Barri Malek - BK Midwifery

Reviews (13)

• Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

  November 2020

  The care I received from Barri and Kristen goes beyond words. In choosing a homebirth, the model of care no longer felt transactional. Barri and Kristen are dedicated and diligent in ensuring that trust is the foundation of the relationship, so that their clients feel simultaneously safe and empowered in their pregnancy and labor experience. I never, not once, doubted their wisdom and expertise, even during COVID! Nor did I ever feel even remotely persuaded or coerced to make a decision that felt disingenous to me. Barri and Kristen work from a place of love, and honor the families with whom they work by respecting our self efficacy and agency. In choosing these midwives, we weren't only getting a care provider, but care partners. It was an incredible experience to work with them.

• Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

  August 2020

  Barri and Kristen are a dream come true! I never knew healthcare could be so good. They are both so knowledgeable and skilled and empathic.

• Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

  August 2020

  This magical team gave such great care, and thoughtfulness.

• 2019 Birth Survey

  March 2019

  I loved my home birth midwives based in mid slope, Barri Malek and Kristin Leonard. I loved having a full hour to talk every visit, and their office was comfy. The last month or two is at your home and that was awesome.

• Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

  December 2017

  Kristen and Barri are absolutely wonderful! They provide attentive, warm, competent care! I have had both of my babies with them and would highly recommend them! Based on a August 2017 birthing experience.

• Re: OB/GYN or midwife who takes health first?

  November 2017

  I highly recommend the midwives Kristen Leonard and Barri Malek. They were my amazing Homebirth midwives whose practice is right here in Park Slope and I had HeathFirst at the time. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

• Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

  April 2017

  Barri Malek and Kristen Leonard Barri and Kristen were amazing. Our older son was delivered with Barri, so we were familiar with her style and dedication, and were equally pleased with Kristen. Their joint practice works wonderfully. They are both easily available for questions between appointments, either through phone calls or emails. They switch off doing prenatal visits, so you get to know both of them. Prenatal visits last an hour, allowing for plenty of time for questions and getting to know them better. They are professional yet warm and personable, and very realistic and experienced about prenatal care and birth. They are also non-judgmental and educated us to make informed decisions about prenatal care, such as genetic testing, and were supportive of whatever decision we made. We felt entirely confident with them. Based on February 2017 birth experience

• [ANONYMOUS] Home birth midwife recommendations?

  April 2017

  I have had two babies with Barri Malek. She is very experienced and professional when it comes to labor and delivery. Prenatal visits are an hour! You can talk about everything and anything that worries you. Prenatal care is nurturing and reassuring. But like I said. She is very professional during the birth. I have total confidence in her decision making ability. The first baby she caught was my second child. My 2nd child was 10lbs at birth! He was coming fast too! When it came time to deliver him he got a little stuck. Barri saw that a lip of my cervix was holding him back. She expertly moved it aside and my son popped right out. I had a similar problem with my first child at Methodist and the solution was episiotomy. So thank god for midwives and their hands-on know-how. So since my son was so huge I tore on the lines of my episiotomy and also ruptured a small vein. It was sort of a gusher. I lost a lot of blood. Barri was able to find it, clamp it and sew me up. She then stayed all night to monitor me. She had tried to give me an IV but my veins were too small. I hydrated with coconut water and ate a lot so Barri felt I was doing well. She was happy with my progress when I urinated and everything looked good. I can't imagine going through this in a hospital. Nothing beats bed rest in your own bed. My third child and the second one caught by Barri was a waterbirth (I recommend it, in conjunction with hypnobirthing for pain management). Again my cervix got in the way and Barri fixed it up. No problems. Beautiful experience. The postnatal care by Barri is also thorough. Both you and your baby are in safe hands and you feel like a goddess. Sorry if that was TMI! Just I love Barri. Also midwives don't exactly help you with pain management. They have a job to do which is monitoring you and the baby, specifically your progress and the baby's vitals. I recommend hypnobirthing. It'll get you through! Really! Otherwise definitely get a great doula. Sorry I have no one to recommend.

• Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

  October 2016

  I truly, absolutely, could not have imagined a better midwife team that Kristen and Barri of BK Midwifery. They were the most caring, compassionate, and amazing team to work with. Not only did they provide immense emotional support and nurturing during my pregnancy and during my (long, intense) labor, but they made giving birth at home a possibility for me. Their medical know-how is incredible. In short, these two KNOW THEIR STUFF and the birthing world is a better and lucky place for having them in it. Cannot recommend them enough. Based on June 2016 birthing experience

• Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

  October 2016

  Both Barri and Kristen were wonderful throughout the pregnancy and during the birth. They were informative as well as understanding and attuned to our specific needs/wants around our baby's birth. Their knowledge and customized care provided us with the best tools/conditions to prepare for our home birth. Their quiet and yet solid presence enabled us to have a safe and overall incredible experience receiving our baby at the comfort of our home. Based on April 2016 birthing experience

• Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

  February 2016

  Review: Barri Malek is amazing. Fantastic. Wonderful. Switching from a OB practice to working with Barri for our home birth was absolutely the best decision we could have made. She cares deeply about her patients, their families and insures that all are cared for with kindness and respect. Though she works with you to have the home birth that you want, her energy is always directed towards you having the safest birth possible. Her ego never gets in the way. That isn't something that I can say about the OBs I worked with prior to finding Barri. Her assistant is her perfect compliment. Barri comes with years of experience and a wonderful sense of humor. She made me feel at ease, confident and empowered. When the time comes for us to have another child and to choose our care provider, there is no doubt that we would hire her again. Insurance: She does take insurance. The process was sooo easy. It cost us nothing out of pocket for prenatal care, the birth or our follow up appointments.

• Based on a 2014 Birthing Experience

  March 2015

  Member Review: We were overall pleased with our home birth experience with Barri. We loved the fact that prenatal visits took place in our home, so handy, and she had great flexibility with hours. When a small complication arouse, Barri was calm and very helpful, and checked in with me in the following days to make sure everything was alright. During the home birth itself, Barri was calm, professional and supportive, giving us the space we wanted but knowing when to step in. A wonderful birth experience! Insurance details: Our insurance (United healthcare) covered everything, including all prenatal visits, the birth, etc. Billing was taken care of by Barri and her insurance guru. Couldn't have been easier! Review based on birth of 2014 baby

• Birth Survey 2012

  April 2012

  REVIEW: My husband and I were both thrilled to have the wonderful prenatal care and birthing assistance of the extraordinary midwives Barri Malek and Yuliya Milshteyn, through the Brooklyn Birthing Center. Both women are thoughtful, generous, intelligent and have Review Date: April 2012