Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! It is recommended to maintain a fitness regime and a healthy lifestyle throughout your pregnancy. Our prenatal fitness classes are designed to cater to the needs of your changing body, in a way that is both safe for mom and baby. We use different props that support proper alignment during pregnancy. Prenatal fitness can minimize pain, constipation, and even depression. Our fitness classes help with strengthening and balance, and consistent exercise throughout pregnancy will prepare you for the physical demands of childbirth, as well as caring for your newborn.

Both classes are helpful for expecting mothers and designed for the pregnant body. Our Pilates and fitness classes will incorporate more cardio, using weights and resistance bands. The fitness classes are also high energy, fast paced, and good for those looking to “break a sweat”! Our prenatal yoga classes focus more on stretching, strengthening, balancing, and breathwork, with a slower and more relaxed pace. Our instructors also approach every class by catering to the individual needs of those attending, so classes can be customized to help meet the needs of everyone involved. 

You can typically start prenatal yoga once your pregnancy is confirmed and cleared by your provider, often around 12–14 weeks. This is when most nausea begins to ease and energy levels return. Prenatal yoga and Pilates at Motherhood Center are specifically designed to support flexibility, core strength, and breathing patterns that benefit both pregnancy comfort and labor.

All you need to bring is your yoga mat. All of our classes require the use of a mat, so please bring one to each class you attend. We have yoga mats for purchase and also have mat rentals, for a fee of $5 per class, should you need to borrow one. You can bring a towel and water, and we do have these provided if needed.

Yes, you can definitely join us! No yoga experience is necessary. The poses can be modified to fit your abilities and fitness level. Our classes are inclusive, as we have clients attend during all three trimesters with different levels of fitness.

Generally, you can start attending this class 2 weeks after a vaginal birth or 6 weeks after a C-section. This class is intended for babies aged 10 months and younger. It is also only for mothers and their babies; due to the intimacy of the class, we ask that only females (moms) and babies attend the class. Don’t worry if your baby is sleepy, fussy, or needs to be fed; everything goes! The instructors encourage you to do whatever is necessary during this class to make your baby comfortable, so feel free to stop and nurse or change your baby as needed during this class. We also have a nursing room at our center to use for feeding and changing if you prefer a private space to do this. We encourage you to bring a blanket and a couple of toys for the baby to use during the class. Attending this class is a great way to meet other moms and start building your new mommy community! 

All of our fitness and yoga classes are reserved for female clients only. Any additional adults who attend the class with you need to purchase a class for themselves as well. Additionally, our Mom and Baby Yoga Class is only for mothers and their babies.

We recommend a prenatal massage starting from your second trimester, which is after the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. We will only schedule a prenatal massage during the first trimester if you have a note from your doctor confirming that they have approved massages during the first trimester. The frequency of massages is up to your preference, and we have many clients that come in weekly and bi-weekly throughout their pregnancy. 

Our prenatal massages are done while you are lying on your side. We do not perform prenatal massages (prone) face-down or have massage tables to accommodate this. Receiving the massage while lying on your side provides more support, and we have multiple pillows and cushions to support your body in this position. Lying face down during the second and third trimesters creates added stress on the body and may increase strain and pressure on ligaments, especially in the lower back. It may also increase intrauterine pressure from the additional strain on the lower back, causing breast tenderness and sinus congestion. Generally, most of our clients find the side position very comfortable and prefer it. 

We do not perform this type of massage on expectant mothers out of an abundance of caution. Our therapists want to ensure there is no chance of causing harm to both you and your baby and want to avoid any potential of causing early contractions or early labor. However, you can share with your therapist that you would like as firm of pressure as possible, and they will know what would be safe. 

We only require a doctor’s note under the three circumstances listed below. All other massage appointments do not require a doctor’s permission. 

1. If you are booking an induction massage before 39 weeks.
2. If you are booking a labor preparation massage before 38 weeks.
3. If you would like to book a prenatal massage during your first trimester.

We do not accept insurance directly, but if your insurance does cover massages then we can provide you with receipts for reimbursement purposes. We do accept HSA and FSA cards for payment. It is recommended that you verify your coverage before booking services if you intend to receive reimbursement from your insurance provider. 

You can book a postnatal massage as soon as 24 hours post-delivery, as long as you are feeling up to it and if you had a vaginal delivery. If you had a C-section, then you can book a postnatal massage only once your wound has properly healed. We have special breast pillows to support nursing moms and provide additional comfort while receiving their massage. We can also do this massage while lying on your side or in a semi-reclined position, with additional pillows for support. We also offer this as an in-home massage if you would prefer receiving this service in the comfort of your own home.

The differences between these two types of massage is your body position and the type of pressure applied to the body. During a Swedish massage you will lie face down on the massage table, and during a postnatal massage you will lie on your side. It is recommended that you receive a postnatal massage for the first 3 months postpartum. This helps aid in your recovery after delivery. After that time has elapsed, then you can move on to other massage types if you feel ready. In both circumstances, our therapists adjust their massage techniques to address the needs of your body. 

You do not need to bring anything for our educational classes, as we provide all supplies needed for each class. Most clients like to bring something to take notes in, but we also provide pens and paper to each couple for that purpose as well. We also provide light refreshments and drinks during each class, as well as a few short breaks. You are welcome to bring your own food to the classes as well.

Most expectant parents begin childbirth classes between 24 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. This timing allows enough space to learn about labor, pain management, and delivery without getting too close to your due date. At Motherhood Center, many families schedule their Prepared or Natural Childbirth Classes during the second trimester or early third trimester, ensuring both partners feel fully informed and ready before labor begins.

Our educational classes are similar to those offered at hospitals, but our classes are smaller in size and held in a more intimate setting. We provide a welcoming and safe environment in which clients are comfortable asking questions and receiving more focused information from our instructors. Due to the smaller sizes, our classes can be more tailored to the couples attending each session and it gives clients more time to ask personal questions and speak directly with our instructors. We also focus on fostering community and the intimate setting helps expecting couples connect with each other and build a relationship with others in the same phase of life. We also serve refreshments, have ample free parking, and our location is easier to navigate than the hospital.

It’s ideal to meet or hire a labor doula in the early second trimester, around 16–20 weeks. Many clients at Motherhood Center secure their doula at this time to ensure availability for their due date and begin building a supportive relationship. This also allows time to discuss birth plans, preferences, and labor strategies before entering the third trimester.

Postpartum services are best arranged before delivery, typically in the late second or early third trimester. This ensures support is available immediately after baby arrives. At Motherhood Center, many families plan for postpartum doula or night nanny services around 30–34 weeks, securing availability and aligning with their recovery and feeding goals for the first weeks at home.

The best time to take a Breastfeeding class is between weeks 28 and 34 of pregnancy. Learning before birth gives you time to prepare mentally and physically and allows partners to understand their support role. After baby arrives, hands-on lactation consultations are often scheduled within the first week to support latch, milk supply, and feeding transitions.

Grandparents typically join this course in the second or early third trimester (around 18–32 weeks). The information includes modern newborn safety guidelines, feeding practices, and current recommendations that may differ from their experience. Attending before delivery ensures everyone is aligned and prepared to support the family constructively when baby arrives.

Partners often attend the New Dad’s Class or family-focused sessions between 16 and 28 weeks. This timing helps them understand how pregnancy progresses and clarifies their practical role during delivery and postpartum. Attending alongside childbirth education or newborn care courses helps integrate both parents into birth planning and care strategies.

We encourage fathers to attend the breastfeeding class, and the majority do choose to attend along with their partners. It helps fathers better understand the entire breastfeeding process and learn ways in which to help. 

This class does cover feeding techniques, which includes breastfeeding. This class gives general information about breastfeeding and is more of a broad overview. If you are looking for detailed information regarding breastfeeding, then we offer a class only on this topic as well.

Most parents plan Newborn Care and Infant CPR classes during the second half of the pregnancy, ideally between 28 and 36 weeks. This ensures the information is fresh as baby's arrival approaches and gives time to involve grandparents or additional caregivers. Families planning for home support or extended family care often pair these courses with Grandparent Refresh at Motherhood Center.

We offer private classes that can be taken either at our center or in the comfort of your own home, so this would be an alternative option if you cannot make it to one of our scheduled group classes. Due to the nature of our private classes, we can often accommodate times that would not be available to a larger group. We also offer private virtual classes.

Yes! We do offer private classes and we can host them at our center or in your home. Often clients prefer to schedule a private class to better accommodate their work schedules or if they are on bed rest and not able to come in person for a class. In-home classes can be provided both in person with one of our educators coming to your home, or they can be live streamed to you.

We recommend attending classes from the 26th week of your pregnancy, beginning with either the Natural or Prepared Childbirth Class. After that, the next class we recommend is the Newborn Care class, followed by the CPR class, and ending with the Breastfeeding class. Clients can also book a private Labor Rehearsal class for personal labor and delivery preparation as the final step in their education journey with the Motherhood Center. 

If you want more personalized recommendations or need additional guidance on your pregnancy journey, clients can book a private Maternity Consultation with our founder, Gabriela Gerhart. These consultations can be booked at any time during your pregnancy and are offered at our center, virtually, or as an in-home consultation.

You will need to verify this with your insurance provider, but most do. We can provide you with receipts and billing details in order for you to send those to your insurance for reimbursement. We do not accept direct insurance payments at our center or work with insurance providers directly. It is the responsibility of each client to let us know if you need the information sent to you for reimbursement purposes. 

We have a lactation consultant who can help with all of your breastfeeding challenges, including but not limited to, latch problems, sore nipples, low milk production, transitioning from breast to bottle and any other breastfeeding challenges you are facing. We can set up appointments with our lactation consultant to meet with you at home, at our center, or virtually.

Yes! We have the hospital grade Medela baby scale for rental on a monthly basis. We require a credit card to be placed on file when you pick up the scale and that is the card we will charge automatically on a monthly basis. You are also welcome to stop by our center and use the baby scale we have available complimentary for client use in our nursing room. 

We do offer registry services for our retail products and services. Unlike traditional registries at retail stores, we have the added benefit of being able to register for our education classes, massages, and fitness classes. You can also register for our childcare placement services including postpartum doulas, night nannies, babysitters, and full or part-time nannies. If you would like to create a registry, please call or stop by our center in order to set this up.