BOUNTIFUL—When a woman is ready to give birth, generally the expectation is that it will happen in a hospital but many women choose to have the baby at home or in a birthing center with the help of a midwife. A new center, Davis County Midwives, opened its doors last week to offer alternatives to giving birth. 

“For a long time I’ve wanted to open a birth center for people to have options if they can’t have the birth at home,” said Bonnie Baker, a certified midwife. “Some want to be in closer proximity to a hospital. I recognized there was a need in southern Davis County. I felt Bountiful was the prime location for that.”

Baker specializes in out-of-hospital births. “When I had my first son I remember there not being a lot of resources available to me,” she said. “I became a doula. I coached and supported women through labor and gave them emotional and educational support and put them in touch with resources in the birth community.”

It became apparent that it was a calling to complete my midwife training, Baker said. “It all fell into place. The cards all lined up right.”

Baker said she’s delivered about 300 babies. “I’ve helped with closer to 500 or more through classes, etc. I’m passionate that all women should have all available resources to them. I want them to be empowered to make those informed decisions.”

Research shows that well integrated midwifery care outcomes for planned home and birth center births are not statistically different from planned hospital births, she said. “Midwives have been around for years. It’s an ancient art passed down from generation to generation.”

The new birth center provides office space where clients can come in for an appointment instead of the midwife going into their home, Baker said. “It gives us room for childbirth classes and ultrasounds. We have a full service beautiful birthing suite and state-of-the-art emergency care if needed for both the mom and the baby.”

Baker said they have a small, intimate customer load. “They get a personal experience so they don’t feel like they’re a number when they walk through the door.”

Especially during COVID more women were seeking alternative birth choices, she said. “We want women to be able to give birth empowered. It gives them autonomy to birth the way they feel like they can without being told how they need to give birth.”

The facility is also home to the Utah Breastfeeding and Tongue Tie Center. “It’s a combined effort,” said Anne Tullis, RN, IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). “As well as lactation, we offer myofunctional therapy. We do tongue and lip tie releases using a lightscalpel CO2 laser.”

A pediatric dentist comes in four times a month to provide services, she said. “This provides for the best outcomes for newborns and families.”

It’s been a dream to be here, said Tullis. “It’s eight years in the making. We’re excited to bring this to the community.”

Tullis said it’s the most fascinating work she’s done. “It’s more of a calling than a job.”

For more information about the birth center visit daviscountymidwives.com.