- Do I have to see a doctor at any point in my pregnancy?
- How much does it cost?
- Do you bill insurance?
- Do you take Medicaid?
- Can I get an ultrasound?
- Can I have pain medication?
- How messy is it? And who cleans up the mess?
- What if there is an emergency?
- What is the father’s role?
- As the father, how can I find out more about out-of-hospital birth?
- Who can we have at the birth?
- Is giving birth in a birth center safe?
- What are your birth rate statistics?
- Can I view my medical records online
- Do you offer consultations? What does it involve?
Do I have to see a doctor at any point in my pregnancy?
No. Certified Professional Midwives are licensed to provide complete care during the childbearing year. There are times however when seeing a doctor may become necessary.
How much does it cost?
Giving birth at Brookhaven can cost a fraction of an unmedicated hospital birth, while providing many more hours of one-on-one care and individualized attention. We require a non-refundable $500.00 payment at your first prenatal appointment. We do offer various discounts that are outlined in our Financial Agreement that are based on an income sliding scale. The average out of pocket cost for our care is $6,100, however the cost can be more or less depending on your income and household size. This includes prenatal appointments, birth at our birth center or your home and postpartum visits There is an additional fee for twin pregnancy. Client bill must be paid in full by 36 weeks of pregnancy. We offer payment plans and can bill your insurance company. Please schedule a consultation to discuss these options further.
Do you bill insurance?
Yes we do. We are not contracted with most insurance providers therefore the reimbursement is usually at an “out-of-network” rate. We have in-house insurance staff that can take you through
Do you take Medicaid?
Our midwives are contracted with Fee For Service Medicaid. Our facility is not contracted with Medicaid so there are some out of pocket expenses for our Medicaid clients.
the process of verifying your benefits. We also love working with cost-sharing companies!
Can I get an ultrasound?
Yes. We offer ultrasound in our office and are able to order ultrasound at several other facilities as well, depending on which place is more convenient for our clients. If we order at a different facility they will send the ultrasound report to us and we will discuss the findings. We do recommend an anatomy scan around twenty weeks of gestation and occasionally recommend ultrasounds to confirm the baby’s position, rule out multiple gestation, or at the request of our clients. There are a few other reasons to get an ultrasound which we will discuss with you during your care. Find more information here.
Can I have pain medication?
We do not provide pain medication at the birth center. If a mother desires narcotic relief we will transfer her to the hospital for it. There are risks associated with anesthesia that necessitate close observation and immediate availability of an operating room, therefore giving narcotics outside of the hospital is not a safe option. Read more about the risks of common pain relief protocols in childbirth, here and here.
We do provide many natural techniques for coping with pain at your birth. These including massage, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy and our favorite… water! We have two deep immersion birth pools available in our birth suites.
What are the clean up procedures after a birth?
If you choose to have your baby at the birth center you will not need to do any clean up at all. Birth is not nearly as messy as many people imagine and we do a good job of keeping any mess contained. At a home birth we have one garbage bag designated for trash and one for laundry. Before we leave your home we have all trash in the bag and ready to be placed on your curb and we throw a load of laundry in the washer, we do not however stay to fold and put it away, sorry dad. We also suggest that if you plan on having several friends or family members attend the birth that you have a designated person to help with tidying up kitchen and waiting space so this is not left for mom or dad after everyone leaves.
What if there is an emergency?
Certified Professional Midwives have extensive training in birth emergencies and are certified in neonatal resuscitation and infant and adult CPR. In the event that we need to go to the hospital with an emergency we would activate EMS and take an ambulance. In a non-emergent event we will simply transport via private vehicle. Brookhaven’s location was chosen for its proximity to the hospital. We are 1/10 of one mile from the hospital.
What is the father’s role?
Your main role during the birth is to simply be present with your partner. She will be doing a lot of hard work and will want to know that you are nearby throughout the process. Some women have specific expectations of their partners, so ask her what she has in mind, but remember that it may all change once she is actually experiencing labor. The things we most often see men do for their partners are offer her a drink, rub her back, hold her hand, and/or place a cool rag on her neck or forehead.
As the father, how can I find out more about out-of-hospital birth?
The links below are to some helpful blogs and resources for fathers who want to know more about out-of-hospital birth.
- Homebirth Dads: 10 Questions with Jerry Shannon
- Fathers and Homebirth
- The Dad’s Perspective on Homebirthing
Who can we have at the birth?
Anyone you want to be there with you is welcome as long as both parents agree and that person is supportive of your decision to birth out of the hospital. Some families want their older children to attend the birth as well. We are perfectly fine with this, but we ask that you have a designated adult who will be there to supervise the children who will be at the place of birth.
Is giving birth in a birth center safe?
Yes. Time and time again it has been proven that out of hospital birth with low risk mothers is as safe and in some regards safer than hospital birth. However there are some conditions that would make an out of hospital birth a poor option, such as, a mother with a known heart condition, or an insulin dependent diabetic. If you have any specific questions about your medical conditions and the option of birth center or homebirth please schedule a free consultation or come to one of our birth center information nights. Read more about the safety of out-of-hospital birth with Certified Professional Midwives, and birth center birth.
What are your birth rate statistics?
Below are our current stats as of the end of 2021. Please call us if you have any questions about these statistics.
We’d love to tell you more!
- Vaginal Birth Rate = 93.55%
- C-section Rate = 6.45%
- VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) Success Rate = 100%
- Episiotomy Rate = 0%
- Waterbirth Rate = 29%
- Homebirth Rate = 22%
Can I view my medical records online?
Yes! We are pleased to offer this services as a convenience for our clients. Visit our Medical Records page for more information and to access this systemDo you offer consultations? What does it involve?
Yes. We offer free group tours and consultations twice a month. During this session you are given a tour of our facility with a thorough overview of our care model and practices including, statistics, protocols, scheduling, services, cost, and billing. You also get to meet some of our staff including a midwife who will take the time to answer all of your questions. We do ask that if you schedule a consultation 28 weeks gestation or beyond, please bring a copy of your medical records with you.
We also offer private one on one 45 minute consultations for those that cannot make a group tour date or who desire privacy for asking questions. We charge a $75 fee for this service and if you hire us for your care that $75 payment is put towards your total midwifery care fee.