By the time we headed for the hospital, we felt confident we had tried everything for a natural birth, and completely trusted her judgment that it was time for medical intervention (For anyone worried about giving birth outside of a hospital, I can confidently say that if a transfer to the hospital becomes necessary, you do so well before it becomes a 911 emergency because they are constantly monitoring baby and mother). Renee still stayed with me at the hospital and only left when I let her know we were okay without her (she genuinely offered to stay through the whole thing, despite the fact that she’d already been helping me through 34 hours of labor up to that point!).
She was incredibly supportive and helpful during my postpartum visits (I had some complications from the surgery, and Renee recommended an acupuncturist who helped immensely!). She loves seeing the babies she helped bring into the world and takes such joy in being a part of people’s lives during such an exciting time!

I visited the Birth Center for a lactation consultation because Renee is an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). Renee was so warm & nurturing and put me immediately at ease. She is very knowledgeable. She found the cause of our issue (slow weight gain & painful nursing) and literally wrote me out a workable plan.
I have seen a lactation consultant in the past that gave me a ridiculous, exhausting and unrealistic plan! Renee was not this way at all.
Since then I have attended her (free) Mom’s Group every week and have been able to weigh my baby to confirm weight gain and enjoy meeting other moms and receive breastfeeding support. Renee quickly becomes a part of the family.
Don’t give up on breastfeeding before you see Renee!
(Please also remember the cost to see a Lactation Consultant may be covered by your insurance, is absolutely a tax deduction and is quickly off set by the cost-​savings if you had to buy formula!)

I just had my fourth baby with Renee and Chemin. It was nothing but a positive experience. I highly recommend the SCV Birth Center. I was treated like a friend and family member. No question went unanswered and they both took the time to make sure I understood anything I was unsure of. The birth center is like a spa. It’s beautiful and inviting. I highly recommend Renee and Chemin.

I am currently receiving prenatal care from Renee and planning for a home birth in June. She works with Dr. Yasharpour as a back up physician and we are required to see him twice before the birth. Renee helped surprise us about the gender of our baby after a blood test which gave gender results. This was such a nice option to have since we are avoiding ultrasounds at this point. I brought a girl and a boy onesie in to Renee with a gift bag and she wrapped the onesie that matched the gender of our baby so we could go to a special dinner and open our «gift»! It was so nice of Renee to help us make the moment memorable!

Originally I wanted to have my baby in a hospital with a doula to help me avoid too much unnecessary intervention like epidural and pitocin, but I decided to take a tour of Renee’s birth center and meet her after I realized my HMO had me with Facey and they couldn’t even guarantee that my OB would deliver my baby– it was whoever was on call in the OB group. I preferred my OB (that was more open to natural birth) that knows me and baby best deliver my child and that wasn’t gonna happen.
My husband and I were blown away… After talking to Renee and seeing the beautiful spa like environment we were sure this was where we wanted to deliver our baby! Since I didn’t have PPO insurance I paid out of pocket, but it was worth every penny and honestly it was a bargain for the level of care you receive! Every prenatal and postnatal appointment is an hour and you receive so much information that I wasn’t getting at my OB. I felt so much more comfortable being a first time mom and not knowing what to expect! I felt confident and calm throughout my pregnancy and I delivered my baby only 3 days late and in only 6 hours active labor. It was a beautiful experience and I had as many people as I wanted at the birth. I’m so happy I found Renee and the Birth Center! I still go back regularly for the weekly moms group that she has at the center.

My wife and I just had our first baby, birthed by Renee at SCV Birth Center and I wanted to provide a father’s perspective:
As first time parents, my wife and I didn’t know what to expect going into the entire pregnancy process, including how the prenatal process worked. We knew we wanted a completely natural birth without intervention (unless medically necessary). Per a friend’s recommendation, we went to see Renee. BEST. DECISION. EVER. Renee held our hand and guided us EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. When we had concerns, we could call/​txt her any time (within reason) and she would get back to us as soon as she could. How many doctors do you know would do that??? Not only was she supportive of our concerns, she also provided firm guidance and let us know when we needed to be more on top of things (e.g. more walking, less processed foods, whatever).
She was even more amazing during labor. My wife’s labor started @ 2 am so she called Renee to let her know (@ home, no less, as per instructions). We happened to have one an appointment later that morning so Renee told us to keep an eye on the contraction timing and they’ll examine her when we went in. Well, we went in for an appoint and my wife was very early on (1 cm) so we were told to go home, relax, and «come back tomorrow.»
Well, after a day of walking and resting and keeping ourselves busy, my wife’s contraction started increasing in intensity and decreasing in intervals, so we started letting Renee know every few hours what her status was. At 10pm that night, she told us to come on in and when we arrived, it was not just Renee but also two other midwives (whom we had met before) waiting for us. Since it was so late at night, they took turns keeping an eye on us while my wife continued through labor (Renee suggested many different positions for helping things along). When it was finally time to start pushing, the ladies provided just enough assistance to allow my wife to give birth to a healthy, beautiful, little girl, who is now the center of our world.
Thank you Renee!

Renee is the best midwife. She will not disappoint you. Her birth center is like a spa retreat :)