"Illysa believes that there is the right midwife for every woman and when I met Illysa I knew she was the right midwife for me. I could tell that she had the knowledge that would provide a safe environment for my care during pregnancy and birth. But it was also her attitude that impressed me. I wanted to work with someone who would trust my body and not try to fit me into a formula for my care or my birth. I knew I could trust her to not only talk honestly with me about what she was seeing, but also to listen closely to what I was saying. That proved to be the right combination for me.

My birth experience was amazing. Illysa helped create a calm and supportive environment during my very fast and intense labor. Birthing in water helped calm my nervous system down and relieved some of the pressure of the baby coming down. Illysa supported my decision to be in the water 100%. My husband caught our baby and passed him though my legs and Illysa very unobtrusively made sure that all was well. I honestly don’t remember her doing the work, though I have pictures of it. What I remember most was meeting my child. That’s how it should be!

We had some issues with breastfeeding and Illysa made sure that the expertise and support we needed was in place. She stayed with us until we were set with what we needed. I called her whenever I had a question and she was always glad to talk. I really felt like I had the best support that a woman could have in transitioning into motherhood. I felt honored, respected, and safe with Illysa."

-- Gray Sutherland-Rice

"Having my birth at home with Illysa created the most amazing and memorable
experience of my life. Illysa was knowledgeable, comforting, and strong. I
felt like I was in control of my child's birth, I had choices, and I was
able to fully experience the birth. It makes it really comfortable to be
forewarned of what may be coming and how it may happen. The knowledge is
great and empowering. What Illysa teaches before, during and even after
birth is tremendous."

-Araceli Kudrle

"My husband and I were in the process of moving back to Austin and I was 4
months pregnant with my first child. I found Illysa online while
researching midwives in Austin from Florida. What initially caught my
interest was that she offered client swims and walks. What could be better
than a community of women to help me learn about pregnancy and parenting? I
contacted Illysa through email and instantly she responded. She spent a lot
of time emailing back and forth with me helping me learn what I could do to
have a healthy pregnancy. The way that she took the time to care for me
before I was even a client of hers made me feel very good about our
relationship.

When my husband and I met Illysa we knew she was for us. Illysa is very
calming and at the same time straightforward. She has the combination of
warmth and medical experience that I was looking for. At our appointments I
felt as if I were meeting with a friend. Illysa explained all of the
choices that I needed to make and led me in the right direction so that I
could do my own research to find the answers that were right for me.

During my 3 days of labor Illysa was amazing. This was my first time to
experience any of these feelings and Illysa made sure to keep me updated on
what was happening with my body throughout the entire labor. Her
reassurance that my body knew what to do kept me calm when I felt like I
couldn't do it anymore. She stayed with me night after night to make sure I
was okay. With Illysa at my side I was able to give birth to my daughter in
a birthing pool at home surrounded by my family. Had I chosen to go to a
birthing center or the hospital I would have had a cesarean section.
Becoming a mother in my own home with my husband holding me was an
experience that I wish every mother in the world could have. I feel so
empowered and connected knowing that I was able to give birth to my daughter
on my own. We will definitely be choosing Illysa again when we decide to
have another child."

-- Christina Smith, proud mama of Lyra Zoe

"Giving birth was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done; yet it was also the most natural and simple thing I have ever accomplished. For all the difficulty, I knew my baby would enter this world in a calm and energized manner. She didn’t spend her first moments in a cold room, manhandled by strangers, or blinded by lights. She didn’t have to metabolize birthing drugs and was allowed to be in my arms for all but a few minutes – minutes in which she was never out of reach. For my journey, all of the goodness of our birth experience made up for any time or difficulty or pain I could have endured. I was present in every moment and my baby was too. I could have dreamed of nothing more perfect."

~ Kati Pelletier, mother of Arwen

"There would be no way that I could express how Illysa changed my life. I knew the moment that I saw her and heard her speak that she is the midwife I wanted to use.

I was pregnant with my 4th child. This was going to be my first home birth. I loved how Illysa made me feel so comfortable and in tune with my baby. Any appointment that I had, she made me feel like I was her only client. She took so much time making sure I was doing well physically and emotionally. She helped me bond with the baby before he was even born. I never realized that my doctors didn't do that. She encouraged me to take care of myself in ways that I hadn't before. I love how she includes siblings in the appointments. She would let them help measure, she would explain what was going on, etc.. This meant so much to me. My kids loved going to her office and pretended to be like her. Once during my pregnancy I had some strange symptoms and she told me to come over to her house. This was on a Saturday, during her family time. How amazing to be that important to her. When I went into labor she was there within an hour (my previous births were very fast). I was able to labor in my bedroom with my husband, while everyone else was in the living room and kitchen. It was such an amazing experience. It felt like it was just the 2 of us and the baby in the world. She would check on me occasionally and make suggestions when she needed to. When it was time to deliver, I was in the pool in the living room. I was surrounded by my family including my 2 oldest children. Illysa and her assistant were very sweet and would explain things to the children when they had questions. Illysa remained calm but yet authoritative during the process. She helped direct me to do things that would help the baby be born. As strange as it sounds, I was never as involved with the other births of my children. I was in total control and knew exactly what was going on. We had a small difficult situation where my son's shoulder became stuck. She handled it so gracefully. She knew exactly what to do and there was nothing to worry about. She directed family members, her assistant and assisting midwife to help in different areas.

When Maverick was born it was beautiful. We were able to just sit and bond. She encouraged me to hold him as long as possible. She made sure that it was an incredible moment. After the birth and at post partum appointments, she made sure she had time with him alone to talk to him and really get to know him. I felt that she loved him already also. I felt so taken care of after the birth. I cannot express how relaxing and personal she is. This is how every birth should be."

~ Tabitha Krauss

"Illysa gave us great holistic care. She made us feel confidant, informed, and ready to take on the challenges of birth, and parenthood. For our next child, there is no question that Illysa will be our midwife."

-- Jasmine Prince-Lovelace