People have asked me numerous times why I chose a birthing center, if I thought it was safe to have my baby at a birthing center, and if I would recommend giving birth at one. So I thought I would answer those questions here.
We chose a birthing center reluctantly due to financial reasons. We are self-employed and paying cash. We just paid cash for a hospital birth for #3. I had my first all natural delivery there because the cash price of an epidural was the same cost for all 4 of us to go to the dentist. He came so fast I wouldn't have even had time to enjoy my epidural and would have been mad I wasted the money. So since after giving birth 3 times (2 with an epidural and 1 without) I knew what to expect. I knew that my water doesn't break on it's own and they my babies all come fast. I never have to push more that 5 times. I knew the pain wouldn't last forever and that I'ld done it before and could do it again. Plus I liked the fact that this birthing center only hires midwives that also have a masters degree in nursing.
My OB's cash price was fine, the hospital's cash price was ok, but the pediatrician and hearing test price from a group called Pediatrix was outrageous and totally blind sighted us with a huge bill we had to fight to get lowered. They charged almost as much as my OB, who saw me many times over the course of 9 months, but only looked at my healthy baby twice! Needless to say we felt like we had been nickel and dimed and miss led by the hospital as to what all was included in the cash price we paid in advance. So when I turned up pregnant with #4 while #3 was only 11 months old I cried to my OB telling him that I may have to go to a birthing center to save money. I did not want to do this. He had delivered all 3 of my babies and did not like change. He understood and recommended the Inanna Birthing Center in Denton, Tx. He felt that since I had had 3 healthy pregnancies and deliveries that I would do fine in their care. My concern was that they didn't have medical equipment and I would just be delivering this baby in someone's house. I was wrong! They have all the necessary medical equipment I saw at the hospital during each of my deliveries minus the epidural. This put my mind at ease that they could care for me and the baby. Plus after my experience at a "baby friendly" hospital where they do not take the baby to the nursery it didn't seem much different than just going home with your newborn and resting in your own bed minus someone waking you up to press on your uterus and give you meds every 2 hours.
My OB's cash price was fine, the hospital's cash price was ok, but the pediatrician and hearing test price from a group called Pediatrix was outrageous and totally blind sighted us with a huge bill we had to fight to get lowered. They charged almost as much as my OB, who saw me many times over the course of 9 months, but only looked at my healthy baby twice! Needless to say we felt like we had been nickel and dimed and miss led by the hospital as to what all was included in the cash price we paid in advance. So when I turned up pregnant with #4 while #3 was only 11 months old I cried to my OB telling him that I may have to go to a birthing center to save money. I did not want to do this. He had delivered all 3 of my babies and did not like change. He understood and recommended the Inanna Birthing Center in Denton, Tx. He felt that since I had had 3 healthy pregnancies and deliveries that I would do fine in their care. My concern was that they didn't have medical equipment and I would just be delivering this baby in someone's house. I was wrong! They have all the necessary medical equipment I saw at the hospital during each of my deliveries minus the epidural. This put my mind at ease that they could care for me and the baby. Plus after my experience at a "baby friendly" hospital where they do not take the baby to the nursery it didn't seem much different than just going home with your newborn and resting in your own bed minus someone waking you up to press on your uterus and give you meds every 2 hours.
Max took a picture of the room I gave birth in. It was like bed and breakfast, but with medical equipment secretly hidden in the armoire and dresser. :)
Ok so here is my birth story for #4:
I actually had some contractions in the wee morning hours of September 11. So I baked a quiche to take with us to the birthing center since they require that you bring food and eat before they will release you. Jean, the midwife, recommended a quiche because it is good to eat at any time of day or night. Luckily I was not in labor because I did not want to have this baby on 9/11. The rest of the weekend and next week were painful for me. I was having braxton hicks constantly and it hurt to sit in a hard chair or at restaurant so I stayed home trying not to have the baby on my mom's or my mother-in-law's birthday. Then the stomach bug hit my mom on Monday and me on Tuesday.
In the wee morning hours of Thursday, September 17, I had contractions only on my right side so I went down stairs to watch t.v. on all 4's trying to rotate the baby over to be face down. Jean, the midwife, said she was currently face up and would make for a more painful labor. Those contractions stopped about 4:00 a.m. so I went back to bed then got up at 6:00 a.m. to help get the kids ready for school. It was Kellyn's picture day and I had helped her roll her hair in sponge rollers the night before and wanted to help her fix her hair that morning. It looked gorgeous by the way. :) I told Max to take the kids to school and see 1 patient, but then come back. I called my mom to come over to watch Bo then called the midwife at 9:00 a.m. to tell her I was labor, but no rush. My contractions were about 10 to 15 minutes apart. She said that since this was my 4th baby she wanted me to come on in so my husband wouldn't have to deliver the baby on the bridge over Lake Lewisville. The birthing center in Denton is about a 35 minute drive from our house in Flower Mound. So I called Max to come back home and we got ready and left by 9:30 a.m.
Once we got there she checked me and I was only 3 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced. She said to go walk around the Denton mall or something until lunch time, but do not go back home. Well I didn't really feel like doing that so I went to Jennifer Patterson's house. She was going to be my doula anyways so took my exercise ball over there and labored at her house for a few house while Max went and got me lunch from Weinberger's. This was my first good meal since having the stomach bug and I was starving and craving it. It was a great distraction to have Jennifer to talk to and eat lunch with. She was a good doula. I wish I had gotten a pic of there, but I wasn't thinking about writing this blog at the time. Anyways, after lunch my contractions got closer together and more intense, 4 minutes apart and lasting about 30 seconds. So we headed back to the birthing center and got there at 12:30 at which time I was only at 4 centimeters dilated. But they admitted me anyways. We set up my iPhone to their wifi speaker and got to listen to my list of praise and worship songs for labor and delivery. They had diffuser in the room and Peace and Calming already diffusing in it. A very nice intern, named Esther, was the one in charge of my labor and delivery. She works at Parkland, but is interning to become a midwife.
At about 1:30 she asked if she could check me again since it seems that while I was talking to her my contractions were getting more intense and closer together. When she did she yelled that I was at a 10 and ready to push! Everyone rushed in startled and surprised just like they've done in the hospitals with my other 3. In fact, when I had Rhett they told me to keep my legs together because the doctor didn't have his gloves on yet. Priscilla did not slide out like the boys, but rather I had to push about 5 or 6 times like I did with Kellyn. She was born at 2:03 p.m. Because I only had 1 sonogram I began to doubt that I was actually having a girl. As soon as she was born no one yelled out, It's a girl, so I immediately asked, "Is it still a girl?" They laughed and said yes. Whoo.
I am so grateful to Jennifer for taking all these great pictures and being there for me. She took some great action shot of my laboring, but that is not something you need to see. :)
In the wee morning hours of Thursday, September 17, I had contractions only on my right side so I went down stairs to watch t.v. on all 4's trying to rotate the baby over to be face down. Jean, the midwife, said she was currently face up and would make for a more painful labor. Those contractions stopped about 4:00 a.m. so I went back to bed then got up at 6:00 a.m. to help get the kids ready for school. It was Kellyn's picture day and I had helped her roll her hair in sponge rollers the night before and wanted to help her fix her hair that morning. It looked gorgeous by the way. :) I told Max to take the kids to school and see 1 patient, but then come back. I called my mom to come over to watch Bo then called the midwife at 9:00 a.m. to tell her I was labor, but no rush. My contractions were about 10 to 15 minutes apart. She said that since this was my 4th baby she wanted me to come on in so my husband wouldn't have to deliver the baby on the bridge over Lake Lewisville. The birthing center in Denton is about a 35 minute drive from our house in Flower Mound. So I called Max to come back home and we got ready and left by 9:30 a.m.
Once we got there she checked me and I was only 3 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced. She said to go walk around the Denton mall or something until lunch time, but do not go back home. Well I didn't really feel like doing that so I went to Jennifer Patterson's house. She was going to be my doula anyways so took my exercise ball over there and labored at her house for a few house while Max went and got me lunch from Weinberger's. This was my first good meal since having the stomach bug and I was starving and craving it. It was a great distraction to have Jennifer to talk to and eat lunch with. She was a good doula. I wish I had gotten a pic of there, but I wasn't thinking about writing this blog at the time. Anyways, after lunch my contractions got closer together and more intense, 4 minutes apart and lasting about 30 seconds. So we headed back to the birthing center and got there at 12:30 at which time I was only at 4 centimeters dilated. But they admitted me anyways. We set up my iPhone to their wifi speaker and got to listen to my list of praise and worship songs for labor and delivery. They had diffuser in the room and Peace and Calming already diffusing in it. A very nice intern, named Esther, was the one in charge of my labor and delivery. She works at Parkland, but is interning to become a midwife.
At about 1:30 she asked if she could check me again since it seems that while I was talking to her my contractions were getting more intense and closer together. When she did she yelled that I was at a 10 and ready to push! Everyone rushed in startled and surprised just like they've done in the hospitals with my other 3. In fact, when I had Rhett they told me to keep my legs together because the doctor didn't have his gloves on yet. Priscilla did not slide out like the boys, but rather I had to push about 5 or 6 times like I did with Kellyn. She was born at 2:03 p.m. Because I only had 1 sonogram I began to doubt that I was actually having a girl. As soon as she was born no one yelled out, It's a girl, so I immediately asked, "Is it still a girl?" They laughed and said yes. Whoo.
I am so grateful to Jennifer for taking all these great pictures and being there for me. She took some great action shot of my laboring, but that is not something you need to see. :)
At the birthing center they ask you what your birth plan is. I've never been one to have birth plan. :) Then they finally asked if I would like her break my water. Yes! Please! Let's get this party started and over with! They ask you a lot of questions at the birthing center. They want this to be the birth you want with as little intervention from them as possible. This was different for me and took a little bit of adjusting to. When they did break my water they saw meconium in it, but not enough for alarm or cause for concern.
Here is a tid bit of information you might not know. At the birthing center they let the umbilical cord keep pumping blood into the baby before you cut it. Ours pumped about 20 minutes so she was just laying on me. Once the blood in the cord stopped pumping Max cut it and I finally got to see her face.
OMG! I look terrible. I had not slept well in days and I was just getting over the stomach bug.
When they finally weighed her we discovered that she was indeed our biggest baby weighing in at 8 lbs. 12 ounces and 21 inches long.
You see the poop on the scale there? Not only did she have meconium in my bag of waters, but she pooped 3 times after delivery. They midwives said they'd never see anything like it. :)
Getting her footprint.
Look at those chubby cheeks! We've never had one with chubby cheeks before. I'm so glad Max is procrastinator and we got our precious Priscilla. :)
I'm so blessed to have Jennifer in my life. We've been friends since the 5th grade. We were high school cheerleaders together and ran track together. We even got to be pregnant together with our first born girls. It's been so neat to go through all these different phases of life together. She helped ease my fears about natural childbirth when I had Bo in the hospital and then she once again helped ease my anxiety over having to go home so soon after giving birth in a birthing center which actually turned out to be great thing. She delivered 2 of her 3 babies here at the Inanna Birth Center. She highly recommended it and definitely influenced my decision to do it there.
Ok so here is the biggest selling point to the birth center...after deliver herbal bath. It was awesome! I had no idea I was getting it either. About 2 hours after delivery one of the 5 midwives that was there asked me if I wanted to take a soothing herbal bath with my baby. What?! That is allowed? Then Yes Please! Max took this picture and just love it. I felt so good and overjoyed.
Y'all that was awesome. To be able to take a nice warm herbal bath after giving birth is the best. Then they said to put the baby in the water and let her float. She immediately relaxed and loved it. I don't know how long we stayed in there, but I was in no hurry to get out.
When we did finally get out and get dressed she had few little test done and temperature taken.
I had to eat before they would let us leave so I ate Turkey Wrap from Jason's Deli that I brought with us. Then we headed home at around 5:30. All in all this was a great experience. I don't think I would recommend it for a first time mom though simply because there is too much unknown. You don't really know how painful labor is and how long it will last and if your newborn will latch on correctly or not. I was grateful to have had Kellyn in a hospital because she could not latch on or suck due to a high arch in the rough of her mouth and a recessed chin. I would not have known this had I just gone home with her after a few hours. Luckily I had a great lactation consultant work with us in the hospital for 2 days. But by #4 I know what a correct latch feels like. I know different hold and angles to help facilitate nursing. I know how many wet and dirty diapers to look for. I'm just more relaxed and secure in my abilities and mommy.
My parents were at our house waiting for us with the kids.
The moment the other kids met her!
Rhett was in love at first sight.
Kellyn was beyond thrilled to have a sister, but sadly wasn't feeling well so she already her pajamas on ready for bed. Turned out she had the stomach bug and got sick at my parent's house that night. :(
We are so blessed to have my parents help us. They took all 3 kids Thursday - Sunday.
Beautiful story! I love that you got a surprise baby girl! Thanks for sharing.
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