Two of my friends mentioned Baby+Company before my husband and I had even begun thinking about starting a family, so naturally I wasn’t really paying attention. Sorry ladies! However, after I found out I was expecting, I decided to check it out.
While a home birth seemed a little daunting for my first birthing experience, the hospital experience sounded rushed and medicated. I discovered that birthing centers are a brilliant blend of the two and I was so glad to explore another option.
I went for a tour with my husband and mom when I was only 8 weeks along. This shouldn’t surprise you at all because in a previous blog post I talked about the fact that I was a teacher and have the tendency to over-plan.
What is Baby+Company?
Baby+Company is a birthing center led by Certified Nurse-Midwives. They partner with Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center and Novant Providence Health OB/GYN right around the corner. The birthing center provides:
Prenatal, birth and postpartum care
Routine medical care (annual exams, pap tests)
Healthy pregnancy workshops
Childbirth education
Breastfeeding and newborn classes
New mom’s group
Family health and wellness workshops and events
Lactation consultation
Fertility counseling
Why a birthing center?
Many people need to have their babies in a hospital because of complications during pregnancy (and sometimes labor) but generally, giving birth is a natural process that woman have been doing without hospitals for centuries. For me, if I have a low-risk pregnancy, the thought of giving birth in this beautiful place makes my heart sing.
The rooms make you feel like you are giving birth in your own home! These are actually way more beautiful than my apartment so I couldn’t be more excited for the upgrade! I love the idea of having space to move around, shower, bath, roll around the floor or just sprawl across the bed. There are even pilates bars going up the wall on the other side. Heck yes!
So far, since the tour, I have been to a 1st trimester group visit and a 2nd trimester clinical visit. I was so impressed with the way they took an hour to talk with me about my overall health as well as doing the necessary blood tests in my individual clinical visit. I really felt like they were getting to know me individually so they could better guide me on my pregnancy journey.
Of course we don’t know what is going to happen between now and when baby arrives, but this is just our first choice. We are totally open to giving birth in a hospital if that is what mom or baby needs. We just love the way the Midwives view pregnancy as a natural and beautiful process and love the option of water birth should we choose to go in that direction.
If this is news to you, you aren’t alone. I didn’t know what a birthing center was until last year, let alone that there was one right here in Charlotte. I highly recommend going in for a free tour.
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