Avanlee Birth & Maternity Center

Avanlee was awesome! Jennifer is down to earth, knowledgable, and informative. She gives you all of the options and informs you why things are done the way they are done then lets you make your birthing plan according to your own values. I will refer everyone to Avanlee who wants to plan their delivery in a natural and self directed manner. Thanks again to Jennifer for everything!!! more

My second daughter was born at Avanlee. Jennifer and her students were absolutely wonderful throughout my pregnancy, birth, and post-partum checkups. I learned so much about my body, pregnancy, babies, and life from them. The prenatal visits were informative and they answered all of my questions. The birth was incredible. I didn't have to worry about anything. Jennifer had worked out a payment plan after my first visit and let me pay as much as I wanted each month. She even worked with my insurance company to get certified as an in-network provider, so that it worked out much cheaper than a hospital birth. I can't recommend Avanlee enough! By the way, they do Pap smears too. more

I have one child, born less than two years ago, he along with his father and I were all extremely blessed and so thankful to be able to have the birth experience that we had at Avanlee! When we first met Jennifer, I knew before I even met her that I wanted her to facilitate our birth, my concern was would my husband like her? He did! They both got along great and even have the same sense of humor!! We felt like Jennifer was upfront about fees from the beginning, I was very grateful that some of the tests where optional because I knew I didn't want most of them. This is why we wanted a midwife in the first place, so that we could make choices for ourselves and not have to follow the mold for how the medical profession thought our birth should go! All of my prenatal visits were wonderful, Jennifer is very wise and knowledgeable concerning birth and all that goes along with it. With her it was not in and out in 10 min, and on to the next person, she spent time with us and answered all of our questions. My son's birth was everything I wanted and more!!! Being a first time mom I did not know what to expect from my body, Jennifer was patient with me and was wonderful and professional through the entire labor. I was able to have the water birth I wanted with no drugs, nobody telling me what to do, or how and when to breath! I felt so safe and knew my baby was safe in Jennifer's care! She also had two wonderful students with her, I will never forget them and the role they played in my sons birth! I can tell you this, after my last check up with Jennifer, as I was pulling away from the birth center, An overwhelming sense of sadness swept over me, I realized that I wouldn't get to see her on a regular basis anymore like I had for the last year! I would and have recommended Avanlee and Jennifer to everyone I know! more

Loved it! I had my second baby here and I wish I had known about Avanlee with my first. My experience with Jennifer, her student midwives & birth of my baby could not have been any better. Jennifer treated me like a woman with an actual brain and gently guided me in making all my pregnancy/birth decisions. She and her students are very sincere. My prenatal appts and birth were relaxed and very enjoyable. Not only did they remember my name, but my husband and son's name as well. They included the whole family for appts and my daughter's birth and truely made the experience memorable. The fees were made known upfront and were very reasonable. At each of the prenatal appts I had ample time to discuss any questions and just chat! My baby's homebirth was very much a celebration and I would recommend Avanlee to any expecting woman wanting this experience! more

I cannot say enough good things about Avanlee. I have had 2 of my 3 children with Jennifer and have had the most amazing experiences with her. She is very relaxed and personable. She is very knowledgeable about her field, yet respects YOU as the expert on your body. I have had the pleasure of a birth center birth and a home birth with Jennifer. Through both experiences I received the most thorough and loving care imaginable. I looked forward to my appointments with Jennifer each month. I knew we would be able to chat about anything going on with me, rejoice over new developments, calm any fears and address every question and concern with patience and expertise. I enjoy that Jennifer is a teaching midwife who not only trains apprentices but also teaches through the ATM classes. Even among her fellow midwives, she is veiwed as knowledgeable and the top of her class. The structure of Avanlee was very forthright and easy to understand. During our free consultation, I was given paperwork explaining every possible situation and fee associated. There was one flat fee for basic maternal care covering first visit through 6 weeks post-partum including all office visits, basic tests, labor and delivery care and a final exam. I was informed that a homebirth would be slightly more for the time and driving inconvenience but nothing outrageous. I was also told that there were other tests, like ultrasounds, that weren't covered in the basic kit, mainly because Jennifer wasn't set up to do them herself. On top of a very reasonable fee, I felt that Avanlee was very generous in their willingness to work on a payment plan and schedule. I felt that a beautiful birth experience that was safe for me and my child was much more important to them than a dollar amount. At every visit I was given paperwork along with resources to do my own research for informed consent issues and Jennifer was very thorough in her explanations and presented each area in a professional unbiased manner. I was able to choose which tests and procedures I was willing to have and needed to have. I felt like I was a partner in my health care instead of a puppet. I know Jennifer sees tons of clients every week and baby kicks and swollen ankles and first cries are all in a days work for her. Yet, she really engages with her clients and their children and makes each one feel like their babies are special and important to her. She respected my desires and my beliefs and me as a person. The whole staff is loving and encouraging and gentle. I would choose Jennifer every time to walk through my pregnancy, labor and birth with me. I would and have recommended her to all of my friends. This is an amazing place to experience and be a part of. If you are looking for a warm environment where your needs are met and where you are cared for and respected instead of pushed around or treated like one of millions, Avanlee is the place to go! more

I have had 3 births now with 3 different providers, not to mention my miscarriages that also had different providers. Avanlee was the location of my last birth and also the care provider for my last miscarriage. Jennifer was the first time I had gone to a repeat care provider for maternity care in 9 years. I shop for somebody that I like and trust and feel like my concerns and wishes with be listened to and honored. more

I love Avanlee and the midwife who runs it! I had our forth baby there--a water birth. It was amazing. She was amazing and her students were amazing. She is very knowledgable and practiced. She is layed back and gentle, but with one very quirky sense of humor. She is HONEST and upfront with all her fees and beliefs. She presented both sides of opinions regarding shots and tests. I have no regrets using her and I will use her again should we have another baby. I also recommend her to all my friends and acquaintances. She is an advocate for all women who desire to have a child birth that is as nature intended it to be. more

Don't assume that *anything* is included in the price you pay up front or that is told to you. Unlike other midwives, practically every single test you have to take will be extra. Don't pay - you don't get the prenatal test! Also, there will other surprise changes. In the beginning, I was told there was no charge for having a home birth, but there would be a charge if I wanted to use the birth center. I chose home birth. Then, close to my delivery, I was told that there would be a charge for home birth ($200+) unless - I wanted to use the birth center. I chose birth center, and could see the look of dissapointment as she'd hoped to get an extra couple hundred bucks. Pros: convenient/in the area, has birth center Cons: surprise charges, a bit inflexible more