Q: What is a freestanding birth center. Why would I choose one over a hospital?
A: A "freestanding" birth center is a birth center that is not affiliated with any hospital. It is a home like setting where safe pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care is provided to low-risk people. In hospitals, birth is treated as a medical event. There is emphasis on efficient management of a large and complex organization, which can lead to use of interventions that are not in the best interests of the laboring person and baby. In the birth center, some interventions are never employed, such as:
induction and augmentation of labor with oxytocin
continuous electronic fetal monitoring
epidural anesthesia
narcotics
operative delivery
In our birth center, our philosophy of care supports the birthing families' choices and desires in how they labor and give birth. Because labor and birth are considered normal events, the usual rigid protocols are not imposed on a normally laboring person. We focus on what most often goes right with labor and avoid unnecessary intervention. As long as the laboring person and baby remain normal, strict time frames for the progress of labor are not required.
Q: What is Nitrous Oxide and when would I need it?
A: Nitrous Oxide is similar to what you might have had during dental work but in a lower concentration and controlled by you. It doesn't take away pain, but it helps you to relax with contractions and is one of the many things you can use in your labor if you find yourself needing a little bit of extra help letting go and allowing your body to keep working hard to get you closer to pushing out your baby. You hold the mask or mouthpiece and inhale as needed with the contraction and then breath normally between contractions without it. It is safe in pregnancy and does not enter the baby's system. Nitrous Oxide is cleared from your system within 1-2 minutes leaving you feeling totally normal.
Q: What is a licensed midwife?
A: Literally speaking, midwife means, "with woman." A midwife is a person who views pregnancy and birth as a healthy, normal process, and sees their role in this process as that of support, guidance and monitoring. In the midwifery model, the childbearing person has the central role. Midwifery care addresses psychological and emotional health as well as physical health. The midwife seeks to empower birthing people by helping them master the challenges of pregnancy and birth.
In Washington State, many Licensed Midwives (LM) now obtain their Masters in Midwifery at the nationally accredited Bastyr University. Prior to 2009, most midwives attended a 3 year program at Seattle Midwifery School, which then merged with Bastyr.
All licensed midwives are required to attend a minimum of 100 births prior to licensure.
Licensed Midwives assess new clients much like a physician does. We complete thorough histories and exams. We also offer all the usual laboratory testing as well as provide complete information on all prenatal screening to be sure that our clients are able to make informed decisions regarding their care. Pregnancies are consistently monitored for health and safety, and we consult or refer to a physician when a significant deviation from normal occurs. While in labor, we monitor closely and early consultation is made with a physician when a deviation from normal occurs.
Q: Who can deliver at Puget Sound Birth Center?
A: Care in a birthing center caters to the healthy, low-risk pregnant person. If you are healthy and without any chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or insulin dependent diabetes, you are most likely appropriate for a birth center delivery. You will be carefully screened on your first visit and continuously evaluated throughout your pregnancy to promote a safe and satisfying birth experience.
Q: Will my insurance cover this?
A: Most likely, YES. Licensed midwives are covered by all Washington-based insurance companies. Many out of state policies also provide coverage for midwifery services. There are, however, numerous plans within each company, so it's always best to check with our wonderful billing specialist Ingrid at Island Billing Services:
Ingrid@islandbillingservices.com
Office: 1-360-632-4435
It is also worth calling Ingrid if you are not insured and would like some tips on the best insurance plans covering maternity care and midwives.
Q: Do you provide lactation services?
We provide first line lactation services to our clients. If you need more comprehensive lactation support we will refer to a local Lactation Consultant for guidance.
Q: How long are appointment times?
Routine appointments are 30 minutes long. Consultations, your first appointment and your final postpartum visit will be 60 minutes long.
Q: Do you do water births?
A: We are frequently asked if we will do a birth in the water. Most of our clients choose to labor in the tub for at least some of the time, and about 1 in 4 give birth in the water. Some of the benefits to laboring in the water include:
Reduced pain
Reduced sensory stimulus, thus producing less stress-related hormones
Decreased blood pressure
Increased ability to focus
Increased skin elasticity, reducing the amount of perineal tearing
Gentler birth for baby
Q: Why should I choose Puget Sound Midwives & Birth Center over other birth centers?
A: Puget Sound Birth Center has been open since 1996. We have served over 5000 families. In addition to unprecedented local and national recognition, we enjoy a very high rate of direct word-of-mouth referral from our families – the best compliment we could get.
The Eastside's largest freestanding birth centers, PSMBC is located just blocks from Evergreen and Valley General Hospital. We are proud of the cooperative relationships we have developed with providers in the areas hospitals.
Our facilities are two of the only birth centers contracted with CIGNA. We are also contracted with DSHS, Exchange Plans, Regence, Aetna, First Choice, Premera, Kaiser, and almost all other major carriers.
Q: What are your office hours?
A: You can reach our front desk staff in Kirkland:
Monday through Thursday from 9:30 AM until 5:30 PM
Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:30PM.
Phone: (425) 823-1919
Fax: (888) 972-5585
Email: OfficeManager@birthcenter.com
If you call us outside of business hours you will reach our Answering Service. You can leave a message to be returned the next day or page your on-call midwife. Our answering service director number is 1-800-280-5819.
Q. Is there some way I can help at the birth center?
We love our volunteers! If you’re interested in helping with general office tasks, such as putting together our new client notebooks or blank charts, please contact us.
We often have special projects that need time and resources. Please keep in touch through Facebook and/or our newsletter so you can hear about these opportunities when they arise.