Art of Nursing

We just had our second kid with Amy and she and her team were just as wonderful as last time. Can’t recommend Art of Nursing enough!

If you want an incredibly skilled midwife who will take care of you in mind, body, and spirit… then you want Amy Tinney. She has a wealth of experience and you can tell this is truly her calling. Prenatal appointments are 1 hr (and she’s always on time!!) and cover so much about nutrition, how you’re feeling emotionally, physically, etc. They do a great job of making the husbands feel involved and important.
I really wanted to have a natural childbirth at home. Having Amy as my midwife was so crucial in giving me the confidence and support to make it happen. I knew 100% that I was in good hands and I fully trusted Amy every step of the way.
Words cannot adequately express the loving care that my baby and I received from Amy and her team during the birth and immediately postpartum. My baby didn’t leave my chest for over two hours. They were very thorough, patient, and so loving. About 4 hours after the birth, everything was finished and they tucked us into bed before leaving.
They come back to the home about 24 hours after birth to check on both mom and baby. This visit was so helpful because they gave me some great tips about improving my baby’s latch for breastfeeding. Having this postpartum support… AT HOME (believe me… you don’t want to have to leave the house so soon after child birth)…was amazing. They returned again on Day 6 to do the baby’s PKU tests and check on my recovery.
I could really write a novel about how great our experience was and how lucky we feel to know Amy Tinney and the other student midwives at Art of Birthing… but I hope this recommendation suffices. We are so thankful that these incredible women participated in the biggest event of our lives.

I found Art of nursing through my doula, Cheryl Baker and I am SOOO thankful. I transferred into Amy Tinney’s care in my 3^rd trimester because I was looking for something in between a hospital and a home birth. Art of nursing is that AND better. I got hours of care and advice I never received from my OB who constantly said, don’t worry about the birth, leave it to us. But I did care, and I was not going to leave it to chance to have an OB on call delivery my son, when I heard countless stories of unhappy labor experiences in hospitals. I got hour long pre-​natal appointments that went over nutrition and any questions I had. I ended up laboring at home for most of it and then to the birth center to push! The environment and care I received from Amy and her assistant, Zul was so relaxed and peaceful we were on cloud nine after the birth and didn’t want to leave. Afterwards she was available ²⁴⁄₇ and that’s when you REALLY need a midwife… I had no idea how challenging the healing process would be from birth and having her come over to check on us was amazing (as well as the placenta pills Zul made for me). We are so grateful to have found this center and its amazing team of supportive women and would HIGHLY recommend their services.

Amy Tinney is an exceptional midwife. She is extremely caring and knowledgeable. I felt very comfortable and safe knowing she was watching over me and my son through his birth. She has 20 or so years of experience as a nurse also which adds to her expertise. I had circumstances which required he use of an iv and a hospital birth. So, having her by my side allowed me to labor for several days in my own home. Not only is she an extraordinary midwive, she is a mentor to other midwives who are wonderful as well. I was fortunate enough to have four incredible women who guided me through my labor and Amy and Sarah, who stood by me in the hospital and who were far more helpful to me than the any of the staff there. Amy cared for us afterwards in the hospital and in our home. She made sure I received the placenta and helped me to have the special bonding experience I was looking for with my baby. She even took the very first photos of him which I will always cherish. When I was pregnant with my second child her advice was indispensable. I trust her completely and recommend the Art of Nursing to any family looking for a beautiful birthing experience with the expertise of skilled and compassionate midwives.

When you are having a baby, especially your first, isn’t it scary looking for a doctor/​midwife to help you? I am not from LA, I am downright from an opposite end of the world, so when the time came, the task seemed at the very least daunting. After doing as much research as I could handle, I decided I wanted to go with a midwife and ideally to have my baby at home. My husband was having none of it! He did agree to meet with the midwives, and that was that.
On our first, introductory, visit, all our questions were answered, we were not hurried in any way, not pushed to do this or that. I left at piece, and even my husband agreed to go with Amy and Sarah.
And that is how it was all the visits! We always felt comfortable, all our concerns heard and answered; everything explained, and explained again if need be. Unlike the doctors my friend were telling me about, I was never rushed or handled by different nurses, every test was explained in detail, I never felt pushed or hurried.
Every visit we sat down for a talk first. Not only my physical state was in Amy’s care, but my emotional state, and even emotional state of my husband and family!
We talked about birth at home and in the hospital, and eventually — although very reluctantly — even my husband agreed to have our son at home.
When the time came, we felt prepared and cared by Amy and Sonia. it was a wonderful experience! I felt comfortable and in charge, all my needs were met. When our son was born, we enjoyed our first moments virtually undisturbed.
I can not stress enough, how wonderful it is to be in the care of knowledgeable and warm people when having your baby. From beginning to end they were attentive, professional, loving and truly supportive.
My husband has been converted. Our next babies will be born at home, and only with Amy. I believe she has given us a great gift of peaceful pregnancy and birth.

We had our first baby at a birth center and then quickly agreed that our second one would be at home with NO DRIVING involved.
We have been very pleased with all of our interactions with Amy, Carolyn, Sarah, and the whole team at AONC. From the beginning, when I was searching for a good midwife, Amy and Co. seemed like they were the only ones calling me back, even though it turned out to be a week-​and-​a-​half-​long game of phone tag. The prenatal care was exceptional: hour-​long (sometimes more!) appointments, hugs all around when you walk in and before you leave, deep discussions about things which can seem unrelated, but actually can affect the pregnancy. I always genuinely felt that my husband and I were being listened to and were free to bring up anything that was on our brains. My hubs was always very much included and has been encouraged to be as active and involved as possible, which is awesome for us, because that’s how we run our relationship. The homeopathic health regimen that she put me on integrated perfectly into our lifestyle.
My labor started really fast and came on strong, and the team was in place and ready to go in a little over half an hour. There was no time to set up the birth tub, so we used our household one, which ended up being fine. My husband and I have very good communication, so she pretty much supervised his coaching my birth. Amy’s encouragement that I listen to my body and follow its signals was very empowering to me. It put me in charge of my labor progression, and forced me to pay close attention to where the baby was and how to get him out. I could feel when the position I was in was not being productive, and with gentle suggestions from Amy, we got me into the perfect position to move him right along. After he was born, I was continually amazed at the attention to detail from the entire staff as far as cleaning up all of the towels and blankets, and miscellaneous trash from the birth process. They let my new son, husband and I bond in our bed for over two hours before they took him to get his measurements and whatnot, which was definitely nice. That process happened at the foot of my bed, on her lap… so sweet! My only regret is that we never got a picture of her with our new little boy. :(
Post-​partum care is going very smoothly, especially since the visits are in my house, and not having to drive anywhere is very nice. I will be seeing Amy and the team for my well-​woman care in the future, and you can bet your butt she’ll be the one attending our next kid’s birth!

We recently had Sarah, Amy and Carly as our midwives for our first child. My wife wanted to go the natural home birth route and I was inclined to go the hospital route. WIth some convincing and the hard to dispute argument that she will be doing all of the work, we went with the Art of Nursing.
They were superb. Sarah arrived soon after our call and soon thereafter Carly and later Amy (who was tending other business). Every detail every encouragement was handled with knowledge and compassion. Our pre-​birth visits were informative and we never felt rushed out the door. Being a bit skeptical of a home birth, they were patient and answered my home birth concerns without defensiveness and good information.
My wife could not be happier with the experience. She was empowered throughout and was steadfast and strong through her phases of labor. She feels it would have been difficult to have had a better experience. The wonderful help and direction we received gives us greater comfort in having children in the future.
And when we do, no doubt we’ll be using the Art of Nursing.

Amy and Sarah are incredibly professional and caring. They spend a tremendous amount of time with you during prenatal visits, exploring and addressing both your physical and emotional well-​being. They are warm and nurturing with a breadth of knowledge regarding all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Amy and Sarah even included my 2 year old daughter in the appointments, allowing her to use the Doppler to hear baby’s heart (precious)! Amy was the attending midwife for both my homebirths and felt 100 percent safe and assured that my baby and I were in competent and safe hands. My first homebirth had some complications, but Amy was able to assist with those complications and I was able to give birth at home. My second home birth was peaceful and wonderful. I was given a lot of space to labor with my husband, as Amy and her assistants periodically offered support. They spend a lot of time with you after the birth to make sure the baby and you are doing well and nursing. The aftercare is unlike any medical setting. If you have questions or concerns, Amy encourages you to call anytime and makes a home visit within a few days after birth. Amy has helped me with lactation problems and is always supportive and giving of her time.

I would choose a 7 star rating if I could!
Amy, Sarah and Carly were my birthing Angels during my labor and delivery of my son Santi!
Facing the unknown of having my first baby… these wonderful women supported me through every contraction, encouraged me through every fear and when I thought I really (REalllly) could not do it anymore, they helped me see that I was in fact strong enough! Amy held my hands and connected with me… reminding me of why I chose to birth naturally, soothed my fears and reminded me that my beautiful son was on the way. Birthing my son was the most profound experience of my life. My birthing team was vital in creating the environment necessary to allow me the birth I imagined.
I am so incredibly happy that my son entered the world in such a peaceful environment. Born in water in our loft in Venice, immediately contacting his parents with familiar voices… the only hands who touched him were gentle, loving and competent. The team also made sure that my boyfriend was completely involved in the experience as well. Overall, a deeply powerfully bonding experience for our entire family.
After the birth, the care only amazed me further. Gentle checkups, caring words, phone calls, even sweet text messages. No detail was left uncared for. I felt like I had 3 extremely competent birthing best friends… like I was their only client! My son Santi, was so content in Amy’s care… I believe he could sense her gentle nature and felt safe.
The Placenta Preparation offered by Carly (We love you Carly!) was extremely helpful! She dried and encapsulated my placenta and had the pills to me so fast. When I started having any signs of postpartum blues… these magical self-​created pills helped lift me up and boost my overall sense of well being, so that I could be a better mommy to Santi.
Sarah is a breast-​feeding rock star! I did not realize breast feeding is so challenging, for both the mother and the tiny newborn to learn. Sarah was immediately available on numerous occasions to help me and Santi get the hang of nursing. She even offered several ideas to help alleviate the soreness I was experiencing. Now we are breast feeding so successfully!
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Overall, Art of nursing gave me amazing pre-​natal care. Uncomparable support during my labor and attentive post-​partum care. Their admin Carolyn even makes sure to answer any questions I have immediately, thouroughly explaining anything and everything.
I truly wish every woman and new baby could have the experience I did. I feel like a new woman, that I can face any fear or challange and triumph. Amy, Sarah and Carly were pivotal in that realization.
We love you guys!
–Stephanie, Siamak and Santi :-)

I used Amy and the Art of Nursing for my second pregnancy. I had a previous c-​section and wanted a VBAC the second time around. There were several moments during my pregnancy that Amy’s support and knowledge gave me great relief and comfort.

Our first son was born at home, as gently as I can imagine. The three of us went to sleep in our own bed, while they tidied up and left. They’re amazing friends to have.

if you want someone to spend time with you, answer all your questions patiently, take your calls (emails) at random hours and make you feel cared for: then Amy and her team are a great choice.
I started with the usual OB/​GYN routine until I was 16 – 17 weeks pregnant. Then I found Amy and liked the individualized care and access I got much better.
Dealing with the midwives and being provided a lot of knowledge, information and wisdom also eliminated my fear of the birth itself. It restores being able to trust your body, that it knows what to do better than anyone else :)
(Personally I also believe that this approach is much nicer for the significant other, since they can choose to be much more involved in the whole process, which is not the case in the doctors office.)
I highly recommend the Art of Nursing Care to every expecting family.

Sarah was our midwife for the birth of my first daughter, Ruby, in 2009. I had an OBGYN and had a horrible experience through the first half of my pregnancy. I even switched groups to find a new OBGYN, and after having an equally rushed and negative experience (they gave me the wrong results for a genetic test, and when I asked what I could do to avoid running into similar problems was treated as if I was being unreasonable or difficult…) my husband, a doctor, and I talked about doing a home birth.
We did a ton of research. We watched documentaries, we researched birthing statistics, we looked up birth centers and home birth midwives and interviewed midwives for both. We talked to people who had had c-​sections, epidurals, delivered naturally at hospitals and at birth centers and homes.
When we met Sarah, we were thrilled. She is not only experienced, clinically competent, and supportive, but she is very grounded, down to earth, and made sure all of our questions were answered and that we felt we had as much time as we needed.
I had a lovely pregnancy, and a beautiful birth (of COURSE it was hard!) and a healthy baby girl. Amy came the next day to help with Ruby’s first physical and test (where they prick the heal) at our request. She was amazing with Ruby.
We are now pregnant with our second daughter and are so happy that Amy and Sarah have the Art of Nursing Care practice together. They make sure we are informed, and paying attention to the finer points of a healthy pregnancy — like nutrition and exercise — things your OBGYN will barely mention most of the time — AND they work with an excellent supportive OBGYN in case you decide or need to change your birth plan at any point.
They make sure you are safe, that you are taking responsibility for having the healthiest pregnancy you can, and they are so warm and responsive. I never feel uncomfortable texting or calling the if I have a concern or question. They are organized, are never late, and I just am grateful for their presence in my family’s life.
But please, do your research and interview these women to decide if home birth is for you. We women have to take responsibility for our bodies, for being informed about all the risks and benefits of all the birth options that are luckily available to us.
Regardless, I highly recommend the Art of Nursing Care for anyone considering a home birth. You and your baby will be well cared for, and it will be an amazing experience!
Enjoy!
–April KirkHart

Amy, Sarah, Laura (our birth team during labor) and all the midwives are amazing. They provided us with care that really reflected what we wanted and when the time came for our birth they were right there with us and went way above and beyond our expectations. Their spirit of service is truly inspiring. It was wonderful to have them guide us through our birth and know that we could trust them completely.

I was so grateful for the post-​partum visit I received from Amy Tinney in February of 2009. I was feeling very weepy and was having difficulty receiving help. Amy took the time to understand how I was feeling and gave me concrete advice on how to re-​think my situation. She also spent a good amount of time showing my husband and I techniques to soothe our baby who was crying a lot. I called her the «baby whisperer» at the time but now I realize she is really a «new mama whisperer» because she helped me process my post-​partum emotions so I could show-​up for my baby and start enjoying being a new mom. I felt so much happier and more capable after her visit, I will always remember her. I think it’s unique to midwifery that they take care of both the mother and the baby, physically and emotionally-it’s a holistic practice. I also like that Amy has experience as a labor and delivery nurse (she used to work in hospitals) because so much of being able to relax is knowing you are in the capable hands of someone who respects you. She genuinely cares about her clients and she loves what she is doing.

Amy, Sarah and the many other talented midwives & doulas with the Art of Nursing Care have made me feel at ease and happy while under their care for my pregnancy.
This will be my second child and I am so thankful and happy to be able to call Amy and her team my Midwives. I plan on having my baby at home just like I did the first. She comes with tons of nursing and midwifery experience, which is very reassuring if the need arises. It is important to my husband and I that we have a well qualified healthcare provider to take care of us and our baby during our birth; as well as someone who is caring, patient and willing to listen to our many thoughts and concerns before.
I came to Amy before my husband and I wanted to conceive and she listened to my concerns and was able to give me sound advice. She set me on the path to having my next baby by providing me with a well women exam and removing my iud. I was fortunate enough to conceive immediately and I am now under her care.
When my first son was born at home, she came to us and drew blood for the «heel-​stick» blood test. This may not sound significant, but to us it was. We had already gone to a different medical doctors office forty-​five minutes away with our two day old son and they where unable to do the test correctly. It was very upsetting driving around with my newborn and the idea of having to make the trip into the Doctors office again would have been very difficult. Amy was my hero, she came to our home, did the test correctly! and we where able to get the results without another exhausting trip.
The Art of Nursing Care is located in gorgeous Marina Del Rey right off the peninsula; it’s a wonderful place to get to go visit when you are pregnant and going for a midwife visit. Even more wonderful when you know you are going to be seen by loving, qualified women that will provide emotional and physical support for you and your family during this magical time in your life.