Save the North Shore Birth Center

midwiferymatters · 11-05-2008, 11:50 AM

I've heard some horrible news. There has been a change in hospital administration at Beverly hospital and with a new board of trustees the want to do away with all births at the north shore birth center. Women will still be able to see the midwife for thier prenatal care at the bc but will have to deliver at the hospital. This is horrible and we need to support those midwives. The board of trustees are meeting on Nov 18 to vote for all bc patients to delivery at the hospital.

Any ideas on how to help?

Bexo · 11-05-2008, 12:40 PM

That is terrible! Where did you hear this? It seems like it would be such a bad move financially since I'd imagine they get a ton of business from their birthing center...though the cost of a hospital birth is so much greater than the cost of a birth center birth...still, I think they would lose a lot of women's business. If they decide to close it on November 18th, will the decision take effect immediately? I have a good friend who is due to give birth there and is due with her first baby ON November 18th!!!!!

witchygrrl · 11-05-2008, 12:57 PM

WHAT?! WHY?!?

I will do whatever I can to help--I had such an empowering birth there!!!!!!!

veganf · 11-05-2008, 02:30 PM

I guess they're going the way of NWH, sigh.
Well, homebirth is always an option for most.

hipmummy · 11-05-2008, 02:45 PM

I have an app. there in a couple weeks. When would this proposed change begin???? I am so distraught this is awful. My Dh would never be on board with an HB and my living situation would not affod it... Where did you hear about this??/

barefootamy · 11-05-2008, 03:09 PM

I had heard hints of this back in September. If this happens it will be so devastating! I know moms planning to deliver babies there after November 18th. Can we hold a peaceful sit-in on the 18th?

AugustLia23 · 11-05-2008, 04:51 PM

How terrible. What will come of birth center options in MA. We have got to turn this around...

hipmummy · 11-05-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barefootamy

I had heard hints of this back in September. If this happens it will be so devastating! I know moms planning to deliver babies there after November 18th. Can we hold a peaceful sit-in on the 18th?

I would love to. Lets see if we can get one organized. Does anyone have this info from an official source?

Nautical · 11-05-2008, 08:30 PM

Save the Birth Center!!!

There is a very serious move to stop all births at the North Shore Birth Center. It is being recommended to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation that all birth center patients be required to labor and birth at Beverly Hospital. NSBC would continue to provide Gyn and prenatal care at their current site.

On November 18th there will be a proposal to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation to no longer allow women to labor or birth at the North Shore Birth Center.

The North Shore Birth Center was established in 1980 to meet the needs of 'low risk women' wanting an alternative to home and hospital births. Since then the North Shore Birth Center has birthed over 6,494 babies, providing quality, low cost, compassionate care in an alternative setting.

Letters in support of the North Shore Birth Center can be sent to your local paper and to:

Northeast Health System's Board of Trustees
c/o Mary Ellen Lear, Secretary
Beverly Hospital
85 Herrick Street
Beverly, MA 01915

For more information contact Pav Kneedler at Kneedlerpd@comcast.net

barefootamy · 11-05-2008, 09:11 PM

We've started a group over on Facebook if anyone is interested. We're hoping to draw a lot of media attention as this has become a rights issue: the hospital is trying to decide whether a woman can birth in a center or in the hospital.

hipmummy · 11-05-2008, 09:11 PM

I just spread the word to everyone I know. I wil say something at LLL on Wednesday as well. I have contacted Pav and will write a letter tom and hand deliver it to the hospital. I am so upset right now even though I pushed ds out in the hopsital the other 99% of his birth was at the BC. I would never step foot back in the labor and delivery part of the hopital as our experience was a nightmare. I hope this does not go through.

Paige, CPM · 11-05-2008, 10:19 PM

This is terrible.

I hope you can find out the location of the meeting and do a sit in right there...sneak in, sit on down, and pull out your signs...invite the media...get everyone to come from all over MA. What do you all think?

I can come if it is during the day...I will come. I hope someone will organize this.

Can someone post this in the MFOM group please?

DBZ · 11-05-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veganf

I guess they're going the way of NWH, sigh.
Well, homebirth is always an option for most.

Not for mothers on MassHealth. They only covers midwives who deliver at hospitals or birth centers.

I know you said most, but I just wanted to point out that the most financially challenged are already grossly underserved when it comes to midwifery care.

hikingmommy · 11-06-2008, 05:49 AM

I've been debating posting this, but I think it's worth others considering. Does anyone have any statistics on exactly how many births happen at the birth center? Nearly everyone I know how used them either choose to have their child at the hospital, was risked out of birthing at the BC, or was transferred to the hospital in labor. I would estimate only 2 out of the 10 women I know who used the BC actually birthed there. Not at all a statistically valid sample, but it makes me wonder. I am not trying to start a debate and I mean no offense, so please don't attack me for asking. But, I think it's important to know what you're fighting for. I would be willing to try to help the birth center out, and I'm all for women having more choices regarding childbirth, but I think this question needs to be answered for us to know how big an issue this really is.

MAMom · 11-06-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nautical

For more information contact Pav Kneedler at Kneedlerpd@comcast.net

Just for clarification, who is Pav Kneedler? A consumer who is taking the lead on this? Or someone affiliated with the hospital/birth center?

I would recommend cc'ing any correspondence directly to the NSBC as well for two reasons 1. so they can see how many consumers support keeping the NSBC open for births and 2. so they can have that stack of letters/emails to present to the Board incase the ones sent directly to the Board get "lost".

There must be people in other states who have dealt with protesting birth center closings who can offer resources/tips?

Spread the word far and wide to your contacts list, because women who have birthed at NSBC need to hear about this to make their voices heard!

=================
Mama to DS 5/03 & DD 2/06

:

: ICAN “You never know when you're making a memory.” ~ Rickie Lee Jones

PavK · 11-06-2008, 06:56 AM

I have birthed two sons at the North Shore Birth Center, both of them wonderful experiences. I am also a Certified Nurse Midwife and I did much of my training at the Birth Center (and graduated with Eva Wax!). I have not worked as a midwife since passing the Boards in 2000 because I am currently a stay-at-home-mom, but I do work per-diem as a nurse in Maternity and Nursery at Salem Hospital. I have worked with the Birth Center before on their Advisory Board. They are the best! I am happy to answer any other questions!

PavK · 11-06-2008, 06:59 AM

Approximately 50% of the births attended by midwives from the North Shore Birth Center happen in the Birth Center. The other 50% are either planned hospital deliveries or transfer for some reason (labor not progressing, medication, etc.)

MAMom · 11-06-2008, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hikingmommy

Does anyone have any statistics on exactly how many births happen at the birth center?

They reported 80 births for 2004:
MA Maternity stats

witchygrrl · 11-06-2008, 07:07 AM

I think any woman now under prenatal care at the BC gets the statistics of how many births, transfers, etc. I know I had gotten them for 2006--I'm trying to look for them, but I believe there were about 80 births there that year. And I know the day my daughter was born, there was one other birth (she came in after I did, and I met her later on, so I know she didn't transfer).

I will get a letter started, and would love to attend that meeting!!!

MAMom · 11-06-2008, 07:14 AM

Pav,

Is there any information about what brought this on?

Is it due to financials, or another reason?

There was some recent news about "Medicare/Medicaid refusing to pay the federal percentage of Medicaid payments that states might make to birth centers" (which apparently leads to other insurers following that lead). Is this affecting NSBC as well?