Birth Cottage

850-224-2229

TLH Birth Cottage

Congratulations on your upcoming delivery!

At the Birth Cottage, we believe that childbirth is a normal and natural event which, when left to nature, will proceed to an uncomplicated end in most cases. We believe the midwife's job is to assist the birthing family in the journey through pregnancy, labor, and birth by monitoring that natural process. Cases involving complications, which in our judgment cannot be handled safely, will be referred to persons trained to deal with obstetrical difficulties. Anesthetics are not provided for natural births.

We believe in the woman's power and ability to give birth.

We also believe that childbirth is a family-centered event and that the midwife's role is to enhance, not to usurp the family's power of unity. Except where there is an issue concerning the safety of the mother and/or child, we believe the parents should have the experiences they desire and we encourage specific parental requests regarding the birth experience.

We believe that couples must maintain full responsibility for their own health care and for the outcome of their birth. We will assist with information on nutrition, exercise and childbirth education, but you must assume the responsibility of maintaining your own excellent heath care.

All of the members of our staff will work closely with you to develop a plan of care that meets your individual wishes and needs. The Birth Cottage is a home-like birth center and is designed so that expectant parents can be involved in and enjoy the events of normal pregnancy and childbirth in a safe, personalized, and family-centered setting. With over 40 years of service to the Tallahassee community, we are committed to providing compassionate, experienced care for every family we serve.

Water Births

Water births involve laboring and giving birth in a warm water tub, which can ease pain and create a calm atmosphere. At The Birth Cottage, each mother’s labor is her choice, with personalized support to honor her preferences and comfort.

Family Focused

We center care on the whole family, involving them in every step of the birth journey. We work to create a welcoming, supportive environment where families feel at home and empowered.

Holistic Care

We care about each of our client's individuality! Our midwives guide women with natural solutions to many typical issues in pregnancy. Our goal is to help our families feel as healthy as they can going into labor.

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What is a birth center?

A birth center is a homelike facility, existing within a health care system, with a program of care designed in the wellness model of pregnancy and birth. Birth Centers are guided by principles of prevention, sensitivity, safety, appropriate medical intervention, and cost effectiveness. Birth Centers provide family-centered care for healthy women, before, during and after normal pregnancy, labor and delivery.

Prenatal Care

Safe, gentle, nurturing care of low-risk women that respects you, your family and your beliefs. We do all of your prenatal appointments at the cottage, draw labwork in office, offer genetic testing and order ultrasounds. Visits with the midwife last 30 to 60 minutes and allow plenty of time for questions. We provide information about pregnancy, birth and newborn care. We welcome your partner, children, family, friends and doulas at your visits.

Natural Birth

Natural birth at the Birth Cottage means embracing the body’s natural rhythms and instincts during labor, with minimal medical intervention. We provide a supportive, peaceful environment where mothers are empowered to make choices about their birthing experience, with access to holistic care options like water births, herbal remedies, and personalized support. Our approach respects each family’s unique needs, creating a safe and nurturing space for one of life’s most transformative moments.

Postpartum & Breastfeeding Support

Postpartum and breastfeeding support is designed to ensure mothers feel confident, cared for, and connected long after birth. Our team provides personalized guidance on breastfeeding techniques, newborn care, and postpartum healing, with an on-call midwife available 24/7 for any questions or concerns. We are here around the clock to support each family’s journey, and above all helping mothers to feel at ease and supported as they transition into parenthood.

Fees & Payments

At the Birth Cottage, we welcome self-pay clients and accept FL Medicaid, Capital Health Plan, and Out-of-Network (OON) coverage for other insurance providers. We also offer special discounts for Georgia Medicaid clients. Our fees are designed to be competitive and may align closely with in-network costs at hospitals or doctor-based facilities.

Please note: TriCare is not accepted.

Meet the Midwives

Licensed Midwives graduate from a three-year direct-entry program, sit for their national boards, and obtain licenses through the Florida Department of Health. They are then licensed as independent practitioners and are able to provide maternity care and deliver babies in homes, birth centers, or hospitals, but they mostly deliver in out-of-hospital settings.

Layla M Swisher, LM

Layla is Alice's daughter and was raised with the philosophy that birth is a normal process. She joined Alice as a birth assistant at The Birth Cottage in 1999. After the birth of her son, Aspen, she decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and attended the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in Gainesville. She graduated in August 2004, and she and Alice became a mother-daughter midwifery team. In August 2005, Layla had a VBAC and delivered her second son, Canyon, into her own hands. In July 2018, she purchased The Birth Cottage after her mother retired. She loves the idea that the babies she and her mother have caught in Tallahassee may one day be the mothers she guides through labor.

Eshiva Jensen, LM

Eshiva graduated from the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in the fall of 2021 and joined the Birth Cottage in the summer of 2022. Raised in a holistic environment in Tallahassee, with a chiropractor and homeopath as her father and a massage therapist as her mother, she developed a deep respect for natural health practices early on. Her mother had four home births, with the youngest delivered by Alice, and Eshiva herself later chose a home birth with Alice, fostering her admiration for the work that Alice and Layla do for their community. Eshiva believes that every woman has the right to choose how she gives birth and sees a midwife’s role as a guide, supporting women through the natural birthing process in a safe and empowering way. Helping create families and assisting women through this pivotal time in their lives is her greatest reward.

Cottage Tour

Located in the heart of Tallahassee, Florida, our birth cottage is designed for your comfort in mind. For hundreds of years women have listened to their bodies and given birth naturally. You were made for this. Whatever and wherever feels most natural is where our team suggest you be.

There’s no place quite like home, but ours is a close second. If you are interested in a consultation or tour, call our office at 850-224-2229, we can’t wait to speak with you.

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Client Reviews

I had the best prenatal care, birth and postpartum care experience. I had my first son in a hospital and decided to go with a midwife for my second pregnancy and was met with way more than I had hoped for. Not only was the self pay option fee a very reasonable price (they do accept some insurance companies as well) but the care you receive is WAY better than the hospital. Every prenatal appoint you have is very in-depth and the midwife’s make sure to really listen to you and help you with any/everything. For my birth, Layla was on call that week and she was so reassuring and did her best to make me feel as comfortable as possible. She delivered my baby with such ease and the genuine joy that radiates from her after she helps you is unmatched. My husband enjoyed the experience as well, he loved that he had more freedom to help me whenever needed and how fast we were able to leave the cottage and go home to our own bed and enjoy our new baby.

I also love how many options you have for postpartum checkups. It feels so good to have people who actually care about you and your family help you through such a life changing experience. I HIGHLY recommend the birth cottage to anyone considering a midwifery experience!

Cassie Simpson

We had a great experience with the Birth Cottage Team! We started with an OB for the first 20 weeks, and while that experience was fine it felt more clinical and you never saw the same person twice. Having consistent care was important for us (you do switch between seeing the two midwives, Layla and Eshiva - we love them both). The office was centrally located and nice not to have to go to a doctor’s office, no wait, and there was always plenty of time to ask questions. The team is very supportive even as your birth plan evolves. Thank you for taking good care of us!

Sarah Drew

The Birth Cottage and Layla offered everything I was looking for during my pregnancy and labor. Being pregnant with my 4th, I knew exactly how my labors go and what I wanted to do. I felt so cared for and respected just being allowed to have my baby how I wanted. I live 2 hours away and I have fast labor, so I knew I would be doing most of my active labor on the drive there. When we arrived, they already had the birthing tub ready for me. They checked my vitals, I got in the tub, and our son was born 20 minutes later. Layla even captured the most precious picture of our other children watching their brother enter the world. I rested, had a meal, and went back the comfort of my own home to sleep. This was our first FL baby and I’m so thankful we found the Birth Cottage. What a peaceful and beautiful birthing experience they helped create.

Still Family

Layla is an incredible fount of knowledge about pregnancy and all the changes happening to a woman’s body. You feel right at home when you are in her office and you are never pressured to do anything you are not comfortable with. The closer you get to delivery, the more empowered you feel that you were born to do this and your body will know exactly what to do when the time comes.

I was blessed to have two uncomplicated deliveries, and I credit that largely to Layla and her staff who are calm and intelligent and compassionate towards a woman in labor.

Anonymous Client