Past Experiences

“We are so incredibly grateful for the knowledgeable, compassionate care that Alana provided throughout our (long and complicated) fertility journey! Over the course of two years, she performed at-home inseminations, lovingly supported us through the physical and emotional pain of miscarriage, guided us through the IVF process, helped us welcome our rainbow baby into the world, and supported our postpartum transition to parenthood. Her comprehensive care centered my wife and me as whole people and she always made a point to check on each of our emotional, as well as my physical, wellbeing. Alana brings an intersectional and anti-racist approach to her work which was extremely important to my wife as a woman of color and to me as a Black woman; her care made me feel very validated, seen, and supported as we navigated racism in the medical system. Alana is extremely well-versed in all aspects of fertility, prenatal, birth, and postpartum needs and provided exceptional, wide-ranging care across the spectrum. She helped me reduce my post-miscarriage pregnancy anxiety, maintain healthy blood sugar levels during pregnancy, work through my fear of pain during labor and birth, sustain my milk production and create a pumping/feeding schedule, and so much more. Alana was often – and continues to be - the first person I would reach out to with questions and I trust her recommendations/advice/suggestions implicitly.

Alana was calm and adaptable in the face of the changes COVID-19 brought; when hospitals determined that laboring people could only have one support person present for births, our plan was to labor at home with her for as long as possible. That backup plan was out the window when I was unexpectedly admitted and induced for high blood pressure, but Alana provided virtual care and coaching through my induction, a labor journey that lasted multiple days, and ultimate c-section. She was my champion when I wanted to give up, and the voice of calm when my wife needed support as my support person.

This iteration of our family exists because of Alana, and she will always hold an incredibly special place in our hearts and in our family.”

“This testimonial is long overdue but I feel that I've sung Alana's praises daily in my mind since having my son 6 months ago as I did while I was pregnant. Whether it's anecdotal stories Alana would share about her hilarious family dynamics, her supporting me with much-needed resources for my emotional/mental health, or envisioning her following me around with a glass of water, Alana comes to mind often, even today. Throughout that sacred life chapter of welcoming our second child Earth-side, Alana's presence formed a bedrock of positivity, strength, joy, and love that I believe fostered our family's dream birth. Call it the oxytocin or call it love but at one point just after I birthed my son I looked down at the foot of the bed and saw her standing there with our two other birth workers and I felt very much that they all were angels. She seems to exude light and authenticity wherever she goes and I felt it long before I gave birth. On a practical level, I wanted medical care that would save me and my baby in the event things went haywire during our homebirth. Things got a tiny bit wonky at one point and Alana rose to the occasion without skipping a beat. Alana checks all the boxes as a skilled, knowledgeable, and professional midwife, no doubt. But one of the most rewarding aspects of working with Alana as our midwife was leaving each of our appointments with clarity and a deep knowing that all was well and the reminder that the Universe is actually a friendly place. Today I still tap into the Alana medicine with her voice and wisdom echoing above the highs and lows of parenting every.damn.day. If you have the chance to bring Alana onto your team of birthing professionals, do so now. The woman is pure gold”

“Would I recommend Alana as a midwife? My answer is 100% yes, no reservations. Alana provided me with the best healthcare I have ever received in my life: dignified and respectful, knowledgeable and humble, caring and nerdy.

As someone with hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, I was nervous both about the ways that hEDS would affect my body, as well as how my care providers would treat me and manage that information and the challenges that may arise along the way of my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. Alana took all of my concerns seriously. She listened deeply, did more research when needed, supported me to pull in additional pelvic floor and PT support when she thought it was needed, and never once left me feeling minimized, brushed aside, or that anything I brought up was anything but of the highest importance to consider; it was truly a healing experience for me.

I remember feeling bewildered in the birth class we took when they had a whole section (aimed mostly at people having hospital births) about how to stall if you wanted more time to assess if you felt comfortable with a particular intervention. We spent so much time together with Alana in prenatal appointments before the birth that I had total trust in her-- I knew she knew what my preferences and desires were for the birth, and my reasons why. I didn't have to worry about any of the things covered in that section of the class. This was such a gift for me-- I got to be in my body, focus on labor, and relax into the web of support around me. I felt safe, supported, and able to let go with no fears.

The kind of care you get with Alana is whole: attending to the physical, but also the social and emotional aspects of the perinatal experience. And it's also caring: She went above and beyond to support us in the postpartum recovery period. I felt so supported in a time when I had so many questions and struggles, both with my body and with our baby, who took a good long while to figure out their latch. I wish we could get this kind of care for all of life, and I'm looking forward to working with Alana again if/when we have our second kid.”

“As the non-birthing parent and partner, I felt reassured, trusted by Alana and had always a lot of trust in her. During the birth, it was easy for me to be present and I never had to question the choices she made. I would highly recommend Alana because she is very experienced and humble at the same time, she takes time to answer all the questions, which was very important for me as a first-time parent. There was no surprise or sense of urgency during birth although there were some critical moments, because we had gone through different scenarios beforehand.

During the entire length of our family's care with Alana, she adapted her care to our needs and wishes so that we felt at the end that we got what we wanted. She gently guided us when needed, without imposing. During postpartum, Alana went above and beyond, she came more frequently than planned instead of sending us to the hospital, gave great lactation support, and was very gentle and respectful of the baby from the first minutes.

Alana does a lot of research and sends material when she doesn't know the answer right away, by reaching out to peers, colleagues, and reading publications and summarizing them for us. That was very helpful for COVID-related questions for example. She manages the balance between her scope and those of the other health providers, using everyone for their areas of expertise, always very respectful.”

“I did not know I needed… did not know I WANTED... a homebirth midwife. I had had a hospital birth with my first and a midwife/homebirth with my second. I was pregnant with my third and, since both my previous birthing experiences had been horrible, I didn’t feel much reason to invest in another homebirth.

I am so, so grateful that my doula kept urging me toward Alana and that, once connected with Alana for what was originally to be just a few hour-long consults (“hybrid care”), she so lovingly invited me to reconsider a home birth. (With very genuine care to ensure I didn’t feel any pressure--she would 100% support me as planned if I stuck with a hospital birth.)

It is one thing for someone to say they support someone no matter what their decisions are. It is another to really feel that’s true, that the whole of that other will support you. With Alana, I did not worry that I’d be judged about anything. This is critical--there are so many big decisions to make on the path to birth, through birth, and in postpartum!

Though I’d had a midwife-assisted birth before, I still had no idea of all a midwife could and would do for me and my family to make birth and postpartum so much more sane, and kind. Alana’s visits to our home put us all in a sort of womb space--a sacred space of really deep presence to how precious life is. These were precious passages that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss, and easily could have if I’d had hospital-only prenatal care.

And then there were the more tactical things. Alana will gently help you prepare for birth and postpartum so that you don’t even have to know all of the things that can become major stressors when unprepared. (Many of which, sadly, the hospital seems not to help prevent.) She’ll also make sure that preparation is paced and that you are held such that you are ready to move on from preparation to savoring for a sweet space of time before your baby is due.

Even as we prepare, so much can happen in the birthing journey. I needed some last-minute changes to my plans during birth--Alana was present, affirming, supportive. Our baby needed some support just after he was born--Alana was calm, masterful, and deeply attuned. The support continued postpartum. I was repeatedly shocked at how loving and enthusiastic Alana was with my every text, call or question. I wish I had known before my second postpartum experience how much postpartum care matters.

Alana is there for your baby, and she is there for you and your wellbeing. She is also ethical, looking at midwifery within the context of our culture (in addition to how midwifery can serve individuals and families), and she is, frankly, sort of a badass, but not in the way that makes you feel like you can’t be naked in front of her--literally and metaphorically! She is gentle, humble, and brings a deep joy… and sometimes pastries. :)

I hope you have YOUR birth. I am so grateful Alana helped us have ours.”

“Alana is a gifted midwife and I was thrilled to have her at my birth. She always provides just what is needed — no more and no less — and brings her full energy, attention, and sensitivity to every situation. Alana offers that rare combination of clinical excellence and an enormous heart. The families she cares for are lucky to have her!”

“Alana Diamos was the midwife to our 2nd home birth experience. When we first met her, we instantly felt comfortable and bonded as we if had known her for a long time. Prior to the actual birth, the prenatal visits felt like hanging out with an old friend. She is cool, knows how to have fun and makes you laugh, and also knows when to get serious and handle business.

We were blown away by Alana's endlessly calm approach and depth of knowledge. She is the perfect blend of traditional midwifery with current and evolving western practices and know how. There are so many unknowns with birth and Alana does an amazing job of clearly and neutrally laying out all of the options at any given point and then supports you in your choice.

Without the brilliant and powerful guidance from Alana, we would have ended up transferring to a hospital during birth. Our birth was extremely fast, complicated, and needed quick adjustments in order to progress. Alana has finely tuned instincts and was able to guide us with confidence and extreme poise through a very intense and hairy moment. There is without a doubt that Alana found her true calling. She was absolutely meant to be a homebirth midwife and she shines extremely bright. We cannot thank her enough!!!”

“In deciding whether we wanted a hospital birth or a homebirth, my partner and I were in a grey area. From the beginning, I knew that regardless of the location of the birth, I wanted a Homebirth Midwife to hold us through the process - from prenatal, to labor and delivery, and, eventually, postpartum.

It was through the force of serendipity, rather than planning, that we came to work with Alana. And, it is one of the greatest fortunes of my life that Alana was our homebirth midwife. The fact that we wound up birthing in the hospital perhaps only makes this statement more true. In the hospital, we leaned heavily on Alana's medical mind and extraordinary communication skills; and, in the prenatal and postpartum times, we were deeply held by her extensive homebirth expertise. It was the best of all worlds.

Alana has an exceptional capacity to meet each moment with a palpable and soothing presence - one composed of profound intellectual, emotional, and spiritual capacities. In the midst of the high highs and low lows of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, my body, heart, and mind instinctively found respite in this presence.

It was particularly striking how well Alana was able to support and understand both my partner and me individually. Given how different our personalities and personal histories are from each other, this was surprising to me. Ultimately, we each made a profound and lasting connection with Alana. Our trust in her augmented our strength as partners, boosting our courage as we traversed the ultimate rite of passage that is birth.

Initially, some friends and family did not understand the decision to work concurrently with a homebirth midwife and with hospital based care. Over time, however, they came to witness the invaluable emotional, spiritual, and practical holding that we received from Alana, a type of holding that is simply not possible within a medical institution. Ultimately, they were thrilled to know that we received such thorough and holistic care. I wish for all birthing people, and those that love them, that they can be held through the process in this way.

It can be so overwhelming to be a pregnant person (especially a first time pregnant person!), trying to do your due diligence to weigh and evaluate options, one's values, the "shoulds" coming at you from all directions, alongside one's own hopes and desires around a wished-for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience. There's so much noise to sort through, so many opinions, and so many camps firmly rooted in their absolute "rightness." I have a thousand things to say recommending Alana and her services for prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. But perhaps the most important thing and one of Alana's core attributes and strengths is her ability to quiet the noise and to truly offer holistic support and care without judgment. Holistic in terms of honoring and having fluency in the philosophy and practices of homebirth midwifery care while concurrently respecting, honoring, and having fluency in hospital-based care when needed. Holistic in terms of really seeing me and my partner as whole people - holding space for all of our complexities and needs - physical, emotional, psychological. Holistic in terms of being there for care before the birth, during the birth and for postparum support at home after - a uniting thread of care to offer certainty and consistency during such a profoundly uncertain time. I had a birth that was far different than I envisioned or hoped for, as complications arose near the end of my pregnancy that resulted in me giving birth via induction at a hospital. Her holistic, honest, and nuanced care enabled us to feel informed and empowered in less-than-ideal and, at times, quite scary circumstances. Her wisdom, honesty, kindness, and gentle humor gave me so much strength and reassurance throughout and is something I will be forever grateful for. “