Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a CNM?
• Can anyone have a baby at Birth and Women's Center?
• Is it safe to have a baby at a birth center?
• How much does it cost to have a baby at Birth and Women's Center?
• Will my insurance cover Birth and Women's Center fees?
• During labor and birth do I have to lie on my back?
• What kind of pain relievers are available?
• What are your policies on episiotomies, intravenous fluids, and newborn treatment?
• Is there a doctor present at the birth?
• What kind of medical equipment do you have at Birth and Women's Center?
• What happens if there is an emergency during labor or birth?
• Who can attend the birth?
• Can my baby stay with me after the birth?
• What kind of care will I get after my baby is born, and how soon can I leave Birth and Women's Center?
• What happens after we go home?
• Why would I choose a birthing center over a hospital?
• What makes Birth and Women's Center unique among other birthing centers?
• What if we choose to circumcise our son?
• Do I have to do all standard tests and sonograms?
• Do you schedule or induce labor at the Center?

What is a CNM?

A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a professional healthcare provider, a Registered Nurse (RN) who has graduated from any of more than thirty advanced education programs accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM). In addition, CNMs must pass a national certification examination and meet strict requirements set by state health agencies.

Insurance companies cover the services and charges from CNMs.

Can anyone have a baby at Birth and Women's Center?

Birth in a birthing center caters to the healthy, low-risk mother. Not all risk factors prohibit you from giving birth at the center. Some risk factors can be closely monitored by our staff and/or by our consulting physicians, and the patient may still deliver at the Center.

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Is it safe to have a baby at a birth center?

We view birth as a natural and healthy experience. Your labor will progress without unnecessary intervention. In fact, it is our lack of intervention that keeps our cesarean deliveries far below the national average.

While we specialize in the management of low risk women, some clients may become high risk, needing more advanced medical treatment. Our consulting physicians and our back-up hospital, Baylor University Medical Center, are both located just blocks away. We have a formal consulting agreement with the female OB/Gyns at Women To Women Health Associates who will accept transfers of our clients. The close proximity and formal agreement makes the center a safe alternative to standard hospital deliveries.

In the event a woman develops a complication during her pregnancy or delivery, we can transition into traditional medical care with ease.

A recent Federal study determined that babies delivered by certified nurse-midwives were significantly less likely to die than those delivered by physicians. Another study, published by the New England Journal of Medicine, representing over 12,000 pregnant women, confirmed that births occurring in midwife-staffed birth centers were just as safe as births that took place in hospitals. An Institute of Medicine study has reported that births assisted by nurse-midwives result in fewer premature and underweight babies.

Having your baby at a birth center prevents the need for epidurals, augmentation and medications. Mothers who abstain from medications deliver their babies much faster with far fewer interventions and complications.

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How much does it cost to have a baby at Birth and Women's Center?

The total fee for maternity care provided by the nurse-midwife and the birth center facility is less than half the cost of a doctor and hospital delivery. If you are not insured for maternity benefits, the total base fee is $4,500.

Will my insurance cover Birth and Women's Center fees?

Yes, insurance companies will honor your care at Birth and Women's Center unless it is a specific exclusion in your plan. Our insurance specialist will verify the coverage with your insurance company and will work toward maximizing the benefits provided by your plan. To receive a cost estimate with your insurance coverage, please complete a Financial Information Request and see our Fees and Costs for more information.

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During labor and birth do I have to lie on my back?

Birth is a highly individual experience, and we encourage women to do whatever will make them most comfortable during labor and birth. This may include walking around, relaxing in our Jacuzzi, sitting in a chair, lying in bed, or doing anything else that will help you maintain a maximum level of relaxation.

During early stages of labor, we will encourage you to drink ample liquids and eat a light snack. Instead of using electro-fetal monitors that must be strapped onto your abdomen, we monitor your progress with a special electronic stethoscope in order for you to remain active.

Our laboring mothers rarely request to lie down in labor and often never do.

As long as your medical condition does not indicate a particular birth position, we will encourage you to find the position most comfortable for you. You can lie on your side, kneel, squat, sit upright, or float in the Jacuzzi.

What kind of pain relievers are available?

Although medication is rarely needed at Birth and Women's Center, we can administer small doses of pain relievers. If you need stitches, we will provide local anesthetics. If large amounts of pain relief are required, you may be transferred to a hospital. Epidurals are not available at Birth and Women's Center, and in the event an epidural is needed, you would be transferred to Baylor University Medical Center.

Mothers having their babies at the Center usually do not need pain medications. In this supportive environment, our nurturing staff work with moms to achieve their goals of natural birth. Our mothers are active in labor, using freedom of movement to assist the baby to come quickly and to deal with discomfort.

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What are your policies on episiotomies, intravenous fluids, and newborn treatment?

The use of episiotomies is a very infrequent, rarely used event. We do not routinely perform episiotomies (surgical enlargements of the vaginal opening). We are qualified to do episiotomies should a medical emergency necessitate the need for one. We often use perineal massage and oil to increase stretching without tearing.

We can provide intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration if you are unable to drink enough liquid, have episodes of vomiting, or have excess blood loss during delivery.

We will provide you with information regarding the State of Texas requirements for newborns, such as antibiotic drops for eyes, newborn screening, and vitamin K injections. We support your right to make responsible decisions regarding your newborn's care.

Is there a doctor present at the birth?

No. However, we have consulting physicians on-call 24 hours a day to answer questions or provide services. If you need direct care from a physician you will be transferred to the hospital, and one of our female OB/GYNs will take over your care. We accompany you in transport and plan to still attend your delivery as a patient advocate. We have a good working relationship with the staff at Baylor University Medical Center.

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What kind of medical equipment do you have at Birth and Women's Center?

We have emergency medical equipment available—including oxygen/suction to aid breathing, heat to keep your baby warm, medication to stop bleeding, and equipment to evaluate you and your baby during labor and after birth. Our birthing suites have the same equipment that hospital labor-and-delivery units have. If a mother needs more medical intervention, she can quickly be transferred to the hospital since we are only three blocks from Baylor University Medical Center.

What happens if there is an emergency during labor or birth?

The staff at Birth and Women's Center is highly qualified to deal effectively with emergency situations associated with labor and birth. In addition, we are just minutes away from Baylor University Medical Center where you may receive emergency care if needed. If a medical emergency arises, or you become high risk, you will be transferred to the hospital where more specialized care can be provided. Due to our close proximity to Baylor University Medical Center, emergency care is only minutes away. You could be transferred in the car of a staff member or an ambulance service.

Who can attend the birth?

Having a baby is a highly personal experience, and we feel you should be able to share it with anyone you choose. This may include your husband or other primary support persons, as well as other children, relatives or friends. Your primary support person can actively participate in the birth experience. If you decide to have other children present, they'll need to have advance preparation and be supervised by a secondary support person.

Many fathers deliver their babies, and fathers will decide how much they want to participate. Your birth will be attended by a CNM and a Birth Assistant. A clinical assistant will come in after the birth to discharge you and your baby. Our goal is to have your spouse be the best coach possible, and our emphasis will be in assisting your spouse to support you.

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Can my baby stay with me after the birth?

At Birth and Women's Center we do not separate babies from their mothers. You'll have as much time as you wish to bond with your baby, and you may have anyone you want touch or hold your baby. We do all of our care at the bedside and our main goal is to provide you with an environment of peace and safety to welcome your new baby into the family.

In the event the baby needs the specialized services of a hospital, we have an arrangement with Baylor University Medical Center, and they will transport your baby to the Special Care Nursery.

What kind of care will I get after my baby is born, and how soon can I leave Birth and Women's Center?

After the birth, your baby will get a complete physical examination. You'll be checked to make sure there is no bleeding or complications, and that you're breastfeeding successfully.

Once all vital signs for both you and your child — including breathing, temperature, and cardiovascular systems — are completely stable, you may go home. Most mothers and babies go home about six hours after birth.

Some mothers request to leave sooner, and some mothers stay longer due to medical concerns. We keep in close touch with you after you leave. First-time parents receive a home visit from a member of our clinical staff. In addition, prior to the birth, we host a class that you attend around your eighth month of pregnancy that teaches your partner, and subsequently your family, how to care for you once you arrive home.

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What happens after we go home?

You'll take along specific instructions that will help you spot any abnormal developments. Well call you after 24 and 48 hours to discuss how you and your baby are doing. (We strongly encourage you to call anytime you have a question.) If it is your first baby, one of our birth assistants will visit your home 48-72 hours after you leave Birth and Women's Center to make sure you and your infant are doing well.

Why would I choose a birthing center over a hospital?

Choosing Birth and Women's Center will decrease your risk of complications to mother and baby. Very few women who choose to deliver at our Center need epidurals or C-sections. Less medical intervention creates fewer complications, thus supporting your body to give birth naturally as it was created to do.

Our mothers experience an incredible sense of accomplishment and euphoria when their infants are born without the use of drugs. Their sense of power and strength often sustains them for the remainder of their lives. Giving birth totally numb from an epidural robs a woman of this sense of accomplishment and strength.

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What makes Birth and Women's Center unique among other birthing centers?

Our experience and professional relationships distinguish us: We have been operating for 13 years and are purposely and uniquely located just minutes from a major hospital. We have two female obstetricians, Women to Women Health Associates, providing care to our clients in the event of a medical complication.

We have delivered more than 2,000 babies with outstanding outcomes, transfer rates and C-section rates. Our transfer rate is only 10% and C-section rate only 4.8%. While we celebrate all that goes right in birth, we also have a perfected system of management in the event hospital care becomes necessary.

What if we choose to circumcise our son?

We offer circumcision to families requesting this procedure. It is done in our Center after the infant is eight days old. We want the infant to be adjusted to his new life, is breastfeeding well, and have blood-clotting factors at their peak when performing the procedure. We try to make this a family event, and most fathers come to this appointment. Lidocaine is administered for pain control, and Mom is strongly encouraged to nurse the infant immediately following the procedure.

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Do I have to do all standard tests and sonograms?

We offer Standard of Care to our patients, but do not insist on all routine labs and sonograms. We value your ability to make choices and decisions in your pregnancy. We work together as a team and help educate you about the Standards of Health Care.

Do you schedule or induce labor at the Center?

Our main goal is for you to have no intervention, induction or standard obstetrical procedure. Normal low-risk women will go into labor when Mother Nature dictates.

If a mother develops a medical indication that can be managed at the Center, yet necessitates earlier delivery, we can offer methods to prepare the cervix or start ones labor when needed. This certainly is not our first choice. When it becomes necessary, it often provides women the opportunity of still having the birth they choose and avoid being transferred to the hospital. We do not use pitocin induction, but have good success with other means.