Need Help Finding a Hospital/center to Deliver in North Dallas.

Under State of Texas Department of State Health Services rules, hospitals are expressly prohibited from operating a birthing center or representing that they operate a birthing center. There is a growing problem across Texas of hospitals, OB/GYN practices, and home birth midwives advertising themselves as birth centers and even expressly calling their maternity practices a "birth center" or "birthing center".

To read the entire State of Texas rules governing birthing centers, go here:

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?t...

Aliza Chakaiban @ Allen Presby is a midwife in a hospital. She works under Dr Lawrence Pierce who is the backup doc for the Allen birthing center. She delivered my second baby. Allen Presby has a room with a tub and I was able to labor and tried to deliver in the water. I have a friend who is due any day now and she is going to bring her own birthing tub to Allen Presby and Aliza is her midwife. office number: ###-###-####, office address: 1105 Central Expwy #380, Allen TX 75013. Congratulations and good luck on your search.

My obgyn office has a midwife on staff for those who want an unmedicated birth. Their office is in Lewisville Medical Center. I'm not sure about the water birthing option and, I'm sure, all hospitals have have regulations they must follow with regards to a birthing plan, but you could give them a call and find out the details. I had both my children at this hospital and had no problems.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

I just gave birth 3 months ago at Allen Birthing Center and it was everything I had wanted. I always wanted a natural water birth and I was fortunate to get it. The birthing center is very close to Allen Presby just in case you needed to be transferred and as mentioned here Dr Pirece is their back up OB GYN and Aliza Chaikban is a midwife practicing with him. Aliza is amazing and has had many water births at Allen Presby though she cannot guarantee it especially if this is your first pregnancy whereas at the birth you will get it if it is what you want. I have to say that laboring in water is fantastic to help with the pain. Sometimes women want a waterbirth but find that when it is time they can't stand the water so be prepared for all scenarios.

Heather Caudell from Lewisville does not do water birth. However Cecily Floyd from Women's Alliance at Baylor Down town is a midwife and I have heard great things about her and will do water births.

Also Stacey Hutchins is a wonderful Bradley Method Instructor and holds her classes at the Allen Birthing Center. She is not just a teacher, she goes above and beyond and anyone who has been her student will tell you this as well.

Good luck with everything. If you need any help or info please feel free to send me an email as I did spend a lot of time researching all of the above when I was looking to give birth.

I'm sorry that I personally don't know the answer, but I would definitely start talking to midwives to get those answers you seek. The midwives would know which hospitals are natural-friendly.

Besides, if you pick out a hospital, you might not be able to choose from all midwives; whereas if you pick a midwife that meets your needs (one who understands that you may choose to use medication etc), she can then direct you to a particular hospital.

I took a Bradley method birth class and was determined to go natural; my water broke 30 hours before my son was born and I found that I did not have the capacity for pain that I expected. I did end up having an epidural, and beat myself up about it because I thought my teacher would think badly of me. Then someone pointed out that "You're taking home a baby, not a medal." (Meaning, it's about having a healthy baby and being able to look back on a good birth experience, not about "winning" the "i had the most natural birth" contest.)

In retrospect, I am extremely glad that I gave birth in a hospital and had that option open to me. I ended up with an epidural when my daughter came (about 10 hours from when labor started, 5 from when water broke, only three pushes!) and I felt so great, not wiped and miserable, and was able to enjoy my daughter.

Anyhow, my point is that I'm glad you're open to both possibilities. I've heard that water birth is a great way to go, and I wish you luck finding a place that will support what you want, ahead of time and also if anything changes.