Midwifery of Manhattan

I had two babies with Midwifery of Manhattan and it is impossible for me to recommend them highly enough. Throughout both pregnancies I received the highest quality of care. The midwives are thorough, responsive and compassionate. Their office environment is warm and welcoming, they are punctual (not a small thing by the time you’re doing for weekly check-​ins!), and office staff is competent and friendly.
I had complications following the birth of my first child and the midwife who was with me quickly identified when I needed medical intervention and stayed with me the entire time.
They truly enact the ethos that pregnancy is a healthy and natural condition and couple that with a deep respect for pregnant and laboring women. I know so many women who felt disempowered, bullied or frightened during their pregnancies or labor and I feel so grateful that I found Midwifery of Manhattan and experienced such positive and empowering births.

I loved this practice so much I have returned for their care for my second baby. The midwives remain as wonderful and professional as my previous experience.

We chose a midwifery instead of a standard OB because we wanted to avoid unnecessary intervention. We were hoping for a positive experience with Midwifery of Manhattan based on the NY Times article, our orientation session, and on the other reviews here on Unilocal.We wanted to love them.
We are sad to report that we were unpleasantly surprised by the attitude of the midwife who supervised our birth which was controlling and unprofessional, her contentious relationship with the nursing staff at St Luke’s Roosevelt, and the fact that she left us alone, in labor, for over 2 hours, while she went down the hall to deliver another baby, after telling us we’d be met by a «back up midwife» who never showed up.
We were also disappointed by a pervasively uneven attention to detail across the practice, which persisted through our postnatal appointments.
Generally this practice has great intentions, but it depends a lot on who you end up with when its time to give birth. We would not give birth with them again.

I like MoM so much that I was really sad at my 6 week appt when they told me I didn’t need to come in for a year. Everyone is kind, empathetic, and knowledgeable. I cannot say enough good things about this practice!
I decided to switch to MoM after watching The Business of Being Born and deciding I wanted minimal intervention for my health and that of my baby. It was a 180 degree change from my OBGYN. The rooms have a sofa for you to sit and discuss your health (holistically), ask questions, and have your partner be a part of the process. They keep very thorough records and you see all midwives in the practice before you deliver, so everyone knows you and your history before you go into labor. You can’t pick a specific midwife to be there for the big day (or days!), but that wasn’t an issue for us, as we liked and trusted everyone. Plus Dr. Moritz was their backup in case anything went wrong, and he is very well respected. They deliver at the birthing center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt, but many women have to move to the regular labor and delivery for any complications (more than 2 weeks late, high blood pressure, etc).
We ended up in L&D because the baby’s heart rate was a little in distress. Amanda stuck by us for 12+ hours to ensure our safety. She told us what was going on every step of the way and was extremely encouraging. I never doubted that she was acting in our best interests. With her there, I was able to deliver naturally, without any drugs or other unwanted interventions.
In addition, they have a wonderful breastfeeding and mom support group (it met on Friday mornings when I went but I have since stopped going since my son takes morning naps). I met several wonderful smart, strong women there to talk through all things new-​mom related.

What a great place! I was referred to MOM by a friend who recommended all people in this practice as amazing and I am glad I followed her advice. I came here for a regular check up and Beth carefully listened to all my concerns, asked me questions about the points I did not cover and made great recommendations on the best practices for feminine health. I left feeling confident, empowered and HEALTHY, which is so rare nowadays.

I was just sending a video of my newborn son to the wonderful people at Midwifery of Manhattan, and it occurred to me that I had never written a review for them.
We weren’t able to stick with them through birth, because we moved to central New Jersey, but my wife and I absolutely loved working with the women at Midwifery of Manhattan. Our baby is healthy and happy. Knowing how important the early stages of pregnancy are to development, I have no doubt that we owe a lot of that to our friends at Midwifery of Manhattan.

Sylvie Blaustein, CNM, founded this practice. She is the midwife who delivered my second child (at Beth Israel; now she delivers at Roosevelt, I believe).
Sylvie is a gifted and experienced midwife. She has all the time in the world for you during prenatal visits; she is tremendously supportive of you emotionally; and her demeanor (calm, funny, sensitive) is helpful when you’re a wreck.
Medically, it goes without saying, she’s at the top of her game. I trusted her judgement completely. She knows what she’s doing, but she also knows when a situation requires OB skills beyond her own.
She also provides well-​woman care, and 13 years after the birth, I’m still seeing Sylvie for regular visits. She’s built her practice over the years, and while I don’t see the other midwives, I’m sure they share her skills and philosophy.
Prices are very reasonable. The office staff is nice, and she’s located in a low-​key office conveniently near Columbus Circle.