Birthing centers...anyone Tried?

My second and third children were both born at a free standing birth center after a traumatic hospital birth experience of my first child.
It was fantastic!! I felt like a person and not a problem waiting to happen. I was treated with respect. My recovery after the birth was faster and easier. The difference was night and day between the care I got from the OB and hospital and the care I got from the midwifes and birth center!!
If I ever find myself pregnant again I will go back there in a heartbeat!
The one I went to is a little further away than I'm sure you can do but I wanted to share their website anyway so you can get a look at what one can be like. http://www.beststartbirthcenter.com/

I had my son at a birth center and overall it was a positive experience. The midwives were great even coming to my home for a couple of appointments. I'm not a fan of hospitals so I also appreciated the homey atmosphere of the birth center. They let me do my own thing-walking around, hanging out in the tub (which it turned out I hated and my plans for a water birth were nixed!), very few vaginal exams for dilation unless I asked, and even brought me a snack to keep my energy up. My only complaint was that I went home pretty much right away and I was really tired after my long labor. I also had another child to care for. But, going home right away might be a plus for people who feel more comfortable at home. I would have liked to relax a little bit before jumping right in the car. I got to meet with all the midwives at the birth center throughout my pregnancy until I settled on the one I wanted for my delivery. I'm sure they would have been helpful with breastfeeding and other baby stuff, but since it was my second, I knew what I was doing. I picked the birth center the second time around as a good middle approach and it worked out great for me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

I think 80% of my friends used a birth center. They all loved it. I have heard nothing but good things! I didn't use one myself, but I wish I had!

I had both of my kiddos in a birthing center. Birthing centers are terrific unless you have complications... and even then they are still great. They just aren't set up to handle sick babies.

In our case we have a perfect birth with our daughter. Textbook labor and delivery in the water. I highly recommend water birth if you have access to it. All of my appts were with midwives and a midwife helped me deliver her.

With our son, the delivery was not as ideal. He was born at 34 weeks and not ready to be... we were sent to a hospital in the middle of the night because he was having breathing complications. And then we stayed in the NICU for the next few weeks.

I can't say that the birth of my son was unpleasant as caused by the birthing center of staff though.There was a Dr on-call that helped us deliver and who was then assigned as out Dr rather than having midwives. They were aware and attentive to what was going on with him and knew when he needed a higher level of care than they could provide.

If you have a hospital in your city of very nearby that you can be transferred to in the event of complications, I would definitely go with a birthing center.

Best of luck!!

I so wanted to ended up having 4 in the hospital all natural but glad I did the 2nd & 3rd had post hemmorage then the 4th had so many drugs stuffed in me to reduce the chances of hemmoraging & frther complications after delivery.Our birthing center is a few blocks away from the main 2 hospitals they are across the street from one another but the OBGYN's that I seen didn't deliver at the Birth center.I had OBs for the first 3 then a midwife for the 4th all were excellent in takingcare of me never had an issue with the hospitals it was a pleasant experience I couldn't of asked for better care than I received the L&D just topped it off had all babies natural in a good time frame BAM BAM BOOM they were in my arms.Good Luck if you have a midwife now is the time to talk about where to deliver if not and you have an OB also talk.Also if you have any complications that will prevent you from delivering anywhere except a hospital & keep in mind that it can go south in a heartbeat & emergency care will you recieve in time is also a huge decision factor

I had my son at home, but would have done it at a birthing center if we had one in my town (I am really glad I did do it at home, and would choose home over a birth center now). Everything I have heard about birth centers is wonderful. My suggestion to you is to go look at whatever is available in your area, and ask questions. If you want to be able to have a water birth, or be in a tub (I love being in my tub), or be able to move around doing birth, ask if you can do those things. Another important one is what happens if you need to be transported? I watched the Business of Being Born, which is why I originally wanted to go to a the birth center, so check that out if you haven't watched it yet.