I love this place and these people My husband is active duty USAF, and currently deployed since I was nearly half way thru my pregnancy. It's been emotional to put it gently. However, the wonderful women at The Birth Centre of Charlottesville have been by my side during this difficult season. Together, they create a peaceful, safe, and welcoming environment for expecting mommas. I just delivered my 3rd baby, and I'm so thankful I was able to have her here. I have two other children, who were delivered at nearby hospitals. If I could go back and come to the Birth Centre instead, I would. Janna and Millie cared for baby and I so well after my delivery. I'm so thankful for them. I hope more mommas realize giving birth in a welcoming, loving, warm environment like this one, where you are heard and respected, is so much better than most L&D hospital experiences. I'd like to add, the waiting area is also wonderful if you have other kiddos. There are such fun toys for them to play with. These amazing women have truly put careful thought into every aspect of the experience. read more

Choosing this Birth Center was the biggest mistake I ever made. I would NEVER recommend them. The treatment I received from the midwives during labor was appalling. I was shamed, manipulated, disrespected, lied to, coerced into making decisions that were not in the best interest of myself and the baby. I felt small, disempowered, unsupported, uncared for, vulnerable, and violated. I have posted a longer review on Google and Facebook (although it seemed they disable the reviews of FB so you might not see it). If I had stayed at the Birth Center, I wouldn't have dilated. My labor stopped progressing and at 7cm I regressed to 6cm because my cervix was swollen but it took begging the midwives to take me to the hospital 6 times before they finally relented. I am certain that if I hadn't gone to UVA, my baby, I, or both of us would have died at the Birth Center. Unfortunately, I am so traumatized by the mistreatment, coercion, lying, belittling, and manipulation that I experienced at the Birth Center that I don't think I will ever be able to trust midwives ever again. It has taken me more than a year to write this review because I experienced PTSD whenever I thought about how horrible they were and how my baby's life was endangered by their carelessness. I hope this helps someone else avoid this experience. read more

PLEASE, DO NOT TRUST YOUR BODY AND BABY TO THIS CENTER!!!!!!! THEY MADE ME PUSH FOR 8 HOURS AND THEN MY HUSBAND (ALONE) HAD TO DRIVE ME TO THE HOSPITAL HAVING THE URGE TO PUSH (THE LONGEST AND SCARIEST RIDE OF OUR LIVES!!!!)If they were capable of this, what would assure you a different experience? 18VAC85-130-120 states: "transfer care immediately in critical situations that are deemed to be unsafe to a client or infant and REMAIN with the client until the transfer is complete" We decided to head to the hospital after several (9:30-10PM till around 6am) hours in the pushing stage. I was told multiple times that we were making progress and that baby was almost here. Every push would end with a "that's it!" from the midwife Dominique, when in reality, no progress was logged in the chart. After several hours, 5 spoons of honey and lots of Recharged water, I was exhausted and my body was broken from the prolonged hours of pushing in the tub, in the stool, on the bed, on the side, laying down, on the toilet, and more. I wish I was informed about the real status of my labor so I could have decided for a different alternative that still fit my birth preferences, instead of arriving at the hospital delirious due to the pain and exhaustion (24h+ of labor). My husband was my real supporter during my labor, Dominique was falling sleep (literally) on my bed while I was crying in the tub trying to get my baby out...thinking I was "making progress" when in reality I was just breaking my body apart. We were NEVER offered emergency transportation to the hospital. Nonetheless, Anna (doula/assistant) charted that we declined that offer. That was indeed a FALSE statement. The midwife, Dominique, said that she ASSUMED that we did not want that as I kept screaming "let's go". This demonstrates once again the lack of professionalism. They not only assumed we didn't need the ambulance, THEY DID NOT COME TO THE HOSPITAL WITH US. My husband, sleep deprived and scared, had to drive her delirious wife to a hospital we have never been. After going through that HORRIBLE experience, I did not receive a sincere apology or REFUND for the services I didn't get. I probably saw Janna three times throughout my pregnancy and expected a mindful and respectful response from her after telling my experience, but she never acknowledged what happened or apologize. Of course, I transferred care, THERE IS NO WAY I was going to trust them my precious baby. I didn't even get a refund for the postnatal services I never got (it was the least they could do). I tried multiple times to get my money back, but my requests or experience is not good enough to get a fair refund WITHOUT conditions. I paid out of pocket, and at this point I consider that money WASTED. Now, I want to let everybody know THESE WOMEN CANNOT BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR BABIES. If they were capable of this, what would assure you a different experience? read more

I've had care from Janna Grapperhaus for all three of my pregnancies and she attended my last birth. It was the most beautiful, comprehensive, skilled, and compassionate care I have had with a midwife. She lays aside all else when you are in need. The practice has beautiful birthing suites and other communal spaces. I have been with many midwives in the area and Jannas care is truly competent and watchful. You are in safe hands here. read more

The Birthing Place - Janna holding an older sibling - Midwives Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I would not recommend this birthing center to anyone thinking about natural birth or using a midwife/doula. My daughter was born over a year ago, and my wife and I are still trying to deal with the consequences of the midwives' lack of knowledge, lack of care, and professionalism. I didn't trust and still do not trust this particular birth center for several reasons. 1. Procedures. None of the midwives knew how to properly draw blood for lab testing. Regrettably, my wife had to have blood drawn every month during her pregnancy for the first six months, and then at least twice a month for the last three months of her pregnancy. Every time one of the midwives drew blood, it took at least three tries. Only Janna knew how to properly do it, but she was never around during the 12 or more visits to the birth center. 2. Testing. Some tests were recommended to us to find out the gender of our baby, and we paid out of pocket for these services, but we later found out through talking to the lab, that the tests were not designed to find the baby's gender. We ended up paying out of pocket for services we didn't request or needed. 3. Resources. Unfortunately, the birth center did not have the proper equipment for regular ultrasounds or any other medical supplies. We had to pay a radiologist to get a proper ultrasound. Additionally, even though oxygen and other medical supplies were requested during my wife's labor, the midwives didn't know how to properly use them. 4. Transparency. The total cost of services increased at some point after we contracted the birth center, and we only found out because one of the midwives, during our last visit prior to labor after we paid in full, told us we still owed money. The fact that we still owed some money didn't worry me, but the lack of transparency was a reason for concern. 5. Cleanliness. I thought a birth center would be kept extremely clean and sanitized because of the services provided on its premises. However, the customer bathrooms were not kept clean and some of the rooms were disorganized and cramped. On two occasions I had to clean the bathroom prior to using it because there were feces in the toilet and urine around it. The room in which my wife was supposed to give birth was disorganized, cramped and not properly cleaned. Also, there was very limited seating - a chair beside the bathtub which I couldn't use because a midwife apprentice was sitting on it while my wife was pushing. 6. Lack of professionalism. At the end of every visit, my wife and I would schedule the next and pay a percentage of the cost of services. Almost always, we had to wait for someone to show up at the front desk because it was empty most of the time. Additionally, at least on two occasions, the front desk worker didn't know if there was a midwife available that day and had to call and ask if someone could come in. I always wondered how this was possible if they knew, at least a week in advance, that we had an appointment that day. 7. Lack of clear communication and guidance. During our visits, the midwives would focus on healthy eating habits and wouldn't offer clear communication and facts about the progress of my wife's pregnancy. Our conversations would revolve around healthy eating habits and a brief Q&A session in which we were supposed to ask any questions we had. Unfortunately, because we were never given any concrete, practical and factual information about our baby, we barely asked any questions. We had to pay for a separate service to inform us about my wife's pregnancy and future labor. 8. Lack of care. During my wife's labor, which lasted almost 48 hours, at least one of the midwives fell asleep while my wife was pushing. My wife had been pushing for over 6 hours at the request of the midwife on duty. At this point, I was the only one helping my wife, but I was unaware of how long she should be pushing for or how to push in order to conserve her energy. Once the midwife woke up after a 30-minute nap, she served her and the other assistants coffee and carried on. After approximately eight hours of pushing, my wife was totally exhausted and destroyed. She was fully dilated but making no progress. I suspected there was something wrong because eight hours is a very long time for the baby and my wife to be working, but the midwives deceived us by telling us the baby's head was out, and we were almost there. In fact, the midwives' log showed that no progress had been made and I couldn't see the baby's head. Retrospectively, I think they didn't want to send us to the hospital. 9. Breach of contract. I ended up transferring care to the nearest hospital because the midwives had not been transparent or helpful during labor. The contract stated that if the transfer of care was chosen, the midwives would call the EMS and one of them accompany us to the hospital. No EMS was called, and no one accompanied us. While driving to the hospital, I thought she wasn't gonna make it. read more

Janna pretends to be a 'naturally minded' midwife, but in reality she advocates for early induction for her own convenience. She doesn't really follow evidence-based practices for induction. In my case, Janna recommended a foley bulb induction at 37 weeks based on her 'feeling' that my baby was already 9 plus pounds. She was very unprofessional. I think, looking back, that she wanted out of delivering my baby because she was worried she couldn't handle it. The irony of it all is that my baby girl was 7 lbs 13 oz (my smallest baby) and born at 40 plus weeks, so Janna's assumption was completely wrong. Based on her recommendation, I could have tried to induce a baby who was not even over 7 lbs and 3 weeks early just because she didn't feel comfortable. I would NOT recommend her. read more

Such a wonderful empowering experience from start to finish. Every prenatal visit was efficient and friendly while my labor was very safe and I was well looked after throughout. Cant recommend highly enough. Janna and her team are the only place I'd want to deliver ever again. read more

I have had Janna provide my prenatal care for the last two of my four pregnancies. I really love Janna and her philosophy on family and birth. I don't say this out of pure naivety or some grandiose idealization of what the birth experience is. Prior to Janna, I had two hospital births. One planned and the second a planned homebirth that resulted in a transfer to the hospital. Pregnant with my third, I was afraid I wouldn't find a midwife I would feel at ease with. Then, I met Janna. I love that she was not the classic midwife shunning medical intervention and conventional wisdom. She was a midwife with the willingness to voice when medical intervention was necessary, recommended, or just preferred. With my third, I was not keen on having many ultrasounds and Janna respected my wishes not to. She and the other midwives evaluated me and baby at each appointment to ensure we were healthy, and we were evaluated at UVA multiple times as well under her recommendation when I had prolonged prodromal labor and baby should have arrived. Janna explained the risks of induction with such a high baby and why induction would be safest handled in a hospital setting if baby didn't come on his own. We respected her for her honesty and each appointment she reminded us that if I wanted to be induced, we could transfer to UVA. Eventually, my husband and I did decide to transfer care to UVA and be induced instead of waiting any longer. We loved receiving all our prenatal care with Janna. However, a healthy mother and baby were most important to us and UVA was an excellent back up plan for the tedious 28 hour induction. With our fourth, I fell pregnant post COVID. Neither my husband or I liked the phone in prenatal care UVA was offering at the time, so we decided it was totally worth to try again for a birth center birth. We kept in mind that we may have to transfer and the price for quality care provided by Janna and her caring team was totally worth the extra cost. I also like that Janna prices all the extra tests separate from her base rate unlike hospitals which usually charge one lump sum price after delivery. She was able to make the referrals for all our ultrasounds (which I had all she recommended with baby number 4) drawn my blood in office not just for all the recommended screening test, but I was also able to have a gender blood draw and genetic testing done in office. I mentioned to Romy I was a "hard stick" and she went above and beyond to make it as painless as possible applying warm packs and everything. There were a few hiccups with my fourth when a marker for down syndrome was found on an ultrasound. I was so scared when I first received the news and what that would mean, not just for the logistics of birth, but life in general. Janna was quick to set up additional testing to see if we would need to transfer care and answer our questions along the way. Fortunately, baby came back perfect. I had labor that started at 37 weeks and Janna accompanied me to UVA, concerned that there could be a complication related to having had COVID just 5 weeks prior. When all checked out well, we headed to the birth center and my labor did a 180. Labor was on and off again for about another week. God bless Janna and her tremendous patience. A week later we were back at the birth center. It was a 29.5 hour labor, I had a cervical lip, my dilation reversed, baby's head was down, and then it was back up again when I tried different position. Janna ran me a shower at my request and then I changed my mind. She called transport for me and was patient with me when I didn't want to get off the bed and actually transfer. Janna, the birth assistant Taylor, and all the nursing staff Janna had on call were amazing. Birthing is not the fun part. It hurts, it's messy, you think you are talking coherent and then your husband tells you the nonsensical babble you muttered for years to come. Thank God for people like Janna, birthing assistants, and staff at The Birth Centre of Charlottesville. read more

Janna is AMAZING! I ended up delivering with Dominique who is also exceptional. You will never get this level of service at a hospital. I called Janna at 4am when my water broke and she picked right up and walked me through next steps. My birth was beautiful and everything I wanted. read more

My second baby was the first one born in 2013 at the Birthing Place. The experience was so fantastic that I am back for my THIRD baby (due in late April)!!! There just aren't enough words in the English dictionary to describe how wonderful my experience was with Janna and her team. They take their time with every single appointment and I never once felt rushed (unlike the prenatal care I received under a medical model with my first baby which left me searching for The Birthing Place). They are so knowledgeable and were extremely helpful with every aspect of preparing for labor, and caring for myself and my unborn baby up until then. My labor was fantastic. Baby girl came in just under 4 hours and I labored at the center the majority of the time. There were candles and I chose to labor in the huge tub until it came time to push. Janna poured some lavender in the tub and I will always associate that smell with my sweet angel. She and Adrienne were with me the entire time with encouraging words and gentle touch just when I needed it. I had no issues at all. My baby was healthy, as was I and I never once felt scared or at risk. I'm 100% confident that if something had gone wrong it would've been handled in the safest most effective way possible. I had no issue transferring if that's what my condition warranted and I felt secure that Janna and her team would make that call correctly. Janna came out to my house after having my baby. I live 45 minutes from the center and she insisted on coming to me to check us over and make sure we were well. I love this place and these people are like my family. I would recommend them to ANYONE wanting something wonderfully different, special and safe for themselves and their sweet babies. I am also willing to be a reference. read more

The Birthing Place is a FABULOUS birth center and a wonderful place to give birth. The staff is kind, supportive and incredibly helpful. This is the BEST start for a new mother and baby to be given time to bond and breastfeed and get to know one another. The staff is very professional and knowledgeable about the birth process and providing safe and appropriate medical care when its necessary, but they are respectful of the sacred space between mother and baby and do not interfere or intervene unnecessarily. read more

I've had two babies here and Janna is the most knowledgeable midwife I've ever met. She's walked me through all kinds of challenges and victories and two very different labors. We love the staff and facility as well! I felt so safe and received excellent care. read more

The short of it: If you are hoping to have a natural birth with a practical-minded care taker who takes a holistic, whole-person approach to pre- and postnatal care in a warm and intimate environment, look no further than Janna Grapperhaus's birth center. More: I have had two births at The Birthing Place with Janna and could not recommend her care more highly. My husband and I were committed to finding a provider whose commitment to natural birth was balanced with a practical approach to medical intervention--I needed to feel secure that we weren't taking unnecessary risks in birthing outside of a hospital setting, and Janna made me feel completely secure in this. Her impressive birth statistics and detailed plans for emergencies and hospital transfers are the perfect compliment to her holistic approach to birth and pre- and postnatal care. Janna lets clients call or text her any time with questions or concerns (first-time mothers often have many). She saw me in between appointments if I needed or wanted to, and our full-hour appointments were always chatty, informal, and intimate. Janna offers practical and well-researched out strategies for avoiding problems in pregnancy like GBS and anemia, and her emphasis on nutrition as an integral part of wellness during pregnancy was especially appreciated. The space at The Birthing Place is warm, homelike, and family-friendly, which I appreciated especially when I was pregnant with my second child. My 3 year old loved coming in for appointments! There is a kid's corner in the waiting area, a wonderful train table in the living room, and baby dolls and others toys in the exam room as well, offering organic lollipops as after-appointment treats. The kindness of Victoria, Tammy, and other staff and a truly child-friendly atmosphere made visits pleasant. I can't imagine the hassle of dragging a kid along to a more typical OB appointment. During both deliveries, my attendance by such a caring group of women using comfort measures such as warm baths, candles, and water poured onto my belly made me feel bery cared for. Esther especially provided me with a tremendous amount of love, support, and practical help both times, which I am truly grateful for. I believe this feeling of communal support had strong positive impacts on my successful natural births. In response to another review, I want to note that the Birthing Center shares statistics on their impressively low rate of transfers to the hospital. I would ask for these numbers before making any decisions on the viability of using the Birthing Place for your family. read more

If you are looking for individualized care where your birth attendant REALLY CARES about you and your baby... you HAVE to have you baby at The Birthing Place in Charlottesville! WOW! I had my "G" man there five months ago and regret not reviewing the birth center until now... but hey, I've been BUSY taking care of my new baby! Any way ~ What an amazing and sacred experience to be respected for the WAY I WANTED to give birth. To be cared for so very lovingly and gently by Janna and Kim. Kim is new to Charlottesville, but NOT a new midwife. She is SO cool! Not at all "crunchy" (at least on the outside!) but a total DIVA! And Janna is so sweet and endearing. They are BOTH AWESOME! I spent hours while in labor being able to eat, drink, and move around as much I wanted and needed to. I spent time in a GINORMOUS labor/birth tub in the ZEN room and gave birth on a birthing stool. My baby was never taken from me, and the midwives helped me to get my baby breastfeeding. G man and I bonded with daddy Pete for 1 1/2 hours before any exams, measurements or other stuff was done to him. The midwives and their assistants were SO attentive and helpful and they are SO knowledgeable about how to help you while you are in labor. When things seemed to slow down I got discouraged, and later so intense I didn't think I could go on; the midwives helped me every step of the way. They were right there, the entire time, helping me and encouraging me. Clinically they are SUPER as they certainly know how to take care of you! All the laboratory tests are available and you as the client, with their professional recommendations, decide WHICH tests are important for you and your baby. NOTHING is mandatory and those tests required by state law can be declined. I was able to decide whether or not to have an ultrasound and wasn't pressured to have one. "Routine" isn't a word the midwives use, but "Informed Consent" and "Informed Declination" are!! I will DEFINITELY have my next baby at The Birthing Place! read more

I was a client of the Birthing Place in 2011. When I signed the contract and paid my fee of $3600, I expressed my concern about how it stated in the contract that if there was a complication and I had to give birth in the hospital, my money would not be refunded. Janna explained to me that if that were to happen, she would accompany my birth in the hospital as my doula, which would be a great source of support and comfort. Unfortunately, she did not live up to this promise. My water broke before active labor bagan. She asked me if I could feel the baby moving, and I said no. She had me get on the floor with my butt up in the air and stay there until she drove to our house. She instructed my husband to put on a glove and reach up my vagina to see if he felt the cord. She was concerned that the cord had been pinched when the water broke and the baby had died. I was in tears and my husband was panicked. I felt like I was in a nightmare. She called the hospital and told them about my condition and if they should send an ambulance. They said there was nothing to worry about. I later told my gynecologist, who used to be a mid-wife, about this and she thought it was completely ridiculous that she had me do that. It really got my labor off to a terrible start. Once I was at the center, Janna performed many interventions and techniques to "jumpstart" my labor. I had read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth, and know that frequent cervical checks is not recommended, which is exactly what I got by Janna while I was there. After 18 hours, Janna stopped coming into the room. I wondered why she wasn't coming in to check on my anymore. I started to get really upset about this. I felt like she didn't care anymore. Eventually she sent one of her employees, whom i had only met once at a pre-natal appointment to tell me that I had to go to the hospital or I was putting my baby in danger. We drove to the hospital, and Janna helped me breathe through the contractions during the car ride. This was where her support ended completely. When we got the hospital, she was no support or help whatsoever. When I was deciding to get an epidural, she did not have much advice to offer one way or another when I asked her. Once again, I felt emotionally and physically abandoned by her. After I got the epidural and pitocin and fell asleep, I was woken up by a surgeon who told me to to get on my hands and knees and breathe oxygen because my baby's heartrate plummeted. I The surgeon told me they were going to take me in for a c-section or my baby would die. I was terrified, and I had nobody there to comfort me during the ordeal. Janna went home after I fell asleep and told my husband to go home and sleep because in her opinion it would be at least 10 hours before I had the baby. She was wrong and very irresponsible for saying this, and I was pretty upset that she left without checking on me or telling me that she was leaving. Thankfully, my breathing worked and the baby's heart rate recovered so I avoided the c-section. I called my husband and told him to come back because I was fully dilated and ready to push. The delivery nurse was being very rude to me, and told me that I would have to push the baby out on my back. I called Janna at home and begged her to come back to be with me while I pushed. She refused and told me she was "too tired". I successfully had a vaginal birth a couple of hours later, but was very angry for months afterwards because of what Janna did to me that night. I confronted her about why she left that night and refused to come back and she said again that she just couldn't stay up any longer. She told me that she was sorry my birth didn't work out the way I wanted, but "shit happens". I considered taking her to court for breach of contract, but don't want to go through the experience while my baby is so young. I just want to leave the experience behind me. I warn other women about going to the Birthing Place to have their babies. It says in the contract that Janna will be your doula at the hospital if you have to transfer, but from my experience she will take you to the hospital and abandon you there before the baby is born. I know that at her center transfers to the hospital is quite common. I was her 12th client and out of those twelve, about eleven of us transferred to the hospital. It sounds like her line in the contract about accompanying the mother to the hospital as a doula is a falsehood. She's a pretty good businessperson, and will convince you that her center is the place to give birth, but unfortunately her performance did not live up to the promise and image that she portrayed beforehand. It's a shame because I am not against birth centers, and Charlottesville desperately needs an option like this. Unfortunately this is not a good option and I wish I had never gone here. It made my birth experience much worse than it would have been otherwise. read more

My baby was birth #80-something at the Birthing Place in early spring of 2013. All of my prenatal and postpartum care was also done at the Birthing Place. Cliff Notes: My experience could not have been any better. Janna and everyone else at the Birthing Place was knowledgable, consistently pleasant, and quick to respond to emails and phone calls. My prenatal care was fantastic, just the kind of natural care I was looking for. My birth experience there was absolutely amazing, Janna and her team were nothing short of perfect. My postpartum care was truly above and beyond anything I could have expected. If you are looking for natural care I cannot recommend The Birthing Place highly enough. The LONG version: Prenatal Care I never felt like my appointments were rushed, each question I had was answered and explained thoroughly. Being my first pregnancy I had A LOT of questions. Every pregnancy side effect I had (including nausea, indigestion, fatigue and headaches among others) Janna would offer homeopathic cures, supplements and dietary changes, and as a last resort over the counter medicines or suggest prescriptions to ask my doctor about. My husband and I were given a list of possible prenatal tests and we were able to choose what we wanted to take. All samples were taken at the Birthing Place and sent out to the lab, the only time we had to go somewhere else was for the two ultrasounds we elected to have. Birth procedures and options were discussed in detail and I really felt like the entire team was willing to support me and help create the birth experience I wanted to have. Labor and Birth - as much as I'm willing to share here anyway. I started labor at 2am and labored at home until almost 6am. Janna and her team met us at the birthing place and we had every labor aid at our disposal that we had previously discussed.There was always someone by my side giving light touch massage or pouring water over my belly. We ended up having what is considered an obstetric emergency, but Janna and her team handled it beautifully. Those were the scariest moments of my entire life and I couldn't have asked for more capable, supportive, loving group to experience it with. Note: EMTs were called but by the time they arrived the situation was handled and my baby and I were doing well . I'm grateful that they were called, to me that indicates that all possible precautions were taken. Postpartum Care The postpartum care I received was absolutely amazing. Janna recognized my baby's tongue tie the day she was born, and we had an incredibly tough time breast feeding. When the ENT specialist we saw in town didn't recognize her tongue tie and basically told me to "toughen up", Janna researched other specialists and not only made us an appointment within 24 hours, but accompanied us to Richmond to meet this doctor (who was able to diagnose the tongue and lip tie, fix it, and improve our nursing situation 100% in that single visit). Janna called me at home several times to check on us between postpartum visits. I simply cannot imagine a more supportive caregiver during that time. In response to the other review: That sounds like a pretty terrible case. If that is a warning then this is encouragement to at the very least look into the Birthing Place for yourself. I know for a fact that Janna has had LOADS of happy clients, in her birth center and as a home midwife. I am happy to be a reference if you are looking into the Birthing Place as an option for you. read more

I delivered a beautiful baby boy in August 2014 under the supervision of Janna, Kim, and their team of assistants. My experience here was exactly what I was looking for; low intervention without connections to wires, tubes, or monitors. I had many other less invasive options to help manage my contractions such as aromatherapy, massage, a jacuzzi tub, physio ball, my own music playlist and most importantly my Hypnobirthing training. It was so nice to be home the evening of my birth with my baby. I certainly never felt rushed to leave and received excellent attention as I was prepared to go home with my new baby. Janna came to my home the next day to check on myself and the baby. She was very readily available by phone or text throughout my prenatal and postpartum care. The facility itself is outstanding; very clean and gives you a home-like feel. The staff is prepared for emergency situations with the necessary equipment kept close by and convenient back entrances should emergency services need to be involved. My prenatal and postpartum care was excellent and easy to schedule. They offer evening appointments, allowing my husband to attend without missing work. The appointments themselves were very thorough and focused on important, but less often discussed in a traditional obstetrics practice, such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, and breastfeeding. Overall, I would highly recommend The Birthing Centre to anyone fitting the criteria of a low risk pregnancy looking for a caring, well-trained team of midwives and staff to provide a low intervention birth for you and your baby. read more

I had a hospital birth with my first child and ever since then I knew I wanted a midwife and a non hospital birth. Breastfeeding was a failure and I blame the hospital for not bringing me a lactation consultant when I asked countless times. Plus the unnecessary interventions that were given frustrated me. I swore off hospitals for birth after that. When you first walk into the birth center you're greeted by a bright, happy room. Informative brochures, toys and books for children also. Janna always greeted me with a smile and hug. My appointments with Janna were personal. I wasn't just another number at some big OB practice. My prenatals were always at least an hour long and very thorough. She was always there if I had a question or was worrying. I could email, text, call her if I needed to. When it came time to have my son I couldn't have had a better experience. I went into labor on Thanksgiving night and I kept Janna updated the whole day. Finally decided at midnight that we should head to the birth center and she followed right behind us the entire way there. During my labor she was attentive but not over bearing. She would come in, check on me, and then go do something else. Which gave my husband and I more time to bond over this amazing experience. My labor and delivery was absolutely perfect. Her knowledge and experience helped me avoid a few things that I was scared of happening again this delivery. And I have no doubt that if something serious would have happened, she would have known exactly what to do(she will tell you how she handles different situations). After I had my son she would come to the house and check on my son and I multiple times a week. She was there when i had nursing questions because i was afraid of failing again. It has been a complete success this time! She even talked to my children's pediatrician and he said that if we had a home/center birth that he would also come to our house. Which would be the equivalent of the hospital visit your child would get. All because Janna called and talked to him! If you're looking for a trusting, experienced, loving, attentive midwife, then it's Janna. If we ever decide to have another baby, we will definitely be back! read more

I delivered my son with Janna 3 weeks ago and I love being in her care. I was scared but determined to deliver naturally and really wanted a personal relationship with my care provider. I did not want to feel processed nor did I want to be subjected to all the "standard of care" procedures. Janna, Viktoria, Tammy and Leann are all wonderful, loving ladies! They guided me through my pregnancy with a gentle, caring touch and when it came to delivery I felt properly prepared and fully capable of bringing my son into the world. Unfortunately, my birth did not quite go as planned and we ended up having to transfer to UVA for intervention. Janna never left my side. She stayed with me and made sure both myself, my son and my husband were safe and healthy before leaving. I absolutely could not have ask for more or better care from anyone. Janna and her team gave me everything they had and continue to do so postpartum. If you have been blessed with a new baby and want your care and a birth that is natural, personal and filled with love, this is the place to come. read more

Truly an amazing experience. Janna and all of the lovely ladies at the birth center made my pregnancy and labor a wonderful peaceful thing. They are always just a phone call away, are completely understanding and caring. I wouldn't of asked for anything more from them, feeling they went above and beyond to make it the best possible delivery! If we have another little one there's no question of where we will be going :) Highly Recommend! read more

I just had my third baby at the Birthing Place and it was one of the most amazing experiences ever. I lost my partner in a car crash right before Christmas and when I found out I was expecting I truly felt overwhelmed, thankful, stressed and anxiety all at once. I called to make an appointment and when I did Janna's voice alone over the phone was like hope itself. She told me that she wanted to see me as soon as possible and showed the most touching support ever about my recent loss and embraced me at the door like she'd known me for ages. After the tour of the center my mother and I knew this was the perfect place, without a doubt to have my baby. The personal care I was given went deeper than just prenatal. My midwife actually wanted to know how I was doing as "mom" as well as how my baby was. Once I came up with a name She even spoke to my belly calling my little one by name and formed a bond between the three of us. Janna never pushed me to do something I didn't want to do, she never rushed me, she never told me things in a negative manner. She told me the pros and cons of things with a positive attitude, reminding me there was always a solution. Janna was approachable and gave her all to me and my pregnancy at any time or any place. I thought being a mother of two already would leave me feeling more confident and less fearful but with losing baby's father I was doubting myself a lot. Janna restored my confidence and brought me back to the mindset of trusting your body and listening to it. Even if that meant a late night call or two. When the day came for me to deliver the Birthing Place happened to have TWO OTHER MOTHERS in labor as well!!! Janna actually managed to be there for me at every turn, keep a calm and relaxed nature and offered me unending support! I seriously don't know how she balanced herself with such grace! Her team was also INCREDIBLE! I always need my mother with me during my births and everyone there treated her as part of the team. They explained things to us as we went and were 100% tolerant and understanding about our diverse religious and spiritual beliefs during labor. It was an over the top fantastic birthing experience! When it was over all the women treated me with love and special care. They cried and rejoiced with me! The team gave me quiet bonding time with my new baby for as long as I needed and even kept him close to me during his exam. When it was time to go they did everything for us! Including helping us pack up. It was no different than having a home birth. The atmosphere of the rooms are full of serenity and welcoming to you. Now with my new baby boy here and healthy, Janna continues to show love and personalized care to us. Janna was born to be a midwife and all of Charlottesville is tremendously blessed to have her. I am so beyond greatfull for this AMAZING and heartfelt woman. read more

Thanks to the team at the Birthing Place, my pregnancy, the birth of my daughter, and all of my postpartum care has been amazing, far exceeding all of my very high expectations. Janna and Adrienne took excellent care of me from day one. We are so pleased that we decided early on to switch from OB/GYN care to a midwifery model. Janna embodies everything good about midwifery - loving, supportive, woman-based empowerment. My husband and I always felt listened to at the Birthing Place, and we always knew we could count on Janna and Adrienne to answer all of our questions. During labor and delivery, they continued to remain calm, cool, and collected, providing unwavering support and encouragement. There were moments I thought I couldn't make it through the pain, but Janna reminded me of my own power and capability. The birth of our daughter Annella was perfect - she was aware and happy. I can't imagine her entry into the world going any better. Peggy joined the crew and also took excellent care of all of us. The women at the Birthing Place create a beautiful, caring environment, and their presence is infinitely comforting at times when you need it most. I have never felt so vulnerable or so empowered, and Janna and her team treated me with utmost dignity and respect the whole time. I'm so proud that I was able to deliver my daughter naturally, giving her the best start possible. I have Janna to thank for that! My girlfriends without kids gave me the ultimate compliment recently. I'd been updating them weekly from about 12 weeks through the birth. They said they are now seriously leaning towards midwifery care when they decide to have children! I know Janna, Adrienne, and Peggy will continue to bless families in this area with their magic touch! They are worth their weight in gold. read more