What People Say About Birth Centers
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
The National Birth Center Study reported that 98.8 percent of women using a birth center would recommend it to friends and/or return to the center for a subsequent birth.
TESTIMONIALS
"I wanted to be able to relax and know that my wishes/desires would be honored without having to feel I needed to defend my decisions. I also wanted to develop a relationship with my care givers and not feel that I was part of an assembly line."
"I wanted a more natural, home-like setting where birth was viewed as a natural, normal process and where I was treated as a participant, not a 'patient.'"
"I love this place, all the staff [members] were always so considerate. They knew me by name and treated me very special. My favorite part of [this Birth Center] was the way I got to take my daughter home the same day I had her. I also got to hold her for about an hour and a half before they even took her to weigh her. I bonded with her right away. I would recommend [this Birth Center] to anyone I know."
"I am the father of five children, four of which were hospital births, and one was a birth from the birthing center. The birthing center was an absolutely amazing experience. It's about the best I can explain. The staff was fantastic. The whole experience from my wife's first appointment to the actual birth and post birth appointments were just nothing I have ever experienced. I've been at all of my children's births, and to watch my youngest get born at the birthing center and how he reacted and how he responded to different stimulus was just absolutely nothing I could ever imagine. Within two hours, when we were carrying the baby to be weighed and to be checked after spending an hour on his mother's chest, he was already picking his head up, and that's not something we have experienced. My wife did not go through or have any pain medication, so it was totally 100% natural, and it was obvious when the baby was born that he was totally alert and ready for this birth, ready for this life. This is an experience that we have recommended to friends of ours who have accepted the invitation and had their babies born at a birthing center, and it is something I would recommend to anyone. It just seems that this is what nature intended."
"[The] midwife knew me personally, not just [as] another patient."
"[I liked the] time and caring of the midwife staying with me through the entire experience and not passing me off to a nurse or someone I was unfamiliar with." (When the client was transferred to the hospital)
"[I appreciate the] relationship that develops with the midwives and therefore the resulting confidence [I have] in their ability to do their job well."
"I am a chiropractic physician, and my pleasure is to be practicing right behind [this Birth Center]. I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy, the Director of [this Birth Center], in 1984 when it was established. Since that time, I have referred several patients, including family members, to [this Birth Center]. I have two grandchildren that were born here, as well as a brand new baby in September that I actually got to witness the birth. I explained to Sandy that this was the most smooth birthing process I had ever witnessed. Of course, it was the first one I had also witnessed, but I really enjoyed the experience. I have found that my patients have absolutely no complaints about the quality of the care and the compassion of the people that work in [this Birth Center]. If I had to have a baby myself, definitely this would be the place, but I am limiting myself to grandchildren only, but I would always encourage someone to please come for a conference, come for the introductory lecture to be able to understand exactly what the facilities have to offer and what the staff has to offer to each patient."