We believe that how you are born, and how you are treated while you are giving birth is important.
Registration
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Clients birthing at TNBC must register in person during business hours on clinic days (M, W, Th & F) anytime in the third trimester. You are welcome to do this before or after a prenatal visit, or you can make a separate appointment.
When you come to register, please bring all of your insurance information. Even if you have an insurance policy without maternity coverage we must bill all carriers. |
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Birth Day
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The day you labor and give birth is one of the most important and memorable days of your life. We don't take this for granted.
You will be in close contact with your midwifery team during your early labor and together you will decide when it's time to come to the birth center. Usually birthing parents are admitted to the birth center when they are in active labor. |
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Arriving at the Birth Center
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Some families arrive with a team of supporters and others prefer a much smaller, more intimate team. Within the boundaries of safety, we work to facilitate the birthday you imagine for your baby. Your midwifery team will be made up of the primary midwife on call, one or two senior student midwives, and a second attendant who may be another midwife, or a trained Birth Assistant.
Bring whatever items you would like to feel most at home: a change or two of comfortable clothes, some toiletries, cell phones and chargers, a camera, music on your device of choice (we have a bluetooth speaker system for music). Some families bring their own pillows or comforter if you would like to be wrapped in your own things from home. |
During Labor
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You and your baby will be monitored to evidence-based standards during labor and birth. You will be encouraged to eat and drink to comfort and move around during labor, we have large soaking tubs, birth balls, and a birth stool you can use. Active labors facilitate normal birth! Many of our families choose to give birth in the water.
Your family will be able to relax in one of our two comfy family waiting rooms and prepare light meals in our kitchenette. Our facility is located close to many of Poulsbo's great eateries, and you're welcome to order carry-out or delivery during labor or for your first meal after your baby is born. |
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After Baby is Born
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After your baby is born, you both will be monitored for several hours, until both you and your baby are stable and ready to go home. We will perform a complete newborn examination before you are discharged home with comprehensive instructions on how to monitor your baby for the first few days of life.
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When Plans Change
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While the majority of births which are planned in the birth center unfold there, a percentage of families who plan to give birth at the birth center will need to transfer to one of our local hospitals. In most cases the transfer is needed for pain relief (usually first-time mothers/parents experiencing long labors) and is not an emergency. Non-emergent transfers unfold in an unhurried fashion and take place in private vehicles. In a very small minority of cases (about 2% of all transfers) the transfer is considered more urgent. In that event, an ambulance transfer occurs. If you transfer to hospital during your labor or postpartum, you will be accompanied by your midwifery team for the duration of your labor. Most families return to our care once they are discharged to resume their postpartum care with us.
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Birth Photography courtesy of Ashley Grimes Photography.