When finding out your expecting a baby, you start to think about all your options for birth. Theres a traditional hospital, home birth, or a Massachusetts birth center. Many women are completely unsure of what they want for their birth in the beginning. It’s best to do some soul searching and think about what you want out of your birth.
When thinking about what you want out of your birth, its best to first chat with your doctor to decide if you have any risk factors that should be taken into an account when planning your birth plan and location. Do you think you want a doctor to deliver your baby? Or would you rather a midwife team to deliver you? Any of your choices can be utilized with a doula team as well. You could choose to have a hospital birth with doctors but choose to have a Doula like A Golden Birth who I’ve previously written about. You could also choose to deliver at a birth center!
What is a birth center?
A birth center is a facility that utilizes midwives and follow a wellness model. They typically try to avoid many medical interventions when possible. When choosing a birthing center in Massachusetts, you’ll likely first want to find one that is somewhat close and convenient to your home. Likely, you’ll end up going more than once. Lot’s of times we think we’re in labor and have false alarms. Birth centers are also known to have a home like atmosphere to help laboring mothers feel more relaxed. The birth center you choose will likely have a midwife team that will provide your care throughout your pregnancy, labor, and delivery. When giving birth at a birth center, you’ll be supported by midwives and a doula if you choose to hire one.
When choosing which birth center you will deliver at, you will need to choose your midwife team. Most midwife teams practice out of one area of Massachusetts and usually only deliver at their designated birthing center. I suggest choosing your midwife team relatively quickly after finding out you’re expecting.
First we have North Shore Birth Center.
At North Shore Birth Center, they “carry our philosophy of individualized care into every pregnancy and birth, taking into account your health history as well as the hopes, fears, and unique circumstances that affect your experience.”. North Shore Birth Center is located at Beverly Hospital and the space has a “home like” feel and a family friendly atmosphere. There are birthing tubs available for use during labor and delivery as well. The midwives are committed to low interventions but have nitrous oxide and epidurals available if desired.
Next up is the Clough Birthing Center.
Clough Birthing Center on Emerson Hospital’s main campus in Concord, Massachusetts, offers an ideal, family-centered option: The highest quality medical expertise in a serene location, close to home. We are here to make your birth experience as special as it deserves to be. They offer private and comfortable labor and recovery rooms. They have breastfeeding consultants on staff for help with nursing and offer immediate skin to skin after birth.
Next is Seven Sisters Midwifery and Community Birth Center.
At Seven Sisters Midwifery and Community Birth Center they “are certified nurse midwives with expertise in normal fertility, pregnancy and birth, gynecological and contraception services. Our services span teens to post-menopause and childbearing care from conception support and IUIs, to free-standing birth center birth, water birth, postpartum care, lactation support and well-newborn care. All people, families and family structures in need of our care are welcome in our practice.
Our experienced midwives focus on the specific needs of each client throughout care. Each brings more than 15 years of experience caring for thousands of unique clients. We are dedicated to serving all families regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, financial barriers, or physical ability.
As a practice, we endeavor to continuously improve the care that we are providing by engaging in opportunities to educate ourselves in best practices in both the physical and emotional care of all the unique people we feel privileged to care for.”. Their warm and home-like birth center is located in Northampton and is designed for your comfort and safety.
Last, but not least we have the CHA Cambridge Birth Center.
At CHA Cambridge Birth Center “is an intimate, warm, home-like setting right across the street from the hospital. That’s why so many women with a low risk pregnancy see us as a great choice.”. They offer Jacuzzi bath tubs, a family room. a kitchen, a living room, and a garden area. You have the freedom to walk around all the public areas during labor. The very special thing about CHA Cambridge is that they are directly across the street from the hospital, so if a situation were to arise where you needed more medical attention, they can get you there quickly and safely.
So if you’re looking for a birth center in Massachusetts, I first suggest finding a midwife team that you vibe with and are somewhat local to you for convenience sake. Then check out their facilities to see if it looks like a place you want to deliver at. Always keep in mind that birth plans don’t always go as planned and things change. Being fluid in your plans is always helpful so that you are not as upset if things change! Having an incredible support system in your midwives will help in case things do arise and you need to change your plans.
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