Prenatal Care with Certified Nurse-Midwives
At Haven, prenatal care is unhurried, personal, and led by certified nurse-midwives. You get the same medical screening you'd expect from any prenatal practice, plus time to ask questions, learn what's ahead, and plan the birth of your baby. The midwives who see you at your visits are part of the same team who will care for you in labor.
What Your Care Looks Like
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Regular prenatal visits with a certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
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A holistic, individualized approach to care
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Preparing for Childbirth, Nourish Pregnancy, Your Pregnant Body Workshop and Breastfeeding Basics classes
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Routine pregnancy ultrasounds
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Blood pressure checks
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Assessments of baby's heart rate, growth and position
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Bloodwork and routine lab screenings
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Genetic screening options, explained so you can decide what's right for you
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Creating of an individualized birth plan
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Preparation for postpartum and newborn care
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Access to on-call providers 24/7
What a Visit Is Like
Visits are relaxed and conversational, with time to talk about how you're feeling, not just your lab results. We cover nutrition, movement, comfort measures, birth preferences, breastfeeding and recovery. Spouses, family, doulas and other support people are welcome. Initial appointments to establish care are 60 minutes.
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Families come in about once a month until 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36 weeks and then weekly until birth.
The Midwifery Model of Care
Midwifery care treats pregnancy as a normal, healthy life event. It's built on prevention, education, and shared decision-making. This means that with clear information about your options, you'll be well prepared to make decisions. Medical interventions are used when needed, not by routine.
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This approach has strong results. In a national study of families receiving birth center prenatal care, part of the federal Strong Start program, birth center clients had fewer preterm births, fewer low birth weight babies, and fewer cesareans than similar families in standard care.
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Haven is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC), the national standard for freestanding birth centers, and is about two minutes from the nearest hospital.
Is Haven a Good Fit?
Birth center care is for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. At your first visit, your midwife will review your health history with you. Some conditions mean a hospital birth is the safer choice, such as a previous cesarean, twins, high blood pressure, or diabetes managed by medication. If that's the case, we'll help you find a provider who's a great fit.
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Already seeing another provider? You can transfer your care to Haven prior to 36 weeks of pregnancy.
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Your care is part of one bundled fee that covers all prenatal care, pregnancy and breastfeeding education, continuous access to on-call providers, care throughout labor, birth and postpartum. We also include initial newborn care and screening tests. Haven works as an out-of-network provider with many insurance plans, and our team can request an insurance benefits breakdown for you. We also offer a self-pay rate, an interest-free payment plan through 36 weeks, and CareCredit financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I schedule my first prenatal visit?
Most families start care around 8 to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Call us as soon as you have a positive test and we'll help you plan. We are happy to work with you as you begin family planning as well and invite you to join one of our tours at any time.
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Can I see a midwife if I'm not sure I want a birth center birth?
Yes. We are happy to schedule you for a phone consultation or in person visit with a midwife. We provide annual exams, family planning and GYN care as well! Prenatal care with our midwives is a good way to get to know Haven. Our free weekly tour is another easy first step.
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Do you do genetic testing?
Yes. We offer genetic screening and genetic carrier testing options and walk you through what each test shows, so you can decide what's right for your family.
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What if a complication comes up during pregnancy?
Your midwife will talk with you about what it means and what care you need. Sometimes that means extra monitoring, and sometimes it means transferring to a physician or hospital team. We refer patients to high risk pregnancy providers or other specialists as needed. If you need to transition to another health care provider, we stay in touch and help make the transition smooth.
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Are classes really included?
Yes. Nourish Pregnancy (Prenatal Nutrition), Your Pregnant Body Workshop, Childbirth Preparation and Breastfeeding Basics are part of your care at no extra cost.