Morning Star Women's Health and Birth Center offers pregnant women the option to birth at our Center, located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, or at their home, providing the option for water birth at either location. Out-of-hospital birth is not a step backward. It is a step away from institutional control of a normal body function. It is a step of growth by accepting the responsibility of giving birth and parenting. Out-of-hospital birth with a qualified attendant is safe. To learn more about birth centers, visit the American Association of Birth Center online.
The Importance of Comfort
Birthing in a familiar and comfortable environment with providers that you know and trust are important factors in birth outcomes. This is one important reason why out-of-hospital births have such good outcome statistics and high degrees of client satisfaction. In fact, 98.8 % of all birth center clients (nationwide) would recommend this experience to others (source: National Association of Childbearing Centers). Morning Star Women's Health and Birth Center is equipped to accommodate the birthing mother and her family. The Birth Center becomes a familiar place, as all of your prenatal visits and classes are done here. We are about 4 minutes from the hospital, should transport become necessary. Other clients have chosen to birth at home because of the familiarity and comfort of one's own home that cannot be matched in any other place. The World Health Organization supports home birth and believes that home birth 
with a qualified attendant is as safe as or safer than hospital birth for most women.
Some things to consider when choosing where to give birth are:
• Distance from the midwife (our home birth radius is 30 miles)
• Distance from the hospital should transport become necessary
• Availability of a back-up doctor in your area
What is a Birth Center?
The Birth Center is a homelike facility, existing within a healthcare system with a program of care designed in the wellness model of pregnancy and birth. Birth centers are guided by principles of prevention, sensitivity, safety, appropriate medical intervention, and cost effectiveness. Birth centers provide family-centered care for healthy women before, during and after normal pregnancy, labor and birth. ---American Association of Birth Centers, 1995.
Positive Alternative to the Traditional Hospital Experience
Feeling more like a Bed and Breakfast than a clinic, the Center offers all the amenities of home, and there is plenty of space for family and friends to gather during or after the birth. There are two birthing suites that women can choose from, each with private bathroom and birth spa for relaxation during labor, water birth, and also for the healing and soothing postpartum herbal bath that mother and baby take together. A full kitchen is available for meal preparation by the family for the postpartum mother and father, and the family room is a relaxing, comfortable environment for waiting and resting. All prenatal, postpartum, well-women health visits and classes are held at the Center which enables a woman to become familiar and comfortable with her environment. Despite the homey feel and appearance, the Birth Center is equipped to handle complications that may arise during birth including emergency medications, medical oxygen and resuscitation equipment. Morning Star Birth Center adheres to strict national standards and is preparing for national accreditation by the Commission for the Accreditation of Childbearing Centers. We feel that home birth can be better - truly superior - for both mother and baby in many cases. Only you can decide if this is true for you and your baby.
| Why Some Families Choose Home Birth: |
Factors That Should Not Impact Your Decision: |
The comfort of one's own home is unparalleled
They have trust and confidence in the birth process
They want to ensure a family-centered birth
Previous births have gone very well
They live within reasonable distance of the midwife and hospital should transport become necessary
You should truly feel that home is the best place to birth your baby. |
It's cheaper (we can guide you to reasonably priced ways of utilizing hospital care if necessary.)
You just don't like doctors and hospitals
All of your friends have done it
No one you know has done it and you want to be different
Your husband or your mother feels it's a great idea |
PLEASE ask questions and talk over this decision with your midwife.
Water Birth
We have many years of experience in water birth. Using water for relaxation and pain relief is a great comfort for most women. In fact, hydrotherapy in labor is often referred to as the "Liquid Epidural"- without the associated risk to you or your baby! Whether at home or at the Center, water birth is available. Each Birth Suite has it's own custom birthing tub and we have a portable labor and birth spa available for an affordable rental fee for home births. Explore waterbirth by visiting Waterbirth International.
