A free standing birth center – State licensed

"Because peace on earth begins with birth"

The Birth Center Difference
"Few innovations in health service promise lower cost, greater availability, and a high degree of satisfaction and safety. Birth centers offer a safe and acceptable alternative to hospital confinement for selected pregnant women."
The New England Journal of Medicine – Study on U.S. free standing birth centers, 1989

Elizabeth Allemann, MD, Medical Director
Board Certified Family Physician, Board Certified Medical Acupuncturist, Home birthing mother. Home birthing physician since 1990.
Medical Director of Cherchez La Femme Birth Services (a birth center and home birth service) in Columbia from 1990 or 1997.
I have supported Whole Health Family Birth Center since its opening by providing consultations with the physicians on staff and by being available to cover vacations for Dr. Walter.Dr.

My most important teachers have been mothers and babies. My most important training has been at the side of midwives of many different backgrounds. Receiving prenatal care
at the hands of a loving midwife has inspired my own practice. The medical literature solidly supports the practice of birth center
and home births.I live in Harrisburg (about 12 miles north of Columbia) with my husband and daughter Heidi.

Kim James, Childbirth Educator and Doula
Over the past 20 years Kim has assisted hundreds of women in giving birth naturally, confidently, and safely, in a variety of settings. Through childbirth classes, expectant families learn to develop trust in their bodies, in the wisdom of the birth process, and in their abilities to make wise choices. Kim is also a licensed massage therapist with a gift for helping pregnant women with her loving touch.

Dee Dee Folkerts, Childbirth Educator and Doula
Dee Dee has provided birthing women with warm, personal support as a doula in the hospital, birth center and home settings for over eight years. Her love of this work has led her to become a teacher, presenting dynamic classes for expecting parents and training doulas in the midwest. Deedee teaches our prenatal belly dancing class and is the mother of two daughters.

Megan Fox, Office Manager and Billing Specialist
Megan has been invlolved with our birth center for the past year. She will gracefully walk you through the jungle of insurance and help you with the financial side of our birth center, whether or not you are insured. If you have any questions about our birth center pricing or insurance billing please call and set up an appointment with Megan.

We offer the following options to childbearing families...