Archives - Birthing Centers

Selecting a Doctor and OBGYN

April 23, 2009 By Baby Editor Leave a Comment

Selecting the right obstetrician can help ensure that you have a healthy, successful pregnancy. Each doctor brings their own unique approach and set of skills, so make sure that you are a good fit with your doctor. There are a variety of ways to find a doctor, such as asking friends for recommendations, especially those who were happy with their pregnancy, as well as working with a certified midwife nurse (CNM) and looking at all of your options.

Schedule an initial appointment with the doctors that you are considering, and ensure that your views are aligned on a variety of issues. Some of the major issues that you’ll want to cover are the use of electronic fetal monitoring, the possibility of C (cesarean) sections, as well as the overall fit in terms of personality compatibility. Your OBGYN will provide important counseling and guidance, in addition to medical advice, from the beginning to the end of the process.

Importantly, the doctor should be covered on your insurance policy, and should help to provide you with guidance related to all aspects of your pregnancy, from nutrition and medical advice to what you need to do during the labor process. Ideally, the OBGYN should be associated with a maternity center at a local hospital or birthing center, so that you have continuity in treatment from beginning to end. Always cover your medical history with your doctor, so that she or he can provide you with crucial guidance as to what steps you need to take to ensure a health pregnancy.

Insurance Coverage During Pregnancy

April 23, 2009 By Baby Editor 1 Comment

Today, there are over 40 million Americans who have no health insurance, and many expectant mothers go into labor without adequate health coverage for themselves or their baby. It’s estimated that more than one in ten expectant mothers lacks the necessary insurance coverage for their pregnancy, creating a potential conflict between hospitals and expectant mothers that is best alleviated by mothers ensuring proper health coverage in advance to the process. Estimates suggest that a modern pregnancy at a major hospital can cost above $5,000, not including the postpartum costs such as baby health care and infant needs.

Many mothers turn to less-expensive birthing centers, which offer reduced cost care by focusing on natural births, rather than technology and medicine-aided birthing procedures. Birthing centers can cost up to 50% less than a standard maternity hospital, depending on the needs of an individual patient.

As a result, many expectant mothers turn to government assistance programs to help with this coverage. Medicaid is available to low income mothers, while the Women and Infant Care Program (WIC) can help ensure that mothers have access to the necessary resources to raise their child, including access to professional medical, nutrition and education advice.

Additionally, specialized insurance programs such as Maternity Advantage can offer coverage that is specific to the needs of expectant mothers, providing savings on doctor’s visits, labor costs, as well as infant care before and after the birth.

Top Baby Hospitals

April 23, 2009 By Baby Editor Leave a Comment

Selecting a world-class hospital for your OBGYN medical professional, as well as your overall health care needs during pregnancy, can help to ensure your physical and emotional comfort throughout the pregnancy process. Our editors reviewed some of the top pregnancy hospitals in the country, with stellar reputations for delivering top maternal care from the very beginning of the process, all the way to labor:

Johns Hopkins Hospital
A world-class institution, located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins has a dedicated Women’s Health Center, where some of the top women’s doctors in the country practice and research. State of the art laboratories combine with top medical resources to provide an ideal location for maternal health. The hospital’s dedicated Birth Center provides individual prenatal, birthing and postpartum treatment for mothers and children.

Magee Women’s Hospital
This top medical facility located in Pittsburgh, Magee offers a complete set of treatments, including birthing, genetic analysis, fertility treatment as well as broader treatment for women’s health conditions. Delivering over 10,000 births each year, the Hospital is one of the top rated birthing centers in the world.

Duke University Medical Center
Linked to the top Duke University medical school, the Duke Medical Center in North Carolina has one of the top maternity practices in the country. The Center offers comprehensive pre-natal care, as well as broader treatment for women’s issues, including counseling.

Popular Baby Names

April 23, 2009 By Baby Editor Leave a Comment

During pregnancy, you may want to think about potential names for your new baby. Each year a number of popular names emerge as trends, providing interesting ideal on what to name your new child. The editors of Birthing Centers reviewed some of the hot baby names, along with providing some background into their meanings:

Aiden
From the Irish, meaning “Little Fire”, the name is also spelled as “Aidan” as well as “Aaden” in its original form. A popular boys’ name, Aiden is a strong name for a baby boy.

Liam
This name comes from the Irish, meaning “strong willed warrior” and is an emerging name for young boys. A variant on the name “William” a number of popular Scottish celebrities, including Liam Neeson, have this name.

Ava
Coming from the Latin, it means “bird-like”, suggesting the grace and beauty that comes with your baby girl. Easy to pronounce “a VA”, the name is one of the most popular girl name today.

Layla
Originating from the Arabic term for “night”, Layla signifies an understated beauty and is an increasingly popular girl’s name.

The Stages of Pregnancy

April 23, 2009 By Baby Editor Leave a Comment

The progression of pregnancy from conception to birth is a complex, fascinating process that involves a variety of physical and hormonal changes. By better understanding fetal development and working closely with your medical care professional on the variety of options to best manage your health at each stage, you’ll be able to ensure that you and your baby are in ideal health throughout the process.

To start, at conception the baby begins as an embryo which will form the core of the baby-to-be. At two months, the baby begins to develop its shape, although its size is quite small. By three months old, the baby begins to resemble its primary form, and begins to enter into a later development stage. At this point, your physician will be able to help you understand the complete implications and what is necessary in order to raise the child.

By four months, the baby begins to develop hardened bone, developing the skeleton which will support its further growth. By six months old, the baby has developed smooth skins, as well as the “baby fat” necessary to provide nutrition. Another month later, most babies have full eye functions and soon thereafter develops complete lung capacity.

At birth, your baby will be a fully developed person, ready for nurturing and complete development. The stages are more broadly divided into trimesters, and your medical care professional can help guide you through the process from beginning to end.