Disappointing bedside manner. Can't handle or recognize anything going possibly wrong. Do not use tcbc.

So thankful for the care I received at TCBC during my first pregnancy and birth. The team is so caring and easy to get ahold of when scheduling an appointment or reaching out about a non-urgent question. I felt supported and empowered throughout my birth experience! Highly recommend a water birth! read more

I just had my fifth child, fourth one here at Twin Cities Birthing Center. My first water birth. The care is absolutely exceptional. The midwives are supportive, empowering, kind, and knowledgeable. I have had one hospital birth, (premature child), and would never choose those types of birthing experiences. I had freedom, comfort, and support. If I have number 6, this is the only place I will go. read more

Best birth experience I have had. Everyone was absolutely amazing. It was everything I was looking for and more. If you want to do a natural birth this is absolutely the way to go! Thank you twin cities birth center for everything! read more

I have mixed feelings about Twin Cities Birth Center on Grand Ave. We birthed our first child in 2023 here. We will not be coming bs j fir subsequent births Pros: 1. More holistic but minimalistic approach to prenatal care: great suggestion and stock of helpful supplements (such as calcium/magnesium for constipation for example). 2. Ashley/front desk staff are super helpful, competent, knowledgeable and understanding. 3. In-network for our insurance 4. Lots of options for active labor in terms of positioning during labor. 5. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas ) available to take the edge off the pain. I medicated births are horrific in terms of level of pain you endure. 6. They let me delay cord clamping for about 5 minutes, which is great, and gave me a tour of my placenta. CONS 1. Cannot come to the birth center to give birth until you have reached the 3-1-1 marker (1 minute contractions, no more than 3 minutes apart, going on for 1 hour. ; most hospitals will require you to come much earlier at 5-1-1). So that means you could be very close to giving birth upon your arrival; too close in my opinion. I was at 8 cm displayed when I arrived. 2. They only have 2 birthing rooms. Which means they will want you out if the building within 6 hours of giving birth! I arrived at 10 am, gave birth at 2 pm and we were home by 8 pm. Way WAY TOO soon for discharge in my opinion. I got discharged in-spite of and while having a medical complication, which landed me in the ER two days later. The staff were aware of this but discharged me anyway with hopes it would resolve in its own at home, which it did not. So you will be discharged within 6 hours of birth! We came home totally raw, unprepared, and unable to care for our baby being so physically wiped from the birth experience just a few hours earlier. Physically I could barely move. I wanted to take a nap after birth but the staff wouldn't allow me- asked me to nap at home instead. Hospitals allow you to stay for several days m, however. There is a reason for that. Your body needs major care and rest right after birth. 3. We had to bring our own meals. The center is bare bones, after birth you will be hungry but no one will be feeding you like they do at the hospital. My partner had to run out to get me a bite to eat after the birth. 4. No lactation consultant on staff available after birth. It is paramount to get help with breastfeeding. Do NOT overlook this! Breast feeding does NOT come naturally! We did NOT have any help and this has subsequently caused us major breastfeeding problems. The staff told me that I had flat nipples (which later I learned that I do not) soon after giving birth, This immediately discouraged me. Once we got home baby sucked on the boob for an hour but got nothing out. We later (too late) figured out he had a tongue tie. Baby's quick and big drop in weight (more than 10%) put us into major distress in the next week. Now 10 weeks post partum our baby still hasn't been able to Breastfeed. If there was a competent lactation staff member at the center, so much of our early struggle, fear, frustration, confusion regarding the first week of feeding would have been avoided. At the hospital they typically have lactation consults available right away at no charge to you. We ended up hiring a consultant out of pocket ($200 a session! Because they are not billing through a hospital; when lactation specialist is at a hospital they are usually an in-network provider or bill as part of the hospital stay to your insurance.) so this was a MAJOR issue with this birth center! We bleed (and still are bleeding in hopes of trying to get out baby to latch) a lot of $$ on lactation help all because an early latch was not established. 5. The staff are all super young, and lack experience. We had overall good care, but insufficient care. 6. They do have a nurse come to your home for a 24 hour visit, which is a major perk. However, our nurse was a pretty young lady dressed in a mini skirt type dress. It was very unprofessional of her to dress so skimpy; she did get the Job done however taking baby's blood for testing and whatnot. I just didn't like the unprofessional attire. It bothered me and my male partner. 7. They were too hands off. I needed coaching// guidance on how to position me for comfort or optimal birth positioning. My doula was giving me counter pressure relief and couldn't always guide me to position. The nurse midwife and her support staff were largely silent letting me go into posture however i wanted. But giving birth for the first time I needed a lot more instruction and guidance. There are other things I can write about but for purposes of saving time and Space, I will just say this: for your first birth, don't go here. Get yourself a very experienced birth doula and give birth at a hospital, with your birth plan written out ahead of time. You'll be off so much better. read more

After comparison-shopping the other TC birth center options, Health Foundations was the clear choice for me. I respect their focus on informed consent at every juncture and I appreciate the level of education they provide. Amy and Amanda have been wonderful, attentive and thorough in our check-ups, and respectful and encouraging of all our choices. They do suggest homeopathic cures occasionally, but as I do not believe that homeopathy is effective, I simply decline the suggestion politely and we move on. The rest of the staff is also delightful. Everyone is cheerful, friendly, and eager to make a personal connection. I've met happy returning families at the classes held here, who have had births here before and are coming back to repeat the experience. I am having trouble resolving the 2 negative reviews with my experience here. I will update after actually giving birth, but I have no reservations and trust Amy & Amanda completely to get me through a healthy, natural birth with minimal intervention, supporting me and my choices all the way! read more

My entire experience at Health Foundations was amazing! I was so scared to become pregnant- so many unknowns. I had no idea what to expect through my journey and while in labor. The midwives and birth classes gave me and my husband all the information we needed to feel in charge of our birth plan. They encouraged me to learn all of my options, gave me detailed information on the spot with pros and cons to every decision (unbiased), encouraged healthy eating, and we truly could not have asked for a better place for our child to be born. My labor was absolutely wonderful! It was even better than my ideal birth plan and the trust I had in the team allowed me to feel safe and supported. Amy and the team guided me through my labor, through my first hours of motherhood, and through my 6 weeks postpartum. I am eternally grateful for there love and support through my journey and would only wish this upon any other family. We also have used Lindsay Deeb as our pediatrician who does well baby visits at Health Foundations and at her clinic Dakota Pediatrics and we highly recommend her! read more

I REALLY wanted to like Health Foundations. In fact, after I left the facility and knew it wasn't for me, I was so disappointed that I cried! The facility is just a few blocks from my house, and it is gorgeous. It is perfectly equipped and designed, lovely and comfortable. The problem for me is the midwives. Amy, one of the owners, has a heavy cultural bias, a real hippy type. As soon as I walked in, her aloof, superior attitude immediately tipped me off that she was someone that would always disappoint me, and that I would simply fight with. There was no way I would get along with her in a tough situation in my life if I was already irritated with her attitude after 5 mintues. Her presentation to her potential clients was similarly frustrating -- she's a person that will never answer a question directly. I kept trying to rephrase my question, and so did my husband, but we never got any real answers. Going here, you will also have to tolerate Amy's homeopathy -- pushing the herbs and whatnot on you. Not my thing. Their methods and culture is more important than your comfort or beliefs. Of course, if you have the same beliefs and culture as them, you will like this place. But it is definitely not for everyone. I would not even go there to do yoga, and I do a lot of yoga. I'll stick with the Y, thanks, I don't need a side of aromatherapy. If you would like to use the Health Foundations facility, you have to use their midwives. Which was a dealbreaker for me. The hippy baggage is too much for me to deal with, so I decided to pass. I wish you could rent their space and bring your own providers. read more

We have had two kids born at his foundations and have had amazing experiences. Thank you so much! It's such a comforting warm environment the staff is amazing. They really care about you and encouraging you to have the best experience possible. read more

I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Health Foundations. My prenatal visits were excellent. They made sure to schedule my visits with each of the three midwives so that we could get to know each other, and I was able to develop a sense of comfort and trust with all three. I always felt treated with the utmost respect and warmth, and felt that I had plenty of time to ask questions and talk about things that were on my mind. Toward the end of our prenatal care, we were required to attend two classes at Health Foundations: early home care and complications. In the complications class, we learned about different things that could go awry during labor, and what the plan was if any complications occurred. In the early home care class, we learned about basic baby care and how to ease back into everyday life in the first couple of weeks postpartum. I believe the early home care class was key in healing and successful breastfeeding. I chose to have a home birth, and my birth experience was wonderful. I felt supported and like I was in very competent hands. Toward the end of my pregnancy, my blood pressure started to creep up, and I was also "overdue" (I went into labor at 41 weeks and 1 day). The midwives were very responsible in managing these issues (further testing, ultrasounds, etc.), but I loved that they did not push any interventions, and I was able to have a completely natural birth. I have no doubt that if I had gone through a more conventional care provider that my story would have ended differently. It is Health Foundations' practice to facilitate mother-baby bonding in that very important first hour after birth. I had great breastfeeding support (in fact, I have several friends who birthed through HF, and we have all breastfed successfully past one year), and felt like I could call with any concerns--this was a huge relief in that first week when you are a brand new parent! One thing that I believe sets Health Foundations apart from other care providers is that they strive to create a community for parents. Each week they offer a free "mama's milk hour" (where you can meet other nursing moms, weigh your baby and talk to a lactation consultant) and a free mom's group (sometimes it's just a place to connect with other moms, but sometimes they have someone come and talk about topics like essential oils, sign language, etc.). They also have childbirth classes and yoga classes, as well as special events every so often. I would highly recommend Health Foundations to anyone! I plan to return if I have another baby someday! read more

MN Birth Center is a better run, more professional facility. Though Health Foundations claimed they could deliver a healthy baby whose screening came back positive for turners (a common false positive on blood tests), they worked with me for four weeks and then told me at 34 weeks pregnant they had decided they couldn't deliver my baby. They agreed that nothing had changed other than their policy. I asked how they had been able to work with other women in this same situation as they had assured me, and they replied that they would have to review the files. I found it highly irresponsible and they were reluctant to apologize. I worked with the MN Birth Center following this experience and was extremely satisfied. read more

I am very excited about this place! After reading the one negative review they have, I knew it was the place for me! I went for a tour and frankly no one pressured me about anything so I'm not sure what that review was about. In fact, I was asking about the natural things they offer. I want someone who specializes in natural birth! After going to my obgyn office, I was just even more convinced that Health Foundations is the place for me! I think it is wonderful that they not only have a great staff of midwives, they also have an obgyn if something abnormal arises. They also encourage the use of doulas which is a support system that hospitals many times do not encourage. As a trained doula myself, I understand how helpful that support can be! read more

I really wish we found this place for our 1st birth, although I might not have been ready, so to speak. Having a midwife instead of an OB was a big enough thing for me coming from a family of doctors and having been on my way to med school myself. BUT - after a pretty good, but not excellent experience at St. Joe's with the midwives, we went here. And I loved it. The place is just nice - I feel like we had our appointments and gave birth at a pottery barn catalog. The staff were all very nice. They took their time with us. Didn't feel rushed. Didn't feel pressure. The experience was just pleasant! As the husband, I felt included and able to be supportive to my wife, yet, the midwife and assistant were there appropriately for everything. We're going back for baby #3. read more

Health Foundations is located on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. The birth center itself is beautiful. I always feel "at home" when I walk in the door and I have always been greeted by name. But Health Foundations isn't only a beautiful facility, the staff is what makes this place truly amazing. The birth center is owned and operated by Amy Johnson-Grass. She is a very capable and skilled midwife as well as a naturopathic doctor and licensed nutritionist. All of the midwives spent so much time with my husband and I during prenatal visits. They spend a lot of time educating you about various things related to where you are in pregnancy at each visit and each midwife always spent the time to answer our questions. The group is committed to each mother's needs and care throughout her pregnancy and labor/birth. I read the another review on Yelp that describes Amy and the birth center as the "hippie type." This couldn't be farther from the truth. The review actually made me laugh because the description didn't sound like the birth center and staff that I got to know at all. They do utilize an integrative model where alternative medicine options are available but they also realize there is a place for prescription medications. I felt there was a very appropriate balance of both throughout my care. Having been cared for by the Health Foundations midwives throughout my pregnancy and birth as well as postpartum visits, I can give the highest recommendation to this facility and its group of midwives and support staff. The care is excellent. Having our baby OUR WAY is exactly why we chose Health Foundations. Now that we have had our baby, I also love that they have a weekly mother's group and breastfeeding group. I have gone to both. They are also a lactation center and I went in around 4 weeks postpartum to be fitted for a nursing bra. I am so glad I did! I had been wearing a bra that was too small! I noticed there are a number of "filtered" reviews of the birth center that do not post on the main Yelp site. I would highly recommend reading those as well...they are accounts of mothers that sound like they actually utilized the services at Health Foundations. read more

At Health Foundations, you will receive top notch care from loving and supportive midwives, nurses, and staff. The space is absolutely gorgeous, and you will feel like your family is #1 at each and every appointment (and especially at the birth!). I delivered two of my three babies at Health Foundations and would have another one JUST to deliver there again! (Don't tell my husband that though. He thinks 3 girls is plenty enough. :)) If you haven't scheduled a tour yet, do so TODAY!! read more

I sincerely can't imagine having any of my future births and labors in a hospital. So instead of waiting to find an obstetrician or midwife when I am pregnant I have proactively sought one out for my well-women checkups. I feel really positive about the possibilities that Health Foundations holds. The ability to know the person delivering my baby, the ability to dictate how I and my newborn are treated, and the ability to feel confident and supported in those decisions. I really felt pretty good during my checkup and can't wait to see what the future holds! read more

My care leading up to my delivery was mostly great, I chose Health Foundations for many reasons but most important to me was knowing who would be with me as I brought my baby into the world. It was imperative for me not to be shuffled between providers and end up with whomever was "on call" as you might experience in a more traditional hospital environment. So, my due date came and went, as I approached 42 weeks (the point at which you may no longer deliver with HF), I began to feel very stressed and worried. These feelings were met with general dissuasion. When I went in for an attempt at a natural induction technique I was absolutely astonished to learn that Amy had gone on vacation. It was never mentioned to me once, not even hinted at. I felt absolutely betrayed. I met my new midwife the day prior to my delivery and ended up as an emergency transfer to St. Joe's. I felt absolutely neglected after this. The new midwife did my follow up appointment after delivery and I never heard from Amy again. I really couldn't have been more shocked. I felt as though I weren't accepted as part of the community after I was transferred to the hospital and the after care was abysmally minimal. Granted, this is now almost 5 years ago but they emailed today (first communication from HF since prebaby) asking for a review so, here it is. read more

We birthed our first child at Health Foundations in 2014. The wonderful care and support we received during my pregnancy was inconceivably better than that of the Allina OB we transferred from. All of our decisions were not only honored but also supported. I had an incredibly empowering experience. I truly could not have dreamed up a better support team for our first baby! read more

I can't think of a better way to have a baby. I felt so supported at every step. This team is amazing.

We had a wonderful experience at Health Foundations, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for personalized care throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and post-partum. Everyone from the midwives to the nurses to the front-desk staff were wonderful, knowledgeable, and took the time to explain and give options. Our baby (currently 3 months old) is wonderfully healthy and thriving, and we believe that our health care at Health Foundations has much to do with that! read more

I transferred care to Health Foundations Birth Center because of the following reasons: - I wanted to attempt natural child birth - I wanted to labor in the bathtub and possibly have a water birth - I thought, and was told, that the midwives would have natural solutions to common issues in labor - I was told the midwives did minimal exams during labor (to prevent infections...etc) The owner, Amy Johnson-Grass, was not honest when she gave me this information. My experience with Caitlin, one of the former midwives at the birth center, for my prenatal care was great. She left the birth center a couple of weeks before I had my son. I later found out that there is very high turn over at the birth center and that Amy can't keep midwives...now I see why. Main problems with the Birth Center: 1. Amy's intern scraped my membranes WITHOUT ASKING or receiving my informed consent at my 41 week appointment. I believe this threw me into pre-term labor. 2. We couldn't get ahold of Amy for several hours when my labor started 3. Amy and her intern WOULD NOT LET ME USE THE TUB for no apparent reason, seriously, they wouldn't give a reason, just wouldn't let me get in. I had a very long labor and could have really used the tub to help me relax 4. Amy PRESCRIBED ME AMBION while I was in labor, she wanted to knock out the contractions....every CNM, nurse, and doctor I have talked to since said that was a horrible idea (I didn't take the ambion - she wasn't happy with me). So much for natural solutions. 5. They did several vaginal exams while I was in labor 6. After days of labor (not all at the birth center) I transferred to the hospital and Amy sent her intern. Amy did not go herself as she told me she would. The intern told the hospital that she was the midwife. I think this might be illegal. I am still getting over my experience at the birth center. I feel that their practices are dangerous for moms and babies. If you are seriously considering switching care to HF, I would suggest looking at their tract record for keeping midwives. If you still decide to go there, if you have Amy as your midwife, just hope you have a quick and uneventful labor because if you have otherwise, you probably won't have a good experience. read more

I am incredibly grateful that, because of a move, I was forced to switch care providers 36 weeks into my pregnancy. I had resigned myself to a hospital birth because that was what was available to me but I was discouraged with the impersonal care I received from my OB. After touring the birth center and meeting with the midwives I knew immediately that giving birth there would be much more in line with what I wanted for myself and my baby. All of the decisions were left up to me after being informed of the alternatives and I felt nothing but love and support from the entire staff. We are now expecting our second child and will, without a question, be using Health Foundations again. read more

I had my daughter at Health Foundations three years ago. It was an empowering experience. I had some complications during the birth but my midwives handled the situation and helped me have the birth I wanted. I wouldn't have a baby anywhere else. Health Foundations is amazing. read more

Having concerns with my previous care provider, I switched care to health foundations when I was 26 weeks pregnant. The difference in my prenatal appointments was amazing! My partner and I felt like we were cared for as individual people and not just another "patient" . Amanda even checked my husband's blood pressure when he wasn't feeling well and discovered it was off the charts high! She gave us advice on how to lower his BP and even checked on him during my later prenatal visits. I can't imagine that level care and concern for a family anywhere. Sadly, right before I went into labor, tests showed that there may have been a problem with the pregnancy and I needed to be transferred to hospital for delivery. This was an extremely devastating and frightening turn of events for us. Amanda came to the hospital with us when the hospital needed to do additional tests. She came back the next day when I was admitted to the hospital and stayed with us for several hours as my labor went underway. She also came back the next evening as the final stages and birth of our child was happening and even stayed for a few hours during my postpartum recovery . Her advice, coaching, and mere presence was a blessing to us during such a difficult time. Amanda was not paid for the several hours of work she put in with us at the hospital and health foundations missed out on the income they would have received had I birthed with them. They were completely right to transfer my care even though it did not benefit them financially. They even continued to provide my postpartum treatment after I left the hospital. Even though my birth did not go as I had planned, I always felt well supported and respected. I don't know when or if we will have another baby, but if and when do we will be returning to health foundations. The women there are more then just wonderful healthcare providers they are friends. read more

I can not rave enough to others about our experience with Health foundations!! LOVE THEM! The quality of care we received only seemed to increase for us as we went through pre-natal care, birth/delivery, & postpartum visits. Every visit, both my husband and I, felt important, listened to, and spent good time to answer our questions well & thoroughly without feeling like a number! The midwifes and staff are all very caring, personable, kind & gentle. We loved the "homey" atmosphere that made us feel comfortable, but was also very professional. As first time pregnancy & parents, we felt very well equipped with the knowledge and education we received from our classes there, and with many resources available to us. You are well informed a head of time of the complications that could arise, and the processes and procedures that will be taken should those things happen, so you aren't caught off guard by these things in the middle of birth. You put together your own personalized birth plan. We greatly appreciate & were drawn to Health Foundations for their philosophy to birth... that women's bodies are designed to give birth & they approach is with as little intervention to that natural process as possible. Because of this they have a very low "emergency transfer rate". My birth team was amazing(Amy, Monica, & Jen)!, and my birth story was a wonderful peaceful experience for me. Throughout my delivery I felt so supported, encouraged and empowered every step of the way to successfully birth my baby naturally. Everyone on my team had a very calming presence, and there was never a point where they communicated to me in a fear filled or anxious way. And there were definitely points of concern, which in a normal hospital setting intervention would have taken place, but because of their experience and knowledge that didn't need to happen! They are are so good at what they do, and do it in such a peaceful but confident way. You can tell they love what they do =) I was surrounded by my team(midwives, doulas, & husband) until the very end, and i felt they had a wonderful balance of taking care of me(physically & mentally), but allowing me to birth how my body needed, coupled with gentle & instructed coaching when needed. Out little one also sees Lindsey Deeb, the pediatrician there. She is also so wonderful, personable & respectful of our decisions. All in all my experience there was everything I hoped!(Sign of relieve!) We will definitely we be going back for future pregnancies and other care there! read more

I had an incredible experience in both pregnancy and birth with Health Foundations. The knowledge and experience of the midwives was invaluable and we never felt unsafe or concerned about being out of a hospital. Our HF birth was our third birth, with the other two being a c-section and VBAC, and they never scared us or pushed anything on us. It was simply giving us knowledge and empowering us to follow my bodies cues, even past 41 weeks. We love HF and would recommend them without hesitation!" read more

Zero stars! Health Foundations is a beautiful peaceful illusion full of seemingly friendly people who pretend to go for Western medicine alternatives. I transferred to them from a hospital setting at 32 weeks. After every of my 6 weekly appointments I left feeling worse than before I went, as I was consistently lied to by Amy, bullied into a test I knew and could prove was unnecessary, and subjected to ammeture practices leaving me almost labeled with a deisese I definitely did not have--due to improper blood pressure monitoring. The worst was being dropped like a piece of trash when I was in prelabor, earlier than they had said they would give me, for unexplained reasons. Maybe the money is the most important thing? I was transferred to a hospital I had not previously selected, without even being attended there like they had said they would do. In the end I was treated professionally and respectfully at the hospital setting I had tried to avoid, and it would have been better if I had never set foot in in health foundations! read more

I adore Health Foundations! First of all, my prenatal care was fantastic- instead of speeding through 10 minutes and then telling me not to gain so much weight (without helping me figure out how...) they actually spent time with me, listened to me, and helped give me the tools I needed to make my pregnancy as healthy and happy as possible. No one "made" me conform to their philosophies or ideas- they offer options and educate by giving what they feel is the most up to date information, and let you choose. They helped me through some health and personal issues (small ones, but still). Then, my birth... it was amazing. Or at least, it was amazing with a really scary part that was out of their control, and that they handled amazingly. Long story (sort of) short- I was waaaay past my EDD. Like about to be transfered to the hospital past. So we did some simple things to possibly bring on labor, and they totally worked. Then we did some MORE things that made my typically 48 hour labors (same with first two kids) only take about 4 hours. When it was time to push my midwife was totally respectful of my space and only touched me when I was okay with it. Things got a little scary right at delivery, and she handled them amazingly and my baby was totally fine. Basically, I can't recommend this place enough, and I find the one "negative" review (which went their once... they shouldn't even get to leave a review) super annoying and feel the need to cancel it out! read more

Without going too deep into particulars, my birth wasn't textbook. There was a life threatening situation and they handled it like the rock stars they are and quite literally saved my baby's life. I loved every single experience I had at Health Foundations, in fact- when I had some small emotional problems, they helped me out with reasonable, healthy recommendations instead of saying "it's just hormones" or prescribing meds. They gave well researched information instead of pressuring me into decisions. I could go on and on... And I am kind of annoyed at the review from someone who wasn't even a patient. For one thing, I didn't experience any of the things she did. No one pushed herbs or homeopathy, although they are presented as options for various issues (which is a good thing), and while some of the midwives lean a little towards hippy, no one forced their culture on me. I've met many other HF patients and we are a widely diverse group with various ways of doing things, and I haven't met an unhappy patient yet. In fact, if you're looking for more happy people, join the Twin Cities Breastfeeding Group on FB and ask about HF. You will get actual feedback and reviews instead of bad info from someone who took one tour and only "wanted" to like the place because it was pretty. read more