Choosing Your Maryland Birth Center: Bay Area Midwifery
As a Baltimore Newborn Photographer, I have been asked about local birthing centers. Bay area Midwifery is one of the only birth centers in Maryland.
Before we talk about Bay Area Midwifery, first let’s breakdown birthing centers and why an expecting mom may choose to go here. When it comes to giving birth, it can feel like a lot of things are not in your control. As much as you plan and prepare, nature will take its course and you may find your birthing experience to be different than what you originally expected.
One thing that you usually can decide on, however, is where you want to give birth. One option that is a great choice for many mothers is birthing centers.
Are you an expecting mom located in Maryland who is interested in learning more about birthing centers and Bay Area midwifery? If so, you are in the right place! In this article, we will talk about the following:
- What a birthing center is
- Why a woman may choose to use a birthing center
- What a midwife is
- Bay Area midwifery
What is a birthing center?
A birthing center is a location that typically operates independently from a hospital (although sometimes located within or close by to a hospital) where women go to labor and deliver their babies.
A birthing center is different from a hospital for a few reasons:
- Birthing centers are staffed with midwives and doulas instead of doctors and nurses.
- Birthing centers typically advocate for natural, vaginal births
- Birthing centers are more “home-like”, encouraging a comfortable atmosphere for birth.
Why do women choose to use birthing centers?
Women choose birthing centers for a few different reasons. These reasons vary from woman to woman, but could include some of the following ideas:
- Decreased risk of Caesarean section
- More natural birth methods are available
- More personalized care
- Women are more likely to have their chosen healthcare provider (midwife) by their side during the birth
What is a Certified Nurse Midwife?
A Certified Nurse Midwife is a trained and licensed registered nurse who has completed several educational requirements, including a master’s degree in midwifery, completion of the Nurse-Midwifery Education Program (from an accredited school), and passing of the national certification exam of the American Midwifery Certification Board.
Bay Area Midwifery
Bay Area Midwifery, otherwise known as Luminis Health Midwifery, is a freestanding birth center that offers full-service midwifery practices. Services that they offer include:
- Well-woman care
- Family planning
- Preconception counseling
- Prenatal care for low-risk pregnancy women
- Vaginal births
- C-section births
- The option to birth in a home-like setting OR a hospital
- lactation/infant feeding consultations
- Well-woman care
- Sexually transmitted disease screenings
- Management of minor gynecological care issues
Bay Area Midwifery believes in the power of education to empower women to make their own informed decisions about what they want for their birth. They believe in providing care that honors and respects your unique physical, social, spiritual, psychological, and economic needs.
When you choose Bay Area Midwifery, you are choosing a healthcare provider who will give you all of the tools to have confidence in your birth-giving abilities.
Using a birthing center is a great option for low-risk pregnancies and women who want to explore a more home-like, natural feeling birth experience. The most important factor, no matter where you choose to have your baby, is that you feel empowered and confident in yourself for whatever you decide!
How to prepare for your in home newborn session
