Birth centres are birthing institutes with medical staff. They are available to low-risk women and they have lower rates of intervention than hospitals, birthing women are granted more freedom of movement and control over when she eats and drinks than in a hospital. Birth centres also have natural pain relief options which hospitals don't. But if complications arise during the birth you are likely to be transfered to an associated or nearby hospital.
Birth centres are mostly staffed by registered midwives. Due to roasters, you may receive care from different members of staff at different times.
Before deciding to birth at a birth center:
- Find out what the centres’ transfer to hospital rate is?
- Find out how independent the birth centre stands from hospitals and obstetric led maternity centres, often birth centres’ are bound by the same protocols as hospitals.
- Find out if your partner is able to stay with you overnight.
- Find out what is the average length of stay?
- Ask if you will have one-to-one care from a midwife throughout labour?
- Ask who can be present at the birth (eg. your children? other family members? friends? a doula?)
- Ask if they ever induce labour and what methods they use to speed labour up?
- As how they might monitor your baby?
- Ask what methods of pain relief they offer?
- Ask if there is a time limit out on how long you can push (second stage)?
- Find out what percentage of women are given an episiotomy?
- Ask to see some recent customer feedback surveys.
- Look into what kind of assistance you can get from the centre with breastfeeding.
- Find out if the centre has implemented the baby friendly initiative.
- Talk to other women who have given birth there to find out what their experiences were like.
- Write a birth plan that clearly states your preferences, and go through it with the staff to see how they respond.
- Ask yourself what it is you want from a birth centre birth experience that you don't think you will be able to get with a hiring an independent midwife for a homebirth?
Doulas
A doula is a trained birth attendant. She is not trained in providing medical care like a midwife or obstetrician, but in providing other forms of support. Her entire focus is you and your comfort. Each doula has a library of information about birth she can share with you. She is able to provide you with information to help you make informed choices, but she cannot make decisions for you, or offer medical advice.
Like a midwife, a doula provides continuity of care, she can help you with breastfeeding, and household maintenance after the birth. During birth she can be as hands on-or off- as you like, she is at your service. Having a doula present has been shown to lower rates of intervention and increase women’s satisfaction with the birth. You can hire a doula as your primary support, or as additional support to your midwife, or your obstetrician. Doulas are great support no matter where you decide to have your baby.
Doula Links:
More about doulas
Doulas and Birth Attendants in Victoria
Australian Doulas
Doula Direcory, Joyous Birth
Find a Doula, Optimum Birth
A doula can be a great asset when researching what your options in birth are and in helping you find out about whichever birth centre or hospital you are considering. Just as she would in birth, a doula can help you know which questions to ask, when finding out about your centre or hospital. She may even have had experience at that centre or hospital.
Helpful links:
Hospital & Birth Centre Birth
A Birth Centre Birth Story
All About Birth Centres
Birth Centres in Victoria
Get Me to the Hospital (or Birth Centre) On Time
Related Ilithyia Inspired Pages:
Pregnancy & Birth Websites
Pregnancy Articles
Breastfeeding Websites
Birth Articles
Birth Stories That Inspire
Doulas: Mortal Ilithyia
