the Birthing Center

Bed What Is A Birth Center?

A Birth Center is . . .

PEOPLE working together to respond to your needs during pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. It is for healthy women seeking more personal care. . . and families wanting to be involved. A Birth Center is run by a team of highly qualified professionals including midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, breastfeeding specialists, massage/reiki therapists, acupuncturists and counselors.

A PROGRAM that gives you confidence in your ability to give birth. . . balancing the human touch and technology. It is a program of education for pregnancy, birth, labor support, baby care, and much more. Most of all a Birth Center program gives you the time that you deserve. . . time to listen to and answer your questions about pregnancy, birth, baby care, nutrition, and ongoing women's health care. . . time to stay with you throughout your labor and birth. . . time to help you, your new baby, and your family get off to the best possible start.

A PLACE that gives you a caring, warm and homelike setting where you are supported and respected as well as safe and secure. You will have a private room for giving birth where you can make yourself comfortable. . . wear your own clothing. . . have nourishment when you feel hungry. . . soak in a tub. . . and even have a water birth. A Birth Center welcomes your children, your parents and your friends so you can decide who will be with or near you as you give birth. It is a place for continuing support, offering at-home follow up care and new parent support groups.

The American Association of Birth Centers

A Midwife explains. . .

"At the Center we view pregnancy and birth as normal, healthy events in the life of a family. We promote wellness and positive attitudes about birth and parenting. We watch, test, and examine our expectant mothers carefully for the beginning of problems and treat them early so that we can prevent small problems from becoming big ones.

We take time to help you understand the many choices you have in your birth experience. We listen to you and counsel with you so that we can develop a trust in one another. We work together throughout your pregnancy, labor, birth, and early weeks of parenting. We stay with you from the moment you arrive in labor until you leave with your new baby.

Although emergencies in the center are rare, if it becomes necessary for you to be referred for care in the hospital, we are trained and equipped to begin treatment and to transport you and your baby safely to [Community Memorial Hospital] just five minutes away. We stay with you in the hospital as long as possible."

Lylaine Gavette, CNM at Bethany Birth and Women's Health Center, Phoenix, Arizona