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Special Beginnings
Hi, would anyone who's given birth at Special Beginnings in Arnold, MD be willing to give me an account of their experience? My husband and I just decided to switch over to them and we are super excited and would love to hear some personal birthing stories!
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Re: Special Beginnings
I have a 2 friends & a neighbor who delivered with the Bay Area Midwives. They have a birth center in the Wayson Pavilion and also have admitting privlidges @ AAMC. I had a consultation/tour and I am debating on switching from my OB....
Sorry that this has taken me so long to respond - I am still adjusting to life with a newborn. DH and I switched to Special Beginnings when I was 24 weeks pregnant. We have been so happy with the care and attention given to us during our pregnancy as well as after delivery. Everyone has been so helpful and caring - especially with helping us to overcome our breastfeeding challenges.
For the birth itself we opted for a water birth and everthing was wonderful. Melissa Youssi attended our birth and our birth was truly that - ours. We had music we selected playing in the background, soft lighting and things were allowed to progress at our own pace. I can't say enough wonderful things about Special Beginnings. Unless we opt next time for a home birth we will definitely be back. If you want any more details please just let me know...I am not sure exactly what information you are looking for.
I would also highly recommend looking into SB as they also have admitting privileges @ AAMC. I toured both places and for me personally I liked SB much better. (They also have a lower transfer rate and intervention rate than Bay Area). Just something to think about...
Trust me when you are in labor that is the last thing that is on your mind
The beds are super comfy and you will be much busier focusing on working through your contractions.
We live in Annapolis like 6 minutes from AAMC- I still haven't decided if I want to give birth in their birth center or @ AAMC, I like having the option of both. Since w/ DD I went to Annapolis OB-GYN and was induced w/ petocin, got the epidural and had a long and kind of scary birth experience I am looking for something gentler, but not ruling out a hospital birth.
I don't dislike Annapolis OB/GYN, I actually really liked Dr. Guckes (who delivered DD) and Dr. Haddock and if I knew I could deliver baby #2 w/ either of them, I would stick w/ them. Dr. Guckes was v. patient w/ me through 23 hrs of labor and 2.5 hrs of pushing- even through my BP plummeting, DD's heartbeat dropping, me spiking a fever and just general slow going. I think a lot of docs would have decided at one of several points to just roll me off to the OR for a C/S.
I am switching because I will do just about anything to avoid non-medically necessary induction, and I know that the larger OB practices have "slots" @ the hospital- so even though their policy is to let you go to 42 wks, I was 41 wk 4 days and that was the only time they had a slot for me.
not sure about your accuracy on the transfer rate (I know both numbers :])...they are both great places and should be looked at, it's really just preference and where you feel comfortable.