The Scene of the Action

Yesterday we went on a tour of the second possible birth location (the first was a hospital, this one is a birth center) and we fell in love with it! Well, I did anyway, Casey just fell in love with the wooden boat in the living room. He vows to make one for the baby.

The birthing center is great. It is a house on the campus of the Beverly hospital. When you walk in the door, there is a living room and a kitchen. Down the hall are exam rooms for prenatal care and two large bedrooms (both with jacuzzis) for labor and birth. While you are in labor, you can hang out outside (both bedrooms have doors to a private patio, make food in the kitchen, or (if you are in very early labor) head to the beach or the mall.

There are about seven midwives that work there and they all get to know you before the big day so that you have an established relationship with anyone who may be in the delivery room with you. They are big advocates of natural labor and try to keep you active during the late-labor process (unless you are in the tub, which is okay too). Next week, we are going back for the official tour and a what-to-expect-in-the-last-weeks meeting with some other expectant parents.

While we were there, I also had a prenatal check-up. The baby is doing great and is already settled into the proper position (head down) for birth. Hopefully he will stay that way.

We are off now to run some errands, but we will check in again soon.

Love and Hugs.