Tips & Tricks From Your Friendly Neighborhood Midwife for Getting Into KCNB

As a HypnoBirthing instructor I interact with multiple expectant couples every week in the Metro-Detroit area. And one of the first things we discuss is where they are planning to birth their little babe. “We are hoping to deliver at the Karmanos Center at Royal Oak Beaumont.” It's no surprise to me when couples express their worry about being “allowed” to deliver in KCNB with the different rules in place. Some people have only been given scary stories about women being risked out and sent to L & D. And while labor and delivery can still be supportive of your natural childbirth, it still can be disappointed when something prohibits you from delivering in such a beautiful space. It's because of these interactions with my clients that I decided to ask a group of CNMs who care for mothers at RO Beuamont everyday, what my clients can do to try and tip the odds more to their favor. I am incredibly grateful for the experience and comprehensive care these midwives have shown my clients, especially one Midwife in particular who has answered many of my weekend and off-duty questions and helped me guide late in pregnancy transfers to her practices care. You know who you are you ass-kicker!

Now onto the tips and tricks to get you into that hotel...err, I mean birth center:) These are mostly taken word for word from the Midwife but my notes are added after.

1) Labor As Long As You Can At Home. *this is a no-brainer for you HypnoBirthers, but it bares repeating in case you haven't had the pleasure of taking my class yet;)

2) Pre-registration so we can get right in; We have forms at the office. *I personally had no clue this was a thing with my daughter. Nothing sucks more than doing paperwork while in labor, or having your partner ask you mundane insurance questions. Ugh.

3) When taking your blood pressure in triage, do not do it during a contraction, do not be lying down on your back or at a 45 degree angle. You should be sitting straight up. Slow deep breaths during. Preferably to be sitting for 5 minutes prior to taking during monitoring. Do not lay on your back. You aren't going to labor on your back. (love that she says that!) That position promotes decels. Lay on your side. *wow, that's an amazing tip! I've heard many mommas being risked out because of this little factor called BLOOD PRESSURE. I would go as far as to ask for a birth ball to sit on during this.

4) Have lights off in the triage bay. Individual switches in the room *we know from class that setting the scene can make any momma relax more. Dim those lights. Put those head phones in. Watch that Friends episode. You do YOU, gurl.

5) Make sure they know you are a midwife patient.

6) If you are "measuring big" have an u/s done at 38 or 39 weeks. We can use that estimated weight for 3 weeks and an ultrasound for weight will not be done. Only will verify head down. *so they won't be trying to measure your baby's size and that possibly get you risked out when we know ultrasounds can be incorrect up to 2 lbs (big or small)

It needs to be said that these women work HARD to support their expectant families. Respectful of your birth plan, totally speaks our HypnoBirthing "lingo", and utilizes Spinning Babies to improve the babies position which helps immensely when desiring an unmedicated birth AND vaginal birth. Did you know their cesarean rate is only 7%?! Basically, I like these ladies a lot. And if you are looking for that perfect fit in a Care Provider, check 'em out!