January - 17, 2025

Paul and Erica’s Birth Story

Supporting my wife in choosing a birth center was a no-brainer. She’s the one doing the hard part, and that’s what she wanted to do. I just made sure I did everything I could to make it as easy as possible for her. The midwives supported us the whole time — that’s a huge contrast from the hospital, where you have burned-out nurses bossing you around and trying to make things fit their schedule instead of the mother’s.

The birth center experience was completely different. The first thing I noticed was that I felt free to move. That’s my number one thing — I hate being stuck in a bed with IVs and sensors and cords hooked up to monitors. It’s not helpful. Here, I could move, and I felt safe.

I knew there were so many experienced midwives here. Loretta has been a nurse for over 30 years, and there’s a midwife with 20 years of experience. I knew they would know if something was wrong or if I needed to be transferred. That gave me a lot of peace of mind.

The whole experience was relaxing, and I felt in charge of my birth. The bathtub was ready for me whenever I wanted to get in. After the birth, we had uninterrupted time with our baby. He was healthy, and everything was fine. We weren’t interrupted by anyone — it was just us, enjoying those first moments with our little guy.

What’s special about Loretta is that she connects with people. She understands your needs and offers you so many possibilities. I felt completely supported throughout the entire experience.