• Family Beginnings BirthplaceNew_Beginnings

    Expecting a baby soon?Let our Family Beginnings Birthplace make a difference in your childbirth experience. You will find traditional medicine, state-of-the-art technology, as well as complementary therapies to provide you with the best experience possible.

    The Family Beginnings Birthplace welcomes approximately 150 babies each year.

    Our modern area features beautiful rooms designed to handle your entire stay including labor, delivery, recovery and post-partum.  The spacious, private rooms also include a whirlpool to assist some women with the birthing process.

    While the aesthetics will catch your eye, it’s the care delivered by our experienced staff that you will remember.  And during labor, you will have your very own personal nurse to make sure you and your baby are well taken care of.

    To see the Family Beginnings Birthplace for yourself, schedule a private tour by calling (715) 284-1329.

    View recent babies born at Black River Memorial Hospital.

    To see a listing of our birthing education classes, click here.

    For a full listing of parenting resources available in the area, click here.

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  • Hydrotherapy

    Our birthing suites feature Jacuzzi-type tubs, which are helpful to the laboring mother who is requesting soothing support for a non-medicated birth experience.

    Waterbirth

    Also known as a “gentle birth,” waterbirth utilizes the water for its soothing benefits during labor and delivery.  The mother will labor and give birth underwater in a special birthing tub in one of our tranquil birthing suites.

    Doulas

    A doula (a Greek word meaning “to mother the mother”) is a trained female who provides continual labor support, both emotional and physical, throughout the childbirth experience. We have several doula-trained staff available for your birthing needs.

    One-on-One Nursing Care

    Would you like your own personal nurse for your childbirth experience?  At Family Beginning Birthplace, our nurses will provide you with one-on-one care throughout your labor and delivery experience, as well as be a member of your and your baby’s nursing team following the birth.

    Music Therapy

    Each of our birthing suites is equipped with a CD player and relaxation CDs for a tranquil birthing experience.

    Aromatherapy/Herbal Therapy

    Family Beginnings Birthplace uses essential oils (extracts from plants) from organically grown plants to create a unique blend for the expectant mother.  The oils are delivered by inhalation, direct application or massage to promote comfort and support during the birthing experience.  We also provide herbal therapies, a mixture of blended herbs that offer soothing comfort to our moms following the birth of her baby.

    Massage Therapy

    Massage therapy has been shown to reduce the stress level and help individuals relax through the application of touch.  Our birthplace offers massage therapy for newborns and laboring moms to help provide relaxation and comfort during their stay.

     


    Catering to Cultures

    Whether it is the Native American, Hispanic or other cultures, we work closely with each mother to honor and meet her cultural needs during her birthing experience.  Our Family Beginnings Birthplace provides one birthing suite designed for the Native American culture.

    Room Service Menus

    If you’re unsure if you want traditional hospital food, Family Beginning Birthplace offers Room Service Menus, just like a restaurant.  You can order anything off the menu between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.  And we always have food available after hours for those who might need a midnight snack.

    Newborn Photos

    Our birthplace provides a complementary CD of photos taken of your new baby during your stay with us.  These are yours to keep for those special memories of your new arrival.

    Queen Bed

    We have a queen bed in one of our birthing suites for that special someone you would like to stay with you during your time with us.

    Lactation Consultant

    If you experience breastfeeding difficulties our board certified lactation consultant can help provide you with assistance and techniques to make your breastfeeding experience successful.



    Having a baby is one of life’s most personal experiences and we want to make it right for you. We believe you should have options in how to deliver and care for your baby. That’s why we schedule an individual birth planning session prior to the birth of your baby.

    This one-on-one time for the parents with an experienced OB nurse is an opportunity for you to discuss your special needs and requests; and for our staff to work with you in accommodating these requests.

    Your birth plan requests may include a referral and additional decisions with:

    • an anesthetist for a one-on-one consultation of your pain management plan;
    • a physical therapist for low-back pain issues;
    • a respiratory therapist for tobacco cessation or sleep apnea consultation;
    • a financial counselor for billing questions;
    • a counselor for mood disorder/depression issues;
    • a social worker for advance directives counseling.

    We will also talk with you about your expectations for delivery and prepare you for any unexpected changes such as Cesarean birth. We understand from experience that events during birthing can change unexpectedly and we want to personally prepare you for any life-changing outcome.



    Giving birth can be a challenging and yet very fulfilling experience. Still many women fear childbirth because of the anticipation of pain. There is no denying that there is pain with childbirth. Each woman in labor senses different levels and patterns of pain.

    Having a labor-support person with you will bring you great comfort. In addition to your support person, we will provide you with a Registered Nurse who will be with you one-on-one during your labor. Studies have shown that having a continuous labor support person can:

    • Shorten your duration of labor
    • Increase your chances for a vaginal birth
    • Decrease the amount of Pitocin needed
    • Decrease the use of epidural and narcotic analgesia

    There are also several tools and techniques that you may find helpful while you are in labor. We will work with you to find the right relaxation technique to meet your needs. These include:

    • Music
    • Imagery/Focusing
    • Massage
    • Hot/Cold compress
    • Breathing techniques
    • Rhythmic motions
    • Rocking chairs
    • Birthing stool
    • Labor ball
    • Shower
    • Jacuzzi
    • Aromatherapy/Herbals

    Still there may be times when you desire or need pain medication. This medication is often a narcotic administered intravenously (IV). These narcotics do not completely relieve the pain, but ease it enough so that you can relax and feel like you can handle the contractions once again. Pain medications should be used together with other comfort measures for maximum effect.

    If pain becomes so severe that these measures aren’t enough, then intrathecal narcotics or an epidural catheter may be used to provide pain relief. These methods of pain relief involve an injection of pain medication near the spinal column where the transmission of pain signals to the brain are blocked. The decision to use an intrathecal narcotic or epidural will be made by you, your nurse, nurse anesthetist, and physician.

    The pain management philosophy shared by our staff is to provide you with the comfort you need during childbirth. In doing this, we consider all options available to you for your particular situation, and we work together to choose the option with the least risk for both you and your baby.