Photo by Melissa Driggers Photography
Premier Birth Center Chantilly | 16 Informative Questions for Expecting Moms
With the popularity of birth centers on the rise, Premier Birth Center Chantilly is a great option for your own birth journey with its four luxurious birthing suites and amazing staff members. As a Northern Virginia maternity and newborn photographer, I often have conversations with women about pregnancy and birth, so I took some time to curate some questions that majority of moms might ask when interviewing birth centers. I hope that these are helpful to you in prequalifying Premier Birth Center Chantilly as an option for you. Make sure to go check it out in person because it really is an absolutely beautiful space!
Q&A with Premier Birth Center
Is Premier Birth Center licensed and accredited?
Yes, the birth center is licensed and accredited.
Are the midwives at Premier Birth Center certified and licensed to practice in Virginia?
Yes, the midwives are all certified and licensed in Virginia.
Do you offer prenatal classes of any kind, and if so, what are they?
We do not directly offer any classes, but we do have classes held at our center by an instructor for childbirth education.
How long do prenatal visits usually last and who would moms be seeing at each visit?
Our prenatal visits last 30 minutes to an hour. The midwives rotate between the clients so that the clients are comfortable with all of the midwives.
What schedule of prenatal visits do you recommend, and what happens during those visits?
Our clients come every 4 weeks from 12-28 weeks, every 2 weeks from 28-36 weeks and then every week until delivery. During prenatals, the midwives talk to the clients about their health/mental health, their birth plan, preferences they have during labor as well as the physical part of the visit. They take the client’s blood pressure, measure their belly and listen to fetal heart tones.
Do the midwives provide continuous support during labor?
Yes, the midwives and nurses are in the room majority of the time supporting the mom and taking vitals and listening to fetal heart tones.
How do you monitor the well-being of the baby during labor?
We monitor them by fetal heart tones as well as communicating to the mother about fetal movements.
What drug-free measures for pain relief are available for a mom’s use?
We have large tubs in each of our birthing rooms for the moms to use to help with pain. Having a doula is also a benefit because they know certain positions and techniques to use to help with pain relief.
What if a mom decides she wants an epidural?
We typically try and give her encouragement and other pain relief before transferring to the hospital.
What problems or complications in labor or after birth would require a mom to transfer to a hospital?
Low or high heart rate of the baby. Placental abruption.
Under what circumstances would the baby need to be transferred to a hospital?
If the baby is not breathing, having trouble breathing or is taking too long to come around, we would call 911 immediately and transfer the baby.
What percentage of births at Premier Birth Center involve an emergency transfer?
This year to date, we have not had any emergency transfers. In 2021 we had one emergency transfer.
What newborn care is routinely provided after birth if a baby is healthy?
They let mom and baby get acclimated. They help with breastfeeding, they do a newborn exam which includes; weighing, measuring for height and head circumference, giving any medications the parents request, taking the baby’s temperature and checking for any abnormalities.
Do you provide breastfeeding support after birth? What kind?
Yes, the midwives and nurses will help the mom/baby if they need it. If it is beyond the basics, we refer out to a lactation consultant.
How long is the maximum stay after birth?
Typically our clients stay 4-6 hours after birth if everything went smoothly.
What follow-up care and support do you provide after mom and baby go home?
Mom and baby get a 24-48 hour home visit, a 2 week office visit and a 6 week office visit.
Premier Birth Center Chantilly
A very big thank you to Mary Driggers, Office Manager, and Katie Black, Director of Nursing, at Premier Birth Center for taking the time to answer my questions! If you are expecting and interested in finding out more about my maternity and newborn photography services, I would love to chat!
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As a Northern Virginia photographer and fellow mom, I felt there was a need for a safe, supportive, and drama free space for moms and moms-to-be to come together and support one another through the crazy lives we live as moms. Come join us and chat all things motherhood, pregnancy, and more!
