Frequently asked questions
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. The average out of pocket cost for our care is $6,100, with adjustments for income and household size. This includes prenatal appointments, birth at our center or your home, and postpartum visits. There is an additional fee for twin pregnancy. We request a non-refundable $500.00 payment at your first prenatal appointment. Client bill should be paid in full by 36 weeks of pregnancy, or a payment plan set up. We accept Medicaid and can bill most insurances. Please schedule a consultation to discuss these options further.
We can bill most insurances for reimbursement at an out-of-network rate. We also love working with cost-sharing insurance companies. Our staff can walk you through the process and answer any questions.
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.
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. However, there are times when seeing a doctor may become necessary.
Do you offer ultrasounds and labs?
We offer elective ultrasounds in our office and are able to order ultrasounds at several other facilities as well, depending on which place is more convenient for our clients. 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 potential reasons to get an ultrasound which we will discuss with you during your care. Breast screening ultrasounds for early breast cancer detection also available.
We are able to process labs and bloodwork. We inform clients of any tests before administered in order for them to choose what is best for them and their baby.
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, and offer rentals for home births.
What are the cleaning 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 keep 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 don't stay to fold and put it away – sorry, dad!) If you plan on having several friends or family members attend the birth, we suggest 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 is the partner's role in a natural birth?
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. They can also do the honor of "catching" when baby comes out.
Who can be with me at the birth?
Anyone both parents agree to have present is welcome, as long as the individual is supportive of your out of hospital birth decision. Some families want their older children to attend the birth as well. We are perfectly fine with this, but ask that you have a designated adult who will be there to supervise the children at the place of birth.
Do you offer free consultations?
We offer weekly free group tours and consultations. 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 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 which can be put toward your total midwifery care fee.
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 1/10th of a mile from the hospital.
Is out of hospital birth safe?
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, home or birth center birth may not be right for everyone, and we encourage families to do research and consider what option is best for them. We welcome twin births and vaginal birth after cesarean.
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 specific questions about your medical conditions and birth options, please schedule a free consultation or come to one of our birth center information nights.
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%
Water birth Rate = 29%
Home birth Rate = 22%
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