Free Standing Birth Center Birthers & Hopefuls

[Mum2b_Claire]

I had Ruby at a free standing birth centre but we have moved and there isn't one near us here, only the hospital birth centre which I won't use as I will have a home birth this time. (hospital birth centres over here have less favourable stats for natural births than stand alone centres or home births.)
The birth centre was great, I guess it's effectively having a home birth but not at your home. It was a bit like a hotel!

 

[chuck]

I started in a FSBC with Dewi but transffered for slow progress.

I would have gone to the BC this time too but being VBAC it wasnt an option -plus its services have been suspended!!

Bloody shocking that every woman where I live has to travel 30/40 minutes to go to a hospital or MLU now.

 

[modo]

The Private Birth Centre in Tooting has closed down (Boo!) so I am not sure what to do now

I am worried that because I want a VBAC I will be under constant monitoring. I was stuck in bed the whole time during Bobby's birth and only got to 5cm

 

[chuck]

Modo...if you choose to go to a hospital to VBAC you can say no to anything you want like monitoring!

Come take a look in the thread in my siggy.

 

[Guppy051708]

^amen to that! Just because you are VBACing doesn't mean you dont have rights! you have the same rights as everyone else!


another anterior placenta I cried on the way home....oh God please not another posterior baby

 

[cahgirl87]

Hopefully a homebirth for me

Is a FSBC the equivalent of a private birth centre over here in the UK? I haven't heard of one before.

It's a more home like environment for birthing. The one I am going to used to be a house and has bedrooms and regular beds along with a regular home bathroom. They also have room with the birthing pool. The "waiting room" is a living room. They only have 2 rooms.

This sounds exactly like the place I'm going to give birth in. I live in Florida as well and the place I'm going to is called The Birth Cottage. It is pretty much a house that they use as a birth center. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and 2 exam rooms plus a 'non waiting room' that is the living room

The midwifes are a mother and daughter team but right now they also are having student midwifes that are training. I don't know how comfortable I will be when it comes to the actual labor if the students are trying to do things. This is my first baby so I don't really know what to expect and even though I plan on using the Bradley Method (as well as birthing in the bathtub) I don't know how well I will cope with the pain. I feel bad that I may have to ask that the students not be actively involved...I guess I will just have to wait and see how I am feeling at the time.

 

[LittleOnes]

Im so glad for this thread!

I am reall hoping to deliver in a FSBC here in NY. As progressive as NYC is there are surprisingly only a few, and one is an in-hospital birthing center where I read testimonies of women who said they basically convince you to go up to the labor and delivery floor and you fall into the vicious cycle!! I really want to avoid unecessary medical intervention.

This FSBC seems really on point. They are all Certified Nurse Midwives and have 'rights' at a nearby hospital that births the most babies of any other hospital, assuming something comes up and you need hospital-based intervention. They offer an orientation that we are going to this weekend.

I was born in a birthing center and my mother highly recommends the experience, compared to an in-hospital birth like she had with my sister, who had the cord wrapped around her neck and foot a couple times! So she wouldve ended up delivering in a hospital anyway.

The most interesting thing will be to see how DH's family reacts to the birthing center thing, they already think I am super granola

 

[Guppy051708]

I am so excited you girls are here!
I really wish we could get siggy made for "FSBC Hopefuls" (like the homebirth hopefuls have).

I birthed DS via waterbirth at hospital birth center....it was basically a regular maternity unti in the hospital...you got thrown through "the system"...which is why i am getting the heck out of the hospital and going to a FSBC

 

[rosie5637]

i had my 1st baby in a birth centre. it's literally across the road from me it was an amazing experience and not worrying about mess, having meals and cups of tea made for me and somebody always there to babysit while i shower was great. it had a lovely homely feel and a pool.

i won't know where i'm having this baby til a month or two before the birth the local pct has closed the centre and despite fierce opposition they aren't sure if it will be opened again they will have a decision by jan/feb hopefully and i'm due mid march!

i am quite happy to have a homebirth, i don't want to go to the nearest hospital (30mins away) it's just not for me. but if the birth centre is open i will go there again. in limbo and it's suprisingly unnerving

if you want to use a bc then go for it. the chance of something going wrong is very slim. my midwives always told me that because the hospital is 30mins away they transfer you at the first hint of trouble, they don't wait around. sometimes it turns out ok and there was no need but it means they always get you to the hospital in time if something comes up. good luck

 

[Guppy051708]

Oh rosie i really hope they make their mind up soon and you can birth at the center. That is an awful thing to have to wait out So sorry.

Is anyone elses birth center super far away...mine is a one hour drive (in the summer, on a nice day, and no construction). And i am due in the worst winter month of the yr and im a bit concerned the long drive, which will easily turn into a 1.5-2 hour commute in bad weather causing my labor to slow I am petrified of anything that could impede my labor bc i had such a slow one with DS.

 

[Guppy051708]

Girls, just to give you a heads up, i asked the mods/admins to create a FSBC "Hopefuls" Sticky at the top of the "Home & Natural Birthing" section. I will give up dates, once i hear back on anything.

I am gonna go ahead and create a list of you all that are thinking or planning on having a FSBC birth

 

[Guppy051708]

I've updated the front page!!!

Let me know if i missed anyone or if any of your info is incorrect. I had to do a lot of guessing so dont be afraid to speak up

 

[navywife86]

Hey I would def like to join im also having a birth senter birth !

 

[navywife86]

IM due feb 14th 2012

 

[Guppy051708]

Hi hun! :wave: so glad to see you here!!!
Ive added you and your bump to the front

 

[navywife86]

Awesome sounds great !

 

[Guppy051708]

Well ladies, i am sorry (and happy at the same time) to say that i will now be having a homebirth instead. Due to a plethora of reasons, mainly financial reasons, we have decided not to re up our insurance for 2012. So homebirth for me...sorry to leave you all, but im happy with our decision...does anyone want to take over this thread?

 

[Jtiki]

I'm due in April and hope to use a FSBC. There is one in this city, about 30 minutes away, in the same general area as the hospitals. My insurance will only pay about 40% of the cost, since they are an out of network provider.

TX state law requires that all newborns be monitored for a minimum of 2 hours, so I will be there at least that long. The mid wife tells me most folks stay about 6 hours after birth to take a nap, but some are counting the clock and immediately leave at the 2 hour mark. They don't do any overnight stays. They also don't administer any pain medication of any type.

 

[mamawannabee]

I am joining a bit late here, but we just transferred our care to a birth center about 2 weeks ago, after going for the hospital tour. I was so upset and disappointed that I knew there was no way I could labor there, I had wanted a homebirth from the beginning, but OH said no, so this is our compromise. We live a half hour from the hospital and the birth center is only about 4 minutes away, so he is more comfortable with it. I have been so happy with the care so far, and am looking forward to delivery. It is a two hour drive from our house, so the only thing I am nervous about is the drive during labor, but I figure we'll leave sooner than later so we can make sure to get there on time.

 

[navywife86]

mamma wannabe im so happy you are getting the birth you want !!