Natural Beginnings Birth Center Suites Now Open to Patients

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (May 17, 2017): Expecting mothers who might have previously chosen to have a home birth can now have their natural birth at Atrium Medical Center, which offers a home-like setting in one of two newly-renovated private patient suites.

Natural Beginnings Birth Center is the first comprehensive natural birth center in greater Cincinnati to be located within an acute care hospital. The center is located inside Atrium Medical Center, a full-service hospital in Middletown. Two new natural birthing suites opened in May at Atrium and feature queen sized beds, built in jacuzzi tubs and more space for a family-friendly experience.

“Our patients are excited about the new birthing options now available to them in the Cincinnati area at Atrium Medical Center and staff are proud to respond to the needs and desires of our patients,” said Betty Love, associate chief nursing officer of Atrium Medical Center.

The Natural Beginnings Birth Center provides expecting mothers services to cope with labor without traditional interventions. It’s a unique service because of its holistic program of care. The new center offers a combination of labor-coping services to ease delivery, along with childbirth education classes before birth, options for ongoing education following delivery, certified nurse midwives on staff trained to care for mothers during pregnancy and childbirth, board-certified obstetricians, and labor and birth taking place in a private, home-like setting.

Skilled staff will assist expecting mothers to use labor coping methods such as movement, positioning and hydrotherapy (water) during labor and birth. Additional services offered at Natural Beginnings include: birthing balls, massage therapy and aromatherapy; doppler monitoring of baby’s heart beat; an environment fostering self-responsibility and family empowerment; family-centered care with non-separation of mother and newborn; and access to emergency medical care and a Level II Special Care Nursery, should complications arise.

The birth center also features a newly renovated family lounge to accommodate patient guests.

“The program is filling a need for mothers who want to have a unique experience to fulfill their individual birth plan,” said Dr. Rhonda Washington, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Atrium Medical Center and medical director of Natural Beginnings Birth Center. 

For more information, please visit https://www.atriummedcenter.org/NaturalBeginnings/ or call (513) 974-4291. Women interested in Natural Beginnings can enroll in the program by contacting their physician or midwife, or by calling (513) 974-4291.

In 2016, over 900 babies were born at Atrium Medical Center.

Atrium Medical Center is a full-service hospital and Level III Trauma Center located conveniently along the Interstate 75 corridor at exit 32, One Medical Center Drive in Middletown, between Cincinnati and Dayton. The hospital employs more than 1,500 people in full-time, part-time and on-call positions. Atrium is operated by the Dayton-based nonprofit Premier Health system.

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