5440 Laurel Hills Drive
Sacramento, CA 95841
tel. (916) 344-1860
The Birth Center
A nice way for a family to be born
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Birth Stories
It is a core belief at The Birth Center that pregnancy and birth are normal, healthy events in the life of a family. We treat families with respect and acknowledge them as capable of making choices that fit their values, beliefs, and lifestyles. Although birth experiences vary as much as the babies that are born here, there is a common thread that most women have--personalized, professional care. We think it makes for a nice way for a family to be born.
2013
Fri
10th
May
The Birth Story of Sylvia Rose Briggs
Right now there is a five-day-old gorgeous creature sleeping serenely on the couch. I’ve also got a 2 ½ year old napping in her toddler bed and a 4 ½ year old up to something suspiciously quiet in the playroom: all of them bright and beautiful girls with eyes of the sea. Let’s not forget the happy husband home from work hanging about as well. Our house is not always this peaceful. The decibel level jumps up exponentially when everyone is awake and playing, fighting, singing, dancing, screaming, etc. But it’s always this blessed. It’s hard to even begin to describe how blessed we are to have Sylvia join our crazy home. She has been a part of it already, of course, since we first found out of her existence about 9 months ago. We’ve been watching her grow, feeling her kicks, talking all about her and preparing a place for her. My belly has received lots and lots of kisses from her daddy and...
Right now there is a five-day-old gorgeous creature sleeping serenely on the couch. I’ve also got a 2 ½ year old napping in her toddler bed and a 4 ½ year old up to something suspiciously quiet in the playroom: all of them bright and beautiful girls with eyes of the sea. Let’s not forget the happy husband home from work hanging about as well. Our house is not always this peaceful. The decibel level jumps up exponentially when everyone is awake and playing, fighting, singing, dancing, screaming, etc. But it’s always this blessed. It’s hard to even begin to describe how blessed we are to have Sylvia join our crazy home. She has been a part of it already, of course, since we first found out of her existence about 9 months ago. We’ve been watching her grow, feeling her kicks, talking all about her and preparing a place for her. My belly has received lots and lots of kisses from her daddy and...
2012
Sun
16th
Dec
The Birth Story of Emily
1 I did a lot of research on where to have our baby before Tim & I got pregnant. I wanted to give birth at home because the hospital setting made me feel pressured to do what they wanted, but what I wanted was a medication-free pregnancy and delivery. I knew I would have to defend my choices when they differed from hospital routine. I wanted Emily’s birth to be about our new family and not a medical procedure. Tim needed a professional setting because we did not know what to expect and the risk involved in home birth made him uncomfortable. After touring 4 hospitals and meeting with The Birth Center’s RN, Janet, we decided The Birth Center was the perfect middle ground for us. As soon as we got pregnant we called The Birth Center for an appointment and Janet to take the Bradley method childbirth classes she taught. I love my midwife, Ruth. We spent at least 30 minutes with her each appointment so...
1 I did a lot of research on where to have our baby before Tim & I got pregnant. I wanted to give birth at home because the hospital setting made me feel pressured to do what they wanted, but what I wanted was a medication-free pregnancy and delivery. I knew I would have to defend my choices when they differed from hospital routine. I wanted Emily’s birth to be about our new family and not a medical procedure. Tim needed a professional setting because we did not know what to expect and the risk involved in home birth made him uncomfortable. After touring 4 hospitals and meeting with The Birth Center’s RN, Janet, we decided The Birth Center was the perfect middle ground for us. As soon as we got pregnant we called The Birth Center for an appointment and Janet to take the Bradley method childbirth classes she taught. I love my midwife, Ruth. We spent at least 30 minutes with her each appointment so...
2012
Sat
21st
Apr
The Birth Story of Ori Rose
Ori Rose Ori Rose, 6lbs 8oz, 20 inches long It would figure that after a super easy and almost problem free pregnancy, that labor wouldn’t be be a walk in the park for me. Besides some exhaustion in the first trimester, I was symptom free and my awesome little bump started growing from week 16, much to my amazement and excitement! At 31 weeks pregnant, my husband and I moved back to the U.S. after living in Israel, so my care with Ruth and the Birth Center started only in my 3rd trimester. I felt immediately welcomed and comfortable with the center and the staff and was so excited to finally meet my baby girl. I had done so much research on “natural” birth (all birth is natural, right?) while seeing a traditional gynecologist in Israel, so I was so happy to finally be with the people, and in the place, where my birth dreams would come true. My doctor in Israel gave me a...
Ori Rose Ori Rose, 6lbs 8oz, 20 inches long It would figure that after a super easy and almost problem free pregnancy, that labor wouldn’t be be a walk in the park for me. Besides some exhaustion in the first trimester, I was symptom free and my awesome little bump started growing from week 16, much to my amazement and excitement! At 31 weeks pregnant, my husband and I moved back to the U.S. after living in Israel, so my care with Ruth and the Birth Center started only in my 3rd trimester. I felt immediately welcomed and comfortable with the center and the staff and was so excited to finally meet my baby girl. I had done so much research on “natural” birth (all birth is natural, right?) while seeing a traditional gynecologist in Israel, so I was so happy to finally be with the people, and in the place, where my birth dreams would come true. My doctor in Israel gave me a...
2012
Wed
29th
Feb
The Birth Story of Lillian Renee
1 Lillian Renee a couple days old On July 3rd our lives forever changed, we were expecting. From the beginning I knew I wanted an un-medicated birth and not in a hospital. After discussing this with my OBGYN she informed me of the Bradley Method. It was a 12 week course that focused on preparing your mind and body for natural child birth through relaxation. It was through Janet, the instructor, that I became familiar with The Birth Center. Switching my care over to Ruth at The Birth Center was one of the best decisions I had made. Immediately Jason and I fell in love with the staff and facility and I knew this would be the place I would have my daughter.On Monday February 27th is when I started noticing changes in the way my body felt. I began to have sporadic cramping and contractions simultaneously. By the next day they had passed. I felt more energetic and active. Lillian Renee one month old Knowing the birth...
1 Lillian Renee a couple days old On July 3rd our lives forever changed, we were expecting. From the beginning I knew I wanted an un-medicated birth and not in a hospital. After discussing this with my OBGYN she informed me of the Bradley Method. It was a 12 week course that focused on preparing your mind and body for natural child birth through relaxation. It was through Janet, the instructor, that I became familiar with The Birth Center. Switching my care over to Ruth at The Birth Center was one of the best decisions I had made. Immediately Jason and I fell in love with the staff and facility and I knew this would be the place I would have my daughter.On Monday February 27th is when I started noticing changes in the way my body felt. I began to have sporadic cramping and contractions simultaneously. By the next day they had passed. I felt more energetic and active. Lillian Renee one month old Knowing the birth...
2012
Thu
26th
Jan
Ryker Andrew Feuerstein's Birth Story
2 The birth story of my third baby really begins with the birth of his older sister and brother. Pregnancy and birth is an amazing and beautiful time, a natural part of the cycle of life. Women were designed to carry babies in the womb, nourish them, and birth them. It is natural, it is normal, and it is not a medical phenomenon to be “treated”. Before I was even pregnant with my first born, I knew I wanted to bring my baby into I knew I wanted to bring my baby into this world with as little intervention as possible…but what exactly did that mean? I would soon find out just how challenging a “natural and normal” birth experience could be without the supportive like-minded environment that every woman and baby deserves. My first born, beautiful little girl was born in Southern California with an OBGYN, a hospital, a nurse pit crew, Pitocin, and a whole lot of unnecessary angst. I didn’t fully realize the power of...
2 The birth story of my third baby really begins with the birth of his older sister and brother. Pregnancy and birth is an amazing and beautiful time, a natural part of the cycle of life. Women were designed to carry babies in the womb, nourish them, and birth them. It is natural, it is normal, and it is not a medical phenomenon to be “treated”. Before I was even pregnant with my first born, I knew I wanted to bring my baby into I knew I wanted to bring my baby into this world with as little intervention as possible…but what exactly did that mean? I would soon find out just how challenging a “natural and normal” birth experience could be without the supportive like-minded environment that every woman and baby deserves. My first born, beautiful little girl was born in Southern California with an OBGYN, a hospital, a nurse pit crew, Pitocin, and a whole lot of unnecessary angst. I didn’t fully realize the power of...
2011
Sat
22nd
Oct
The Birth Story of Zen Andrei Lavrov
Zen Andrei Lavrov It had taken us a while to become pregnant; so when we were finally expecting, I knew I wanted a positive birthing experience. Like many other expectant couples, we had watched some documentaries about birth in the United States. We quickly realized we did not want a conventional hospital birth where our voices and wishes might go unheard. However, we were also not prepared to have our first baby at home. Thankfully, we learned of Ruth and The Birth Center. Our prenatal care at the Birth Center began at 12 weeks. I could tell early on that my care would be different from the care my pregnant friends were receiving. The staff was always friendly and supportive, and I was able to work with Ruth from the beginning until the birth. The trust we had in her and her staff grew during each visit and we were confident that this was the team to help us achieve the birth we had been...
Zen Andrei Lavrov It had taken us a while to become pregnant; so when we were finally expecting, I knew I wanted a positive birthing experience. Like many other expectant couples, we had watched some documentaries about birth in the United States. We quickly realized we did not want a conventional hospital birth where our voices and wishes might go unheard. However, we were also not prepared to have our first baby at home. Thankfully, we learned of Ruth and The Birth Center. Our prenatal care at the Birth Center began at 12 weeks. I could tell early on that my care would be different from the care my pregnant friends were receiving. The staff was always friendly and supportive, and I was able to work with Ruth from the beginning until the birth. The trust we had in her and her staff grew during each visit and we were confident that this was the team to help us achieve the birth we had been...
2011
Tue
18th
Oct
The Birth Story of Kadin Campbell
1 Holly Miller and family after birth at the Sacramento Brrth Center Our experience at *The Birth Center* was AMAZING! With this being our third and last child we wanted to try an “alternative” birthing process. Being referred to The Birth Center by a friend was a Godsend. My labor began at home around 2:00am on October 18, 2011. I was able to stay at home for the first part of my labor until 5:00am. When my husband, 11 year old daughter, 9 year old son and I arrived at The Birth Center I was at 9 centimeters. That was when the contractions became more intense. My husband was right there so I could squeeze his hands through each one. What worked best for me was standing and breathing through my contractions. I personally couldn’t find any other comfortable position even though the staff offered many with multiple devices. It was very peaceful at The Birth Center with minimal noise and dim lights. Ruth, Jen and Christa...
1 Holly Miller and family after birth at the Sacramento Brrth Center Our experience at *The Birth Center* was AMAZING! With this being our third and last child we wanted to try an “alternative” birthing process. Being referred to The Birth Center by a friend was a Godsend. My labor began at home around 2:00am on October 18, 2011. I was able to stay at home for the first part of my labor until 5:00am. When my husband, 11 year old daughter, 9 year old son and I arrived at The Birth Center I was at 9 centimeters. That was when the contractions became more intense. My husband was right there so I could squeeze his hands through each one. What worked best for me was standing and breathing through my contractions. I personally couldn’t find any other comfortable position even though the staff offered many with multiple devices. It was very peaceful at The Birth Center with minimal noise and dim lights. Ruth, Jen and Christa...
2011
Sun
12th
Jun
The Birth Story of Everett Gardner Landon
Melissa and Gardner with new baby Everett born at the Sacramento Birth Center I started seeing Ruth at the Birth Center for care during the 20th week of my 2nd pregnancy. I was excited to be preparing for an out of hospital birth, but I had concerns as well. Ruth put my fears at ease right away, and through all my prenatal appointments helped me to mentally prepare for a great birth experience. I had been having braxton-hicks contractions off and on for weeks. A few days after my due date on the evening of June 11th, I began having noticeable contractions. A couple hours in I started timing them and realized they were consistently 8 minutes apart. I had a snack and watched TV on the birth ball for a few hours then went to bed. I was able to sleep, but awoke at 5 AM to a popping noise. I had a good suspicion that my water had broke. Almost immediately my...
Melissa and Gardner with new baby Everett born at the Sacramento Birth Center I started seeing Ruth at the Birth Center for care during the 20th week of my 2nd pregnancy. I was excited to be preparing for an out of hospital birth, but I had concerns as well. Ruth put my fears at ease right away, and through all my prenatal appointments helped me to mentally prepare for a great birth experience. I had been having braxton-hicks contractions off and on for weeks. A few days after my due date on the evening of June 11th, I began having noticeable contractions. A couple hours in I started timing them and realized they were consistently 8 minutes apart. I had a snack and watched TV on the birth ball for a few hours then went to bed. I was able to sleep, but awoke at 5 AM to a popping noise. I had a good suspicion that my water had broke. Almost immediately my...
2010
Thu
2nd
Dec
The Birth Story of Natalie Anne Briggs
2 Lindsey & Dan after natural birth at the Sacramento Birth Center Tuesday morning we thought she was coming. She did not. (Turned out to be Braxton Hicks contractions, very regular for several hours.) Wednesday Dan went back to work while I wallowed on the couch all day and Evelyn watched movies and had several potty accidents (she’s potty trained for the most part, but still needs mommy’s help). It was not my finest hour. So by Thursday morning, as I sat around waiting for everyone else to wake up (not getting much sleep at this point in my pregnancy), I convinced myself that it would be a bad idea for me to be left alone with Evelyn. I did not feel capable of giving her or myself proper care, physically and emotionally. So as soon as Dan’s alarm went off, I went to his side and asked if he would go in an hour or two late and help me get to my parents’ house...
2 Lindsey & Dan after natural birth at the Sacramento Birth Center Tuesday morning we thought she was coming. She did not. (Turned out to be Braxton Hicks contractions, very regular for several hours.) Wednesday Dan went back to work while I wallowed on the couch all day and Evelyn watched movies and had several potty accidents (she’s potty trained for the most part, but still needs mommy’s help). It was not my finest hour. So by Thursday morning, as I sat around waiting for everyone else to wake up (not getting much sleep at this point in my pregnancy), I convinced myself that it would be a bad idea for me to be left alone with Evelyn. I did not feel capable of giving her or myself proper care, physically and emotionally. So as soon as Dan’s alarm went off, I went to his side and asked if he would go in an hour or two late and help me get to my parents’ house...