Sunday, May 27, 2007
WP: Developing Families Center
The Post has a nice piece on the birth center portion of the Developing Families Center (behind Safeway -where 1/3 of PSA 504 meetings are held). The Center is a really unique asset to the community (and one of which too few people are aware), and there are hopes to build a men's health center next door (the Developing Families Center focuses on the woman and child, but it also offers programs that involve the father). Recently the Center co-sponsored a health fair at Joe Cole that included many different organization dispensing materials and information.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I love your blog! Through your travels it would be great if you would if you could start a new section on the left-hand side of the page with "volunteer opportunities." In this space you could list contact information or web links for community organizations such as this one that might need volunteers from time to time. I have been living in NE for over a year now and although I've tried (now 3) different organizations, I've yet to find a group that will take me as a volunteer! Please help -- because I'd really like to :)
I'll think about that. I'm not exactly sure which places take volunteers. Don't forget that you can always check the City Paper of the DC Gov site for volunteer ideas.
If you're single, there's also SVDC
There's a discussion about the Post article at Here
I'm kind of torn on the subject...can mothers get from this place to a NICU quickly if something goes wrong?
Thanks. In the meanwhile today while searching I found that the Smithsonian is looking for volunteers for its Folklife Festival (I know it's not in your jurisdiction, but it is still a great diverse event). Check out http://www.folklife.si.edu/opportunities/volunteer.html
Re: Rob's question, the birth center is required to have emergency supplies at the center as well as all the resources necessary make a speedy transfer to Washington Hospital Center should a mother or infant need it, but it is important to note that the birth center caters to low-risk pregnancies that are very unlikely to result in a high-risk (NICU needed) birth. If there is any indication whatsoever that a mother may have a complicated birth (i.e. hypertension, gestational diabetes) the nurse-midwives would not accept her for delivery at the birth center and would refer her to WHC at some point during the prenatal period.
Not a lot of people know about nurse-midwifery care and many have rather narrow views about birth centers and this article is a great educational tool. In my mind, it can be boiled down to this: Hospitals are, and always have been, a place for sick people. Pregnant mothers aren't sick people, however much the field of medicine has tried to make it seem that way. Childbirth is a normal experience and it's perfectly fine (for low-risk pregnancies) to choose to give birth outside of a place meant for sick people. Every family should have that choice.
Thanks neighbor. I'm not a doctor so I don't have a strong opinion about this. But I do know a number of pediatricians and at least one of them has said she would only give birth in a facility that had a NICU (neo-natal intensive care) on site...one of the reasons being that when they work in the NICU they see babies come in from home births, etc, where something has gone wrong.
Again, I'm not looking to get into an argument but I do want any readers out there to get a balanced view as they make their choice. And I also want to say I'm not an opponent of the birth center...it's a valuable resource in the community.
Post a Comment