By Kelly Youngblood
A new birthing center that will offer a natural, home-like setting for mothers will open its doors early next year.
Bloomington-Normal Birthing Center, located at 6 Westport Court in Bloomington, is set to open in early 2016. It is only the second birthing center of its kind to open in Illinois. The first one opened in December 2014 in Berwyn.
The facility will include three birthing rooms, each with a full bathroom and birthing tub. There are exam rooms for prenatal care, educational and meeting space, and a living room and kitchen area for family members.
Dr. Joe Santiago and Dr. Dele Ogunleye, both of whom have their own independent obstetrics and gynecology practices in Bloomington, are the driving forces and financial partners behind the Bloomington-Normal Birthing Center.
Kathleen Lorenz, project consultant for the center, said the motivating factor for opening the facility was to give women more choices.
“This is just the right thing to do — to give women in this whole region another choice,” Lorenz said.
The goal of the center is to give a mother and baby a personal, natural birthing experience. Certified Nurse Midwives will help low-risk mothers throughout the pregnancy, delivery and postpartum process.
“The birthing center is a choice for the woman who has little or no complications with their own health and with their pregnancy. It is going to be an opportunity to not have a lot of medical intervention. If you are not inclined to have an epidural or an induction, if you are passionate about having a baby on your own and to be in control of your choices and options, then (the birthing center) is for you,” Lorenz said.
Mothers have the option of using birthing tubs, water therapy, birthing balls and more. Those options could really appeal to some area moms since both Champaign-Urbana hospitals suspended water births last year.
If an emergency should arise and hospital care would be required, the center will use local ambulance services to transport a mother or baby to OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington or a hospital of the mother’s choice.
Lorenz said a midwife would stay with the mother during that transition time until a doctor could take over.
Michelle Morrison of Champaign is a mother of three and a passionate supporter of the midwife model of care and the Bloomington-Normal Birthing Center.
“For me personally, it’s kind of an ideal situation,” said Morrison. “It’s an easier way to have a natural birth but you’re still close to emergency care.”
Another added benefit is cost-effectiveness, Morrison said.
Typically, a natural birth in a birthing center costs about 30-40 percent less than a hospital birth.
Lorenz said a birthing center can keep its costs lower because it doesn’t have to pay for medical interventions or the need to staff someone around the clock.
The Bloomington Normal Birthing Center will accept most major insurance carriers and Medicaid.
The center will also offer educational classes and support groups that cover birth preparation, breastfeeding, diet and exercise and more.
For more information about the center, go to the website.