Why a Birth Center?

Many women are choosing to use birth centers to have their babies. What are some of the key advantages?

1. Freedom to move. At the birth center, we don’t attach you to monitors with straps or cables, or expect you to lie in a bed. You are free to move as you like, to use water for comfort, and to assume any position you wish.

2. Freedom to eat and drink. Labor is often compared to a marathon because it can be physically demanding. Eating nutritious foods and drinking water or other liquids help give you strength to keep yourself going. At the birth center, we don’t use IV’s for hydration, instead encouraging women to drink often.

3. Freedom to give birth naturally. At the birth center, no drugs are administered to the woman during labor and birth. Instead, labor is allowed to begin on its own and take a natural course. Painkillers are not needed due to the encouragement and supportive presence of experienced birth attendants. Modalities such as massage and water therapy can also help moms relax and allow the natural process to take place without interference.

4. Freedom from worry about unnecessary intervention. Birth center midwives honor the natural process and do not practice routine intervention. Our rate of transfer for intervention, including epidural, assisted vaginal delivery, or c-section, can be reasonably expected to be below 10% based on national out-of-hospital birth statistics.

5. Freedom to enjoy your new baby. At the birth center, we use a very special, state-of-the-art nursery. It’s called “Mom.” In most cases, baby never leaves the mother’s side. Assessments can be made with the mother holding her new infant. Uninterrupted bonding time helps establish successful breastfeeding and a healthy dependency between mother and child.

These are just a few of the reasons that more women are turning to birth centers like the Carolina Community Maternity Center. Click to read Birth Stories from moms who chose the birth center.