What is a Birth Center?
A birth center is a healthcare facility dedicated to childbirth, midwifery, and women’s wellness, offering a holistic approach to care. The Connecticut Childbirth & Women’s Center provides comprehensive women’s health services and personalized childbirth experiences.
Our team of experienced certified nurse midwives (CNMs) specialize in physiologic birth, providing the time, support, and freedom you need to welcome your baby in a way that feels right for you. We offer a home-like setting where you can enjoy the ability to move freely without monitors or IVs, use our spacious bathrooms with jacuzzi tubs, eat and drink as you wish, and surround yourself with as many support people as you like. Our staff are called in specially for each birth, so there is no hustle and bustle like in hospital settings.
With three serene birthing rooms with large tubs that support water births, natural light, and a variety of birthing tools like yoga balls and stools, our center is thoughtfully designed for comfort and empowerment.
Why 6,000+ Families Have Chosen our Freestanding Birth Center
Home-like Facilities
Three private birthing suites, each equipped with a queen-sized bed, a spacious bathroom with a large shower and jacuzzi tub, and plenty of natural light. Lounge areas with couches, a TV, a full kitchen and toys for children are perfect for family support during normal operations.
Water Birth
We proudly offer water birth at the Birth Center for those who choose it. Laboring and giving birth in water can provide comfort, reduce labor discomfort, and create a calming atmosphere. Each birth room has a spacious jacuzzi tub to support this option.
Nitrous Oxide
Inhaled nitrous oxide, often called “laughing gas,” is an option for pain relief during labor. Its quick onset and short duration make it a safe and effective choice in a birth center setting without additional monitoring. We are pleased to offer this option to those who request it.
Going Home
Normal discharge from the Birth Center occurs 4-6 hours after birth, as long as both mom and baby are stable. Many families appreciate the opportunity to rest and recover in the comfort of their own home so soon after delivery. An extended stay of up to 12 hours is possible for additional monitoring or support.
Baby’s Health
We assess your baby’s health following the national guidelines set by the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) based on recommendations from the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). These guidelines ensure a safe and effective way to monitor your baby’s well-being during labor.
Labor & Delivery
We closely monitor according to AABC guidelines, including checking vital signs, fluid intake, bleeding, and emotional well-being. Emergency medical equipment and medications are readily available to manage any complications. Our midwives are highly trained to ensure the safety and well-being of both mom and baby throughout the process.
Birthing Center vs Hospital: What’s The Difference?
You ultimately decide where to give birth, so you should understand the key differences between birthing centers and hospitals:
Experience: We prioritize a home-like setting with lots of space in each private birthing suite, allowing mothers to labor comfortably, move around, and have the time and space to labor naturally.
Care team: We follow a midwife care model, meaning a CNM will lead your care team. People who prefer an ObGyn opt for a hospital setting.
Pain management: We do not administer epidurals. Instead, we rely on safe alternatives.
Visitors: Most hospitals limit the number of people present during childbirth; we allow family and friends to participate in this joyous occasion.
Risk factors: Birth centers are best equipped to handle low-risk births, which means full-term births without complications.
Inclusive and respectful education and care are central to our philosophy, and your comfort, safety and health are the most important factors in this decision.
Who Qualifies to Give Birth at a Birth Center?
We serve low-risk pregnancies, which means:
- Full-term pregnancies between 37 and 42 weeks gestation
- Single pregnancies
- No history of major birth-related complications
- Do not have certain medical conditions including, but not limited to, insulin-dependent diabetes
We are part of the Women’s Health Connecticut network, providing access to an extensive network of women’s care professionals. We also have a close relationship with Danbury Hospital in the event you want or need a hospital birth.