Matt and I have been tossing around the idea of trying for a baby at some point, and considering my complete objection to a hospital birth unless something dire were to happen, we’ve been researching other options. I’m most partial to a homebirth, but I’ve found it rather difficult to find a homebirth midwife in my area, so we’ve been searching around for birth centers.
One of them is about 30 minutes from our house: Special Beginnings in Arnold. We learned that they had guided Motherhood Experience tours, so we decided, well… why not! Better to plan now than later, right?
Our tour was at 7pm, and we thought we would be the only ones there. To our surprise, the waiting room (then the classroom) was packed! Most were already expecting, but Matt and I were there just to explore our options. A bit after 7pm, a nurse midwife, David, came in and talked to us a bit about what the birth center does, his philosophies on pregnancy and birth, and how “labor day” would go.
I should probably warn you right now — as if you didn’t already know! 
— that I’m a rather crunchy person, especially when it comes to labor and childbirth. I’m pro-natural birth, pro-breastfeeding, pro-homebirth, pro-birth center, pro-cloth diapering, pro-attachment parenting, pro-cosleeping… pretty much the whole nine yards.
But these are my decisions, and I would never, ever say that my decisions are any better than or superior to those of another woman. Like in many other ways, I’m pro-empowerment, so whatever way you want to do it, I’m absolutely down for that.
Anyway! Down off my soapbox and back to the babies!
That all being said, I really appreciated what David was saying and how the birth center operates. They encourage laboring at home until contractions are about 5 minutes apart for an hour, then have you(r partner!) drive to the center. There, you’re greeted at the door and led to one of three birthing rooms of your choosing, which are all done up to look like actual bedrooms instead of hospital rooms. Baby blankets are warmed, tubs are filled if wanted, and you can bring your own music, food, and other stuff to make yourself comfortable while there.
Then… the fun starts! They have several options for laboring, from birthing tubs to jacuzzis, birthing stools to balls, and of course, a bed (that doesn’t come apart! It’s an actual bed!) at your disposal. You can labor as long as you need, cervical checks are rare, and a midwife will come in every 30 minutes or so to check on the baby’s heart rate with a doppler. Otherwise, you’re pretty much left alone.
They hold very strong stances on skin-to-skin, not taking the baby away from the momma for at least two hours, breastfeeding, and other “crunchy” stuff… all of which I absolutely want to achieve with our eventual baby. I also really loved his demeanor — I would not be at all disappointed if David one day ended up being my midwife!
And of course, they’re not even 5 minutes away from Anne Arundel Medical Center, so if anything does go wrong (and it very rarely does in the case of low-risk pregnancies), they’re just a short drive away.
AAMC, by the way, has some abysmal cesarean rates for 2008-2009: 38.4%! While not the worst in Maryland — that honor goes to GBMC with 44.8% in 2008-2009 — it’s ridiculous compared to the birth center, which has a very low rate of emergency cesareans: “Extremely rare” according to their website, and 8% according to David.
That is one of the main reasons why I don’t want to go to a hospital. Aside from the whole “I fucking hate hospitals” thing, I’m incredibly nervous about interventions of any and every sort. That nervousness would turn into anxiety, which is very likely to turn into a panic attack… so if I can avoid that, then that’s obviously for the better!
Not to mention that cesareans are major abdominal surgery, and it would only be a consideration for me in case of an emergency (and I’m not stupid — it IS on the table, but only in that situation). That plus the facts that cesareans are on the rise and that one in three babies are already delivered via cesarean, makes me incredibly wary of hospitals.
I wouldn’t be sick, yo.
Oh god, more soapboxing! ANYWAY.
We ended up learning a lot from that one visit, and the brief tour we had also made me think that it might not be so bad to give birth there after all. I mean, I would strongly prefer at home over every other option, and I’m going to continue searching for a midwife in the area who will do a homebirth… but if it came down to a birth center? I’d actually clamor for Special Beginnings. 
Oh, and why the hell not.
That sounds wonderful! We did a home birth with Flintstone and it was just perfect, but I also think a birth center sounds nice. Depending on how our battle with the Naval Hospital goes, I may end up using a birth center next time even though I loved my home birth.
If you two do decide to have a baby, I will become irrationally excited (considering I don’t actually know you) because you seem to have just about identical feelings about the whole process to mine and I love reading birth activism and attachment parenting stuff!
I’m pretty sure I remember your homebirth post! (What? I don’t estalk, of course not…) If I had to choose between that and birth center, I’d obviously do homebirth, but I greatly prefer birth center over hospital. I’ve never had to deal with military hospitals, though — how does that work?!
LOL!! Well, then prepare to get irrationally excited at some point in the future! Not the near future, mind you… but the future.
And what can I say, great minds think alike!
I wanted to do the whole natural birth experience with my son, but his shoulders would not pass, so it was an emergency c-section for me. It saved his life, but I do agree a woman should get the birth experience she desires. And the fact that you are preparing in advance it will make you a far better educated person when the time comes.
Thank you, Rebecca.
I don’t like to think that I’m scaring myself, but that’s what I’m doing! Better a little fearful than unprepared, though. I’m sorry you didn’t have a natural birth experience with your son like you wanted, but I’m so happy that he came into this world regardless. Sometimes an emergency like that calls for some intervention. 
When I get the oppertunity to have one of my own I’m hoping for a natural home birth (though, like you, I’m open to medical intervention is it needs to happen; only if it needs to though).
Yup! Always gotta be prepared. I really hope an opportunity comes for you someday soon…!
Thanks; me too!
Am I the only one that wants drugs and a doctor to catch the little scamper because that shit hurts like a big dog??
LOL! It looks like it so far… but trust me when I say that I know women who think the same way as you.
Whatever works for the individual!
I had my girls at the Indian Hospital with very little drugs but I did have a dr. When my first grandson was born I was right there in the room and cut his cord. My daughter had an epidural and a midwife… at a different Indian Hospital. Everyone’s different and we all do what we feel comfortable with. I like your attitude.
Exactly! My mom had natural, unmedicated births with all of her kids (save for my sister, if you want to count a shot of Pitocin as unnatural), and we’ve always said that if she can do it, I can do it.
But that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone! I’m absolutely sure you and your daughter both had amazing birth experiences the way you would have wanted them. 
And thank you!!
Have you seen “the business of being born?” (youtube) I never, ever want to have a child in a hospital. IF I have a child, I want a water birth. My mother in law gave birth to both her children via midwife (and standing up!) She had a third but it didn’t have a brain, so she had to go to the hospital for that one. She said that birth was the most painful of the three.
That place looks like a dream! There is no shame in being crunchy!
I have! That plus several other anti-hospital movies. (I like to say that I love documentaries that piss me off.
) I’d love to have a waterbirth, too, which is entirely possible at this birth center (which, I agree, is absolutely a dream!), so I’m hoping that’s how it eventually goes!
That’s an AMAZING story about your mother-in-law! The standing up, I mean. I’m sorry to hear about her third child.
Hey there! It’s nice to read a new blog for a change! Thanks for linking up with us.
I love that you are pro all of that stuff. Have you had children before? Just curious. I wasn’t sure who those precious angels were in the pics up there. I delivered in a hospital 6 weeks earlier than expected. I didn’t even have time for an epidural. Long story. Anyway, after having my daughter, I told my husband that I would have a natural birth again. It wasn’t horrible. And after watching the season finale of Sister Wives (don’t judge me) where one of the wives delivered at home, she made having a 9 pound baby look painless. I know I could do that too.
Hope you stop by and link up again! =)
Hiya!
I actually caught you through Colleen (Cheap Wine and Cookies — LOVE her), and I’m happy to participate!
I’ve actually never had children; the photos from above are from Special Beginning’s website, so those children are some likely from that birth center.
Haha, and yup, my mom says that the one baby she had with any sort of intervention (she had a shot of pitocin with my sister) was worse than any of her other natural childbirths! I imagine there’s only so much your body will let you go through, even if it is intense. 
Oh, and I won’t judge about the Sister Wives love. We don’t have cable, but I manage to watch the episodes through Netflix… but only through the announcement that the fourth wife is pregnant! (I didn’t even see the announcement… just the end of the one where she’s pulling the first wife aside.) Gah! I want to see the rest, especially if she had a homebirth!
Definitely will, thanks so much for the linkup!
Hey! This is megamuphen from livejournal. I was just looking at your blog ’cause an ominovre with a vegan husband posted in vegetarian and I thought I’d send ‘em here and I noticed this post! I am due at the end of January and am planning for the birth to be at Special Beginnings, I have been seeing them since I got pregnant at the beginning of the summer. So if you ever want to chat about ‘em I’d be happy to, although I imagine I’ll have more things to say after the baby is actually born.
Oh, I just saw that post! I like her site, it’s really cute.
I’m looking forward to seeing how they work together!
And no KIDDING! I thought I remember you were local to me now that Matt and I are up in MD, but I didn’t think you were THAT close! I definitely want to hear more about your experiences at Special Beginnings, as they are the second option should I not be able to find a homebirth midwife.
So wait, you’re due this coming spring? And yes, if we could talk about your experiences so far, that’d be great! We should meet up anyway, haha!
Well, nothing around here is really THAT far. Or maybe it is all far. I can never decide.
I live in North PG county, so it is a little bit of a drive to Special Beginnings, but it is definitely worth it! I originally thought about a home birth, but my husband isn’t comfortable with that -at all- and while, you know, I’m a little more important since I’m the one giving birth, I still want him to be comfortable and happy with everything. I have/had pretty much 0 interest in a hospital birth, but even if I did I wouldn’t do it at the hospital closest to my house, it is kind of awful. 
I am due January 31st, so soooooooon!
Anyways, if you want to talk about Special Beginnings either online (here or by email) or in person I’d be happy to!
You’re not that far from me! I’m in Anne Arundel, which is a bit closer to Special Beginnings than you are, but you’re right, everything is pretty close (all relative, haha). My husband’s discomfort with homebirths may push me to a birth center, too, but considering what I saw when we took the tour, I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Who’s your midwife there?
That IS soon! I’m so excited for you! You’ve gotta be feelin’ pretty ready at this point.
And yes, I’d love to hear all about your experiences! You’re more than welcome to email me at . Hope to hear from you soon!!