Last night, March 25th, I went to the open house of St. Paul’s first free standing birth center. Way back when I was looking for birth options with my 2nd child (after a horrible hospital experience with me first) having a birth center available would have been great. However at that time there were no centers in Minnesota and the nearest one was Menomonie, Wi about an hour and a half from our house. Now there is one right on Grand Ave.

It has a very in home feel. I have always removed my shoes in our home and most homes I visit, unless directed to leave them on by the people I am visiting.

The waiting area even takes into account the needs of the youngest family members showing that the center is really for families.

I talked with Kate Saumweber, midwifery assistant, she said that the center is really for families. The Center services families interested in homebirth as well as a center birth. “The center is often for families looking for an alternative to hospital birth but not ready for a homebirth,” Kate said, “once a woman has had a homebirth she is normally comfortable with that and doesn’t want to get in the car once she starts labor.”

I mentioned the amazing birth rooms (one pictured above), Kate laughingly replied that some woman do like to take little “vacations” at birth time to the rooms.

I have to admit when I saw the rooms I thought, “maybe I should consider this.” I mean look at this tub.

I guess I do fall into the category though of comfortable with homebirths–I have had 2 and am planning my 3rd.

I asked Kate how she got interested in being a midwife, she said, “I was going to school for music. I had no idea that midwives were a possibility. I thought they were just from the Bible. Once I found out about it I knew this was what I wanted to do.” Kate has attended around 100 births in the Twin Cities. Amy Johnson-Grass, main midwife, has attended over 350 births in the Twin Cities and practiced in Seattle for several years before coming here.

I talked with Catherine Burns, a doula and member for the Childbirth Collective. I asked if the Collective was excited about the birth center, “we are really really excited. We want famlies to have the best birth experience possible.” Burns added that the people who run the Menomonie Birth Center will open a 2nd one in St. Louis Park sometime this spring and that Abbott Northwestern Hospital plans to open one called, “My OB Home” across the street from the hospital.

In addition to a birth center also houses a yoga center, Naturally Aligned Family Chiropractic Care with Amber Moravec and Amy Johnson-Grass also practices natureopathic medicine. If you are unfamiliar with natureopathic medicine (as I am) here is a description from their website, “Naturopathic Medicine is not just the use of natural therapies; it is the art and science of individualized health care, going beyond superficial symptoms, and getting to the root cause of the illness or disease. Naturopathic physicians are primary care and specialty physicians who address the underlying cause of disease through effective, individualized natural therapies that integrate the healing powers of body, mind and spirit.”

Here’s a picture of the kid’s bed. For more information about the center go to Health Foundations.