Ask a Beaumont Doctor: The Benefits of a Natural Birth and More

Earlier this month Beaumont Health System announced the completion of the renovations of 20 labor and delivery rooms in its Family Birth Center at , Royal Oak.

Expecting parents stay in birthing rooms complete with cozy furniture, sleeper sofas and bathrooms with spa-like amenities – for extra comfort during labor.

"While we continue to offer the same high quality obstetrical care to expecting mothers, each of the labor and delivery rooms have been redesigned and updated to provide our patients a comfortable environment that is extremely relaxing and calming,” said Anne Ronk, director of nursing.

Patch asked Ronk about choices expecting mothers have at Beaumont.

Some hospitals offer midwives now, does Beaumont? We have one midwife who works in our OB clinic and manages pregnancy.  She does not deliver patients at this time.  We also have midwives in our triage unit in labor and delivery around the clock.  They see our OB patients on arrival to help determine if they are in labor or need other treatment. There are midwives at Troy Beaumont who do deliveries.

What is available for moms who want a more natural birth experience? We have massaging showers as well as a whirlpool tub that can be used during labor. We are also able to offer aromatherapy, music therapy, heat or massage therapy as well as equipment designed to assist with labor such as birthing balls, squat bars and more. Beaumont also provides community education classes in hypnobirthing which uses hypnosis to assist women with a natural child birth experience. 

On the other side, what's the C-section rate at Beaumont?  This is public information and patients should be able to see any hospital’s C section rate.  For the first six months of 2012 our C-section rate is 39.98 percent or in other words 40 percent. That is up slightly from last year which was 38.4 percent. 

Can you explain the benefits of a natural versus a medicated birth? I am not an OB nurse so here is a link that that has some research base to it on the pros and cons.

Any advice for expecting local moms? Do your homework. See what the hospital and physician have to offer.  Take a tour. Read a good reference book.  Check out certain reputable websites/organizations.

Robert Starr, M.D., interim chief of obstetrics and gynecology, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak offers this checklist on Beaumont's website:

• Reputation: Make sure the hospital and the physicians who provide care have an excellent reputation. Ask your doctor, family and friends and spend some time searching online.
• Medical Services: The hospital should have an ultrasound unit for exams leading up to delivery and include specialized medical services for your baby. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in eight babies in the United States are born premature each year. Some babies will spend weeks or months hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit. “If you are high risk, it’s important to have an NICU at the hospital where you choose to deliver,” says Dr. Starr.
• Experts: While all pregnant women expect to have a normal or low-risk pregnancy, having access to high-risk obstetricians or maternal-fetal medicine specialists is both convenient and necessary should something unexpected occur.