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Bringing Dreams to Life: How the Well Body & Birth Center’s Vision Came to Life

By Monika Medonaite, RID, NCIDQ

March 29, 2025
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At Well Body & Birth Center, the vision was clear from the beginning: to create a nurturing, home-like environment where families can experience the transformative journey of natural birth.

What started as the idea to transform a residential home into a birth center grew into a unique collaboration that blends warmth, functionality, and wellness. In this article, we’ll explore how this partnership unfolded, from initial inspiration to the final design, and how the space will continue to evolve to meet the needs of Well Body and Birth‘s staff and clients.
Well Body and Birth Center building exterior
Well Body and Birth Center building exterior

Understanding the Vision

What inspired you to transform a residential home into a center for natural birth, and how did that vision evolve over time? What specific atmosphere or experience did you want to foster for families who will visit?

Well Body and Birth Center: Our inspiration for transforming a residential home into a center for natural birth came from our deep belief in creating a space that feels warm, nurturing, and intimate, much like a home. We wanted to offer families a place where they could experience birth in a comfortable and supportive environment. The vision evolved as we further considered the needs of the community and the importance of empowering families to feel confident and safe during such a transformative experience.

Over time, we focused not only on ensuring that the atmosphere was peaceful and calming, but also that there were spaces where education and empowerment could thrive. We are aiming to create an environment where families could truly feel at ease, surrounded by warmth and care every step of the way. Our goal is for every family to walk in feeling supported and leave with a sense of fulfillment, knowing they had an empowering and beautiful birth experience.

Were there any specific values or elements from Well Body & Birth’s mission that resonated with you? How did you incorporate these into the design?

Design Collaborative: What really resonated with me from Well Body & Birth’s mission was their focus on creating wellness-centered, inclusive spaces for reproductive health, birth, and beyond. The vision of transforming a residential home into a nurturing space for natural birth was particularly inspiring. It emphasized the importance of creating a setting that feels like home—very much in contrast to a clinical environment. The goal was to design a space where families could feel safe, supported, and comfortable during such a transformative experience.

To incorporate these values into the design, we prioritized calming colors and natural materials that would contribute to a peaceful, soothing atmosphere. Throughout the design process, we worked closely with the client and the authorities having jurisdiction to preserve as many of the existing residential elements as possible. This was intentional—to maintain the warmth and familiarity of a home rather than a clinical setting.

Additionally, we focused on creating spaces where education and empowerment could thrive. One of the key design features was the conversion of an existing detached garage into a classroom. This space was specifically designed to encourage community support and learning, aligning with the mission of offering families not just a safe space for birth, but also the tools and confidence to navigate their journey. The intention was to create a nurturing environment that feels personal and welcoming, supporting families throughout the entire process from conception to postpartum.

The Client Experience

Throughout the collaboration, how did the Design Collaborative team help refine or expand on your initial ideas for the space? Were there any moments of unexpected discovery or creative breakthrough in the process?

Well Body and Birth Center: The Design Collaborative team was absolutely instrumental in refining and expanding on our initial ideas for the space. From the beginning, which was well before we found this building, they took the time to really understand our vision and the specific needs of the families we desire to serve. Their expertise in design helped us think beyond our original concepts, adding thoughtful touches that enhanced both the functionality and the atmosphere of the space. Their input has been a game-changer and has allowed us to create an environment where families could have more control over their birth experience. The collaborative process was truly enriching, and has helped elevate our vision and turned it into something even more beautiful and functional than we could have imagined on our own.

What has been the most rewarding or surprising aspect of working with Well Body & Birth? How does the team navigate the balance between the center’s vision and creating a functional space?

Design Collaborative: The most rewarding aspect of working with Well Body & Birth has been the opportunity to collaborate with Tashona and Nicole. Their passion and dedication to bringing Well Body & Birth to life have been truly inspiring. From the start, it was clear that their commitment to wellness-centered, inclusive care was the driving force behind everything they do. Working alongside them has been both fulfilling and humbling, as they consistently champion the vision of creating a nurturing, home-like environment for families. Their unwavering belief in the importance of a safe, supportive space for families during such a transformative experience has made the project even more meaningful.

At the beginning of the project, our team took a deep dive into understanding the client’s vision and goals. We spent time asking questions and getting to know what was truly important to Tashona and Nicole. This allowed us to fully grasp their mission and the specific needs of the families they serve. With the limitations of the existing conditions, we faced some challenges, including structural limitations but we embraced the opportunity to think creatively. We worked through multiple iterations of space plans, ensuring that the design incorporated their programming needs while maintaining a natural flow. This balance of vision and functionality was key in creating a space that feels both welcoming and practical.
Well Body and Birth floor plan Well Body and Birth birthing room floor plan Well Body and Birth exam room floor plan
Well Body and Birth floor plan Well Body and Birth birthing room floor plan Well Body and Birth exam room floor plan

Achieving Project Goals

Are there any specific design features or elements that you believe are especially important in communicating your values, whether through aesthetics, functionality, or ambiance?

Well Body and Birth Center: When it comes to the design, there are a few key elements we’ve prioritized to ensure the space fosters a welcoming and nurturing environment for families. One of the most important design features we’ve integrated into the birth center is the transformation of our bathrooms. The fact that our birth center is housed in an older home with small bathrooms did present some unique challenges when it came to design. Design Collaborative carefully and creatively considered the tight spaces, possibility of outdated plumbing, and structural constraints necessary to transform these bathrooms into functional, serene spaces for laboring families.

These spaces are not only functional but deeply symbolic of the values we hold dear. One bathroom includes a walk-in shower, designed with both practicality and comfort in mind. It offers a spacious, calming atmosphere where families can feel at ease, whether they are simply using the facilities or seeking relief during labor. The other bathroom features a beautiful birthing tub. This is a critical element of our birth center, as water births are an important option for many families. The birthing tub is designed to be both soothing and empowering, offering a safe space for women to move through their labor with control and comfort. These two transformed bathrooms embody the philosophy of choice and comfort we aim to provide at our center.

How do you feel the final design of the space reflects Well Body & Birth’s mission? In what ways does it enhance the experience for the families and staff who will interact with it every day?

Design Collaborative: The final design of the space truly embodies the heart of Well Body & Birth—it reflects the vision that Nicole and Tashona worked so passionately to bring to life. They envisioned creating a place that feels like home, and I feel we’ve successfully achieved that in the final design. To enhance the experience for families, we focused on ensuring that comfort, intimacy, and choice were at the forefront. We wanted families to feel at ease not just during the birth, but throughout their educational and postpartum journeys as well. One of the birthing rooms features a tub for those who choose a water birth, and there is a dedicated massage room and an exam area to cater to various needs. Additionally, the cozy family waiting room, complete with a fireplace, offers a warm, inviting space to relax.

For the staff, the design aimed to create a functional environment that supports a smooth workflow and ensures easy access to essential equipment. The placement of equipment like the ice machine and autoclave was carefully planned to ensure they are both accessible and unobtrusive. These items are placed in areas where staff can quickly access them without disrupting the peaceful, home-like atmosphere of the space. Balancing both the families’ comfort and the staff’s operational needs was key in designing a space that serves everyone who walks through its doors.

Future Vision and Growth

How do you foresee the new space transforming your daily operations? What kinds of long-term impact do you anticipate it having on both staff and client experiences? How do you imagine it adapting as the center grows?

Well Body and Birth Center: For staff, the new environment will significantly create both workflow and overall satisfaction. Thoughtful layout design, such as better access to essential areas and separation between workspaces, will streamline operations, hopefully decrease stress, and encourage collaboration among healthcare professionals. Improved air quality and comfortable aesthetically pleasing spaces can also boost morale, creating a healthier work atmosphere and leading to better patient care.

For clients, the renovation aims to enhance comfort, privacy, and a sense of safety. Spaces that feel more inviting and less clinical can create a soothing environment, which is particularly important in a birth center. These changes also create an environment where families feel valued and supported, with flexibility to accommodate diverse cultural preferences and birthing plans.

As the center grows, the design of the renovation takes into account scalability and adaptability. Thoughtful infrastructure planning, ensures that the center can expand services without sacrificing the core principles of comfort and efficiency. Whether it’s accommodating more birthing rooms, adding additional staff areas, or integrating advanced technologies, the renovations made now allow for seamless growth, ensuring that both clients and staff will continue to benefit from the center’s evolution over time.

Which specific aspects of the design are you most proud of, particularly in how they align with Well Body & Birth’s future goals and vision for their clients and the community?

Design Collaborative: I’m really proud of our team at DC for taking on the challenge of transforming a residential home into a functional, welcoming space for Well Body & Birth. It wasn’t an easy task, we had to work closely with local and state licensing agencies to address and overcome a range of challenges. The way our team worked through those obstacles, with such creativity and determination, was inspiring. It’s been a true collaboration from start to finish, and the result is something that reflects the heart of Well Body & Birth’s mission while also looking ahead to its future needs.
Four people meeting at table Interior Design Swatches Man Writing on Whiteboard Wall
Four people meeting at table Interior Design Swatches Man Writing on Whiteboard Wall

The transformation of Well Body & Birth Center highlights the incredible impact of collaboration and a shared commitment to a common vision. By combining the warmth of a home with the practical needs of a birth center, the space offers a supportive, peaceful, and empowering environment for families to experience birth. The thoughtful design not only meets the needs of the families it will serve when it opens in the summer of 2025 but also lays the groundwork for future growth and ongoing community support.

If this collaboration has you curious about how we can help you with your project, reach out to us. We’d love to talk through your vision and goals and how we can partner together to achieve them.

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