Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center (ESCbC) Closure News and Information

Alternate Midwifery and Birth Center Practices in NYC

Due to the recent changes in practice setting and protocols, we feel obligated to provide you with a list of other providers and settings that you may wish to consider as alternates.

* - denotes practices that accept medicaid/PCAP

In-Hospital Birth Centers

Long Island College Hospital

• Midwifery Practice (clinical director Debbie Paley, CNM) 718-780-1972
• Joan Bryson, CNM* (Also home births, Brooklyn BC) 718-788-0595
• Joanne Middleton, CNM 718-375-9268
• Bernadith Russell, MD 718-780-1972
• Eden Fromberg, MD 718-780-1972

St. Lukes/Roosevelt (W 50s)

• CBS Midwifery (Barbara Sellars, CNM & Elizabeth Boyce, CNM) 212-366-4699
• Sylvie Blaustein, CNM 212-957-3006
• Georgia Rose, CNM (Office in Riverdale) 718-543-9000
• Midwifery Services (Clinical Director: Barbara Brennan, CNM) 212-877-5556

Bellevue/Gouverneur Birth Center (E 20's)

• Midwifery Practice* (clinical director: Richard Jennings, CNM) 212-925-5000

Home Birth Midwives

• Miriam Schwarzchild, CNM 718-369-0769
• Cara Muhlhahn, CNM (on Vacation until 8/31) 212-388-1837
• JJB Midwifery (Martine Jean-Baptiste, CNM & Karen Jefferson, CM) (also deliver at St. Vincent’s, LICH) 212-769-4578 or 718-230-4789
• Sandra Fields, CNM 212-877-3181
• Joan Bryson, CNM* (also delievers at LICH, Brooklyn BC) 718-788-0595
• Sakina O’Uhuru, CNM 212-696-7996
• Jeanette Breen, CNM (Mostly Long Island) 516-223-1251

Free Standing Birth Centers

Brooklyn Birth Center

• Midwifery Practice (clinical director: Kathy Abelson, CNM) 718-376-6655
• Joan Bryson* (also delivers at LICH BC, home) 718-788-0595
• Rachel Gordon, CNM (Also delivers at Methodist) 718-258-2175 or 718-677-1710

Morris Heights Childbearing Center (The Bronx)

• Birth Center Practice* (director: Annette Clark) 718-716-2229

Friends Name Change

Friends of Elizabeth Seton Childbearing Center is changing its name to Friends of the Birthcenter. On the eve of the closure of ESCbC, the Friends are setting out on the path that will lead to the opening of a new, community birthcenter in Manhattan. Please visit this site often to stay posted on our progress.

Continuous Midwifery Coverage May Be Interrupted In the First Week

I am posting this on behalf of the ESCbC Midwives:

To All of Our Clients:

We regret to inform you that over the coming week the ESCbC midwives may not be able to provide continuous midwifery coverage for our clients.

We have been required to submit urine samples for toxicology testing as part of our positions with St. Vincent's Faculty Practice, however notification of the hospital's mandate was only communicated to us on Thursday afternoon, August 28th. Due to the time it takes to process these tests, combined with the holiday weekend, 3 of the 4 midwives will not have been tested and processed in time for the transition of care to St. Vincent's on September 1st. Despite the oversight by St. Vincent's administration, they are unwilling to make an exception.

Please accept our apolgies and please know that we are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Candlelight Vigil

Please join us for an impromptu candlelight vigil for all birth center families and supporters on Sunday, August 31st, in front of the birth center from 8-10 PM. All are welcome to attend. We will supply the Ikea tea-light candles, but please bring a cup to use as a holder. Come help us commemorate the many sparks of life that came ablaze in this sacred place.

Well Woman Practice Update

Some patients have written and asked if I will be continuing to see well woman clients at St. Vincent's.

Just to clarify my practice is not being transitioned to St. Vincent's. As the primary well woman services provider at the birthcenter, I am working to establish a private practice at a new facility. I hope to have details in the coming week or so.

UPDATE:Information on my practice, Chelsea Well Woman Care, can be found here.

ESCbC Midwives' New Address and Phone Number

As of September 2nd 2003 the midwives' practice will be moving. Here is their new contact information to make appointments and to reach a midwife.

Faculty Practice Office
32 West 18th Street, 5th floor
(between 5th & 6th Aves.)
(212) 647-6490

Changes in Practice As We Move from ESCbC to the Hospital Birth Center

I'm posting this on behalf of the ESCbC midwives:

First, we'd just like to say that the St. Vincent's administration has done a tremendous amount of work in a extremely short amount of time. The letter of employment came through. The construction began 2 days ago on the tubs (8/27/03). The move will happen on 9/2/03.

It's important to note that we will not be bringing all of the protocols (ways of practicing) from Elizabeth Seton. We are now employees of the faculty practice at St. Vincent's, and therefore under the direction of the Director of the OB department. While we don't have a complete list of changes for the practice, these are some of the protocols that differ from your previous expectations from an out of hospital birth center:

• All clients must be seen by a doctor in the faculty practice during their pregnancy.
• Upon admission, all clients must have a period of 20-30 minutes on the electronic fetal monitor demonstrating fetal well being. This will determine whether the client will be admitted to the birth center with intermittent monitoring or the labor and delivery floor with continuous monitoring.
• If your water breaks before labor starts, you will be asked to come to the hospital immediately. If labor does not start within 6 hours, you must be transferred to labor and delivery for induction.
• The progress of labor will be evaluated with vaginal exams every 2 - 3 hours.
• There can be no births in the water at this time. However, labor in the tub is permitted.
• Current hospital policy only permits 2 support persons in the labor room or birth center (excluding nurse and midwife). Siblings are allowed if they have had a class and have a support person. These policies may change.
• You will be expected to stay at least 12 hours post partum. A pediatrician must examine and discharge the baby. Because the pediatricians usually examine the babies in the morning, depending on the time of the birth, you may need to stay more than 12 hours.

Record Release Forms Needed ASAP

It has just come to our attention that ALL clients need to fill out an authorization for release of records, even if you are continuing with the midwives' practice at the 18th St. location. The forms will be available at the meeting Wednesday 8/27 8pm, or can be filled out at the center at any time during the day. You can also send or fax us (212.367.8691) a written request, stating that you would like a copy of your records released to "The WHS Midwives at 18th St.," to another provider, or to yourself. The request does NOT need to be made on an official form. However, in order for your HIV results to be included with the chart, please note "include HIV results" on any request. There will be no charge for receiving a copy of your records.

Important New Information Regarding Transition of Care

Update: MEETING RESCHEDULED The Wed. August 27 meeting at 6 pm has been rescheduled DEFINITIVELY for 8 pm. MANY APOLOGIES for the confusion about the time.

The ESCbC Midwives will be hosting a meeting to discuss new information regarding the transition of care. If you attended a previous informational session, please note that we will be covering important, new and updated information. All are strongly encouraged to attend.

Update: TOURS CANCELLED Unfortunately (and fortunately) tours of the St. Vincent's facilities have had to be cancelled for the time being. This is because construction work starts today on the plumbing for the tubs. Tours will be rescheduled as soon as possible -- stay tuned! Again, many apologies for the last-minute notice.

The birthcenter is located at 222 W 14th Street in Manhattan between 7th and 8th Avenues. Closest subway stops are the A, C, E, F, 1, 2, 3, 9, V lines at 14th Street.

New York Newsday: 'Safe' Place's Sad Fate

The press coverage of the birthcenter's forced closure and its effects continues. From today's New York Newsday:

The difficult decision to close after nearly 30 years comes at a time when many women who have routine pregnancies are seeking natural childbirth assisted by midwives and doulas, trained coaches for natural deliveries.

Last year, Elizabeth Seton midwives delivered nearly 300 babies to new moms across the city as well as from Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Now, women's health advocates say the closing of Elizabeth Seton is just part of an escalating national crisis in health care in which midwives and obstetricians are being pushed out of the baby business by insurance premiums. Some activists fear that if medical liability reform does not happen soon, the soaring rates will lead to a severe shortage of obstetricians, an increase in cesarean births and fewer choices for women.

"It's a real tragedy. But this is much bigger than just Elizabeth Seton," said Deanne Williams, executive director of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. "This is about how malpractice insurance rates are threatening midwives and obstetricians. Pretty soon, there won't be anyone left to deliver babies."

Read the whole of the article online.