Is There a Birth Center in the Five Towns for Frum Families?

By Igel Cudiera

Yes. Birthing Center Long Island is a midwife-led birth center at 1512 Broadway in Hewlett, and it sees families from across the Five Towns and the South Shore, including Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, and Inwood. Questions about your pregnancy, whether a birth center is right for you, and what the center offers are for the center and your midwife; questions of halacha are for your own rabbi.

This guide explains what a birth center is and who it's for, where the center is, the practical questions frum families often want answered before choosing a birth setting, and what happens if plans change. It doesn't answer religious questions. It helps you know which questions to ask, and whom to ask.

What a Birth Center Is, and Who It's For

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, "birth centers are freestanding facilities that are not considered hospitals." They care for people with low-risk, uncomplicated pregnancies: one baby, at full term, in a head-down position, who are expected to have an uncomplicated birth. The American Association of Birth Centers describes a birth center as "a free standing, homelike facility designed in the midwifery and wellness model of pregnancy and birth."

At Birthing Center Long Island, care is provided by a small team of certified nurse midwives. The American College of Nurse-Midwives describes midwifery care by certified nurse-midwives as including care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. You can meet the midwifery team before you decide.

The center describes who its care suits: "Care here is generally a good fit if you are carrying one baby, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you are at full term when labor begins, and you want a low intervention birth with continuous support." It also notes that "some pregnancy histories and conditions make a hospital the safer setting." Your midwife reviews your history at your first visit, and our page on how care works with our midwives explains more.

Where the Center Is and When to Call

Birthing Center Long Island is at 1512 Broadway in Hewlett. The center says it sees people "from across the Five Towns and the South Shore, including Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, Inwood," and other nearby communities.

The office is open Monday to Thursday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and closed Friday to Sunday. The center notes that there is a birthing tub in each birthing suite, and our water birth page explains how laboring in water works. For common questions about visits, stays, and who can attend, see our birth center FAQs. If you're deciding when to start care, our guide on when to book a birth center can help.

If Religious Considerations Matter to Your Family

ACOG describes a patient-centered, shared decision-making approach that focuses on each patient's reproductive goals "within the context of their beliefs, values, and culture." In practice, that starts with asking.

If Shabbos, kosher food, modesty, staffing, or other religious considerations are important to your family, ask the birth center what accommodations are currently available. For questions of halacha, consult your own rabbi.

Questions to ask the birth center

• If labor begins on Shabbos or Yom Tov, what should we plan in advance, and whom do we call?
• What food and drink can we bring, and is there somewhere to store it?
• What can be done to support modesty and privacy during labor and after the birth?
• Who will be in the room, and how many staff members are usually present?
• Who can be with me during labor and birth?
• What should we bring from home?
• If I need to transfer to a hospital, what happens?

On who can be present, the center's FAQ says: "Our birth center supports the mother to choose who she wants to be surrounded by at this precious life event. This includes partners, family members, close friends, and a doula." Some families also arrange doula support.

Questions to bring to your own rabbi

• How to plan travel and phone calls if labor begins on Shabbos or Yom Tov
• Who should be present during labor and birth
• Questions about modesty during labor and birth
• Anything else about your family's practice that affects your birth plans

This article doesn't give religious guidance. Every family's practice is its own, and halachic questions belong with your rabbi.

If Plans Change: Hospital Transfer and Epidurals

The center says it "has protocols in place to transfer to a hospital if necessary" and is "affiliated with a hospital so that a transfer can be as seamless as possible." In its words: "If a hospital becomes the safer setting during labor, your midwife arranges the transfer and hands over your history to the hospital team."

If you're thinking about an epidural, the center's FAQ says "epidurals are not approved for use at a birthing center," and if a client wants one, "the attending midwife will arrange a transfer to a hospital." National standards from the American Association of Birth Centers likewise list epidural anesthesia among the interventions that are not appropriate in a birth center, and say clients who need such interventions should be transferred to the appropriate level of care. Ask your midwife how a transfer would work for your own situation, and see our third trimester guide to make a hospital transfer plan.

After the Birth: Going Home and Postpartum Care

According to the center's FAQ, "the length of stay at a birthing center is usually between 6 to 12 hours after birth, depending on the mother's and baby's health." It adds that "postpartum follow-up care is then provided through home visits, as early as 1-2 days postpartum or scheduled appointments at the center."

The center also says your midwife "checks on you and your baby in the first 24 to 48 hours after birth, with a newborn assessment, newborn screening, and lactation support." Before you go home, it helps to know the postpartum warning signs that need a call.

Insurance and Cost

Coverage depends on your plan, so check your own maternity benefits with your insurer before you choose. Our guide on how to verify your maternity benefits lists the questions to ask, and our insurance information shows the plans the center may work with. If you're still comparing settings, our overview of birth options for Nassau County families compares hospitals, birth centers, and home birth.

A Note From Our Midwifery Practice

Choosing where to give birth is personal, and for many frum families it involves both medical and religious questions. Your midwife can answer the medical ones and tell you what the center can offer. Your rabbi can guide you on halacha. Bringing both sets of questions early gives you time to plan, so labor day feels familiar when it comes.