Mother of 200th Baby at Karmanos Center for Natural Birth also first returning patient

Calla Ann’s mom, Jessica, of Washington Township, also happens to be the center’s first returning patient. Jessica’s second child, Caisen, was the 25^th baby born at the Karmanos Center for Natural Birth.

This time around, Jessica had time to use the birthing tub.

“With Caisen, he came so quickly, we barely had time to check in,” said Jessica, who chose the center in order to deliver her babies the way she wanted to, with no medical or pharmaceutical intervention and a support staff committed to making that happen.

She came back because those requests were honored. 

“I didn’t have a very long labor with Calla Ann either, five hours, but I did get to use the tub for a little while, which was nice,” Jessica said. 

On Nov. 3, 2014, the Karmanos Center for Natural Birth, a one-of-a-kind birthing center that combines the comforts of home with the safety net of a high-tech hospital, opened at Beaumont, Royal Oak.

Part of the Danialle & Peter Karmanos Jr. Birth Center at Beaumont, the holistic birthing center was created through a $6 million gift from Danialle and Peter Karmanos Jr., in celebration of their four sons - Socrates, Leonidas, Spiros and Aristides.

The center includes six private birthing suites equipped with large hydrotherapy tubs, massaging shower heads and other special amenities for natural labor and delivery. Specially trained nurses help mothers navigate natural childbirth with holistic techniques such as aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, reflexology and music therapy. There’s an indoor walking path and two outdoor rooftop gardens.

“I was so excited when I first saw all the beautiful pictures on Facebook – I thought ‘This is where I want to give birth!’” said Jessica, whose first child, Carden, 3, was born before the center was open. “I felt this was a place where all those natural ideas would be supported.”

“Instead of encouraging pain meds when things get challenging, they encourage other positions, they’re right there with you, suggesting coping strategies,” Jessica said. “They let you know everything is progressing the way it should and tell you, ‘You can do this!’ when you really need to hear it.”

Father and husband Craig Hilliker was equally pleased with the experience.

“The staff is encouraging. They were always offering something to Jessica, the birthing ball, the tub,” Craig said. “The atmosphere was good for her. And we had the space to do what we needed to do.”

Tonyie Andrews-Johnson, associate nurse manager for the Karmanos Birth Center, said repeat patients signal strong patient satisfaction.

As word on the street continues to spread, upwards of 15 percent of patients are coming in on referral.   

“For us, this means we’re doing a good job,” Andrews-Johnson said.

The natural birth process likely enabled Jessica to bounce back more quickly because recovery is “easier”, compared to a traditional birth with greater interventions, Andrews-Johnson said.

“That’s what the center was built for,” Andrews-Johnson said. “Women who want to come in, have their babies in a safe place, and go home 24 hours later to their kids and family.”

For more information on the Karmanos Center for Natural Birth, visit beaumont.edu/natural-birth-center or call 248-898-5574.