Birthing Center- Houston (Clear Lake, Pearland)- On the Heels of 'The Business of Being Born'

[csvam]

I watched the business of being born last night after i had my 22 week appointment with my OB.  After the appt. my husband and I were talking about how going to the OB seems to be like a cattle call- I wanted to talk about natural childbirth, but my OB was standing by the door and I could tell she was ready to move on. So I was checking on netflix and I found the doc BOBB- this has made me wonder the following:

1. is it wise to switch to a birth center after 22 weeks?

2. will a midwife/birth center take me if this is my first child and i'm over 35?

3. has anyone had an experience they would like to share regarding a local birth center

For me home birth is not an option, but I think a birth center might be a little less medical. I'm concerned about all the interventions that seem to happen anytime a woman with a regular, non-complicated pregnancy/labor goes into the hospital for birth.

Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on these questions.

[MeepyCat]

I think that, depending on your area and the providers there, it should be pretty trivial to switch providers, and planned birth locations, in mid-pregnancy.  Whether a midwife and a birthing center could take you on would depend entirely on their policies - I can't predict it from here.

I am not thrilled by free-standing birth centers.  They strike me as having all of the inconveniences of hospital birth (you still have to go somewhere when you're in labor!  bah!), and little, if any, of the potentially life-saving equipment.  Which means you could make the most uncomfortable drive of your life and STILL have to get in an ambulance and spend time transferring if anything were to go wrong.  (Be very careful to ask birth centers where they transfer patients to, btw.  It's not always the closest hospital.)

I am not a huge fan of BOBB (the stats for homebirth do not please me), but nor am I a fan of OBs who are always in a hurry to get out the door.  The middle ground, for me, was to find an OB who took the time to sit down and answer my questions.  Just because you have started your pregnancy with a particular provider does not mean you have to stay there.  There are plenty of OBs and CNMs who would take the time to talk to you about your birth plans, and how they can best support you in what you want to do.  This is a perfectly okay time to do some research and make a switch. 

[alegna]

There are a number of good birth centers in town, but a birth center doesn't provide anything that a homebirth midwife doesn't.

If you don't have any "complications" other than being over 35 and first baby, I expect most if not all of the birth centers would be happy to help you transfer to them and birth there.

[csvam]

MeepyCat- thanks for giving me some good talking points. I'm not sure what i'm going to do, but i appreciate the comments.

Alegna- LOL- i never thought of being over 35 as a complication until my OB let me know it was.