Blog

There is a Difference...The Birth Center Model of Care

Tue, 15 May 2012 02:51:00 GMT

The chart below helps illustrate the difference between care a woman receives in the traditional maternity system verses the birth center model of care. In the birth center model of care clients receive a level of personal attention and quality of care that is unparalleled in today's health care environment. The midwives and staff at Health Foundations build a relationship with you and provide ongoing, individualized support to aid you in the most miraculous and transformative event in a woman's life.

Summary of Hours of Time Patient Spends with Provider
BIRTH CENTER CARE	CONVENTIONAL MATERNITY CARE
Prenatal Care (Health Foundations sees women an average of 15 prenatal visits. Research shows that women have an average of 12 prenatal visits in a conventional maternity setting.) The numbers below assume a women is being seen for 15 prenatal visits. At Health Foundations your first prenatal visit is scheduled for 1.5 hours, prenatal visits up to 37 weeks are scheduled for 1 hour and visits from 37-42 weeks in pregnancy are scheduled for 30 minutes. This contrasts other maternity care models where women are seen on average 15 minutes by their provider.
13 hours + 4 hrs for group prenatal classes	3.75 hours
Labor, Delivery & Immediate Postpartum Contact with Provider
16 hours	Assuming 2 hours at most depending on type of provider
Postpartum
4.5 hours (this is very conservative)	1 hour
Total Hours of Care with Provider
37.5 hours	6.75 hours

The hours under BIRTH CENTER CARE are representative for a normal, uncomplicated, straight forward pregnancy. This is not taking into account the time we spend if issues such as bleeding in early pregnancy, gestational diabetics that are seen more frequently for diet education, in general women that need more diet education, vaginal infections, UTIs, breastfeeding issues, etc. In these instances we see you more.

Great Cloth Diaper Change - Health Foundations Birth Center in St. Paul

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 03:01:00 GMT

Health Foundations Birth Center is happy to host the Great Cloth Diaper Change for the second year! Join us and hundreds of other sites around the world as we attempt to break the world record for most cloth diapers changed at one time.

The change happens at 11:00am on Saturday, April 21st 2012 in the studio at Health Foundations Birth Center! Arrive between 10:30/10:45am so everyone is in place at 11:00am! This world record attempt is a great way to show the world how many people are already choosing and using reusable cloth diapers successfully. We are hoping to spread the word about cloth diapers and get more families excited about using them!

Request your free ticket to our event above. One ticket is needed for every adult and child pair who will be participating. The child must be 39" or shorter and must be paired with an adult. One adult can not change 2 children. The child must be changed into a fully reusable diaper - disposables or hybrids will not count toward the final count we submit for the record.

BYOB Yoga taught by Blooma will follow the event (Blooma class fees apply)! Stay and enjoy this fun class with your baby!

Questions? Call Health Foundations Birth Center at 651.895.2520

Tips on Navigating Early Labor

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:21:00 GMT

Early labor, also called latent or prodromal labor, can be a tricky thing to navigate. Here are some tips from Health Foundation's midwives to help you navigate early labor so you won't tire out at the end.

Resist the urge to call family and friends immediately and tell them you are in labor. A woman in labor should feel unobserved. Lots of people around can create performance anxiety and increase the time she is in early labor. Remember what Michel Odent says, "The length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around".

Get plenty of rest . Get plenty of rest. GET PLENTY OF REST. This cannot be stressed enough. Even if you wake up with contractions, the rest you get in between is vital to conserving your energy. Now is not the time to hike ten miles or tromp through the mall for hours in an attempt to get labor going. You will just wear yourself out and have that much less energy for active labor.

Be sure to eat well. And keep eating! Whole grains and good sources of complex carbohydrates will serve you well now. Nourish your self with healthy foods that will give your body some reserved energy. Don't forget, you'll want foods that are easy to digest so you can prevent heartburn and vomiting in later stages of labor. Examples of foods to eat are oatmeal with honey, miso soup & toast with peanut butter.

Stay well hydrated. You'll want to drink a minimum of eight ounces of liquid with an energy source (such as tea with honey, fruit juices, Emergen-C, etc) per hour. Try to stay away from citrus and high acid juices because these can upset your stomach & cause vomiting.

Ignore labor as long as possible. Focusing too much on these early contractions will make this period seem longer and longer. Don't time contractions...until they make you take notice! Timing contractions for hours will make you crazy! Make a plan in pregnancy for some early labor activities. Your birth attendants don't mind some fresh bread or cookies. Make a plan with your friend to watch some funny movies. Do some last minute nesting. Knit or crochet the new baby a little hat. Distracting activities that will consume your brain's attention are best for this time.

Though this early stage of labor may take a long time, try to keep your spirits up. This is not all for nothing. Some things that happen in your body during this time are:

The cervix is moving from a back-facing (posterior) position to a forward facing (anterior) position.
The cervix is getting softer and softer in preparation to open up.
The cervix is effacing (thinning out). It will need to be very thin before it can really open up wide.
Your cervix is dilating . At this point in labor it is opening anywhere from 0 to 4 centimeters.
You may lose your mucus plug at this stage as well, if you haven't already.

Early labor like this may last hours or may last days. Every body is different. Celebrate the fact that you will soon look into your babies eyes for the first time. Smooch with your partner and relish the last pre-baby moments. This stage can last mere hours or maybe days long but with lots of rest and good nutrition you'll be ready for the next stage, the active stage. Remember, HF Midwives will be checking in with you and reminding you of these important points as well.

Twin Cities Birth Center - Health Foundations Hosts Cocktail ~ Mocktail Party with Ina May & Billy McLaughlin

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:34:00 GMT

Health Foundations is hosting an event for HF families & the community! Meet Ina May Gaskin in person! Come enjoy fabulous music by Billy McLaughlin, inspiring conversation and presentation by Ina May Gaskin, yummy food and sweet treats!

A book signing will be part of the event! Ina May will sign copies of her new book, "Birth Matters". Books will be available for sale for $15. Only one book will be signed per person. (credit cards, checks & exact cash will be accepted forms of payment)

Where: The Happy Gnome

498 Selby Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55102

When: November 13^th from 4pm - 6pm

Tickets: $20 PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Adults only please. Cash bar.

Ina May Gaskin

Ina May Gaskin, MA, CPM, is founder and director of the Farm Midwifery Center, located near Summertown, Tennessee. Founded in 1971, by 1996, the Farm Midwifery Center had handled more than 2,600 births, with remarkably good outcomes. Gaskin herself has attended more than 1,200 births. She is the author of numerous books including Spiritual Midwifery, now in its fourth edition, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding, and Birth Matters: A Midwife's Manifesta. For 22 years she has published Birth Gazette, a quarterly covering health care, childbirth and midwifery issues. In 2003, she was chosen as a Visiting Fellow of Morse College, Yale University. She was President of Midwives’ Alliance of North America from 1996 to 2002. In 1997, she received the ASPO/Lamaze Irwin Chabon Award and the Tennessee Perinatal Association Recognition Award. In 2009, Thames Valley University in London presented Gaskin with an honorary doctorate in recognition of her work in demonstrating through midwifery and natural childbirth that women’s bodies still work as they were designed. In 2011, she received the first ever BEing BOLD Lifetime Achievement award from BOLD. She has been featured in several documentaries about birth, including Ricki Lake's ever-popular The Business of Being Born.

Billy McLaughlin

Billy McLaughlin is recognized internationally as a world-class guitarist, composer and inspirational performer who has appeared on Billboard’s TopTen Chart. Previously signed to Virgin Records’ Narada label, McLaughlin has 14 CD releases, 3 National Campus Entertainer of the Year Awards, 5 Minnesota Music Awards and his decades of national concert touring earned him the Hall of Fame Achievement Award. He resides in his home state of Minnesota where he is proudly raising two boys, both born at home.

Twin Cities Birth Center - Health Foundations Nominated for 2011 Birth & Baby Award!

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:33:00 GMT

Health Foundations Birth Center has been nominated for the 2011 Best of the Twin Cities Birth & Baby Awards! Follow this link to cast your vote! Winners will be announced at the Birth & Baby Expo on October 15th...an event not to miss!

Health Foundations 1st Annual Familiy Picinic

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:42:00 GMT

SAVE THE DATE all past and current Health Foundations families! Please join us for our 1st Annual Family Picnic. Fun activities, great food and fun company. More details to come!

Time: September 17, 2011 from 11am to 2pm

Location: Wabun Pavilion (A) in Minnehaha Park

Street: 4655 46th Street South

City/Town: Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417

Website or Map: http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_re…

Phone: 651.895.2520

"More Business of Being Born" Film Screening Hosted by Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:48:00 GMT

Rikki Lake and Abby Epstein are at it again. This time they are making a four part documentary coming out starting later this year called the "More Business of Being Born". These films are more like educational films explaining what doulas are, discussing VBACs, and generally geared towards educating pregnant women about their options.

Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center has partnered with Ricky Lake & her organization My Best Birth to host a film screening of the "More Business of Being Born" on August 4th from 7-9pm. Tickets are $10. You must purchase them online on the event website. The proceeds will be used to both finish the films and fund their marketing and publicity. The ultimate goal is to make the information found in their films, as well as on their website, available to as many pregnant and soon-to-be-pregnant women as possible! As many of you know, "The Business of Being Born", started SO SO SO many women thinking about their options! This series will only expand on making important information available to women and families.

I hope everyone can attend! You won't want to miss out on this fabulous evening. Follow Health Foundations Birth Center on facebook to keep up-to-date on the other fun things happening that evening! Hope to see you there!

More about the films:

Down on The Farm: Conversations with Legendary Midwife Ina May Gaskin

Follow Executive Producer Ricki Lake and Director Abby Epstein to The Farm Commune in Summertown, Tennessee, where pioneer midwife Ina May Gaskin talks candidly about the latest birth trends. Gaskin, who was featured in the original The Business of Being Born, sparked Lake’s initial interest in home birth and has continued to inspire the filmmaking duo’s advocacy efforts. Also on the journey is pregnant actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who joins them in getting to know The Farm's famous midwives and touring the picturesque birth cabins situated in the woods. Bonus features on the DVD include additional interviews with Gaskin, Williams-Paisley's emotional birth stories and a conversation with Christy Turlington-Burns about her shared passion for improving maternal mortality.

Win a Free Photo Session with Babies by Zane & a Health Foundations Water Bottle!

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:39:00 GMT

CONTEST

Win a free photo session with Babies by Zane & a Health Foundations Water Bottle!

Details

The Contest starts June 20th, 2011 and ends midnight June 25th, 2011

Rules

You need to be a patient with Health Foundations in St. Paul, MN
Become a “fan” of Babies by Zane Facebook Page www.facebook.com/babiesbyzane
Go to Babies by Zane Facebook page → albums → Health Foundations and submit a comment with your due date under the logo.

How to win?

Zane will use the random generator www.random.org on June 26th and the winner will be announced on Babies by Zane Facebook page.

What’s the prize?

One free newborn session with Babies by Zane and one Health Foundations water bottle.

Good luck everyone!

Employment Opportunities at Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:56:00 GMT

Certified Nurse Midwife

Our busy practice is looking for a part-time CNM to join our team to provide services to both home and Birth Center clients. This is a full scope practice including prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, and well woman care. Join our team of one CPM and one CNM. We have a beautiful, comfortable, free standing birth center and provide a calm, relaxed setting for births. A minimum of two years experience in an out of hospital birth setting preferred. Nurturing, confident, professional and flexible team player with a passion for women’s health and birth center/home birth a must. Flexible hours, reasonable call schedule.

On-Call Registered Nurse

Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center has an opening on our team for an RN to work as an on-call birth assistant. Job duties include providing assistance to the midwifery team during births in the birth center and at home, providing postpartum care after the birth, discharge teaching, and postpartum home visits to mother-baby dyads. Qualifications include a current State of Minnesota Nursing License to practice as a Registered Nurse or license eligible. Excellent communication skills, and at least one year experience in an obstetrical setting is required. A warm, professional attitude and high comfort level with birth, postpartum care and breastfeeding are necessary. Current adult CPR and neonatal resuscitation required. Lactation training and certification is a plus. Additional training and certifications are provided as required by the practice.

Why Chose to Deliver at a Freestanding Birth Center?

Fri, 06 May 2011 06:35:00 GMT

What are the benefits of using a birth center?

Accredited birth centers provide:

Relationship. Midwives build close relationships with their clients. You know the midwife who will be attending your birth. In a hospital setting the provider attending your delivery is the on-call midwife. If it is a large group you may or may not know the provider you will see when you arrive at the hospital.

A sense of control and involvement. You won't be subjected to any routine medical interventions.
For example, you won't automatically be hooked up to an IV. And instead of continuous electronic fetal monitoring, which often requires you to stay in bed with a belt strapped around your middle, a midwife or nurse will monitor your baby's heartbeat intermittently with a handheld Doppler, like the one your caregiver uses during prenatal visits.
IVs, oxygen, medication, and infant resuscitation equipment are available in case they are needed. And after you give birth, no routine policies or procedures require you to be separated from your baby. All of his or her examinations take place next to you.

A network of services Accredited birth centers have arrangements with laboratories for prenatal screening and other testing, with specialists for consultations if necessary. They're also connected with obstetricians and a nearby hospital in case you need to be transferred there during labor, birth, or postpartum.

Lots of encouragement to have a natural, drug-free birth. The staff is trained to help coach you through labor and committed to helping you have a drug-free natural birth.

Freedom of movement and more. You can move around freely, choose the position you'd like to be in for labor and birth, and eat and drink during labor.

Your pick of invitees. Some hospitals limit how many people you can have at the birth, but at a birth center, you get to decide who's with you. And if you'd like your children to be there, they'll be warmly welcomed.

Breastfeeding help and encouragement. Birth centers make it a priority to provide breastfeeding education and support during the prenatal period, for the duration of your stay after you give birth, and in the postpartum period.

A warm and comfortable physical environment. You'll be in a homelike facility and room with a bed large enough for you and your partner to share, and soothing decor. Most have whirlpool tubs you can chose to labor or deliver in.
Birth centers have kitchens where you can store or prepare food.

Lower costs. Because women who deliver in birth centers stay for a shorter time and use fewer interventions, the average cost is about a third to half less than a hospital birth.

Health Foundations Doula Internship Program

Fri, 06 May 2011 10:22:00 GMT

The Doula Internship Program is an example of Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center’s philosophy of “women helping women”. The program creates a positive, three dimensional exchange: The doula intern gains professional birth experience, Health Foundations benefits from the intern’s volunteer activities, and Health Foundations Midwifery families have complimentary doulas available to serve them in labor.

Health Foundations provides a unique opportunity to experience birth in a variety of settings. The doula intern may provide labor support at an intimate home birth, a water birth at the birth center, a primary c-section at the hospital, and essentially all the birth scenarios in between (experience will primarily be in an out-of-hospital setting at either birth center or home births). With the goal of supporting families in their personal choices, Health Foundations utilizes a very modern model of care that combines natural and medical childbirth techniques. The knowledgeable staff at Health Foundations will share first-hand experiences to gently guide you through a wide range of support techniques to comfort the mother-to-be.

The doula intern is given many opportunities to develop perinatal knowledge in addition to providing labor support. For example, volunteering during clinic hours, attending the monthly Health Foundations Required Classes, and participating in breastfeeding education opportunities are all ways that doula interns interact with Health Foundations clients and gain valuable experience. In addition to completing the forms necessary for doula certification, the midwives and their assistants will also provide personalized feedback regarding your performance as a doula.

The goal of the Doula Internship Program is to develop dynamic and long-term relationships with the local doula community, which is why only the most passionately dedicated applicants will be considered for the program. The first step to be becoming a doula intern is to review the contract and submit the application to Health Foundations!

Intern graduates will be placed on our exclusive doula referral list and website, which is provided to women throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding counties.

Application packets will be available starting May 10, 2011. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2011. Applicants will be contacted for an interview.

To receive an application packet contact:

Doula Internship Coordinator

Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center

968 Grand Avenue

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55105

P: 651.895.2520

Debuting...Video About Health Foundations Birth Center!

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:12:00 GMT

CLICK HERE to see the video made about Health Foundations Birth Center by the St. Paul Pioneer Press!!!

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011 Event!

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:08:00 GMT

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011 Event!

Help Set A New Guinness World Record!

REGISTER HERE

Are you ready to make a difference? On April 23rd, 2011 a GLOBAL event, called The Great Cloth Diaper Change, is happening to raise awareness about the benefits of using cloth diapers. This event has become an Official Guinness World Records Event and there are 390 (and counting) locations currently authorized to host this event world wide!

Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center is thrilled to be an official host for "The Great Cloth Diaper Change" - an official Guinness World Record Challenge! The challenge is for the World Record of most simultaneous cloth diaper changes. That's right, you could help set an official Guinness World Record during this global event right here in St. Paul!

How Do I Participate? It's So Easy!

Preregister and get your tickets here on this page! Click the "Register" button above! Print your ticket from your email and bring it with you to the event.

You are required to preregister. This event is FREE. Preregistering allows us to know in advance how many participants we will need to accommodate. Tickets are only required for participants in the diaper change. You only need one ticket for each adult that will be changing a child as part of the event. All other family members and friends are welcome to come watch and enjoy the event, but do not need to pre-register and do not need tickets for admission.

Please try to arrive at 11:00 am on April 23, 2011 at Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center 968 Grand Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55105 651.895.2520

We need time to check everyone in and get set up before the event begins. Participants who arrive late may not have enough time to qualify for the Diaper Change.

After you reserve your ticket, please RSVP HERE and post that you will be attending!

At exactly 11:30 am we will be changing the babies!

The following regulations are set by the Guinness World Records:

Change your baby when we say "GO!"

Each baby must be changed out of a cloth or disposable diaper into a reusable cloth diaper at exactly 11:30am

The cloth diaper must be a brand that can be purchased by the general public in a retail store or online. Unfortunately, homemade diapers that are not commercially available cannot be used, but WAHM diapers sold online are fine. This is a very strict rule from Guinness World Records.

All participating babies and toddlers must be 39 inches or shorter.

Each child must be paired with exactly one adult participant.

The Lactation Center at Health Foundations Family Health & BIrth Center

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:25:00 GMT

I am excited to announce The Lactation Center at Health Foundations Family Health & BIrth Center will be arriving soon! We will be offering a full product assortment that allows you to "one stop shop" for all your breastfeeding, lactation & educational needs. You will find dedicated staff & bra fitters to answer your questions and help you with your product needs. Like us on facebook to keep up-to-date and learn more about the services & products we will be offering! The Lactation Center website will be debuting soon complete with a web store!

Amazing 1st Birthday Celebration! Thank You Everyone!

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:19:00 GMT

It was such a wonderful 1st Birthday Celebration! It was so special to see how all the babies had grown and to reconnect with families we have helped not only this past year but also from my home birth practice the 5 years prior to opening the birth center. It is so amazing to see how this beautiful community has grown. My heart was glowing with thanks and appreciation for not only being able to have the opportunity to help families during such a special time in their lives but also to be able to look around and see how many friends I have made over the years. It was also nice to be able meet new families who are just learning about the Health Foundations community:) Thank you all for coming and celebrating! ~ Best, Amy

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

This celebration would not have been possible without a lot of help and wonderful donations! I want to thank everyone who helped at the Health Foundations Birthday Celebration this weekend. A big thank you to Greta (Health Foundations Office Manager) for helping to organize and plan the event! Also thank you to:

Meg Erke with Upstairs Art for making birthday hats with the kids!
Dakota Pediatrics for providing the kids face painting.
Gwendolyn Waite for taking pictures all afternoon.
St. Paul D'Amico & Sons Restaurant for donating ten dozen of their yummy yummy dessert bars!!!
All the folks who helped greet families as they arrived! (Aubrey Wicks, Meghan Pate, Mandy Herrick, Annie Goldbaum, Erin Armijo and Becky Hanson).

And thank you to all the local businesses that donated items for our drawing! (Winners are noted after each item & have been contacted individually.)

Bibelot - $25 gift certificate (Leah Miller)
Pediatric Acupuncture & Wellness Center - Consultation & acupuncture treatment (Meghan Pate)
The Yarnery - Gift certificate for a beginning knitting class (Samantha Kobold)
Blooma - 5 class yoga pass (Kari & Keith Cunnien)
Cafe Latte - Gift certificate for one whole desert (Meg Erke)
Pizza Luce - $25 git certificate (Kyle Bartelt)
Kaitlen Brennen LMT - Gift certificate for a 60 minute massage (Nate Rinehart)
Baby Grand - $50 gift card (Mandi Morgan)
Tami Tripp Photography - Newborn photography session ($125 gift certificate)
Karma - $25 gift certificate (Aubrey Wicks)
Family Tree Acupuncture - Gift certificate for an acupuncture treatment (Emily Whebbe)
Peapods - Skip Hop Pronto Changing Station (Kimberly Bartels)
Gwendolyn Waite Photography - Mini photography session and (1) 8X10 photo (Dwight Porter)
Comfy Cozy Diapers - $25 gift certificate (Sarah Anderson)
Upstairs Art - Gift certificate for private art lessons (Will Standfest)
Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center - A Health Foundations robe (Rebecca Blythe)