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Birth Center Profile: Reading Midwife Center for Women’s Wellness

Reading Midwife Center for Women’s Wellness

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Tammy Witmer and Lucy Searce, co-owners of the Reading Midwife Center  for Women’s Wellness in Reading, PA.

The original birth center in Reading, McTammany Nurse-Midwifery Center,  opened in 1978. It closed in 1985 and  after a 2-year hiatus, the current birth  center opened. Although they have gone  through several different owners, the birth center has been in continuous operation since 1987 and midwifery is  thriving in the area in all birth settings.

The last owner, a large area health system, announced that they were closing  the birth center as a result of serious system-wide financial issues. Rather  than having the birth center close, Tam my and Lucy made the decision to take over as owners. Their difficult decision  was bolstered by the outpouring of community support that they received. Also, having attended births in all three  settings, their hearts were in the birth center. Lucy noted that she simply would  not practice in a hospital-only midwifery practice. “I feel strongly about having  the birth center choice available in our community.”

What exciting things are happening  in your practice? 

“We survived our first year!” They have  obtained all needed facility payer con tracts—a task that was, at times, a full time job.

Based upon client feedback, they have  started a postpartum support group that  meets 4-5 times each month. Recognizing  a growing need for perinatal mental  health services, they are working with  mental health practitioner interns.

What are you most proud of about  your birth center? 

“Our staff. They are dedicated and so  often go above and beyond.” “Our strong  support and skill at facilitating physiologic  labor and birth. Safety comes first, but  there is always room for the client’s voice  and informed decision-making.”

“We are respected at the hospital and  work well with the nurses and OB residents.” Tammy and Lucy have presented  at department meetings and are involved in interprofessional education of midwives, nurses, and OB and Family Practice  residents. They have also reached out to  EMS personnel with tours, education, and  collaborative drills.

What advice do you have for some one who is thinking about opening a  birth center? 

Tammy – “Don’t do it alone.” Find the  right person – someone with the same  practice philosophy and with skills that  complement yours. Take time to re charge. Operating a birth center is time intensive and challenging. You must take  care of yourself so that you have the energy and resources to do the work.

Lucy – “Learn the business side of it very  well and have someone you can turn to  for advice.”

What is Your Birth Center’s Greatest  Challenge? 

“Maintaining a work-life balance for  the midwives and staff. This is mostly  for on call providers. We try to make  sure no one is on call “too much”, but  also want to have enough births so  they aren’t giving up their time and  not getting called in. Lucy and I struggle the most as the owners and full  time midwives, but we are glad to  have a part time CNM. Our goal is to  convert the part-time position to full time in the near future so we can take  more full weeks off.”

“The other struggle is trying to fully  support physiologic birth while at the  same time maintaining safety. We live  in a community with many “birth keepers” and community midwives. Our  birth center gets bashed for ‘only taking healthy clients’ and we get bashed  for transferring per our guidelines– or  as they say ‘following rules’.”

“We live in a world where we are constantly balancing traditional midwifery  with medical skill and knowledge. We are not medical enough for OB providers and not hands-off enough for those  at the other end of the spectrum. It’s frustrating sometimes.”

.Why do you think it is important  for your Birth Center to be CABC accredited? 

CABC-accreditation helps us to keep  both our care and the birth center safe.  Having outside eyes look at what we are doing is very helpful. We are always open to improvement. It is also a selling  point for potential clients and enhances our credibility with our medical and  hospital colleagues.

What Changes Have Been Made at the  Hospital Because of the Birth Center? 

  • Skin-to-skin and the Golden Hour
  • Delayed cord clamping
  • Vaginal breech birth at the hospital
  • Resident education about the birth  center and community birth. Our  practice presents quarterly to the  OB medical staff and serve as sort  of a liaison between the hospital  and community birth providers.

What Inspires You?  

Tammy: “Those who made sacrifices in  the past and helped to provide the  foundation for what we are doing  now.” “Relationships with clients and  colleagues.” Tammy was a midwifery  student at the birth center and decided  that “This is the right way to do things.”

Lucy: “Herbalism. Other ways of  treating our body and maintaining its  function to the optimum level.”

Tell us something that most people  don’t know about you? 

Tammy: She is a avid soccer player and  a doting grandmother with 12 grand children, including twins. “I bought a  motorcycle and learned to ride, but  couldn’t ride because there was no  place to keep my midwife bag!”

Lucy: “I love gardening, trees, berries,  flowers, and vegetables. I love drying  flowers and making them into wreaths  and arrangements It brings me joy. I am  learning about wool and different ways  to use it.”

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