Could it be?

No, not exactly...KEYE News visited the Austin Area Birthing Center to film a commercial and AABC invited some moms with their babies. What unfolded was something akin to controlled chaos. The babies did fine in the beginning, but after about 8 minutes they began to slump sideways and one or two got fussy. The moms and midwives seemed to really enjoy watching the whole thing.

Our Sofa Babies left to right; Rachael Cochran, Marley Benson, Sarah Rose, LeGoff, Henry Bensel, Dylan Scales, Landon Jones, Kinley Katanick, and Dylan Ford

How AABC turned no coverage into a Blessing For Us

A Problem with No Insurance

Lydia, our toddler and I had cheap insurance from the internet because my husband's teachers policy required us to pay almost one thousand dollars per month for coverage. We liked the thought of spacing our children two years apart so I started calling around approximately one year before I got pregnant trying to find maternity coverage. All the policies had a rule that I had to wait one year to get pregnant and they were all very expensive.

Beyond the cost savings, I'd like to share a perspective of the birth experience with my first daughter in a group provider/hospital setting, compared to the birth experience of my second daughter at Austin Area Birthing Center.

Why is this newborn grinning? Click here to find out!

Roswitha Dowell, CNM with baby Michael Avitzour.

Anabel Perez, a nurse with her masters in science and a certified nurse midwife, feels blessed and humbled to have found her calling so early in life. “I feel lucky,” explains Perez, who only found out recently from her mother, in casual conversation, that her own grandmother practiced midwifery in Mexico some years ago. “I told my mom it would have been nice to have known that all those years!” Perez’ mother was a medical assistant in El Paso, where Perez is from, so she was admittedly exposed to the world of medicine at a young age. “I’ve known since I was a girl that I would do something in health care. My mom brought us with her to work sometimes. She worked in a clinical environment for primary care needs, so I learned early what it meant to tend to people’s physical needs in a caring, nurturing way.” Perez’s mother had all along been guiding her into a medical career as a pragmatic choice. She wanted her daughter to become a physician, but Perez had a different idea. She knew she wanted to be a nurse, perhaps specializing in obstetrics.

December 2, 2008

"My birth experience was so perfect that I would say it was like the movies.  But the movies NEVER show you a non-ridiculous birth. So I’ll say it was better than the movies, and we rode off into the sunset."

I’m going to just start with the stats that someone considering unmedicated childbirth or the Bradley Method would want to know: I’m 36 and this is my first baby.  I was a little over 41.5 weeks. One breast pump got things rolling. No bloody show. No water breaking. I was in labor for 11 hours. The hard part was five hours. I pushed for half an hour. My water never broke. Gave birth to one 8 lb 8 oz boy completely inside his bag of waters. One teeny tear, but not in the SCARY TEAR area. No stitches. Zero pooping. We banked the cord blood.

Now, the longer version…

To all the lovely ladies at AABC,

Thank you so much for your care and support over the last 10 months.  We had an incredible experience.  Everyone is so friendly and helpful; it was a joy to come to our pre/postnatal appointments. 

Our birthing experience was beautiful, we could not have asked for better.  We felt so cared for and being in the tub was so helpful.  Our son Bodhi, came into the world so peacefully and it was all because of the Austin Area Birthing Center and our amazing midwife, Lauren. 

Lara, Nils and Bodhi

Haley Kate, Cecily and Willis

Dear Joan and all of our friends at Austin ABC,

All 3 of our “birthing center babies” are doing well and bring so much joy into our lives each and every day.  Okay, so it’s joy with a lot of noise, messes, “boo-hoos” and kisses, but oh the joy of the holidays!

Thank you for all of the care and service these pas 6 years and especially for giving me the births I always imagined I could have with my children.  May 2009 be prosperous for everyone.

Brooks and Tracy Nettleship

Lauren, Roswitha, Jenny , Joan Angela, Tamara and Erin,

We can’t thank you enough for the wonderful care you provided to us for the birth of our daughter Aideen on Nov 22, 2008.  Our birthing experience was everything we had hoped for and ever more.  Lauren, who delivered Aideen, was absolutely fantastic, as was Angela who provided lots of encouragement and support.  Roswitha, Jenny and Joan were all so caring for both prenatal and postnatal care.  Aideen was born healthy and bright as a button and continues to grow like a weed.  We feel very lucky to have attended AABC and would like to thank you all for from the bottom of our hearts for such wonderful care!!!

Angela, Wayne and Aideen  

Elieen Collins and her 3 daughters, all born at the Austin Area Birthing Clinic. They love the new Prenatal Clinic and especially the new sofa!

The excitement of a new baby and the prospect of being an older sibling brings smiles to even the youngest members of the family. Families are welcomed and can participate in every phase of the birthing experience.

AABC's services include routine checkups, physicals and classes. Jenny Liana, a certified nurse midwife enjoys interacting with families during pre and post natal checkups. Jennifer says "I love seeing a smile on a mother's face after experiencing childbirth, seeing her and knowing I helped make everything turn out just fine."

Postpartum checkups at AABC are more frequent the the hospital, as you and your baby are seen at three days, two weeks and six weeks. AABC also offers annual checkups and pap smears for all woman in every phase of their lifespan, from puberty to menopause.

July 21, 2008

The Austin Area Birthing Center celebrated the grand opening of its Prenatal Clinic on July 21, 2008.  With this expansion, AABC has grown from 2,600 to 4,264 square feet and now occupies the entire 1st floor of Building 2 at The Arbors at Creeks Edge.

The new Prenatal Clinic has its own entrance, and offers an attractive, comfortable waiting area where children can watch movies on the flat screen/Blue Ray while their moms are being seen.  The new facility also has larger examination rooms, more private midwife offices, a kitchen for the staff and a laundry area.

As a college senior, Lauren Guehl spent a week shadowing an obstetrician to get a feel for what she suspected might be her career of choice - caring for pregnant women and delivering babies.  Her father, who is a doctor, set up the professional test drive at his hospital.  But the experience didn't have quite the intended effect.

"I found out that I loved prenatal care and I loved birth, but I didn't like the medical approach to birth," Guehl said. "My dad set it up to convince me to be a doctor, but all it did was confirm I wanted to be a midwife."

That was six years ago. Today, she is closing out her first year as a certified nurse midwife at the Austin Area birthing Center, where she meets with expecting mothers for prenatal exams and helps them through labor and delivery.

One of the main principles of midwifery is that pregnancy and birth are "natural until proven otherwise," Guehl said. "I think a big misconception is that midwives are anti-hospital, but the biggest thing with midwifery is we want the patient to have the birth they want to have. For low-risk moms, its' just as safe to have an out-of-hospital birth as it is to be in the hospital."

Guehl said she finds satisfaction in helping women through natural childbirth because it is such a significant experience for the patients themselves.Read the entire article...

In January 2008, Jenny Liana, CNM and Lauren Guehl, CNM attended a class at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia to expand their knowledge of Obstetrical Ultrasound.  The program was designed to teach the basic concepts of ultrasound applications in Obstetrics to nurse-midwives, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants, with limited or no formal training in diagnostic ultrasound.

The course focused on GYN evaluation of pelvic anatomy, first trimester pregnancy, basic fetal anatomy, and the basics of third trimester ultrasound, including Fetal Biophysical Profile testing and Amniotic Fluid Index.  The course provided two days of lecture and demonstrations, and one day of hands-on experience with volunteer models. 

Both Jenny and Liana have earned B.S. and M.S degrees in Nursing and Nursing Midwifery, hold Registered Nurse (RN) and Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) certifications, and have worked at one or more medical hospitals. Beyond their education and professional experience, each has a story about a commitment and passion to create a better birthing experience for women. Read more about Lauren Guehl and Jenny Liana.

Parents Kristie and Albert Ellison with Nathaniel, Albert, James, Aligayle and Vivienne.

To all the beautiful women at the Austin Area Birthing Center....

Our greatest heartfelt thank you to all who helped us welcome our beautiful baby girl, Doris Ann Resor into this world!

What a marathon... 20 hours, 5 midwives, and a little bit of a push! We will never forget our time with all of you and the loving support you gave to our new family! each one of you had something to give us. And all with the warmth and love of a giving mother.

Jenny...you urged us into the night. Lauren...laughter and endurance, caring and delivery! Roswitha...strength, grace and believing in in us! Charlotte...a kind welcome to the new family.

We will miss you all and yet you will always be in our thoughts as a great part of our birth story!

Much love and happy babies to all!

Lowell
12-1-07

To everyone at AABC,

Thank you immensely for your loving, gentle, and thorough prenatal , birth, and postpartum care. My extended family was blown away by the obvious love that was lavished on Lowell at his birth and by the gentleness with which I was treated as well.

I am SO blessed to have been able to birth at the Austin Area Birthing Center. Thank you for this life-changing opportunity and for your love and excellent care.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Barnes

Dear Birthing Center Staff,

Thank you so much for a safe and wonderful birthing experience. My mommy wanted me to be as comfortable as possible as I came into this world and this was the perfect place to do that. A special thanks to Joan Smith, CNM who birthed me. SHe was gentle and exactly who I needed to make the transition peacefully.

I appreciate all of you,
Trinity 4-8-07

The Birth Story of Scarlett Snow O’Brien

It’s hard to put into words the rapturous arrival of our baby girl, Scarlett. I am in awe of my body and in awe of this tiny little girl who has come into my life.

We didn’t know the sex of the baby until birth and we had planned a natural birth with no drugs.

At about 2:20am on October 29, 2007 I started feeling "funny" in my lower belly. It was a mild tightening of the uterus, which mainly felt uncomfortable, like I had eaten a bad burrito or needed to take a really good "poo". I was pretty sure I was on the "train to Labor" I woke Owen up at 5am and told him I needed him to start timing contractions. Sure enough, they were as regular as clockwork about 1 minute long and about 4-5 minutes apart. Pacing really helped with the pain. I called AABC and Roswitha told him to come in and see what was what. We stopped to get Owen an iced mocha, and I would writhe around in the passenger seat. It sucked to be sitting. Movement was very comforting.

We arrived at the birthing center around 7am. Roswitha took me into the exam room and checked me. "Oh, Michelle", Roswitha said, "You are eight centimeters. You are going to have this baby today, yeah?" (Note: Roswitha is German and the most incredible midwife EVER. She must excrete some sort of hormone or something. I don�t know what it is, but it is magic, and hearing her voice makes me turn to Jell-O.)

I was chatty and pretty calm when I arrived at the center, and Roswitha was apparently stunned to discover that I was at 8 centimeters. Anyway, we choose the Windsor Room (so named for its lovely chandelier and Victorian type d’cor) as our birthing room. I took off my skirt and just started pacing the room during contractions. I made to my parents and soon afterwards, things got a bit crazy.

I trust everything that comes out of Roswitha’s mouth, .if she said, "We’re going to perform a frontal lobotomy" I would have agreed, "Okay, yes , sounds good!"

After my bag of waters broke, things got out of control. She brought in an exercise ball and set it on the bed. She had me get on all fours and slump my torso over the ball. I bellowed out like a farm animal. Owen would try to put counter-pressure on my lower back to alleviate the pain. As I was lying there slumped over the ball, Joan leaned down and asked me if I needed to push. Joan was the midwife on call for my birth and arrived about this time. Mainly, I felt like I needed to be shot with a tranquilizer dart. I could only mumble and drool, so I was glad I was in competent hands.

Joan got me off the ball and checked me to see if I had made progress. Apparently my animal noises had done some good. She maneuvered me onto my side, bent in one leg and curled my head into my chest and urged me to push with every contraction. As each contraction would crash over me like a wave, I would push with everything I had, then collapse into what can only be described as a comatose state. Owen asked Joan if the head were in the proper position and if so, could I start squatting.

I knew squatting was getting us somewhere fast because I could feel the pressure of the baby’s head with each push. "Oh my gosh", said Joan "Look at all that hair" Now, ladies, that is quite a sight that I will NEVER forget: The top of my baby’s head emerging from my vagina. It was both surreal and incredibly rewarding.

Giving birth in the tub was the dream birth I had been planning, so they filled up the tub with warm water and moved me into the deliciously, heavenly soothing bath. The water was so soothing that the pain was dulled. Joan needed more leverage to actually get the baby out, so she asked me to get on all fours. So, I moved to all fours, my ass in the air, ready to hear the baby. The baby slid out into the water! Joan pulled the baby up and from the water and Owen saw the baby face to face,upside down. I heard the baby crying, but I didn’t know if we had a boy or girl, yet.

All during labor, Joan had used the pronoun, "he" so it was funny to hear her say, "Oh, it’s a SHE!" They put a little cap on her and set her directly into my arms. We both sat in the tub staring at each other. She reached up and touched my face. I was in a blissful, cracked out state. I was holding MY baby! It was magnificent and overwhelming.

I would have paid someone not to have to push anymore, but the placenta came right out. They showed it to us. The cord was a brilliant white and deep purple- blue, and the placenta was just a mish-mash of knobby reds, crimsons and blues. Within a matter of minutes, they maneuvered me to the bed and put my baby next to me. We all watched in amazement as she latched on to my breast and began sucking like a champion! I was again blown away by this sublime event. She weighed in at 7lbs. 7oz., 20.5 inches. Now, two weeks after the birth, she is 8lbs. 3oz. which doesn’t surprise me because she eats ALL the time. I mean ALL the time.

Love to you all,
Michelle

Dear Jean,

WOW, where do I start? First, I thank God He led me to your place...His heaven on earth. Everything about the Birthing Center is so special to Troy and me. Your angels (staff) are wonderful. You folks are so special that I will forever speak great things of you. Thanks for making us feel like we were the only people having a baby. You meant so much to us and always will.

Love,
Angel, Troy, and baby Cabella

Twenty-six years ago, Roswitha Elisabeth Dowell was certified to be a midwife in Germany � where she was born and grew up �and she began assisting women in giving birth.  Today, Roswitha's background and experience provide a rich and welcome addition to the Austin Area Birthing Center as she begins her tenure as a full time midwife. 

            Roswitha is a familiar face at AABC � having assisted hundreds of families as a post partum caregiver for the past nine years.  Because her German midwifery license didn't transfer to America, she completed midwifery schooling here as well and is now certified in both countries. 

            "Midwifery is something I have always loved," she says.  "I always think that pregnancy and birth are miracles.  And, it's wonderful to believe in and work around miracles."

            After completing her midwifery certification in Germany, Roswitha studied voice and music, and received an additional degree in music.  A single mother with two young children at that time, she performed as an opera singer and taught voice lessons.  But, her life would completely change through a very long distance blind date.

            "A friend of mine in Germany told me he wanted me to meet a friend of his who was a Texan," she recalls.  "He thought we would hit it off because we both were opera singers and loved music.  I joked that we should meet."

            Meeting Joe Dowell proved to be no joke in Roswitha's life � he visited in Germany and by the time his six-month stay was over, the two were in love.  They married in Austin in 1996, but Roswitha had to return to Germany almost immediately.  It took a year for paperwork to be completed in order for her to join her husband in Austin.  She and Joe were reunited and were able to begin their lives together in November 1997.

            But performing opera and teaching voice were not really options anymore for Roswitha, as she spoke no English.

            "It is very hard to teach voice in a different language if you can not speak it," Roswitha explains.  "With singing it is all about pronouncing - and I could do that in German, but not in English."

            She found that because many medical terms are in Latin, she was able to understand birthing and midwifery writing and conversations and so she looked for work as a care provider until she could become more familiar with the language and certified in America.

            She started working as a post partum caregiver at AABC in June 1998 and began helping women in Austin following their births.  She began learning English very quickly and enjoyed her new life.  Her children � son Marian and daughter Clara � settled into life in Texas.  The couple had a child of their own � daughter Emma � in 2001.  She was delivered at home, attended by a midwife.

            Tragedy struck the Dowell home the next year when Roswitha's 15-year-old daughter Clara was diagnosed with leukemia and died.

            "She was the healthiest person you can imagine," she says.  "All of a sudden, she got a cold and it didn't go away.  It was terrible."

            Heartbroken, Roswitha still continued studying to complete her midwifery certification and working to provide support to mothers and babies after labor.  None of her hours of work as a midwife in Germany transferred, so she had essentially had to start all over again in the training process.  Faced with the devastating loss of her daughter and having to start from scratch in her certification, she continued to put in the hours required.

            She was happy to find out she was pregnant again and gave birth to another daughter � Lydia � in 2005.  Lydia was born at home � before the attending midwife could arrive.

            "I caught her myself in my own hands," Roswitha says.  "Joe was a little panicked, but it worked out fine and the midwife arrived soon afterward."

            Now, she and her husband and two young daughters live in Round Rock.  She visits her family in Germany � she was the attending midwife at her sister's birth � and her family often comes to the Austin area to visit. 

            Roswitha says she is looking forward to her full time midwifery work at AABC.

            "No birth is ever the same," she says.  "I personally love to work with each woman and look at her individual needs and help figure out what will best fit for her.  I want to help each mother have a birth that is memorable and is the birth they would like. The experience should be tailored to that woman and her family."

            The beautiful facility at AABC offers a great deal of options for the laboring mother, she says.

            "It is relaxing and beautiful," she says.  "And the tubs in each room are nice.  Water is such a helpful tool in birthing."

            On a recent Saturday, Roswitha assisted three mothers who were birthing at the same time.  Water was helping and soothing to them all, she says.

            "I stay in tune with what every mother is needing, giving them the freedom to labor," she says.  "I want them to choose how they labor and support them every way I can."

            When Roswitha isn't supporting birthing mothers or mothering her own young daughters, she enjoys reading � especially mystery novels.

            "Our house looks like a library with books everywhere," she laughs.  "I love getting lost in a good book."

            Still, it is motherhood and working with mothers that brings her complete satisfaction.

            "You chose the profession you want and if you are lucky, you can have it," she says.  "I am lucky."