Why I Love the Birth Centre of Charlottesville

The tub in the "Zen" room at the Birth Centre of Charlottesville

"The what?"
"The Birth Centre of Charlottesville."
"Charlottesville HAS A BIRTH CENTER?!"


YES!!! I would like to say that the birth center run by Janna Grapperhaus, CPM, is the best-kept secret in Charlottesville, but I DON'T WANT it to be a secret! 
I would love for every woman in Charlottesville to know that there is an option for giving birth that is safe and beautiful, and is staffed with well-qualified midwives and assistants who really care about each mother and baby. So here are the top 4 reasons why I LOVE the Birth Centre of Charlottesville. 

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It's a safe place to give birth.

Since the birth center opened in 2011, over 250 babies have been born there. The percentage of women who have transferred to the hospital is just 5%, with a cesarean rate of 1.8%! (The average percentage of women who transfer to the hospital in most studies of planned births at freestanding birth centers is between 10 and 15%, and the cesarean rate is around 6%.) 
The national average for cesarean, along with it's associated health risks for mother and baby, is around 33%. In 2010 rates at the two hospitals in Charlottesville were 34% and 30.7%. **

Did you get that? 1.8% chance of cesarean birth vs. 31% at a local hospital.**

I don't know about you...but I think those are pretty good numbers, and plenty of reason ALONE to consider planning a birth at the Birth Centre. (Despite this low number of cesareans, there have been no maternal or newborn deaths at the birth center). But there are several more reasons why I love this place.

It's beautiful.

I mean, really! I absolutely understand planning a home birth, and we chose that for the birth of my second child, but I decided that it would really just be nice to go somewhere prettier than my own house to have our third child. More peaceful, serene, and quiet. Something like....

...this....

Nothing says "birth cave" like a curtain!

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...or this.

Yes, there are twinkle lights. They are awesome. As far as I am aware, no dolphins or unicorns are provided.

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Need I say more? Well I will. I have a few more reasons.

It's personal.

If you're reading this and you've experienced the midwifery model of care, you know what I'm talking about (hopefully). But if you've been pregnant before and your previous experience has been the obstetrical model, let me try to explain the differences. 

Prenatal appointments at an OB typically involve scheduling an appointment, arriving at the office, waiting in the waiting room for anywhere from 5 minutes to even an hour (yes, this happened to me), being shown to another room, waiting for the doctor AGAIN, being given maybe 5 minutes to ask questions of the doctor who you may or may not have met before, then leaving and scheduling another appointment. Cue repeat. I know because I experienced it in my first pregnancy! (If you had an awesome OB office that was different, great!)


By contrast, prenatal appointments at the Birth Centre of Charlottesville tend, in my experience, to be prompt, personal, and much more detailed than a prenatal with an obstetrician or group practice. Although rescheduling might be necessary due to a birth in progress, that was rarely the case. I arrived in the clean, bright waiting room with my child/children, who played happily with the toys in that room. We were usually quickly ushered to the room with the really cushy exam table or the family room, where an assistant or midwife would take blood pressure, pulse, and a few other measurements. Discussions with the midwives were long and included ANY and ALL concerns about my health, comfort, and plans or concerns for the birth of my baby. Nothing was deemed too insignificant to discuss. Janna took detailed notes about my birth preferences, and presented all options regarding prenatal testing and postpartum baby procedures. 


When it came down to the end of my pregnancy, I was the one to decide whether to wait for labor to begin naturally or try to encourage it to start by other means. Because everything seemed to be going well and both baby and I were healthy and happy, there was no fear about continuing the pregnancy. I greatly value the ability to make decisions for my health and that of my family, so this is a BIG deal to me. If my midwife had been concerned AT ALL about our health, I know that she would have said so, and because of the relationship that was established, I would have likely trusted her opinion and been open to options that she presented.

Isn't that the prettiest squat bar you've ever seen?

The people.

Peggy (relocated), Janna, and Adrienne (midwives at the Birth Centre) with my first son

Janna Grapperhaus and her team really care about you personally. They respect your right to make decisions in your care, while still advising you on the risks and benefits of each test, procedure, or intervention. And as you can see from the statistics above, the chance of a mother having a SAFE vaginal birth is more than 98%. But if a transfer to the hospital is needed, she will absolutely advise you of it and work with the rest of the medical team to ensure a safe birth for everyone.

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There is a Thomas train table in the family room

I had to mention this. If you don't yet have children, it may be difficult to understand why I've included it. If you do have kids....I'm sure you get it. Why ON EARTH do kids like Thomas so much? He's a talking train, and he's kind of full of himself. Anyway, there is a train table in the family room, which takes ALL of the work out of trying to worry about your child(ren) during a prenatal appointment. You can communicate all of your hopes and fears with your midwife without distraction!

Happily distracted. Just don't ask them to leave...

So those are my top five reasons for loving the Birth Centre of Charlottesville.

I have to say also that I am receiving NO compensation for writing this, nor did anyone at the Birth Centre ask me to write it. I haven't attended any births at the Birth Centre as a doula, but I tell all of my friends and clients to consider planning a birth there because I know that the chances of having a great birth are simply higher at the Birth Centre of Charlottesville than the hospital. I don't harbor any ill will towards the local hospitals, but NUMBERS DON'T LIE. Can you have a wonderful birth at the hospital? ABSOLUTELY. But it's simply easier at the Birth Centre. The entire prenatal process and beautiful environment empowers mothers and helps to create an informed, relaxed atmosphere, which encourages a physiological labor and birth. 


As a doula, and a mother who has had a wonderful at the Birth Centre of Charlottesville, I hope that you will consider touring it to see if you would love your next baby to be born there! I sincerely feel that you won't be disappointed.

The other side of the Zen birthing room.

** This number represents all cesareans. Of course hospitals perform more high-risk and repeat cesareans, so these numbers can't be compared exactly, but low-risk mothers typically have a 25% or so chance of cesarean in most studies. The local "lower risk" hospital actually has a HIGHER cesarean rate, so there are many variables. Since hospitals and obstetricians aren't required to make this data public, if you really want to know the updated cesarean rate for a low-risk mother seeing the office of your current OB, it would be best to ask them.