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Ribbon Cutting with Borough President Eric Adams!

On October 28th, we hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the opening of our breast milk donation depot for Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast (MMBNE)! We were joined by local obstetricians, midwives, doulas, La Leche League leaders, lactation consultants, a NICU nurse at Maimonides Medical Center (our transfer hospital and a recipient of donor milk from Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast), and Borough President Eric Adams!

For more information about our partnership with Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, please see our  June press release. For photos from our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, please see below!

BBC Family at Ribbon Cutting, 10.28.15

Dr. Guirguis, Dr. Veridiano, Borough President Eric Adams, NYC MMBNE Outreach Coordinator Amber Star-Merkens, and Director of Midwifery Linda Gaglioti in one of our birthing suites.

Amber speaking, 10.28.15

Amber Star-Merkens of Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, speaking about the need for donor milk for preterm and medically fragile infants.

Dara Barnett, 10.28.15

Dara Barnett, RN, IBCLC, on the role of donor milk in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Maimonides Medical Center.

Ribbon Cutting, 10.28.15

Borough President Eric Adams, a generous milk donor, and members of the BBC and MMBNE team cutting our ribbon.

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Our First Donation for Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast!

Milk DonorWe just received our first donation for Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast! A Brooklyn mom generously donated 100 ounces of pumped breast milk. This milk will be processed by Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast, and then distributed to hospital NICUs throughout the region, where preterm and medically fragile infants will enjoy the health benefits of human milk.

As a donation depot, Brooklyn Birthing Center receives, stores, and ships donor milk for Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast. We hope that by providing this service, we can make it easier for Brooklyn-area families to donate milk.

Milk

If you are interested in becoming a donor, please check out this link. The enrollment process includes a phone interview and a quick blood test, which we can complete in our office. Approved donors can contact the milk bank to request free shipping materials, or simply drop milk off at Brooklyn Birthing Center. If a baby you love needs donor milk, click here to learn more.

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BBC is now a Donation Depot for Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast!

Brooklyn Birthing Center and Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast (MMBNE) are pleased to announce the opening of a new human milk bank depot, located at Brooklyn Birthing Center in Brooklyn, New York.

A milk bank collects milk from mothers who have more milk than their babies need, then screens, pasteurizes, and tests the milk, and dispenses it primarily to premature and sick babies whose mothers do not have enough milk. The new milk depot, a donor milk collection site, is located at Brooklyn Birthing Center (2183 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn, NY). Mothers from Brooklyn and beyond will now be able to drop off their milk at the depot for shipment to Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast.

“We are so honored to be part of this amazing program. Donor milk saves the lives of the most fragile of humans, and we applaud all of the wonderful women who so generously donate,” commented Adina Lerer, RN, IBCLC, Director of Lactation Services at Brooklyn Birthing Center. “We are thrilled that we have the opportunity to collect milk from the women of Brooklyn and pass it along to protect our babies. Thank you, Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, for allowing us to be part of this process.”

Naomi Bar-Yam, Ph.D., Executive Director of MMBNE, remarked, “We encourage mothers who have milk to share to consider donating it. The presence of a milk depot in Brooklyn will increase awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and donating milk. Donor mothers find the experience of donating very special, and we hope that the depot will provide an opportunity for mothers to network with one another about this unique, lifesaving gift.”

Milk donor screening, modeled after blood donor screening, includes health history, physician approval, and blood test. These are some of the many measures taken to assure the safety of milk for the fragile premature and sick babies served by MMBNE and the hospitals who use the milk. Breast milk from mothers who pass the screening is also pasteurized and tested by an independent lab to ensure safety before being dispensed to hospitals or families.

Donor milk can be lifesaving for preterm infants. It is especially protective against a life-threatening condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which affects one in ten of the smallest preterm infants. Donor breast milk is estimated to lower the risk of this condition by 79%. It also lowers hospital costs by reducing costs for care and shortening hospital stays.

Donor milk is rapidly becoming the standard supplement to mothers’ milk for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This has led to greater demand for safe pasteurized donor human milk from nonprofit milk banks like MMBNE that are certified by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). MMBNE has been screening donors, pasteurizing milk, and dispensing to over 40 hospitals in 10 states plus the District of Columbia, and to families throughout the Northeastern United States, since 2011.

In New York alone, MMBNE provides milk to 12 hospitals, including three in New York City that have started offering donor milk within the past month— Maimonides Infants and Children’s Hospital in Brooklyn and NYU Langone Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan. Since 2012, 326 New York mothers have donated milk to MMBNE, including 35 from Brooklyn alone. The new depot will make it easier than ever for Brooklyn mothers to provide the lifesaving gift of donor milk.

Mothers who wish to donate milk can review guidelines on the Milk Bank website, www.milkbankne.org/donate, then contact a Donor Intake Coordinator for screening at 212-993-1566 or donate@milkbankne.org. Approved donors can then arrange to drop off milk at the new depot by e-mailing Rachel Anne Libon at rachelanne@brooklynbirthingcenter.com.

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New Websites, New Logos, New Look!

The following is an excerpt from our November e-newsletter. To sign up to receive our (low volume) newsletter, please click here.

Dear Friends of the Brooklyn Midwifery Group and Brooklyn Birthing Center,

Have you noticed our new look? Brooklyn Birthing Center has a brand new logo and an updated website! We also recently launched a new website for our provider group, Brooklyn Midwifery Group. Why the separate website? While our midwives are best known for providing prenatal care and attending deliveries at the birthing center, we wanted to highlight the fact that our midwives also offer routine gynecological care and family planning. Please visit the new Brooklyn Midwifery Group website for more information, including office hours and directions.

We are also very pleased to announce the birth of Brooklyn Lactation Group’s website! This site features detailed information about our breastfeeding support services, which are available to all new and expecting parents. The best part? We accept most insurance plans for lactation visits. Check out Brooklyn Lactation Group’s Resources page for information about insurance coverage under the ACA, legal protections for breastfeeding moms, educational hand-outs, recommended websites, and more!

Last but not least, we renovated and redecorated our birthing center! Brooklyn Birthing Center now boasts two large suites with private tubs, a cozy postpartum suite, a updated family room with a pull-out couch, and an redecorated classroom:

   

   

The original artwork adorning our walls was generously donated by the friends and family of the late Chris Twomey. Ms. Twomey’s mixed-media meditations on birth, babies, and motherhood are a perfect fit for BBC. We are honored to showcase Ms. Twomey’s work and help to preserve her legacy.

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Why Birth Centers Matter: An Amazing Testimonial From a New Mom

Here at Brooklyn Birthing Center, we have been working with other advocates to improve legislation for freestanding birthing centers in New York state. For more information and action alerts, please see our most recent e-newsletter!

When we asked the experts- our fabulous mamas- to weigh in on why New York state needs more freestanding birthing centers, we received this AMAZING testimonial from a new mom. Thanks for sharing your story, Anne!

“To say that I am grateful for the birthing experience that I had at the Brooklyn Birthing Center does not adequately describe my feelings. When my husband and I found out we were expecting we immediately began searching for the kind of care provider and facility that would allow us to have the natural birth experience that we were looking for. We were not quite ready for a home birth but knew that we preferred to not be in a hospital setting. After some research, I was so excited to find the Brooklyn Birthing Center, and was, honestly, quite surprised that it was really the only option available. 

The prenatal care I received there was personal, thorough, and informative. I appreciated the midwives hands-on approach and the time they spent getting to know me and my wants and fears surrounding birth. By the time my third trimester rolled around, I felt very comfortable at the practice and with all staff members that I came in contact with. The atmosphere at the center felt safe and welcoming instead of sterile and cold, like some hospitals that we toured. 

On the day I went into labor I was in touch with the midwife on call throughout the day as I labored at home. When I arrived at the birth center it was a bit of a blur, I was coming into my 10th hour of labor and was really working hard. The midwife and birth assistants brought such a calm energy and their presence and knowledge made be feel at ease as I worked through my contractions. I won’t go into all the details of the birth but I will tell you that it was the most amazing and beautiful experience of my life. I was blessed to have an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth and I am so thankful that I was able to deliver in a setting that supported me and believed in me and the kind of birth experience that I wanted to have. 

My perfect baby boy was delivered in the water and given to me right away. We were able to stay skin to skin through most of the exam and while I delivered the placenta. My husband and I were able to stay together and sleep in the room with the newest member of our family. We were given time to just stare at this perfect baby that just came into our lives. 

So, yes, I am grateful for my experience at the Brooklyn Birthing Center. I am also very certain that I would not have had the same experience at a hospital. For this reason I hope that the birth center option becomes available to more women and partners who are interested in having a low intervention, safe, medical yet homey environment to bring babies into the world. Birth is a natural process and a birth center allows that process to happen on its own time, in its own way.

Thank you, BBC!” -Anne Klar

 

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Spring Into Action for New York Birthing Centers!

The following is an excerpt from our most recent e-newsletter. To sign up for monthly e-mail updates, click here.

Dear Friends of the Brooklyn Midwifery Group and Brooklyn Birthing Center,

It looks like all those April (and May) showers are paying off- spring is in full bloom! We just hope the sun decides to peek out during this holiday weekend. We are also hoping you will take a moment to spring into action (see what we did there?) for birthing centers in New York!

A new piece of legislation called the Midwifery Birth Center Bill is on the table. This bill endeavors to support midwife-led birthing centers, but does not address the many unique legal obstacles to opening freestanding birthing facilities in New York state. We need to let the decision-makers know that we need a more comprehensive bill if we want birthing centers to flourish in New York! Please sign this petition, and follow the New York State Alliance for Birth Centers on Facebook and Twitter for updates! 

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Brooklyn Midwifery Group Welcomes 3 New Midwives!

In order to meet the growing demand for midwifery care, we have added three more midwives to our team! Please help us welcome Christiane McCloskey, CM, Katherine Roeltgen, CNM, and Denine Polen, CNM, FNP. These three fantastic midwives bring an incredible wealth of experience to our practice, and we are thrilled to have them on board. Check out our Staff page to learn more about our midwives and staff members!

For more information and updates, please check out our February e-newsletter. You can subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter here.

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2013 in Review- plus, La Leche League Meetings!

The following is an excerpt from our December newsletter. To view the full newsletter, click here. To sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, click here.

2013 has been a pivotal year for Brooklyn Birthing Center! We dramatically expanded our birthing center and our staff, began offering on-site counseling and prenatal classes, joined the nationwide Strong Start Initiative, made strides toward becoming a designated Baby-Friendly Facility, and made headlines when we welcomed our 1,000th baby! We want to express our gratitude to all our clients- we achieved these milestones because of your support!

And now for some more exciting news: we will be hosting a monthly La Leche League meeting beginning in January! This is a great opportunity for new and expecting parents to socialize, support one another, and learn more about breastfeeding, postpartum health, and baby care.

The first La Leche Meeting at Brooklyn Birthing Center will be held on Monday, January 27th, from 7 PM – 8 PM. The meeting is free and open to women interested in breastfeeding, partners, and babies! LLL meetings at BBC will be facilitated by Jennifer Leopold, IBCLC, LMSW, and La Leche League Leader with La Leche League of Marine Park  / Madison.

Jennifer is also available for private consultations- click here for more information, and check out our calendar for future La Leche League meeting dates!  
 

 

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1,000th Baby Born at Brooklyn Birthing Center!

Today a team of hard-working midwives delivered the 1,000th baby born at Brooklyn Birthing Center, the only freestanding birthing center in the New York metro area. The 7-pound, 13.5-ounce baby girl, Lillian Bramblett, was born to proud parents Kaitlyn and TJ at 1:19 PM.

Located in the Midwood neighborhood, Brooklyn Birthing Center (BBC) is staffed by the Brooklyn Midwifery Group, a small team of experienced Certified Nurse-Midwives. The midwives have full privileges at Maimonides Medical Center and are able to attend deliveries in a hospital setting; however, most low-risk clients opt to deliver in the home-like birthing suites at Brooklyn Birthing Center. 

Baby Lillian was delivered by Aki Shishido, CNM, with the help of Andrea Diamond, CNM; Maggie Torrance, Birth Assistant and Clinical Manager; and Linda Gaglioti, also a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Brooklyn Birthing Center’s Director of Midwifery. Ms. Gaglioti said, “It was such an honor to take part in this important milestone. We look forward to serving many more women and families for years to come.”

According to Fran Schwartz, CEO, Brooklyn Birthing Center’s clientele has grown dramatically in recent years. “More and more families are researching their options and choosing natural deliveries at a birth center when the moms are healthy and low-risk,” she observed, “Our clients play an active role in their health care— they want to feel empowered by their birth experiences.”

For healthy, low-risk mothers, there are many advantages to delivering at BBC. Friends and family members are welcome in BBC’s roomy birthing suites. Expectant mothers are free to eat, drink, walk, and labor in a variety of positions— many choose to alleviate labor pains by soaking in BBC’s birthing pool. Clients receive highly individualized care, and newborns always remain with their mothers— preferably skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest, to facilitate breastfeeding and bonding.

In addition to caring for pregnant women and attending deliveries, the Brooklyn Midwifery Group offers well-woman visits and family planning. The group also partners with social workers, lactation consultants, and a home visit nurse in order to provide holistic prenatal and postpartum care.

Brooklyn Birthing Center is a participant in the Strong Start Initiative, a nation-wide program to prevent preterm births. BBC is also working toward becoming a Baby-Friendly Facility, a designation that ensures the highest standard of breastfeeding support. BBC hosts a variety of classes for expecting parents, and plans to begin hosting La Leche League meetings later this fall.  

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Beautiful Testimonial from a New Mom!

The following is an excerpt of a beautiful testimonial written by a new mother who delivered at BBC in April. We are so proud of our newest Staff Midwife, Gail Raymon, for inspiring this lovely letter! This is exactly the kind of story that makes us all feel so fortunate to work at Brooklyn Birthing Center!

Just one week ago, I was in such excruciating pain during 17 hours of active labor that I thought I would never meet my daughter. I feared I would never see the face of the stirring, kicking presence inside of me. I was afraid the only noise I would ever hear her make was the sound of her racing heart on the Doppler: a stampede of horses reassuring me that she was okay. This uncertainty- this fear- would have enveloped me were it not for my wonderful midwife, Gail. She helped me chase away the dark thoughts and usher in hope and reassurance. When it seemed I had hit bottom and couldn’t continue, she held my hand, looked into my eyes and said with a gentle smile, ‘Today is your daughter’s birthday.’ 

The quiet strength that Gail carries with her is exactly what I needed to get my through the birth of my first child… During labor, Gail was stern with me when I needed firm directives and soothing and maternal when I needed to be reminded that everything would be okay. She instantly learned the names of my “birthing team” (my husband, mom and sister) and continued to check in with them to make sure they were taking care of themselves as well as letting them know the ways they could best assist me… 

Although I couldn’t express it while I was in labor, I needed to be reminded of my own strength. I needed to be acknowledged for the hard work I had already done. Gail breathed power and self-confidence into me. My husband, mom and sister followed suit. As the minutes before my baby was born felt like pain-searing hour upon hour, Gail reassured me that I was more than capable of bringing my daughter into this world. She was right (of course). Despite my worst fears, [my daughter] was born at 7:14 pm on April 14th, 2013 at 6 lbs 14 oz. As I held her to my chest for the first time, studied her precious face and listening to the sound of her steady breathing, I remember looking up through tear-filled eyes and telling Gail how glad I was that she was the one who had guided me through it all. She took my hand and swallowed back some tears of her own as she replied, “It was my absolute honor.”