FAQ
Home Birth FAQs
At Haven Birth and Wellness, we structure your prenatal care to ensure consistent support and monitoring throughout your pregnancy. After your initial comprehensive appointment, which typically lasts an hour, you’ll have monthly check-ins until 28 weeks. These appointments are designed to discuss your health, baby’s development, and any lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, or stress that might affect your pregnancy.
From 28 to 36 weeks, your visits become more frequent, happening every two weeks. This is the stage when we do more in-depth monitoring of both you and your baby, ensuring everything is progressing smoothly. At 36 weeks, we conduct a home visit where we’ll go over the logistics of your birth plan in your home environment, discuss the items you’ll need to prepare, and ensure you’re ready for the big day. After this visit, you’ll come in weekly until your baby is born, giving us the chance to continue addressing any concerns, answer questions, and prepare you for labor.
In addition to these scheduled appointments, you have 24/7 access to our midwives via phone, email, or messenger if any concerns arise between visits.
Haven’s midwives offer a variety of tests to ensure both you and your baby are healthy throughout your pregnancy. Here’s an overview of the standard testing schedule:
First Prenatal Appointment (10–12 weeks):
During this visit, we perform routine blood work to check for blood type, Rh factor, iron levels, and screen for infections or potential complications like gestational diabetes. We also conduct a urine test to monitor for signs of any issues like a urinary tract infection or protein in your urine. Most of these tests can be submitted to your insurance provider.
20 Weeks: Ultrasound:
At around 20 weeks, we send you to one of our preferred ultrasound providers for an anatomy scan. This ultrasound checks your baby’s development, ensures healthy growth, and evaluates the position of the placenta. It’s also an opportunity for you to find out your baby’s gender if you wish. This test can often be submitted through insurance as well.
28 Weeks: Glucose Test and Iron Levels:
We offer a glucose screening to check for gestational diabetes. Instead of the traditional glucose drink, Haven uses the “Fresh Test,” which is an organic alternative with a minty lemonade flavor. We also recheck your iron levels to ensure you’re not anemic and address any deficiencies before birth.
In addition to these routine tests, we can tailor your care based on your individual needs and preferences, adding or omitting tests as appropriate.
Yes, absolutely. At Haven Birth and Wellness, we believe that birth should be an experience shaped by your preferences, needs, and goals. Your midwife works closely with you to develop a birth plan that reflects your wishes. Whether it’s your choice of birth position, the level of monitoring you want, or your preferences around interventions, we ensure your voice is heard and respected.
We support various birth preferences, including water birth, natural pain management techniques, and minimal medical intervention. Our goal is to empower you with information and guide you through options while keeping your health and safety in focus. Ultimately, the decisions are yours to make, and we are there to support you in whatever birth experience you envision.
At your birth, you can expect the on-call midwife from Haven Birth and Wellness to be present, along with a registered nurse to assist. If you have a doula, they may also join you for additional support. Our goal is to provide a calm, supportive environment with minimal intervention, so you’ll have the key people you feel most comfortable with, including any family members or support persons you choose to invite.
No, you do not have to give birth in the water unless you choose to. At Haven Birth and Wellness, we support a variety of birth preferences, and water birth is just one option. If you prefer a land birth or want to labor in the water but give birth outside of it, that’s entirely up to you. Our midwives are here to honor your preferences, whether you choose to give birth in your bed, on a birthing stool, or in another part of your home. Your comfort and control over your birth experience are our priorities, so we’ll support you in whichever setting you feel is best for you.
At Haven Birth and Wellness, postpartum care is an essential part of our services. After your baby is born, our focus is on ensuring that you and your baby are healthy and well-supported as you transition into this new chapter.
- Immediate Postpartum (3–4 hours after birth): We stay with you for about 3–4 hours after the birth to monitor both you and your baby. This includes ensuring you are recovering well, monitoring your baby’s vitals, and assisting with the first breastfeeding session if needed. We also take care of cleanup, including the birth area, draining the tub (if you had a water birth), and doing any laundry from the birth.
- 24–36 Hours Postpartum: We return to your home within 24 to 36 hours for a follow-up visit. During this time, we perform a newborn screening, check your baby’s heart and metabolic health, and assess your physical recovery. We also help with breastfeeding, ensuring a good latch and answering any questions you have about feeding.
- 1–2 Weeks Postpartum: At one to two weeks postpartum, we conduct another home visit to continue supporting your recovery and addressing any postpartum challenges, including breastfeeding and emotional well-being.
- 6-Week Postpartum Visit: At six weeks, we have a final postpartum appointment in our office, where we wrap up your care. This is an opportunity to check your physical recovery, discuss contraception if desired, and ensure you are feeling well both physically and emotionally.
Throughout the postpartum period, we’re always available for phone or messaging support if you have any concerns.
Yes, our midwives are trained to handle a variety of situations, including emergencies, though complications are rare. We come to each birth fully prepared with emergency equipment such as oxygen, medications to prevent excessive bleeding, and neonatal resuscitation supplies. If complications arise, such as a prolonged labor or signs of fetal distress, we assess the situation carefully and recommend a hospital transfer if necessary.
If a transfer is required, Haven midwives work closely with local hospitals and OB/GYNs to ensure a smooth and safe transition. We stay with you during the transfer to provide continued support, ensuring clear communication with the hospital staff. Even though transfers are rare, we prioritize your safety and are committed to a seamless handover of care if needed.
Haven offers a Global Fee of $6,800 for home birth services, which covers all prenatal visits, labor support, postpartum care, and newborn care up to six weeks. This includes:
- 24/7 access to our midwives
- Routine prenatal appointments
- Home visits at 36 weeks and postpartum
- Support during labor and birth
- Postpartum visits and newborn assessments
- A $500 non-refundable deposit is required upon signing the contract to reserve your spot. The remaining $6,300 is broken into installments due at 10, 20, 28, and 37 weeks.
- Haven does not work directly with insurance companies, but we provide a super bill after your birth, which you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. We also work with third-party billing services like Artemis to assist with filing claims. The extent of insurance coverage varies based on your plan, and we encourage clients to check with their provider about out-of-network benefits. You can contact them here.
- For those using medical cost-sharing programs like Liberty HealthShare or Samaritan Ministries, reimbursement for home birth services may also be an option.
Wellness Services FAQs
Our wellness services are designed to address a broad range of women’s health concerns, from reproductive health to managing the changes that come with aging. We help women dealing with fertility issues, providing personalized plans that address hormonal imbalances and reproductive health. For those navigating peri-menopause and menopause, we offer solutions to manage symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances.
Additionally, we support women experiencing menstrual irregularities, hormonal imbalances, and general wellness concerns such as stress, fatigue, and nutritional health.
Our approach is to create individualized care plans that consider all aspects of your lifestyle and health, empowering you to take control of your well-being at every stage of life.
We offer a holistic and personalized approach to fertility support, recognizing that every woman’s journey is unique.
Our fertility care begins with a comprehensive consultation where we explore your reproductive health in-depth, including reviewing your cycle, discussing any difficulties you’ve experienced in conceiving, and evaluating factors such as stress, nutrition, and lifestyle. Based on this initial assessment, we may order lab work to check hormone levels, ovarian function, and other markers that provide insight into your fertility.
From there, we’ll craft a personalized plan to support your reproductive health, which may include dietary recommendations, supplements, lifestyle adjustments, and ongoing monitoring. Throughout this process, you’ll have access to follow-up appointments to review progress, make adjustments to your plan, and receive continued guidance and emotional support.
Peri-menopause and menopause are significant transitions that can bring a variety of symptoms, from hot flashes and mood swings to sleep disturbances and weight changes.
At Haven, we take a comprehensive approach to managing these changes, beginning with an in-depth consultation to understand how these symptoms are affecting your daily life. Lab tests may be ordered to assess your hormone levels and help us get a clearer picture of what’s happening inside your body.
With this information, we’ll create a tailored wellness plan that could include dietary changes, supplements, lifestyle adjustments, and stress management techniques to help alleviate symptoms.
Regular follow-up appointments allow us to adjust your care plan as your body continues to change, ensuring that you feel supported throughout your transition into this new stage of life.
Your initial 1-hour consultation is a comprehensive deep dive into your health, lifestyle, and wellness goals.
We begin by discussing your current health concerns, reviewing any symptoms, and understanding your personal goals, whether it’s managing hormonal imbalances, fertility concerns, or simply optimizing overall wellness. This is also the time for us to review your medical history, including any previous conditions or treatments you’ve undergone.
If needed, we can perform a Pap smear during this visit. Additionally, we may draw labs to gather further insights into your health, depending on your goals and current health needs.
Together, we’ll work on developing a personalized wellness plan tailored to your unique needs, and if needed, we’ll perform a lab draw during the consultation to gather further insights. We ensure that your questions are answered and you leave with a clear path forward for your health.
After your initial consultation, we schedule a 30-minute follow-up appointment. This visit is crucial for reviewing the results of any lab work done during your first consultation and determining the next steps.
During this appointment, we take time to go over what your lab results mean for your health and how they impact your wellness goals. We also adjust your personalized plan as necessary, addressing any new concerns or changes you’ve experienced since the initial appointment.
This is your opportunity to ask further questions, clarify any parts of your plan, and discuss how you’re feeling both physically and emotionally. These follow-up appointments ensure you’re making progress and help us refine your wellness strategy to keep you on track.
Yes, while one lab draw is included as part of your wellness visit, additional lab draws may be necessary depending on the complexity of your health concerns or the nature of your treatment plan.
Each additional lab draw is $20, plus the cost of the lab fees, which vary based on the specific tests ordered. We work with Quest for lab processing, and if you choose, Quest can submit the costs directly to your insurance provider. For those without insurance or who prefer to self-pay, we will provide transparent pricing before any additional tests are ordered. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect financially and can make informed decisions about your care without any surprise costs.
We understand that sometimes life happens, and you may need to change your plans. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, we kindly ask for at least 24 hours’ notice so we can adjust our schedule accordingly. This ensures that we can accommodate other clients who may be waiting for an appointment.
If something unexpected arises and you’re unable to provide at least 2 hours’ notice, a $50 fee will be charged to your account. This policy helps us maintain a smooth schedule and ensures that we can continue offering our full attention and care to every client.
If you do need to cancel or reschedule, simply contact us by phone, text, or email, and we’ll be happy to work with you to find a new appointment time that fits your schedule.