Labor & Delivery/Postpartum

Labor and Birth Care

You’ve carefully nurtured and grown your baby for the past nine months and now it’s time to welcome your little one into the world! The midwifery team at Serenity Birth Center is ready to guide you through labor and birth and celebrate with you the new life created.

Create Your Own Birth Plan

Your Serenity Birth Center team partners with you to create your birth plan. You’re empowered to make your own decisions and direct your labor and birth process. You decide who attends your baby’s birth and you decide how involved they will be.

Careful Monitoring While In Labor

While you’re in labor, your midwifery team carefully monitors you and your baby while giving encouragement and support. Monitoring vital signs and baby’s heart rate is of the utmost importance, but your comfort during labor is also a priority. Experience the freedom to move as you please and labor and birth in any position.

Ready In Case Of Emergency

No matter how well prepared, many birthing women and their families can’t shake the nagging question of "What if." What if something goes wrong? Serenity Birth Center is equipped for emergencies and we have the expertise to know exactly what to do and has the licensing to back it up.

"I chose April as my midwife because I trust her. She is experienced, professional, supportive, and extremely knowledgeable. I had to be transported with my first birth, but she was experienced enough to make the suggestion far before it became an emergency. Two years later my VBAC at home was a huge success!"

"We love April. At the recent birth of our baby, she was professional, friendly, patient, organized, and a very calming influence. She made every step feel like it was going exactly the way it was supposed to go. This is the third home birth we have successfully had with April. She took great care of mother and the baby. As a father, I felt included and important and I was even able to catch the baby. While I know a midwife is a very personal decision, both my wife and I feel there is no better midwife than April."

 

Postpartum Care

Immediate Care

Immediately after birth, your midwifery team provides care and support for the whole family. Your family is encouraged to bond with your new baby from the very beginning. Your baby’s care and comfort are our priority.

• New mothers receive breastfeeding instruction and support.
• Delayed clamping of the umbilical cord provides nutritional support to a newborn.
• Blood typing is done through the umbilical cord, so there’s no need to poke the baby.

Future Care For The Baby

Postpartum, after the baby is born, requires as much care as before birth. Just as you made several visits to Serenity Birth Center for prenatal care, you’ll make several more for postpartum care.

24-48 hours - One to two days after birth, the baby receives a thorough examination. The first newborn screening blood test, called PKU, is done.

1, 2, & 8 weeks - A head-to-toe newborn physical is done at one, two, and eight weeks. A second PKU test is done during the two-week visit.

Future Care For Mom

• Continue to receive bonding and breastfeeding encouragement and support during the first two months after delivery. 
• Get help and support from our lactation consultants at our free weekly breastfeeding class and support group. It meets every Thursday from 10 am-12:30 pm at Serenity Birth Center
• Discuss any questions or concerns regarding newborns and self-care.
• Motherhood is exhausting and feelings of sadness and inadequacy are somewhat normal. We screen for postpartum depression and refers to new moms to other professionals if necessary.
• Learn safe postpartum exercises.
• Discuss birth control options for breastfeeding moms, including the mini pill and IUD.

Once you’re on your own, our team is still available to care for you through other pregnancies and the other phases of your life.

"My husband and I had our first baby with April as our midwife in March of 2008. It was a beautiful home water birth and everything I hoped it would be. I think the labor, birth, and immediate bonding have helped my daughter and I have a close relationship. April recently helped us through a miscarriage. We knew how kind and caring she was at our birth and she was just as kind through this tough time. I think April is one of the best midwives around!"

"My husband and I had our 1st baby with April in the hospital and recently had our second at home with April as our midwife again. What an unbelievable experience. April is truly the best! I can’t imagine being pregnant or birthing without her at my side. She is knowledgeable and really listens. I had gestational diabetes with my first pregnancy. April took the time at every visit to discuss diet, exercise, and my emotional health. She even scheduled weekly visits for awhile when I was learning the diet to make sure I was on track. She kept me so well informed about diet and exercise. I went 1 week over my due date and still only had an 8 pound baby (moms with gestational diabetes often have very large babies). I really believe that April’s help with diet and exercise kept me from having to be induced with my daughter. April encouraged that I try to stick to the diet even after pregnancy and with my 2nd I didn’t even test positive for diabetes. Thanks April!!"