The new $6 million Karmanos Center for Natural Birth, which opens Monday at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, will offer private birthing suites equipped with large hydrotherapy tubs, massaging showerheads, and other special amenities for women giving birth.
“Our vision in partnering with Beaumont was to create a first-class facility with the best doctors, nurses, tools, resources, and environment to support a natural birth experience for families that choose that path,” says Danialle Karmanos, who along with her husband, Peter Karmanos Jr., the founder and past chairman of Detroit-based Compuware Corp., donated the funding for the new center.
Danielle says the donation is a gift in celebration of their four sons, who were all delivered via natural childbirth, which involves giving birth spontaneously, without induction, anesthesia, or routine medical interventions.
“Natural births are trending nationwide, and this center is going to bring a lot of positive attention and innovation to Detroit,” Danialle says.
The 4,500-square-foot center is available for any woman who meets medical criteria for a natural birth, based on a consultation with her physician or midwife.
Once a woman reaches around 28 weeks of pregnancy, she will work with a nurse liaison to create a customized plan that includes a natural birth workshop, online education portal and mobile app, and one-on-one support from nurses and physicians.
Nurses at the center have been trained through the BirchTree Center Integrative Healing Arts Academy and will help mothers navigate natural childbirth with holistic techniques such as aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, reflexology, and music therapy.
“The nurses who are a part of the center went through an intensive training process that taught us everything we need to know about holistic care,” says Tonyie Johnson, the center’s associate manager of labor and delivery. “We will be on call there anytime the expecting mother needs us — handling any emergency in five minutes flat.”
One of the main goals of the center’s design is to take the stress away from expecting mothers, says Geraldine Drake, interior designer for the project.
“From the 24-hour concierge desk in the lobby to the uniquely decorated suites, everything is meant to make expecting moms and their families feel welcome and at home,” Drake says. “Additionally, the design team worked closely with state inspectors to insure every beautiful element met the needs of the health code.”
Along with the opening of the center, Beaumont has developed myBeaumontBaby, a web app that includes features such as a due date countdown, to-do lists for each trimester, hospital bag checklist, personalized diary, and a calendar to keep track of important events. Beaumont officials say a mobile version of the app will be available soon.
For more information, call 248-898-5574 or visit beaumont.edu/natural-birth-center.
