Frequently Asked Questions at Motherhood Center

Yes, it is very safe. In fact, prenatal massages help to prepare and relax your body before and after childbirth. It helps increase blood and lymph circulation, therefore decreasing swelling and stress hormones. The massages also help with relieving muscle aches and tension and reducing joint pain many women experience during the later stages of pregnancy. Pregnancy massages are our specialty and many clients come regularly during their pregnancy, even continuing to come back for massages after they deliver! We offer various massage packages for 60- or 90-minute massages, at the center or your home.

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. 

Our natural childbirth class is focused on having an unmedicated delivery, but it does also cover medical intervention in the event that is needed. The prepared childbirth class is focused on having a hospital birth, with more focus on medical interventions, including epidurals and C-section deliveries. Both classes cover all stages of labor, delivery, give confidence about the process, as well as postpartum care for the new mother. Taking a childbirth class can help reduce fears about labor and delivery, through education and planning. If you have not yet decided which method of childbirth you plan to have, we recommend the prepared childbirth class. 

 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.

We recommend that you start taking the classes starting around your 26th week of pregnancy. You are welcome to attend classes prior to that.

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.

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.

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.

We offer hospital grade breast pumps for rent on a monthly basis. We have two models, the Medela Symphony and the Unimom Opera. The cost for the Medela rental is $80 plus tax per month and the Unimom is $60 plus tax per month. We require a credit card to be put on file when you pick up the pump, and we will automatically charge that card each month for your payment. We also sell accessories for both models in our boutique, and those are available for purchase and not for rent. We also have a selection of nursing or pumping bras and nursing supplements.

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. The cost for this rental is $85 plus tax per month. 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. 

This is a 2 hour in-home consultation. Mom is healing, the baby is acclimating to new surroundings, and both parents are adjusting to life with a newborn. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an expert in postpartum and newborn care come to your home to answer your questions and check in on you and your baby? Well, now you can! 

Whether you’re a new parent or would like a quick refresh, we can help cover all of the newborn care basics in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Safety and proper care are of the uppermost importance when it comes to your newest family addition. With information continuously changing it can be hard to keep up and overwhelming for new parents. Having one of our experts meet with you can help provide comfort, reassurance and provide you with education from a trusted source.  With this service one of our experts will review feedings, diaper changes, baths, and swaddling with you. Car seat and sleep safety will also be covered to help put your mind at ease. No questions or concerns are too small or go unanswered, as our goal is to give you the best start to your parenting journey! 

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.