So after several weeks, even a few short months of research I finally decided to take a friends advice and check out a local birth center. A friend had recently had her first child at a similar center located in her home area. I was actually surprised to see that they have several facilities within our city area and had received rave reviews!
I called them up to make my first appointment. I was really surprised to hear that the first thing they wanted to do was ask us to come in for an interview and give us a tour. I really expected to just transfer my medical records over and begin right away, I had no idea there was going to be an orientation.
We scheduled our first appointment and headed to the birth center. This center was really close to our home. Lucky us! Only about 7 minutes away and frankly nothing like I had envisioned. So it wasn't a tent city in the middle of some clearing, nor was it some large corporate building. It was actually a set of cabins, kind of like a set of bed and breakfast suites, along a private road. It was very inviting!
We pulled into the parking lot and walked up the ramp onto the wood boardwalk that wrapped it's way around the entire first floor. Each door had suite number on it except the first door on the end labeled office. We entered and I was surprised to see a very comfortable and clean lobby. Large red comfy couches lined the lobby, a neat box of toys was stacked in the corner and two couples were waiting nearby. One was probably about to deliver, as she looked slightly uncomfortable rocking back and forth. Her and her husband seemed to be extremely calm and a midwife approached her and guided her into the back area while her husband followed. I made a joke under my breath to my fiance that I was still listening for screams to come from the back room, he chuckled. Another midwife came to the front and introduced herself to me, she was expecting us and already knew my name before I even had the chance to say anything. How impressive! She guided us into the connecting suite next door and sat us down in what appeared to be a small apartment.
I felt completely comfortable and almost excited. I had no idea that this was what a birthing center looked like! I felt like I was shopping for an apartment. She went through her experience as a midwife, asked a few questions about how and why we decided to pursue a birth center and then proceeded to tell us all about the facility. In 30 years they have never lost a single child during birth! I explained to her my traumatic "DMV" story and she advised me it was not the first time she had heard of a similar experience from a new mother. The midwife explained to us that birth was not an emergency situation and that it was really an experience that needed to be handled with little interruption. I was of course also advised that in certain emergency situations they are prepared to send me to the hospital and a midwife would still go with me to make sure my birth plan was adhered to as much as possible. They take no risk when it comes to the safety, health and wellness of mother and child! She then proceeded to show us around the birth center suite and explain how a healthy birth was treated in her center.
This suite looks exactly like a apartment. A huge living room with 2 large leather couches for guests to wait while you birth (if you choose to have several family members or friends for support). A separate bedroom, kitchen and bathroom with a large birthing tub were all included as well. This birthing tub was amazing. It looks like a corner spa with jets and plenty of room for comfort. Nothing like my tub at home, which I fear if I got down in, I may not be able to get back up by month 9. haha.
She explained how to transfer my medical records over and how my appointments would work. The most important thing she explained to me was at no point in time would they apply a procedure of any kind without making sure I was comfortable, informed and okay with it. Even something as simple as drawing blood or taking my ultrasound. I think I smiled from ear to ear. Finally someone who cared about how I felt!
We also discussed why I might consider a natural birth over a medicated birth. The side effects of an epidural, tearing and even the risk of a C-Section. I explained to her that I have been doing my share of research regarding epidurals, c-sections and other hospital procedures and the idea of those typical techniques actually frightened me more than the idea of a natural child birth. She was excited to know that I had done my homework. She advised me that most women come to the birth center around 30+ weeks, and some transfer even closer to their due date. Luckily for me, I was only 20 weeks and ready to being my journey early!
I advised the midwife that I was considering hiring a doula to assist me with labor and birth and that I was also trying to figure out how to deal with labor and the pains associated with labor. She told me not to worry, that they would make sure this was the best experience of my life. She herself had a child in this center and most of the other midwives has done the same. Apparently, they all survived and a few have done it more than once! That says a lot to me. If it was so horrible why would someone choose to use an un-medicated birth at a birth center then?
We received our welcome packet full of information and I immediately signed a waiver to transfer my medical records over. I scheduled my first appointment. I could not wait to get started this journey. I finally feel like I am doing something right!!
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