What is a Birth Center?

If you are pregnant, you know that there is a laundry list of choices that need to be made, and one of the most important ones is where you want to give birth. Where you give birth will affect not only the physical location of your baby’s birth but also elements like who your provider is, who can be in the birth room with you, what kinds of accommodations are available, the type of education and care you receive and so much more! All of these things will add up to equal the type of pregnancy and birth you’re looking for, so starting with where you’ll give birth should be first on your list.

Did you know the hospital is only one option? Most people know that homebirth is an option, but did you know that freestanding birth centers are an excellent middle ground?

Did you know Columbus, Ohio has a brand new birth center that just started construction on March 6th, 2023?!

More info about this amazing development further down the article. First, let's talk about what a freestanding birth center is.

A freestanding birth center is a midwife run facility that strives to create a home-like environment, provides prenatal, birth, postpartum and well body care. Oftentimes they also provide additional services such as doulas, bodywork, childbirth, parenting, fitness and/or breastfeeding classes.

It’s important to understand that a freestanding birth center isn’t a replacement for homebirth. That being said, it is a great middle ground if you do not have access to or don’t feel like you can fully commit to a homebirth.

Here are just a few reasons why some people choose birth centers:

• Closer to a Hospital
  

Freestanding birth centers can provide a home-like environment that is closer to a hospital for someone who lives in a rural area, and is very far from the nearest hospital.

• More financially accessible

They can often accept insurance and medicaid making out of hospital birth much more accessible to the masses.

• Naturally Minded

They are supportive of letting labor start and progress on its own.

• Eating & Drinking are encouraged

You will be able to eat and drink freely! Nope, you don’t get that in the hospital.

• Access to Water Birth

Water birth is allowed and even encouraged in freestanding birth centers. Many hospitals have access to water birth including one Columbus area hospital, but tend to encourage land birth on the bed.

Some of the benefits above are similar to homebirth including being more naturally minded, encouraged eating and drinking , and access to water birth. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a freestanding birth center:

• You’ll need to leave your home.
  For some, this is a pro, and for others this is a con. For some, it seems like leaving their home would disturb the labor process, and they are right. For others, they may not be comfy having a baby at home, and that will also disturb the birth process.

• You may not get to choose who attends your birth.

Most birth centers have several midwives on staff, so you’ll want to know if you will have a dedicated midwife or if you’ll get whoever is on call when you go into labor.

• You’ll be sent home 4-6 hours after birth.

This is another one that some folks love and some folks, well not so much. You might be ready to go home, pig out on your favorite food, and pass out in your bed, or you might not feel like making the drive so soon after giving birth.

• Siblings tend to be welcome along with someone to watch over them.

You may or may not want your older kiddos present for the birth of their new little sibling, but if you do you’ll want to consider a birth center or homebirth. Hospitals limit visitors during the birth to support people and do not welcome older kiddos until after your baby is born.

• There’s usually a kitchen and area for family members to relax outside of the birthing suit.

This can be nice if you have a family member who wants to be in charge of making you food and/or watching over older kiddos.

• Birth centers tend to be more open to more support people if desired.

While hospitals are getting more flexible about how many people can be in the birth suit, they are still limited to 1-2 plus a doula, if doulas are allowed in. Birth centers tend to be more flexible allowing 2-3 plus a doula.

• Doulas are welcome at birth centers.

    Since midwives understand the benefit doulas bring, they are encouraged at birth centers and happily welcomed.

Every pregnant person has their own desires for their birth, and I’m so thrilled that a birth center will be added to the list of options the Columbus area has for you! It will be located in North West Columbus and has a guess date for opening around Fall 2023 for due dates in 2024!


If you’d like more information on the Ohio Birth Center opening in 2023, here is their website https://www.ohiobirthcenter.com/our-team

If you’re leaning towards a homebirth, check out this list of midwives in the Columbus, Ohio area. (link midwife list) and start contacting them asap because the book up quickly!