Natural child birth in LA?

October 20, 2009 12:38 PM

Birthing Centers and Midwives in Los Angeles?

My wife and I are having a baby in February, 2010.

We have decided we would like to have as natural a childbirth as possible and avoid issues and complications that often arise from chemically assisted child birth. We also want to have access to a hospital setting in case of an emergency.

It appears to us that the only place in Los Angeles to accomplish this is at UCLA Medical Center. Everyone we have asked refers to the now defunct Hollywood Birthing Center and that many of the mid wives from that place are now at UCLA.

It is bizarre how difficult it has been to get some direct feedback about this. I have done a fair amount of research on my own and I thought I would extend an invitation to the hive mind on the topic.

We are looking for guidance, thoughts, help and friendly encouragement on the topic of natural child birth in this City of Angels.

posted by silsurf to health & fitness (3 comments total)

I don't have any specific recs but you might give a call to the Pump Station in Santa Monica. They seem pretty in-the-know on all things baby in the LA area. I'm sure the lactation consultants there would know the birthing scene fairly well.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 1:17 PM on October 20

I had my son at Natural Childbirth Institute in 1991, then in Culver City. I remember that it moved a few years later, and now I'm not finding it online. Frowny face. That place was awesome. I got to do my own urinalysis!

Your Bradley teacher, I am sure, would be able to give you some info on local birthing options, or the local La Leche League.
posted by Methylviolet at 4:13 PM on October 20

Note that there's UCLA and then there's also Santa Monica UCLA (recently renovated, located around 15th Street), the latter being a bit more hippie-ish. I gave birth there (but with interventions galore, as desired -- I was induced and had an epidural) and the nurses were all super-nice and from what I learned at the pre-birth tour, they are supportive of as much or as little intervention as you feel you want. I would definitely give their "BirthPlace" program there a call.

Beware of some of the natural childbirth places in LA that are actually fronts for Scientology recruiting centers, which will attempt to guilt trip your wife into having "silent births" and all that. I don't know exact names, although I've read stories online...
posted by Asparagirl at 11:41 PM on October 20