Work with me
Care that fits your birth.
Whether you're planning a home birth, birthing in the hospital and want midwifery-model care alongside it, or simply want an unhurried visit and a second opinion, there's a way for us to work together.
Two midwives
at most births, not a midwife and an assistant
60-minute visits
first & 36-week visits are 2 hours
4 postpartum home visits
no car rides after your baby is born
Birth pool included
with your birth kit, no extra expense
Ways to work together
Choose your nest.
Three packages, each building on the one before.
Birthing in the hospital
The Traveling Nest
Hospital Birth Package
Midwifery-model care for families giving birth in a hospital, with a doula by your side.
- A full schedule of unhurried prenatal visits: monthly until 28 weeks, every 2 weeks from 28 to 36 weeks, then weekly until birth
- Evidence, informed choice and the BRAINN tool for every decision
- Doula support in the hospital
- Postpartum visits at 1 week, 2 weeks and 6 weeks
- Works alongside your OB or hospital midwife
$4,500
ā Most popular
Home birth
The Cozy Nest
Complete Midwifery Care
All the prenatal and postpartum care in The Traveling Nest, plus:
- Your home birth with two midwives at most births, not a midwife and an assistant
- An emergency-skills trained team (BEST and Mercy in Action) with oxygen, resuscitation equipment, PPH medications and IV supplies
- All childbirth education: Spinning BabiesĀ®, Body Ready Baby and GentleBirth
- Birth tub and birth kit included
$6,500
The package most of my families choose.
ā„ Best value
The full wrap-around
The Whole Nest
Comprehensive Full Package: Wrap-Around Care
Everything in The Cozy Nest, plus:
- A birth doula by your side
$8,000
Your whole team and all your education in one package.
Add-ons & a la carte
A little extra care.
Add these to any package, or book them on their own.
A la carte
A Little Nest Visit
Pay-As-You-Go Visits
Midwifery time when you need it, no package required. Perfect as a āgravy on topā visit if you already have an OB or hospital midwife.
Each visit can include:
- A 1-hour prenatal visit in your home
- Bedside non-diagnostic ultrasound
- Body Ready MethodĀ® evaluation
$700 initial visit Ā· $600 each visit after
In the office
Room to Wiggle
Spinning BabiesĀ® Private Consult
Ninety unhurried minutes to understand your body, your baby's position and what will help make room.
- 1.5 hours, one on one
- Bedside non-diagnostic ultrasound to see baby's position
- Spinning BabiesĀ® assessment
- Body Ready MethodĀ® assessment
$300
In the office
Milk & Honey
Lactation Support Visit
An hour of calm, hands-on feeding support with a lactation educator.
- 1 hour, one on one
- Before-and-after weigh-in so you can see how much baby took in
- Latch, positioning and feeding-plan support
$175
In your home or in the office
Baby Bird Hearing Screening
Newborn Hearing Screening
A gentle hearing screen for your baby, wherever is easiest for you. Choose a home visit (no car seat, no waiting room) or come see us in the office.
- About 45 minutes
- OAE (otoacoustic emissions) screening: a soft earpiece listens for the tiny echo a healthy inner ear makes
- Done while baby rests or sleeps in your arms
- Results shared with you right away
$250 in your home Ā· $175 in the office
Why midwifery-model care matters, wherever you give birth
Inspired by Jennie Joseph
Midwife Jennie Joseph founded Commonsense Childbirth in 1998 and created The JJ WayĀ®, a model built on easy access to care, connection, knowledge and empowerment. Families who received this kind of care had healthier babies, wherever they gave birth.
In an independent evaluation of 256 Commonsense Childbirth clients (2016ā2017):
- Low birth weight for Black clients was 9%, compared with 13% in the county and state
- Low birth weight for Latina clients was 1%, compared with 7ā8%
- Preterm birth for white clients was 5%, compared with 9%
My hospital-birth care is inspired by this work: the same unhurried relationship, education and support, even when your baby is born in a hospital.
Classes, workshops & more
Prepare your body, mind and baby.
Taught by Heather: Evidence Based BirthĀ® Instructor, Spinning BabiesĀ® Parent Educator and Aware Practitioner, and Body Ready MethodĀ® instructor and trainer.
Childbirth classes & body work
Featured Ā· Spinning BabiesĀ®
Spinning BabiesĀ® Parent Class
Simple daily activities and positions that make room for your baby to find their best path for birth, taught by a Spinning Babies Parent Educator and Aware Practitioner.
Featured Ā· Body Ready MethodĀ®
Body Ready MethodĀ® & Body Ready Baby
Movement, breath and pelvic floor preparation for pregnancy, birth and recovery, plus Body Ready Baby, taught by a Body Ready Method instructor and trainer.
6-week series
Evidence Based BirthĀ® Class
Research made practical: your options, your rights and how to make decisions you feel good about.
6-week series
GentleBirth Class
Brain-based tools, mindfulness and hypnosis to help you feel calm, confident and prepared.
Workshops
Workshop
VBAC Workshop
For families planning a vaginal birth after cesarean: the evidence, your options, healing from your last birth and building your plan.
Workshop
Advanced Comfort Measures Workshop
Hands-on positions, touch, breath and water techniques for birthing people and partners to use in labor.
Postpartum & support
Postpartum
Placenta Encapsulation
Prepared with the traditional two-step method.
Insurance & the Birth Equity Act
Illinois' Birth Equity Act requires state-regulated plans to cover licensed midwifery care, including home birth. Ask your HR department whether your plan is included, and bring what you learn to your consult. Read the full coverage guide ā
Medicaid: I'm in the process of becoming a Medicaid provider. Ask me about it at your consult.
Keep exploring
Is home birth safe?
The research, the questions every family asks, the pink flags, and what we bring to every birth.
Explore safety āYour care circle
Pediatricians, chiropractors, acupuncture and the organizations I trust with your family.
Meet the circle āNot sure which fits?
Let's talk it through on a free, no-pressure consult.