CenteringPregnancy: Supportive Prenatal Care

Group Visits That Support You and Your Baby

With Centering, you can have your prenatal visits in a respectful, nonjudgmental, and comfortable group setting. Here, you have time to ask questions, learn more about your health, pregnancy, and birth, and connect with others who are going through similar experiences.

What Is Centering?

Centering brings together 8–12 people who share similar due dates for their prenatal visits. Each group meets 10–12 times during pregnancy and gathers again for a visit and celebration after the babies are born.

During each visit, you have one-on-one time with your provider to hear your baby’s heartbeat, and ask private questions. The rest of the session focuses on pregnancy-related topics and shared learning.

You will also:

• Take a tour of Labor and Delivery
• Prepare for birth with childbirth education
• Learn about nutrition in the Teaching Kitchen
• Receive breastfeeding education and support
• Build social support and friendships

How Is Centering Different from Individual Prenatal Care?

• No waiting: Check in and go directly to the Centering room to start your visit. Each group starts and ends on time.
• Snacks: Enjoy snacks at each Centering visit.
• Fun: Centering visits are not classes—they’re interactive and focused on the topics that matter most to you.
• Support: Special bonds form in Centering. Many people say it feels like a group of friends sharing common experiences and supporting each other through pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
• More time with your provider: Each Centering visit lasts two hours, giving you about ten times more time with your provider than a regular visit.
• Privacy: Your personal health information is always private. You choose what to share with the group.
• Proven benefits: Studies show that people who participate in Centering have lower rates of preterm birth and healthier birth weights.
• Self-confidence: People who participate in Centering often feel more prepared for labor, birth, and parenting and more satisfied with their care.