At Center for Birth, our foremost priority is providing families with a safe, supportive, and empowering environment throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. We are committed to transparency about our training, credentials, scope of practice, and clinical outcomes. Below, we have outlined the rigorous education our midwives undergo, the broad range of care they can provide, and our most recent statistics—so you can feel confident in our practice.

Midwives’ Training & Credentials

1. MEAC-Accredited Education
   All of our midwives either graduate from a Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC)–accredited school or commit to completing the MEAC “bridge program.” MEAC accreditation ensures a rigorous, standardized curriculum that prepares student midwives to offer the highest level of safe and competent care.

   • Washington State Programs
     Many of our midwives attended a MEAC-accredited program in Washington State—such as Bastyr University’s Midwifery program—which has its own comprehensive set of prerequisites, didactic courses, and clinical requirements. Typical didactic coursework covers topics like anatomy and physiology, obstetrics, family planning, labor and birth management, pharmacology, and ethics and law in midwifery.

   • Bridge Program Option
     If a midwife joins our practice without having completed a MEAC-accredited degree, they must enroll in an official “bridge program” offered through a MEAC-accredited institution. This ensures that all midwives on our team adhere to the same high educational standards, regardless of their initial path into midwifery.

2. Clinical Experience and Competencies
   In addition to the intensive classroom learning, MEAC-accredited programs require a thorough set of clinical experiences, including:

   • A minimum of 100 births attended (with a specific number as primary under supervision).

   • At least 1,500 hours of clinical work spanning antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, and gynecological care.

   • Rotation across at least two clinical sites, assuring exposure to a variety of birth settings.
     This hands-on training, always under the supervision of qualified preceptors, establishes a strong foundation so that new graduates are well-prepared to begin independent practice.

3. Preceptorship Requirements
   We do not precept students unless they are enrolled in a MEAC-accredited program. By limiting our student preceptorships to those meeting these high academic standards, we help ensure that each new generation of midwives has a consistent and solid grounding in evidence-based practice.

Midwifery Scope of Practice

Our licensed midwives serve healthy, low-risk individuals throughout their childbearing journey. As defined by state law and midwifery professional standards, our midwives:

• Provide Antepartum, Intrapartum, and Postpartum Care
  They elicit thorough medical histories, perform physical exams, order routine labs, diagnose and manage minor conditions, identify abnormal situations, and refer to or collaborate with physicians when necessary.

• Manage Normal Labor and Birth
  This includes evaluating labor progress, providing emotional and clinical support, administering certain medications (like IV fluids or antihemorrhagic drugs), repairing lacerations, and ensuring the well-being of the newborn and birthing individual immediately after birth.

• Offer Holistic Support
  Our midwives provide education and counseling regarding nutrition, smoking cessation, informed consent, lactation, newborn care, and more, promoting overall well-being for parents and babies.

• Pediatric Care
  Care of the healthy newborn includes routine assessments, administering Vitamin K and prophylactic eye ointment, initiating emergency resuscitation measures until EMS arrives if needed, and referring newborns to a pediatric or family physician for ongoing care.

Through careful attention to each client’s physical, emotional, and cultural needs, we strive to offer the most comprehensive and holistic care possible. If any condition or situation arises that extends beyond the scope of low-risk midwifery, we transfer care in a timely, collaborative fashion.

Our 2024 Statistics & Outcomes

Transparency in our outcomes is a key part of building trust with our families. Below are our most recent statistics, compared to the national hospital averages:

• Cesarean Birth Rate

  • Center for Birth: 5.4%

  • National Hospital Average: 32.1%

• Vaginal Birth Rate

  • Center for Birth: 93.9%

  • National Hospital Average: ~68%

• Vacuum Extraction Rate

  • Center for Birth: 0.7% (1 case out of 148)

  • National Hospital Average: ~3–5%

• Postpartum Hemorrhage Rate

  • Center for Birth: 2.3%

  • National Hospital Average: ~2.5%

• Perineal Tear Rate

  • Center for Birth: 4.5%

  • National Hospital Average: ~85%

• NICU Admission Rate

  • Center for Birth: 0.7%

  • National Hospital Average: ~10–12%

• Home Birth Rate

  • Center for Birth: 17%

  • National Hospital Average: ~1.1%

What These Numbers Mean

• Our Cesarean Birth Rate is significantly lower than the national hospital average, reflecting our commitment to supporting physiologic birth whenever it is safe to do so.

• Our Perineal Tear Rate (4.5%) is far below the estimated 85% hospital average, which often includes all degrees of lacerations. Our numbers highlight the attentiveness and gentleness of our midwives’ approach during birth.

• The NICU Admission Rate at Center for Birth (0.7%) is also much lower than the national average, reflecting the low-risk population we serve and our emphasis on careful screening and continuity of care.

Our Core Values

At The Center for Birth, our care is rooted in values that reflect not only how we practice midwifery—but who we are at our core. These principles guide every hand we hold, every birth we witness, and every family we walk beside.

Empowerment

We believe that birth belongs to you. Your body, your story, your choices.

We are here not to lead, but to walk alongside—to offer knowledge as power, to remind you of your own wisdom, and to create a space where your voice is heard and honored. In every prenatal visit, every laboring moment, and every postpartum tear or triumph, we nurture your confidence, your intuition, and your sovereignty. You are the expert of your experience. We are here to support your strength.

Integrity

In a world full of noise, we choose truth.

We stand in the quiet clarity of what is right.

Our care is grounded in honesty, respect, and an unwavering commitment to your well-being. We make decisions with intention, guided by both evidence and heart. Integrity means we will never offer less than our full presence, our honest counsel, and our deep respect for the sacred work of bringing life into the world.

Transparency

Birth deserves honesty. So do you.

We value open conversations, clear expectations, and the freedom that comes when everything is on the table. Whether discussing your care plan, financial options, or birth preferences, we hold space for questions, for understanding, and for trust to grow in the light. Transparency is how we build relationships—not just professional ones, but deeply human ones.

Community

No one births alone.

You are held—by hands, by hearts, by generations before and those yet to come.

We are more than a birth center. We are a circle of care. Here, you are seen not only as a client, but as part of a growing, nurturing community. We value connection and collaboration, embracing all who walk through our doors with compassion and inclusivity. Together, we build a web of support strong enough to carry the weight and wonder of birth.

Holistic Care

You are more than a chart. More than a diagnosis or a due date. You are body, mind, and spirit. And we care for all of you.

We weave ancient midwifery wisdom with modern knowledge, honoring the physical and emotional landscape of each person’s experience. From nutrition to nurturing touch, from clinical safety to soulful presence, we offer care that sees you—whole and holy—through the full arc of the childbearing year.

Our Ongoing Commitment to Safety and Excellence

At Center for Birth, our dedication to safety begins with our midwives’ rigorous education through MEAC-accredited programs and continues with our evidence-based scope of practice. By sharing our outcome statistics openly, we strive to help families make informed choices for their birth experience.

Have Questions?
We welcome inquiries about our training, credentials, or approach to care. Our team is here to support you every step of the way. You may request a full statistics report and safety plan at any time.