Midwives specialize in normal pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care for women and babies. They believe in a woman’s ability to give birth naturally. When working with a licensed midwife, a woman will have continuity of care throughout her pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum experience. She is more likely to be treated as an individual with unique needs and preferences.

She is much less likely to need pain management medication, and the risk of cesarean section is greatly reduced.  She will not be subjected to routine procedures, and she is less likely to experience complications or require interventions.

If you are having a normal pregnancy, with no complications or major pre-existing conditions, you are considered “low risk, and are a candidate for out-of-hospital birth.”

Each of our clients is evaluated to ensure that out-of-hospital birth is the best choice for them.

Contact us to discuss your specific circumstances or to set up a free consultation with our midwives.

If you’ve had one previous c-section and it was over 12 months ago, you may be able to come into our care.

If you’ve had multiple c-sections, we refer you to an appropriate care provider.

We are committed to supporting women in finding the best care for their individual needs.

The SCV Birth Center is well-equipped to handle the very rare unforeseen emergency.

Our midwives carry emergency medications and equipment and are trained and certified in Neonatal Resuscitation, Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support and Obstetrics (ALSO), and Advanced Fetal Monitoring.

Despite our best efforts, complications do arise. An individualized transfer-of-care plan is established during your prenatal care.

This plan designates a specific collaborating physician and hospital that will warmly accept you if a means of transport to a hospital is necessary.

Although at that point, our midwives are no longer the primary care provider, we will remain with you and function as in-hospital labor support.

Most transports are not “911” emergencies, so we put the mother in the car and drive to the hospital that we have previously designated.

The midwives at the SCV Birth Center carefully monitor you and your baby’s safety in accordance with the standards set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).  We practice intermittent fetal monitoring.

Hospitals use continuous fetal monitoring. The evidence against continuous electronic fetal monitoring is so clear that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation saying that continuous electronic fetal monitoring should NOT be used in low-risk women. Even ACOG has endorsed intermittent auscultation as an “appropriate and safe alternative” to electronic fetal monitoring.

For the safety of the mother and the baby, we have two midwives, or one midwife and a senior midwifery student, attend each birth.

Each is trained in Neonatal Resuscitation, Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support and Obstetrics (ALSO), and Advanced Fetal Monitoring.

All of our midwives have extensive experience in home births and waterbirths.

You can have whomever you feel comfortable with at your birth. Children generally do great with natural birth, especially when they’ve been adequately prepared.

Birth doulas offer emotional support, encouragement and wisdom throughout labor and birth.

Postpartum doulas support women and families through the transformation that a new baby brings to a family.

Midwives are trained health care professionals who provide maternity and gynecological care.

They are licensed by the medical board and are responsible for mom and baby’s health and safety, just as a doctor is.

We are a cash pay practice and offer a flexible payment schedule.  We do ask that we are paid in full by your 36th week of pregnancy.  Please call our office if your situation requires further accommodation.

Most PPO and cost sharing insurance plans will cover a portion of your birth, depending on your deductible. Before you begin care, we will help you verify your benefits so you will have a good indication of what your plan may pay.