Austin Birthing Center

Each of Austin Area Birthing Center’s two locations has three large birthing tubs that our moms often find as a great way to relax during labor, while about a third of our clients choose to have water births for their baby. AABC pioneered water birthing in Central Texas and have more experience with it than any other practice in the area. To ensure that our moms get a virtually endless supply of hot water for the tubs, we have multiple industrial-size water heaters in each center. He’s a shot of the three tanks at our William Cannon Location.

For more information on water birth, call us at 346-3224.

Since opening six years ago, AABC’s Duval Rd. location has had among its three beautiful birthing suites the stylish Santa Fe room. Owner Jean Stokes and designer Billy Kuykendahl have collaborated once again to transform that suite to the Spanish-themed Barcelona Room.

Check out a photo gallery of the new room on AABC’s Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/editaccount.php#!/album.php?id=84706209118&aid=300959

Although six years is not a really long time considering how old the City Santa Fe is, we decided that
our Duval location could use a fresh update following the popularity of the trendy new Austin ABC South.
We didn’t want our moms at the original location to feel left out…so…the new Barcelona room is fast becoming
beautiful.

The pink clay-colored walls that have seen thousands of births became periwinkle blue. The pine furniture was OUT the door and found itself in the bedrooms of our midwives’ kids.  A large European antique wardrobe and bed were IN. Here is a photo of the tile guys wrapping gorgeous glass tile around the birthing tub. Our moms were happy to see we also added handles to the tubs to make the second stage of labor easier. Check back soon to see the newest room at Austin Area Birthing Center.

Eating the Placenta After Giving Birth – Is It Tasty OR Taboo?
By enslavedbyfaeries <http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/enslavedbyfaeries>

Ewww, Why Do People Eat Placenta?

Eating human body parts may be considered taboo, but there are some people
who do consume the placenta after giving birth to their baby. Some cultures
believe that eating the placenta prevents postpartum depression and other
health problems that are associated with childbirth. Most mammals eat their
own placenta, which helps the mammary cells to eject the milk for the newborn
and also helps to clean and shrink the uterus after giving birth. Today,
most medical professionals agree that there is no medical reason for well-
nourished mothers to eat their baby’s placenta, but some do believe that it
holds the medicinal power, vitamins, minerals and perfectly balanced
hormones to help the mother recover from childbirth and avoid the postpartum
“baby blues”. If you are too squeamish to eat the placenta it can even be
dried and encapsulated  <http://www.squidoo.com/eat-human-placenta> as a
nutritional supplement.

Our own Vicki Meinhardt performs this service for interested clients. Phone
our South location to speak with Vicki.

Austin ABC has achieved a milestone in its 24 year history by becoming the only birthing center in Central Texas that is nationally accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC).

The American Association of Birth Centers established the CABC in 1985 as an independent authority after more than a decade of evaluating the quality of birth center services, promoting the development of national guidelines for licensure, reviewing state regulations for birth centers and exploring and evaluating the programs of other accrediting agencies. Austin ABC worked for nearly a year to prepare for the CABC’s three-day inspection. We are so very proud to have received this distinction!

Your News Now (YNN) Channel 8 reporter Jennifer Borget visited AABC South in late January to do a feature on birthing centers. Check out the video here:
http://austin.ynn.com/content/health/health_works/276488/health-works–birthing-centers-offer-best-of-both-worlds

Here’s an email from Marcy Alonzo-Fisher, whose son Elijah was the first baby to be delivered at AABC’s new South Austin location:

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Marcy Alonzo-Fisher
Date: Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:38 PM
Subject: Pictures
To: jstokes@austinabc.com

Jean,

You will never know how fortunate Wes and I feel to have found you guys. From our first pregnancy to this one you guys have made us feel like family by providing support, encouragement, knowledge and over all love. I will never understand why other mommies choose to have hospital births when they can experience what we do at AABC.

Wes and I have noticed that you have an ‘eye’ for hiring the perfect people from the front of the house to the back everyone on staff has that twinkle in their eye and that passion for what they do. Way to go!

We are excited that Elijah Joaquin was the 1st baby born at the south location, I guess he was determined to do it whether I wanted to or not. And we are super proud to say that we have birthed at all 3 AABC locations! If there is anything we can ever do for you guys count us in! We will give tours, answer phones whatever to promote a ‘beautiful birth experience’.

From the bottom of our hearts thank you!
Marcy & Wes

AABC opened its beautiful new South Austin facility on Labor Day 2010 and had its first birth there the next day. AABC South offers the same excellent care and attention as our original North Austin center but with a look and feel that celebrates the culture and arts that make South Austin unique. Call us at 512-243-8066 to schedule a tour.

We offer extremely low cost ultrasound here at AABC for our mothers and for the birthing community, including early dating scans, 20 week diagnostic scans, nuchal fold, biophysical profiles for overdue moms, etc.
We are using a local OB ultrasound tech with 30 years experience and all diagnostic scans are read by a board-certified radiologist. We have very little wait for appointment times!

Learn MORE
http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/

Call us today for an appointment: (512) 346 – 3224