The Brooklyn Birthing Center understands that birth is most often a normal event. In the absence of complications, your birth will be as you wish it!

The atmosphere at the Birth Center is calm and soothing. There are no beeping machines, bright lights, loud paging of personnel over the intercom or intrusions of different personnel urging you to remain in bed.

Best of all…your baby remains with you for your entire stay.

Medicaid reimbursement triumph!
October 12th, 2011
We think that most of you know the outcome of our Medicaid reimbursement battle but, just in case "...it is my pleasure to inform everyone that, for the moment, a crisis has been averted. We are assuming that any contract we will be offered will be with at least a similar reimbursement level as what they had formerly been paying. Therefore, we feel comfortable in assuring you, our patients, that we can continue offering our best care to you all. Stay tuned for Part II: The American Academy

Join BBC at Miles for Midwives
October 1st, 2011
Mark your calendars for Miles for Midwives 2011! 5K Fun-Run and Birth & Wellness Fair Saturday, October 1, 2011 Prospect Park, Brooklyn NY [Map] Bartel-Pritchard Square, 15th Street and Prospect Park West Participant check-in - 8:30am / 5K Fun-Run - 10am / Pee-wee race - 11am Followed by the Birth & Wellness Fair See website for more details: http://miles4midwivesnyc.blogspot.com/

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          People utilize a birthing center as opposed to conventional American obstetrics because they are seeking a specific type of birthing experience. I was a late convert to the practice of women’s health and birth being overseen by midwives; but when I realized at 32 week of pregnancy that I desired a birthing center experience I was welcomed into the Brooklyn Birthing Center’s family without hesitation.  It was the best decision I made.               The saying the best laid plans are often torn asunder applies completely to the experience I had with my son’s pregnancy. At 37 weeks pregnant, I was sent in for a routine sonogram and stress test and was told that I was to go immediately to the hospital.               My son’s heart rate was decelerating at an alarming rate and the doctors and nurses at the hospital were brusque, curt and insensitive. I had spoken on the phone with Asya, the midwife on call that evening and she explained everything that was happening to me as calmly and as realistically as she could without being there.               Once Asya arrived at the hospital it was as if a guardian angel had arrived to smooth out and attempt to better what was quickly becoming my worst-case scenario for a birth. I went to the birthing center wanting as few interventions as possible but with the immediate health and life of my son at stake, Asya eased the way for the necessary pitocin drip, the artificial breaking of my water and the epidural.               Twelve hours later, Yuliya, my primary midwife, arrived. It was she who explained that a cesarean section was almost definitely going to have to be performed. I was a mess. Not only was everything I had planned being removed from my control, but I was also emotionally unprepared to birth my child. I had been to work the day of my sonogram and had told my students I would see them tomorrow: I simply wasn’t ready.  Yuliya walked me through everything with the utmost patience. Both Asya and Yuliya were aware of what I wanted regarding pregnancy and were able to tell me what needed to happen. These women weren’t interested in leaving the hospital because their shift was over nor were they interested in a speedy delivery to facilitate their schedule and they were definitively not concerned with how the health insurance companies would dictate ‘best practices’. Asya and Yuliya were concerned about the health and well fare of my son and of me and made it their mission to help both him and me arrive safely on the other side of the birth.               A hospital cesarean section is the exact opposite of what a woman who is seeking a birthing center birth wants, but in my case it was unfortunately but medically necessary. Without Asya and Yuliya I wouldn’t have been as emotionally assisted during what I felt to be traumatic experience. Yuliya acted completely as my advocate in the hospital when both my honey and I were too emotionally unhinged to think logically. We knew we could trust Yuliya to be a liaison we could trust completely.               After the operation, both Asya and Yuliya followed up with me in the hospital. I received better, more thorough and tender care from them than I did from any of the staff at the hospital and they continued to call me post birth to check on my son’s and my health and well being.               I would never want to relive the experience I had at the hospital, nor would I want any other woman to experience it. However, if one has to have an experience with birth such as mine, she would be remiss in not having the Brooklyn Birthing Center as part of her team.  I have often referred to Asya and Yuliya as guardian angels, but the entire staff at the facility is caring and want what is best for both mom and child and I am a true believer in their skills, their intentions and their hearts.                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mom of Greyson 12/2010

—Keri G.

We want to sincerely thank you all for the assistance with our lovely birth.  It was a pleasant experience for us both.  A natural, unmedicated birth is what we wanted and we were able to do it with your help.

—L.K.

My husband and I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful service of the Brooklyn Birthing Center.  We only originally explored an out-of-hospital birth as a means of just getting more information.  But right from your orientation and all throughout our appointments at the birthing center, we never had doubts about our decision to birth there.  We are grateful for the tremendous amounts of information given to us and how all our questions were treated seriously and answered.  When my labor began, Asya was extremely helpful and patient speaking over the phone with me (numerous times as I had a very slow labor) and knew just the right time to advise us to come in to the birthing center.  Once there, Yuliya set a very calm tone for my husband and I and saw us through each step of my labor.  The birthing assistants Eva and Kandia were at my side through all my contractions later in labor and after the birth. Kandia's "magic hands" truly were magic while I was in the tub as she massaged my back with each contraction. Asya guided me when it was time to push with very clear instructions which I greatly appreciate.  And then we got to meet our daughter!  Many say they can't recall the details of their labor and birthing, but I'm happy to remember all the details, even the uncomfortable ones, and that's because of the Brooklyn Birthing Center and its staff! Thank you! Laura, Colin, and Aoife (born 6/18/09)

—L.G

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