Better Birth

I loved the prenatal care and especially my birth at Better Birth. Trenette was my midwife and was very respectful of my wishes. And when there was a small complication, she just took care of it without causing me stress or anxiety.

I gave birth to my first baby at Better Birth back in November and I couldn't be happier with my experience there! I was able to follow my birth plan and labor in a very peaceful birth room making it so special and unique. My husband was also very happy with his experience, he was very involved the whole time and was so grateful to be included in the birth process to the extent that he was. It was important for us both to be in an environment where my body and opinion was respected while still having the expertise of the midwives to keep me and my baby safe in and out of the birth center and Better Birth provides just that.

My wife just delivered our 4th child today and I was so impressed with Better Birth. Trinette and Mini were amazing and attentive to my wife and new daughter. They were well skilled and competent. I would highly recommend Better Birth.

I loved my experience with BetterBirth. This was my first baby, so I was a little nervous initially, but the midwives completely put my mind at ease. I always felt like my wants and needs were heard, and I was never forced into a procedure because that was what I was "supposed" to do. They always explained every process, and they answered every one of my questions expertly and patiently (and I had a lot of them!). When I finally went into labor, the midwives and students gave me such great support. They helped create a calm and quiet environment while making sure that my baby and I were always perfectly safe. I always felt like I was in such good hands. I'm so grateful that my first birthing experience was able to be as good as it was. I fully recommend them, and I know that I will be back with baby #2!

I recently had a baby at Better Birth. It was an amazing experience! The midwives were wonderful. I received excellent prenatal care. I loved the time they spent with me at each visit, talking about whatever pregnancy/birth issues I wanted. It was never rushed and I never had to wait more than five minutes for my appointment. Each midwife and student midwife was sensitive, caring, and knowledgeable. They were respectful and not intrusive. I was given a lot more privacy and dignity at Better Birth than at the OB I went to with my first child.

The birth center felt like home (they also do home births). I loved the big bed and the tub where I had a water birth. I really appreciated the kitchen and being able to eat and drink as wanted. Everything was so clean and comfortable. I also appreciated their very reasonable prices (much much cheaper than a hospital birth!).

My favorite thing about Better Birth: They focus on letting moms decide what they want for their birth—they don’t force you into following “standard procedure” like doctors and hospitals do. You are in control of your own birth—they are there to support you. I loved being surrounded by people I knew and was comfortable with during my labor and birth. It was so nice to never have anyone think I was crazy for wanting a natural birth. My birth was perfect…exactly how I wanted it. They took amazing care of me and my baby. I wish every woman could have as good of an experience with their births as I had at Better Birth. I totally recommend them!

I was referred to Better Birth by a friend who had given birth their with their 2nd child. She had said it was a wonderful experience, but sadly, I did not have a wonderful experience. This being my first baby, I didn't know what to expect from my body or from my midwives. Up to this point in my prenatal care, I had only had one negative experience with one midwife but that was it. They were a little lacking on information for my preference, but I just figured that was the way it was.



When my water broke, I knew instantly that was what had happened. I called the hotline and explained to the student what had happened. I knew it was my water breaking because it was very slick and running down my leg and I couldn't stop it. When the student heard, she said I probably hadn't gone into labor and that it was probably just from the activities that my husband and I had just had. (wink, wink). I told her no, it wasn't because I know what it feels like after being intimate, and this was not like that at all. They finally said I should come in at 4 and they would test the liquid to see if it was indeed amniotic fluid. So we started out on a bad foot because I felt like they didn't believe me and that I needed to convince them that I was in labor. They checked it and it was amniotic fluid. They sent me home until it was 5-1-1. Five mintues apart one minute long for at least one hour.



We went back at midnight because my contractions had sped up considerably and were the 5-1-1. They checked me and the midwife was fine, but the student was HORRIBLE! It hurt considerably and I didn't want her to touch me again, but I didn't feel like I could tell her to leave me alone. I was at a 2 80% effaced and they wanted to send me home. At this point my contractions were so bad that I couldn't speak or move through them. There was no way I was going home. My mother, husband and myself told them I wasn't going home, so they can just get things ready. I felt like there was a complete lack of warmth or kindness from any of the women attending to me. They felt put-upon because I was in labor.



Over the next few hours, they would come in, check things then leave, but wouldn't tell us anything. It was extremely frustrating! They made me stay in one particularly horrible position because my son had moved and was now in the wrong position. I was in that position for HOURS! I was in so much pain, I had mentally checked out of the birth. It was so painful I couldn't think or even breath sometimes. During this time, they did nothing to help, just told me to lower my voice to my chest because it would help with the pain.



When it came to pushing, they did help get my son out. No coaching, but they were there for support, but that was the only time during the birth. When my son came out, something happened and I was bleeding excessivly. They cut the cord quickly then moved me to the ground to help stop the bleeding. I don't remember much from this time because I later found out I lost 2 units of blood. 2 UNITS of BLOOD and they didn't transfer me to the hospital or even gave me a saline drip or anything. I had to ask the midwife how much blood I lost, she didn't tell me. I felt so shaky and out of it but I had no idea that was a side effect of loosing so much blood.



Finally, they don't really tell you hardly anything about taking care of the baby in those first few days. Like that they would sleep most of the time during those first few days. I thought there was something wrong with my son because he was sleeping ALL THE TIME and didn't want to eat.



Overall, do not go to them. Check out The Birth Center on 5100 S in SLC if you're looking for a place to give birth naturally. THEY ARE AMAZING, while Better Birth was HORRIBLE!

My hope is that my experience was out of the norm, but sadly, it was a negative one. My husband and I decided to have our son naturally, liked the idea of delivering outside of a hospital, and were also trying to be cost conscious about birthing expenses. This led us to Better Birth, and more specifically the Student Midwife Program. I worked with Better Birth from the time I was about 12 weeks until I delivered at 40 weeks. The prenatal care was fantastic and both the certified midwives and the students exuded confidence and knowledge. As my pregnancy progressed, I would have questions that I would need to call about and always got prompt responses to them. Everything was wonderful. I was excited to deliver there. Then the big day came. I went into labor. Once contractions reached 3-5 minutes apart, I went into Better Birth in hopes of delivering within a few hours and bringing home my baby boy.



When I got to the birthing center, I was surprised to find that I only knew one of the 4 people attending my birth.... I understand I opted for the student program, but I never imagined delivering with 100% strangers. Worse yet, the one midwife I knew and really liked and trusted (Sarah) spent most of her time outside the room. I was left with a Certified Nurse Midwife that I had never met and 2 students I had never met. It left me completely afraid. Worse still is the HUGE lack of communication between myself and the midwives/students. Once I hit the point of transitioning, and even when I was checked, I was never told how far I was dilated or how effaced I was (Ok, once when they sent me home at 4cm, and once more when they asked me to switch positions to speed labor). This left me completely in the dark and staring at a clock watching hours and hours of contractions and intensifying pain go by without having any idea how close I was to delivering my baby. Well, in the end, I had been in hard/transition labor for so long (well, 6 hours was long to me) that I was exhausted and still had no idea how long I had to go....and then my son's heart rate dropped. After being hauled down the stairs naked and on a sheet (the did cover me with a second sheet) I delivered at St Mark's hospital probably less than 15 minutes after arriving with a doctor that was kind, but pissed at me for attempting to deliver in a midwife center and upset at the center for sending me in like that. Based on my prenatal care with Better Birth, I think they had potential to offer a wonderful birthing experience, however because of my delivery experience I will NEVER be returning to deliver there again.



P.S. Be aware that if you go into labor with the midwives there, even if you don't deliver with them, they keep the total cost of the anticipated delivery. In my case that was $1,600. It's clearly marked in their paperwork and we didn't fight it, but just so others are aware...



** P.S. I sent a letter to Better Birth detailing what a traumatic experience I had while in their care back in July and have not received an apology or even any kind of acknowledgement about my horrid experience. I'll be sure to steer people clear of Better Birth from now on! **

We wanted to do a water birth, everything was going well and then our baby wasn't progressing about a centimeter above "crowning". They said they do episiotomys, instead they transferred us to a hospital in our own car where we had an episiotomy and our baby was out 15 minutes later.



I feel like all they really care about is money and have no sense of customer service or an attitude willing to help you. It's them against you.



Complaints:

1- they could have done the episiotomy and finished it instead of incurring us $4,000 in hospital bills

2- you need to pay everything up front and then they tell you they don't do any refunds whatsoever

2- they told us they had a transport, then we got in our own car to drive to the hospital

3- the midwives act like they know everything until you actually start labour

4- if you're doing hypnobirthing, just so you know they coach you to push and squat and do whatever you can to push the baby out