Anne E Stohrer, M.D.
Fatima Wafy I tried to write this review immediately postpartum, but I found myself in tears every time. Now that some time has passed, I’m back to share my gratitude.
In 2019, I became pregnant with my second child. After a miserable experience with my first delivery at Methodist/Dignity Health, I was determined to find better care. I was willing to make the long trek to Sutter Davis after multiple recommendations, especially since I was hoping for an unmedicated VBAC — ambitious, I know — and I knew I needed a strong, supportive team.
I met several wonderful doctors and midwives throughout my pregnancy, but I never had the chance to meet Dr. Stohrer. So, when I went into labor and she ended up being the on-call doctor, I was a little apprehensive. She didn’t know me or my story, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. But she turned out to be exactly what I needed — strong, passionate, empathetic, firm, and incredibly skilled.
I’ll never forget the moment I started to panic and yelled, “I’M GOING TO PASS OUT.” She looked me in the eye and firmly said, “No, you won’t. Your body won’t let you. You can do this.” Her confidence became my anchor.
When I started crowning, she carefully applied oil to help prevent tearing and then came over to me. “Look at me,” she said. “You’re crowning. I don’t want you to tear. No more big, hard pushes. Short, slow, fast pushes.” She mimicked the rhythm of the breathing I needed, guiding me through it. I followed her lead, and because of her care and expertise, I didn’t tear.
It’s hard to put into words the dynamic she created in that room — her ability to assess exactly what I needed in those intense moments and deliver it so perfectly. She was phenomenal.
Fast forward to 2024: I’m pregnant again at 38, once more aiming for a VBAC. Sutter Davis has changed over the years. Many of the birth-friendly, baby-friendly doctors who once made the hospital special have been replaced with younger doctors who don’t necessarily hold to the same standards that once inspired me to travel so far for care. But I held onto hope.
I was admitted at 4 a.m., but my labor progressed slowly. Then, at 8 a.m., a small miracle — Dr. Stohrer walked in. I later learned she only works one or two shifts a month now. The relief I felt seeing her face is something I’ll never forget. She immediately engaged, listened, and even recalled our previous experience together.
Things got complicated. The nurse grew nervous, hinting that a C-section might be necessary, but Dr. Stohrer’s decades of experience made all the difference. There’s something about that level of skill and intuition that can’t be taught — it comes from years of being in the room and truly knowing birth.
My baby was asynclitic, with his head tipped to one side and his arm up. We tried the vacuum, but it wasn’t working. I had an epidural, and because I’m tall, the dosage was too strong, leaving me unable to feel much. I told her it needed adjusting, and she listened, working with the anesthesiologist to bring the dosage down. She let me try different positions and trusted my input.
Finally, she said we’d make one last attempt. She mentioned making a small incision to adjust the baby, and as soon as I saw that scalpel, I pushed with everything I had — and my baby came right out, perfect and healthy. While 11 people from different hospital departments stood by in case of an emergency, none of them were needed. I’m confident that with any other doctor, I would have ended up with a complicated, emergency C-section.
I’ve thought about having another baby, and as silly as it may sound, I can’t imagine going through labor without Dr. Stohrer. I know what matters most is a healthy baby, but there’s something deeply profound about the integrity of the birthing process — about feeling heard, supported, and respected — that leaves an imprint on you. Dr. Stohrer gave me that experience. Twice.
She is a once-in-a-lifetime doctor, and I will never stop being grateful for her.
