Care Team
Your care team at the birthing center is a caring group of people working together to respond to your needs during pregnancy, birth, postpartum and early parenting. We are also here to offer counseling regarding preconception. The birth center staff includes highly qualified professionals who are experts in optimizing your and your baby's health through pregnancy, experts in natural birthing, experts in family bonding and natural postpartum care: your midwife Harmony Miller, LM, CPM , administrative director Suzanne Fueyo, RN, birth assistants Carmela Pedicini, LPN, Jodi Ballano, Tami Fowler, BA, CD(DONA) and Holly Riley, BA, Doula. Several area pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners are available for referral and consultation for your on-going baby care needs.
You will also be encouraged to have a family physician or nurse practitioner for management of health problems not related to your pregnancy, if needed. Historically obstetricians in this community have not been willing to provide back up coverage to women planning a birth outside of the hospital. We do not have a relationship with a single physician to provide back up. If it becomes necessary for you to see an obstetrician, consults are done on a case-by-case basis. Who we refer you to will depend on your condition. If need to transfer to the hospital for testing or in labor, we will send your medical records and the on call physician will see you. If you transfer in labor, the midwife will accompany you to the hospital whenever feasible.
By your 34th week of pregnancy you will be asked to select a pediatrician or a pediatric nurse practitioner to provide continuing care for your baby. Your pediatrician (or his/her associate) will examine your baby within 24 - 48 hours of the birth. A list of area pediatricians will be given to you in your 28 week educational packet.
