Who Do You Want At Your Birth?
The COVID-19 virus has left an incredible mark on the birth world in Chicago. We know so much more going into this Fall and Winter, than we did in 2020 when being cautious also meant negative side effects for folks having babies outside of their homes. Can you imagine laboring and not having any support people you recognize in the room with you? This was the reality for many. If you are not pregnant, most aren’t putting much thought into who would be with them in labor. And people were getting shocked when they realized the reality that their chosen birth location had limits.
Choosing who you want to be with you when you welcome your baby into the world is important! It is also a wonderful part of generational bonding, community support, and starts to build your confidence going into your parenting journey! Even though other people can’t give birth for you, having people around you who help you feel safe, calm, supported, and loved all increases the chances of your birth going well.
First and foremost, when you imagine your birth, who is there?
Who do you want to be there?
If people are with you, what do you imagine them doing? If there were no limits, where are you and who is with you when you are in labor and meeting your baby?
When the Birth Center of Chicago Team met to discuss how we wanted to approach our support policy, we did not take it lightly. Reviewing policies from across the city showed us we had an opportunity to provide a different experience. We had the benefit of one COVID year under our belt, so to speak, and now had some research to support our belief that birth is more about having a baby! We also benefit from having a much smaller space, staff, and client load than many of the large hospitals in the Chicago area!
When COVID was raging in Chicago last year, many labor and delivery spaces reduced in-person doula support and the number of support people you can have with you in your birth room. We started our process with that in mind and how our staff would mitigate risk, the PPE we would wear regardless of the vaccination status of those people in our space, and the cleaning procedures we would be following. Next, we considered the unique space we have and what might compromise safety in this space. We also discussed our overall support for autonomy and personal decision-making as a part of our family-centered care. Evidence, combined with compassion, helped us create our current (as of November 2021) policy for supporting folks in attendance at birth.
If you are a low-risk pregnant person and become a client of ours, we want you to have the people around you that help you achieve your goals. That could be one person or many!
So, who can be with you if you are having a Birth Center of Chicago birth?
You are welcome to bring three support people with you AND a labor doula.
Do you need to wear a mask?
No. Laboring people and their three support people do not need to be masked when inside your birth suite. Labor doulas and birth photographers are considered professionals who are outside your pod of support, and they are required to wear masks at all times at your birth.
Can siblings come to the birth?
Yes! We know that siblings are an important part of your family and if you want them to be at your birth, they are welcome! We ask that you have a designated adult who is not your partner also in attendance for your child so they can have the personal support they may need at your birth.
Can the common areas be used at this time?
Yes! The common areas can be used, and masks are required for folks over the age of two.
Tell me more about Doulas.
Yes! We love doulas and encourage families to look into having doula support for their birth or postpartum healing. Labor doulas are professionals who are experienced and knowledgeable about the normal processes of physiologic birth. They have had personal experience with birth or specific training to offer information, physical hands-on comfort, or mental well-being to the birth space, sometimes through advocacy and increased communication.
We support families having labor doula support, for many reasons: there is evidence to support the increased positive outcomes and birth satisfaction, AND they can offer continuity of care which is so needed and welcome! Individual doulas also offer other benefits!
Are you curious about other aspects of Birth Center of Chicago care?
The first steps to becoming a birth client are to take a tour and see if what we can offer is a good fit for you.