Finding and messaging providers
Once your care request is live, there are two ways to connect with providers: wait for matches and replies to appear in Messages, or go find them yourself in Search.
Your Messages page
Every provider you're connected with shows as a card (on a computer, this page is Inbox in the top bar). A Matched label means a provider was matched to your request and can see it — open the card to read their profile and send the first message. A New reply label means they've written to you; those cards are listed first. A card with an interview in progress says "Interview · pick a time" (it's your turn), "Interview · waiting on them", or the interview's day and time once it's confirmed. Use the chips at the top — All, New replies, Awaiting reply, Ignored — to narrow the list; if you have more than one care request, a second row of chips filters by request.
We also notify you by email, and by text if you shared a phone number, when a provider replies — see "Stopping texts and emails" for how often. Long replies are shortened in the email; click Read the full message to see the rest on Bornbir.
Searching for providers
The Search page shows providers near your request's location, with any provider who has a new reply for you at the top. Click Filters to narrow by:
- Location Range — how far you're willing to look
- Service type — virtual sessions or in person
- Category, Insurance, and Languages
The follow-up questions you answered after signing up (distance, insurance, languages) are applied as your default filters. Each card shows the provider's photo, category, location, years of experience, star rating, a background-check mark if they've completed one, and — when they've listed prices — a starting rate such as "$1,500+" or "$35/hr". When a provider has set their availability, the card also says whether they're taking new clients: "Open for your due date" (or "Available now" once your baby is here), "Taking new clients", "Not available for [month]", or "Not taking new clients".
What the badges mean
- Background checked — the provider passed a background check run by Checkr. The badge shows the month of the check; see "Requesting a background check on a provider".
- NPI verified — the provider's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is registered on the federal NPPES registry, and Bornbir matched the number and name against it.
- Responds within an hour, Responds within a few hours, or Responds within a day — how quickly the provider usually answers a family's first message, based on their median reply time over the last 90 days.
Opening a conversation
Click any card to open the provider in a window with tabs: Messages, Profile, and — when they have reviews — Reviews. The Profile tab starts with their badges and a short list of facts (Experience, Languages, and Insurance), then their availability, about, service introduction, specialties, packages, credentials, FAQs, and upcoming classes. Under a package, Ask about this package → fills the message box with a question about it. To see their full public profile, open the ··· menu and choose View full profile (it opens in a new tab).
Write in the message box and click Send — a conversation starts only when you actually send something. If you haven't verified your email or phone yet, we hold the message until you do; see "Why you need to verify your email or phone".
A provider's full profile
The full profile page leads with the provider's badges and, when they've set it, whether they're taking new clients and for which due dates or months. Links across the top jump to About, Availability, Pricing (or Services), Reviews, Credentials, FAQs, and Service area (a profile only shows the sections it has). The Certifications, training, and specialties section lists their certifications, education, languages, specialties and — if the provider chose to share them — their race / ethnicity and religion. Message [Name] opens your conversation, or starts one.
Quick replies
Above the message box, one-tap quick replies pre-fill a message for you: Ask for insurance, Request more info, and Check availability. You can edit the text before sending.
Scheduling an interview
Click Schedule interview above the message box to offer up to 3 times. Choose Video call, Phone call, or In person, how long (15 to 60 minutes), pick a day in the next two weeks and then your times, add an optional note, and click Send. Times the provider's own calendar shows as busy are crossed out and can't be picked. The provider picks one and it's confirmed — or suggests other times. Providers can propose times to you the same way; when they do, a card in the conversation lets you Confirm this time or Suggest other times. If a provider's first reply comes with proposed times, the email and text we send you say so, with a Pick a time button in the email. If a provider mentions finding a time to talk, you'll see a Propose times shortcut.
Once confirmed, the conversation shows the time, a Join video call link when the provider adds one, and Add to calendar buttons (Google, Apple, Outlook). Your upcoming interviews are also listed at the top of Messages. We email and text you when times are proposed, confirmed, or cancelled, and remind you the day before. Reschedule or Cancel are on the confirmed card; the provider is notified right away. A couple of hours after the interview, we ask how it went — I'd like to hire [name], Not a fit, or Still deciding. Schedule interview goes away once you've marked the provider as hired or they've added you as a client.
Knowing your message was seen
Under your latest message you'll see Sent, which changes to Read once the provider opens it.
Saying "No thanks"
Not the right fit? Click No thanks and we'll send the provider a polite, pre-written decline (you can edit it first) and mark the conversation resolved. If you change your mind, just send them a new message — that re-opens the conversation. Found your provider? Already hired someone lets us know which one and closes that request; your conversation with the provider you hired stays open.
After your request closes
Closing a request — or letting it expire — doesn't cut off the conversations you're actually having. Wherever you and a provider have both written (or you've hired them), you can keep messaging, scheduling, and paying. Providers you never exchanged messages with can't write to you about a closed request. See "Editing, closing, or re-opening your care requests".
Ignoring a provider
If a provider keeps following up after you've moved on, open the ··· menu in the conversation and choose Ignore conversation. You can optionally tell us why (Found someone else, Too many follow-ups, Not the right fit, Not looking anymore). The provider can't send you new messages and isn't told you ignored them. The conversation moves to your Ignored tab, where you can still read it or click Restore to let them message you again. The same menu has Report if something about a provider seems wrong.
Invoices, payments, and documents
If a provider sends you an invoice or a payment request, it appears as a card in the conversation — "[Name] sent an invoice for $500" or "[Name] requested $500" — with a Pay button that opens Stripe's secure checkout and a View invoice (or View details) link; the same Pay button also sits above the message box. See "Paying a provider through Bornbir". If a provider sends you a contract or other document to sign, it appears as "[Name] sent you a document to sign" with a Review and sign button; see "Signing a contract from your provider".
Reviewing a provider
Once you and a provider have both written in a conversation, their Profile tab (and Reviews tab, if they have reviews) shows "Worked with [Name]? Tell other parents how it went." with a Write a review button. See "Writing a review for a provider".
Requesting a background check
Above the message box you'll see Request background check (on a phone, just Background check). It lets you order a Checkr background check on that provider; see "Requesting a background check on a provider".