Midwifery Care for Every Family

We are committed to providing individualized, culturally-sensitive, and evidence-based care

Home Birth

Planned home birth with skilled midwives — a safe and empowering choice for families with low-risk pregnancies

Hospital Birth

Holistic prenatal, postpartum, and newborn care with your midwives + doula care for labor and birth

Ultrasound

A window into your pregnancy when you need more information, confirmation, or reassurance

Meet the Midwives

Primary Midwife, Co-Founder

Amanda Kessner, LM, CPM

Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife

I absolutely love being a midwife, and I feel grateful every day for the gift of working with so many wonderful families. I first started attending births as a volunteer at San Francisco General Hospital which led me to work with the public health organizations Homeless Prenatal Program and The Body Positive. I studied at the Midwives College of Utah, and completed the majority of my clinical training at the San Francisco Birth Center, under the supervision of the founding nurse midwives. Presently I serve on the advisory board for the Global Pediatric Alliance and Imeinu, a collective of Jewish birth professionals. In 2019 I co-founded East Bay Midwives, which has blossomed into a thriving perinatal community, and is my professional home. I was born and raised in the Bay Area. When I’m not catching babies, I love riding my cargo bike with my toddler and partner, and hosting a Shabbat meal for friends.

Consulting Midwife, Co-Founder

Jeannie Choe, LM, CPM, IBCLC

Licensed Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife, Board Certified Lactation Consultant

I am a second-generation Korean-American Licensed Midwife, Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and mom to two wonderful kids, both born at home with midwives. I am licensed by the Medical Board of California and certified by the North American Registry of Midwives and the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. When I’m not catching babies I love to read, cook and bake, play the piano, and hike in solitude. As of 2024, I have transitioned from primary to consulting midwife to focus on completing a degree in advanced practice nursing.

Consulting Midwife

Whitney Pinger, CNM, MSN, FACNM

Certified Nurse Midwife, Master of Science in Nursing, Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives

I graduated from UC Berkeley in 1983, and completed my midwifery training at Yale University in 1986. I'm a champion for evidence-based maternity care, natural childbirth, optimal nutrition and exercise in pregnancy, primary cesarean prevention, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), breech birth, reducing health disparities, and collaborative practice. During my 30 plus years in DC, I established several private and academic practices, ran the Prenatal and Pediatrics Programs at The Washington Free Clinic, and served on the faculty at Yale University, Georgetown University, The Washington Hospital Center, and George Washington University. I received the American College of Nurse-Midwives Regional Award of Excellence in 2009, and was honored as a 2010 Women's Health Hero by The Our Bodies, Ourselves Foundation. In 2014 I was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). I have four beautiful children, all delivered at home by midwives!

Assisting Midwives

Grace Bender, LM, CPM

10 Moons Midwifery

Morgan West, LM, CPM

Hummingbird Midwifery

Our Clinic

East Bay Midwives

902 Stannage Avenue
Albany, CA

Our service area includes many East Bay locations such as Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, Emeryville, Richmond, Kensington, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, Danville, Alamo, San Leandro, Castro Valley, Martinez, Pinole, Vallejo, Benicia.

 

Insurance & Billing

Our services are covered by most PPO insurance plans.

In-network exceptions, out-of-network coverage, co-pay, and deductible vary by plan. You can process a PPO Verification of Benefits with our biller ($55 fee) for a detailed report. Income-based sliding scale option available for families with Kaiser, Medi-Cal, and HMO plans.

  • The best medical care I’ve received, period. Amanda has a very rare and special combination of scientific knowledge and wholehearted support and presence that made me feel extremely safe and relaxed, which was my dream going into this birth. So much postpartum support. You deserve care like this.

    Alana Mehmandoust

  • Amanda held sacred space for me and my family during each encounter. I never felt rushed during our appointments. Amanda provided evidence-based care and information but always let me lead and kept me in control of my body and birth wishes. Call me nuts, but I’d get pregnant again just to have such a rad birth with Amanda once more! 11/10 recommend East Bay Midwives!

    Kathryn Lynch

  • Amanda was a supportive, confident and gentle presence during the birth of our daughter. She helped enable a peaceful scene, and my trust in her allowed me to trust myself throughout the whole process. We are so grateful for Amanda's care and for the the beautiful, smooth and intimate arrival of our daughter.

    Ali Smayo

  • If you are looking for a skilled, supportive, compassionate, and dependable midwife, that will gladly guide you through pregnancy, labor and catch your baby as if it was her own, look no further. She welcomed our queer family wholeheartedly. 5 stars are not enough!

    Anita Porcu

  • Hour long appointments in Amanda’s cozy Albany office were scheduled conveniently for my wife and I to attend together. I appreciated knowing I could text her anytime with a concern. She is tactful, transparent and well informed. I appreciated her humor, opinions, and knowledge of medical research. I felt I had a beautiful balance of empowered autonomy and support throughout the journey.

    Gretchen Doering

  • There are not enough words to express how incredible Amanda is. My husband and I switched to a homebirth late in my pregnancy. She met with us and put many of my fears to rest. I never felt rushed. She responded to every text and every email. Amanda will truly be your biggest champion! Have a homebirth and hire Amanda. You wont regret it :)

    Jenna Armstrong

  • I've been lucky enough to have Amanda from Eastbay Midwives bring both my babies into the world and I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone considering a home birth, or even just seeking outstanding prenatal and postpartum care. I can't imagine a better birth experience, or a better postpartum care experience. She's an incredible midwife, doula, and lactation consultant all rolled up into one. Seriously look no further!

    Sarah Boakye

  • The care provided by Amanda is beyond measure! Throughout my wife's entire pregnancy, Amanda listened to us and made sure we felt heard. We were never rushed through appointments, always had ample time to give our thoughts and voice our fears/anxieties/concerns, and were always partners in making our care decisions. As a nurse at a major hospital, it was so refreshing to see this other side of healthcare where the patient and family are put at the center. Receiving care from a midwife like Amanda changes the birth process from something stressful, rushed, and chaotic, into something beautiful, precious, and to be cherished.

    Heath Beck

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Home birth is a safe choice for families with low-risk pregnancies receiving care with Licensed Midwives.

  • Studies on the safety of home birth:

    Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Academy of Pediatrics recognize each person's right to exercise autonomy and choose a planned home birth.

  • Our clients come from all walks of life, with diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. They are teachers, filmmakers, engineers, surgeons, architects, nurse practitioners, attorneys, physicians, designers, stay-at-home parents, tattoo artists, musicians, social workers, VPs, nannies, professors, landscapers, acupuncturists, artists, physical therapists, dancers, carpenters, registered nurses, microbiologists, CEOs, researchers, bartenders, archaeologists, admins, dietitians, psychotherapists, product managers, grad students, midwives, doulas, and obstetricians...just to name a few!

  • There is no rush to decide before starting care with us. At your initial visit, we'll discuss your unique health history and appropriate birth setting options. We encourage our clients to make confident, fully informed decisions regarding all aspects of their care, including where birth will take place.

  • Home birth and birth center settings staffed by Licensed Midwives utilize identical equipment and medications and have comparable outcomes. The main difference is the location. Home birth allows for undisturbed transitions through labor, birth, and postpartum whereas the birth center requires you to leave your home in labor and commute back to your home after birth.

  • Yes! With PPO insurance plans, our global fee for your complete course of prenatal, birth, and postpartum care is submitted by our professional biller to maximize your coverage. The exact reimbursement amount varies by plan and insurance provider. Our clients with Aetna, Cigna, United Health Care, Blue Shield, Blue Cross, Anthem, and Samaratin PPO insurance plans have received reimbursement for our services. Coverage rates at the in-network or out-or-network level, deductibles, and exceptions will vary depending on your plan. Some HMO plans will allow an in-network exception. Kaiser and Medi-Cal insurance plans do not cover midwifery care services. Income-based sliding scale fees are offered to families with HMO, MediCal, and Kaiser plans.

  • A Licensed Midwife provides clinical care and management throughout the normal course of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum, in addition to well newborn care. A doula provides non-clinical emotional and physical support in labor and may provide basic childbirth education. We love working with doulas! Ask us about our recommendations.

Get in touch

To schedule an interview or learn more about our services, use our contact form to get the quickest response.

Phone

(510) 679–1119

Fax

(510) 373-2332

Email

info@eastbaymidwives.com