Birth Centers in the Houston Area?

[monkeyscience]

I know about Nativiti and Reunion. Are there any others? dh has said we will move to be within 20 minutes of wherever I choose to give birth.

Also, if anyone wants to share their experiences with any Houston-area birthing center, please PM me! (I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to post about it any more, but the HCP review policy has been deleted, so I'm not sure.)

[monkeyscience]

Okay, did some more searching, and found a helpful website that lists Texas birth centers:

BirthingCenters.org - Texas Birthing Centers

Seems like there are 5  6 in the Houston Area (Katy one is new and not on the website above):

Bay Area Birth Center (Pasadena)

Katy Birth Center (Katy)

Nativiti (Spring/Woodlands)

North Houston (North Houston)

Reunion (Kingwood)

Rite of Passage (Pearland)

Maybe this post will help someone else, too. But I'd still love PMs from anyone with experience at any of these places!

Edited by monkeyscience - 12/8/11 at 10:41am

[alegna]

I think there's a newer one in Katy?

Had homebirths with mine, so no help.  No one is getting me in a car in labor short of a dire emergency!  lol

[monkeyscience]

Okay, searched and found the Katy birth center, and added it to the list.

I've heard from one person via PM who was pretty happy with Reunion - anyone else want to throw their two cents in?

By the way, I think it's interesting that, with the exception of the new Katy birth center, all the centers in Houston are pretty much in the eastern half of the area. What's with that?

[monkeyscience]

After touring both Reunion and Bay Area, I've decided to go with Bay Area. I've had my first prenatal visit, and so far I like it a lot!

I'd be happy to share my thoughts about either place via PM. They both seem like good places, but with very, very different atmospheres. So depending on what you are looking for, one might be a better fit than the other.

[nrcrcrsh]

I'm using Jackie at Bay Area. I have had 2 appointments so far and really really like her. I have had friends who have used her and only have heard good things.

[domermommy]

I birthed at Nativiti back in April 2010 and it was a great experience.  I was lucky enough to meet with one midwife the vast majority of the time AND have her at the birth, which was nice for consistency's sake.  I don't know the new midwife Christy (?) yet, but I'm sure I'll become familiar with her soon because we just scheduled our first prenatal appt for baby #2 in a couple weeks :) 

For other Nativiti moms -- I started my care with them at 28 weeks after switching from an obgyn.  What are the first few appointments like? I meant to ask yesterday on the phone but didn't.  Do they do a dating ultrasound? I have no idea what to expect since my only other experience was with an ultrasound-happy ob. 

[HeatherB]

I have a friend birthing at a birth center in the League City/NASA area called BioBirths...? I think it's Darlene Dories-Scrivener who's the midwife there. I don't know much more about it than that, but she's got a website: http://www.biobirths.com/

When my first was born, there was a birth center in SW Houston. I took "Bradley" (not true Bradley, I later discovered) classes with the MW and was unimpressed enough to decide that, even if I *could* birth there with her, I wouldn't... Not sure it was open much past that - 10 years ago, now!

[monkeyscience]

It looks like BioBirths is for homebirths, not birth center births. I found it a little odd that one of the "advantages" listed on the website was "No fear of infant abduction." Are people really that worried about having their kid stolen from a hospital?

[HeatherB]

I thought that was unusual, too, albeit true.

My friend has said she's going to a birth center there, but there's certainly a possibility that it's not an official birth center.