Schedule an orientation
Schedule an orientation

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please reach – we’re happy to connect.

About Minnesota Birth Center

Minnesota Birth Center is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health and has been nationally accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers since 2012.

Studies have shown that for healthy, low-risk women, giving birth at a freestanding birth center is as safe as giving birth in the hospital. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists agrees. A study released in November 2011 involving over 64,000 women in England found that “for planned births in freestanding midwifery units…there were no significant differences in adverse perinatal outcomes compared with planned birth in an obstetric unit”.

Healthy women giving birth in a birth center avoid the routine use of advanced technology and interventions that may not be most appropriate for normal physiologic birth. Women giving birth at Minnesota Birth Center receive skilled, continuous care and labor support from Certified Nurse-Midwives and Registered Nurses. Research has shown that continuous labor support decreases the need for epidural anesthesia, medical interventions, and cesarean sections.

Read “Outcomes of Care in Birth Centers: Demonstration of a Durable Model” in the Journal of Midwifery and Women’ Health.

Minnesota Birth Center provides comprehensive prenatal care led by Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs). Our CNMs are Registered Nurses licensed by the Minnesota Board of Nursing and certified by the national American Midwifery Certification Board. With advanced graduate education in midwifery, CNMs are experts in normal pregnancy and physiologic birth.

The CNM scope of practice includes prenatal care, labor and birth support, postpartum care, and lifelong gynecologic care. During labor and birth, our midwives are supported by skilled Birth Assistants who may be Registered Nurses, Certified Professional Midwives, or Trained Birth Assistants, ensuring safe and collaborative care throughout your birth experience.

In the event of an emergency during labor or delivery, Minnesota Birth Center has clear protocols in place to ensure your safety and well-being.

Throughout your pregnancy, we continually assess risk, monitoring you and your babies health to help prevent emergencies whenever possible. That said, we recognize that unexpected situations can still arise. Our Certified Nurse-Midwives are highly trained to recognize and manage urgent conditions. We maintain emergency equipment and medications on site and conduct regular emergency drills to ensure readiness.

If a situation occurs that requires care beyond what is appropriate in a birth center setting, we arrange prompt transfer to a nearby hospital. We work closely with local emergency medical services and hospitals to ensure smooth, timely transfers when needed.

Insurance Eligibility

Minnesota Birth Center is contracted with all major insurers in Minnesota. Please see our Paying for Care page for more information.

Minnesota Birth Center specializes in normal, physiologic birth and is best suited for healthy pregnancies without significant medical or obstetric complications. Certain conditions may make birth center care unsafe or inappropriate.

Please review Minnesota Birth Center’s list of Risk Factors for detailed information. While this list is not exhaustive, the conditions outlined are considered incompatible with care at Minnesota Birth Center.

We want to note that maternal age and IVF/ART alone are not considered risk factors at Minnesota Birth Center. If questions arise during your pregnancy, our midwives will discuss them with you and help guide you toward the safest care setting for you and your baby.

Diagnostics & Services

Routine prenatal laboratory testing is drawn at Minnesota Birth Center and processed through Quest Diagnostics. Genetic screening and testing labs can also be drawn on site and are processed through Quest Diagnostics or Unity/Billion to One.

Minnesota Birth Center provides the following in house sonography services:

  • Early pregnancy ultrasounds, such as dating or viability scans
  • Routine anatomy ultrasounds (20-week scans)
  • Third-trimester ultrasounds, including assessments of fetal growth, placental location, amniotic fluid index (AFI), and biophysical profiles (BPP), when clinically indicated.

When additional services are indicated, including extended genetic testing, perinatal consultation, or advanced (high-level) ultrasound imaging, we coordinate referrals to Minnesota Perinatal Physicians or another perinatology clinic in the Twin Cities area.

At Minnesota Birth Center, our team practices evidence-based care, financially responsible care – performing tests and treatments only when medically needed.

We require a 20-week anatomy scan, offered in our clinic by our sonographers. Additional ultrasounds may be recommended based on your individual pregnancy needs.

After Birth & Postpartum Care

After birth, your baby will be placed in your arms for immediate skin-to-skin contact, initiating the golden hour(s)—a sacred time to bond with your baby. Minnesota Birth Center also offers a house-made herbal bath and homemade bread with butter and honey during each postpartum stay.

Your birth team will assist with breastfeeding and continuously monitor both you and your baby during the immediate postpartum period. Families typically stay at the birth center for about four hours after birth.

Our Early Home Care class thoroughly prepares families to care for their baby and themselves during the postpartum period.

24–48 hours after birth:

A Minnesota Birth Center nurse will visit your home to assess your health and emotional well-being and address any questions or concerns. Your newborn will also be assessed and receive recommended evaluations (see “What pediatric services does MBC provide?”). For babies born in the hospital, these assessments are provided by the excellent nurses at Abbott or United, and hospital births may also include a home visit from Allina Home Care.

1–2 weeks postpartum:

You will have a 30-minute clinic visit with a midwife focused on your emotional health, lactation, and physical recovery.

6 weeks postpartum:

We will see you for a 60-minute midwife visit to provide a more comprehensive check-in on your recovery, emotional and physical health, lactation, and, if desired, family planning or contraception options.

Lactation Support:

Our in-house lactation providers are available Monday through Friday for individual visits as needed, providing guidance and support tailored to you and your baby.

Minnesota Birth Center also offers a free, drop-in breastfeeding support group, Well Fed, every Monday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at our St. Paul location. This group is open to all families in the community, no matter where you give birth, for basic guidance, encouragement, and community support.

Before leaving the birth center, an MBC midwife will perform your newborn’s first head to toe exam and administer any recommended medications you choose for your baby. These may include: Vitamin K, erythromycin eye ointment, and the Hepatitis B vaccine.

At the 24–48 hour home visit, an MBC nurse will perform several standard newborn assessments, including:

  • Metabolic screening
  • Hearing screening
  • CCHD (Critical Congenital Heart Defect) screening
  • Jaundice screening

The nurse will also assess your baby’s feeding and provide guidance to address any early challenges.

Minnesota Birth Center requires that clients select a permanent pediatric provider prior to birth and then schedule their first pediatric visit within 3–5 days after birth.

Ongoing & Administrative Support

Minnesota Birth Center values the trusting relationships built throughout pregnancy. We also understand that your preferred birth philosophy may change over time. We welcome transfers of care under the following guidelines:

  • Timing: Your transfer visit must be scheduled and occur by 32 weeks and 6 days gestation. In certain circumstances, transfers may be accepted up to 36 weeks and 6 days gestation.
  • First-time birth: If this is your first birth, you must take a childbirth education course and/or hire a formal doula.
  • Orientation: Attend an MBC Orientation, ideally before your first visit.
  • Risk Review: Review the “What Conditions Could Prevent Me From Giving Birth with Minnesota Birth Center?” section of the FAQ.

Conditional Acceptance:

Transfer clients will be conditionally accepted until their complete medical records are reviewed at the Transfer Visit.

Medical Records:

“Transfer” means your complete prenatal records must be sent to MBC before your first visit. Records can be transferred using the Release of Information form and faxed to (612) 224-9622.

Exceptions:

Exceptions to the 32 weeks and 6 days rule may be considered on a case-by-case basis for families with unusual circumstances. Please contact the front desk for more information.

Many employers require specific paperwork to initiate Short-Term Disability (STD) and/or FMLA leave related to the birth of a child. If you plan to use these benefits, we recommend speaking with your benefits administrator before your birth to confirm the required forms and submission timeline. Minnesota Birth Center is happy to assist by completing the medical portion of your paperwork.

Guidelines for Completion:

  • Complete client information required: MBC will only accept paperwork with all client-specific lines completed, including your name, employee ID, and signature. Incomplete forms cannot be processed.
  • Turnaround time: Allow 5 business days for completion.
  • Submission: We accept paperwork via hard copy, email (info@theminnesotabirthcenter.com), or fax (612-224-9622). Email submission is preferred for faster processing.
  • Timing: Forms submitted prenatally will be accepted no earlier than the 36-week appointment, unless your policy requires earlier completion.
  • Delivery: Completed forms will be available for pick-up at your next weekly visit, or we can submit via fax according to your preference.

Minnesota Birth Center midwives provide comprehensive lifelong care, including both routine well-person visits and acute concern visits.

Well-Person Care includes:

  • Annual exams
  • Pap smears
  • STD screening
  • Preconception counseling
  • Family planning and contraceptive care

Acute Concern Visits include care for:

  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • STI screening and treatment
  • Mood concerns, including anxiety and depression
  • Other urgent or short-term health issues

We are committed to supporting your overall health and well-being at every stage of life, not just during pregnancy.