FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


About the Birth Center Questions
Birthing Questions
Other Services Payment and Insurance Questions



About the Birth Center Questions
What is The Birthing Inn?
The Birthing Inn is a free-standing childbirth center- not affiliated with a hospital. The birth center is a place where women can find resources regarding their birth options, and deliver their babies in the safety and comfort of a peaceful home-like setting.
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Why choose a birth center and how is it different from a hospital?
Hospitals specialize in high-risk situations and are able to offer pain medication (such as epidurals) and cesarean sections if necessary. Birth centers are preferred by many healthy, low risk women for a variety of reasons including:
  • For the welcoming home-like environment
  • For the low-tech, high touch approach to care
  • For the freedom to labor and birth as desired
  • For the much lower cesarean section rate
  • To avoid unnecessary intervention
  • # To enjoy the comforts of a large soaking tub in labor
  • To share birth with children, family and friends
  • To birth in a setting designed for healthy women
  • For the care, teaching and nurturing midwives give
  • To enable fathers/significant others to participate fully
  • To give birth, not be delivered, in privacy, peace and dignity
  • To avoid separation from the new baby
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Why would you choose a birth center over a home birth?
For many people selecting a birth center over their homes is a decision of practicality. Many homes won't accommodate a home birth due to the space that many be needed or location. Much like an upscale hotel, The Birthing Inn takes care of the cleaning and maintenance while you can focus on the birth.
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Will my insurance cover The Birthing Inn?
The Birthing Inn accepts the following contracted insurance plans:
  • Aetna
  • Department of Human Services (DHS)
    • Including: Community Health Plan and Molina
  • First Choice Health Network
  • Group Health
  • KPS
  • Premera Blue Cross
    • Including: all Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans
  • Regence
  • For military coverage, please contact The Birthing Inn

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What if I don't have insurance?
Military and non-insured:
  • Families without insurance coverage are offered a prompt payment discount of $1540.00 payable at time of registration.
  • Military /Tricare - Unfortunately Tricare does not cover The Birthing Inn, we do however offer a 20% discount from our cash price.
If you do not see your insurance company on the list, check with your insurance carrier to see if they offer out-of-network benefits. You may be surprised at how little out of pocket you would be responsible for.
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What is the difference between a CNM and an LM?
A Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) is an individual educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery, who possesses evidence of certification according to the requirements of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. CNMs can practice in both the hospital and out of hospital setting and are qualified to do gynecology and well woman care. Currently the only CNMs associated with The Birthing Inn are The Pearl Place Midwives.

A Licensed Midwife (LM), also referred to as a direct-entry midwife, is a midwife who has received extensive training in the practice of caring for pregnant women and their families in an out of hospital setting, attending birth both at home and in free-standing birth centers. LMs are licensed to practice in a particular jurisdiction (usually a state or province) and are considered primary care providers for low-risk women during pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period.

A Certified Professional Midwife holds a national certification in the practice of midwifery.
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What is a birth assistant?
A birth assistant is a trained professional who assists a midwife with the clinical aspects of childbirth as well as labor support if needed. The Birthing Inn employs several well trained assistants who rotate being on call for the midwives who deliver at The Birthing Inn. A birth assistant is not the same thing as a doula.
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What is a doula?
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.


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Is it safe?
Yes. It is very safe. We have had over 1100 babies born at The Birthing Inn. As long as you are low-risk throughout pregnancy and labor, The Birthing Inn is a safe place for you and your baby. A study published by the New England Journal of medicine that represented over 12,000 pregnant women confirmed that births, which occurred in midwife staffed birth centers, were just as safe as births taking place in the hospital.
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How do I arrange a tour?
The Birthing Inn is open for normal business Monday through Thursday from 10am-4pm and you are welcome to drop in for a tour. If you are coming from a distance, please call ahead to make sure we are open and available for a tour.
Additionally, the Inn is also open between 11am - 1pm on the first Saturday of every month during which time you can tour and/or register to birth at the Inn. 
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Birthing Questions
Who can birth at The Birthing Inn?
All healthy, low-risk women who have a normal pregnancy and labor are eligible to birth at The Birthing Inn.

Women must be between 37-42 weeks pregnant and not carrying multiples or a baby in a breech position. There is no age limit. Women must have the following tests to birth at The Birthing Inn:
  • Initial prenatal blood work
  • Glucose Tolerance Test at 28 weeks 
  • Group B Strep swab at 36 weeks
Currently, The Birthing Inn does not allow vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) deliveries.

Women who have health problems or difficult pregnancies are better off having their babies in a hospital setting, where acute care is available, with Certified Nurse-Midwives.
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What happens when I go in to labor?
Contact your midwife who will have a key and arrange a meeting time. Your midwife will meet you at The Birthing Inn.
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Are pain medications available?
No, women choosing The Birthing Inn utilize alternative forms of coping methods for pain reduction including walking, eating, drinking, hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, massage, using birth apparatus as well as education about natural childbirth. Please contact your provider if you have questions about pain medications.
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Will my newborn be given eye ointment and/or a vitamin K shot?
Both eye ointment and Vitamin K are available for newborns. The eye ointment is a legal requirement, but you may sign a waiver if you prefer your infant not have the eye ointment. The Vitamin K shot is optional.
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Do you do circumcisions?
No. Please contact your preferred provider.
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What are the criteria to be a provider?
In addition to being currently certified as a LM or CNM, each midwife must sign and agree to the standard of care and policies and procedures of The Birthing Inn.
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What if I need to be transferred?
Sometimes during labor or the postpartum period, there arises the need for transfer to a hospital. Each provider has their own criteria regarding transfers so please discuss this with your provider prior to your due date. The Birthing Inn has a 17% transfer rate of all admissions.

Transfers are by private vehicle or ambulance. Reasons for transferring include:
  • Pain relief- a woman in prolonged labor requests an epidural
  • Non-reassuring fetal heart tones
  • Maternal fever
  • Non-reassuring vital signs for mom or baby
  • Post-partum issues
  • Mom and/or baby not stable after 4 hours
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How long can I stay after delivery?
Families remain at The Birthing Inn for 4-6 hours after the birth of their baby.
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What happens if all the rooms are full?
There is a clinic room that can be converted into a birth room if needed.
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Can I have a waterbirth?
Yes. Each birth room has a birthing tub and waterbirths are common at The Birthing Inn.
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Who may be present with me for the birth?
Please contact your provider regarding the number of people who may be present during the birth.
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Where can my family wait?
The Birthing Inn has a comfortable lounge where family members can wait. However, if there is a class is session, family members may have to find other places to wait.
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If I have already started my prenatal care with a different provider, can I still have my baby at The Birthing Inn?
Yes, however you will need to transfer your care if your current provider doesn’t have privileges at The Birthing Inn. Please click here for a list of providers.
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What about food?
You are welcome to bring any food with you. There is a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker for your use. There is no oven. In addition, The Birthing Inn is located near a variety of restaurants and a grocery store.
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Other Services
Do you offer childbirth classes?
Yes. The Birthing Inn offers a childbirth series as well as a one-day intensive class and a refresher course for parents.
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Do you offer gynecological/women's health care?
No. However, The Birthing Inn is housed in the same building as Pearl Place Women's Care and the Midwives at Pearl Place do offer well-woman care.
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What other support do you offer for pregnant and post-natal women?
The Birthing Inn offers a Newborn Care class to help prepare you for the arrival of your new baby and a Life After Baby class to help you prepare for YOUR life postpartum. We also have a Breastfeeding class to help prepare for breastfeeding your newborn. The Inn also has a bi-weekly support group for new moms.
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Do you offer lactation support?
Yes, please call for an appointment. The Birthing Inn also carries Medela® lactation products for breastfeeding challenges.
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Payment and Insurance Questions
How much will my birth cost?
At minimum, you will pay our registration fee of $275. For more detailed information, please contact your insurance company about maternity benefits.
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What is the registration fee used for?
The registration fee is a non-refundable, non-reimbursed fee that goes to pay for the hard costs of running The Birthing Inn. Please click here for more information about the registration fee.
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Will my insurance cover my birth?
Yes. Please contact your insurance company for additional information.
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