Services
Pre-Conception Consultation
Prenatal Care
Nutritional Counseling
Childbirth Education
Support for Homebirth
Breastfeeding Support
Postpartum Care
Holistic Well-Woman Gynecology
Referrals to Allied Health Professionals
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Our birth center is located in Clallam County nestled in the heart of Sequim WA.
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The benefits of giving birth in a freestanding birth center are:
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A serene home-like environment where you can give birth with privacy.
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Birth tub for water immersion, which can ease labor pains and make the contractions of labor more tolerable. Your baby can be born in water, gently easing birth transition from womb to world.
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Freedom to walk, eat, and assume any position that helps you cope with your labor.
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Freedom from strict timelines and unnecessary medical interventions (i.e., continuous electronic fetal monitoring, augmentation of labor with Pitocin, etc.) which can lead to complications of labor, including cesarean section.
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No separation between mother and newborn. Baby remains with the mother after the birth. This continuous skin-to-skin contact improves breastfeeding success. The newborn exam will be done at your bed.
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More freedom of choice regarding medical procedures for yourself or your baby. We believe in informed consent and informed refusal. You get to have your birth your way.
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Most births proceed normally, and you should expect a beautiful experience. At our birth center, your experience and safety are our utmost concern. If for any reason you must be transferred to the hospital, your midwife will facilitate the transfer, and if you desire, provide you with postpartum care once you are discharged from the hospital.
WATER BIRTH
HYDROTHERAPY AND PAIN RELIEF
Many women feel a water birth allows them to follow their natural birthing instincts. Being in water provides birthing women with privacy and autonomy; while helping them to cope with contractions. Water birth is essentially as simple as it sounds. A woman labours and gives birth while in a tub filled with warm water. At our Birth Center we encourage women to take advantage of this experience in our birthing tubs.
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The benefits of water birth are seemingly endless! Here are some of our favorites.
Benefits for Baby:
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Provides an environment similar to the amniotic sac.
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Eases the stress of the birth thus increasing reassurance and sense of security.
Water labor and birth is available at home or in our birth center.
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Warm water is soothing, comforting, relaxing.
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Warm water acts a method of pain relief.
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Decreases the incidences of intervention, and thus, Cesarean Sections.
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The effect of buoyancy lessens a mother’s body weight, allowing free movement and new positioning, as well as a sensation of floating.
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Buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and improved blood circulation resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother, and more oxygen for the baby.
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Immersion in water often helps lower high blood pressure caused by anxiety.
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The water seems to reduce stress-related hormones, allowing the mother’s body to produce endorphins which serve as pain-inhibitors.
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Water causes the perineum to become more elastic and relaxed, reducing the incidence and severity of tearing and the need for an episiotomy and stitches.
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As the laboring women relaxes physically, she is able to relax mentally with greater ability to focus on the birth process.
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Since the water provides a greater sense of privacy, it can reduce inhibitions, anxiety, and fears.
MOTHER CENTERED CARE
INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH TO MEET YOUR NEEDS
Many women feel dissatisfied with their past providers. They report medical providers tell them what to do rather than inform them of their options and rights. Care given is not personal, or informative. At our birth center, you will be guided and empowered throughout your pregnancy. We are designed to serve families. Your children and any or your family members are invited to play a part in your experience. You are the perfect person to make decisions on what is best for you and your new baby.
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Well Woman Care provided by our Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) in our free-standing birth center, is much more relaxing and stress-free than at a typical OB/GYN office. Our CNM has a more holistic approach to well-being, and have more time to answer all your questions and help you learn about the physical and emotional changes you experience as you prepare for your expanding family, or with your general care. Our CNM can also be a great resource before you have children by assisting with family planning, and can provide contraceptive counseling and services, including: prescriptions for oral contraceptive pills, non-hormonal options such as cervical caps and Fem Caps, IUD insertions and removals, insertion and removal of hormone-releasing birth control implants, and discussion of benefits and risks and individualized explanations and management of all birth control options.
Our CNM is qualified to care for women long term, and to perform woman’s annual physical exam and pap smear, as well as assist women as they enter menopause and face hormonal issues.