Our partnership with Roots Community Birth Center complements culturally focused care
In Minnesota, African American babies are twice as likely to die in their first years as white babies. Roots Community Birth Center in Minneapolis is trying to change that through culturally focused prenatal and midwifery care for women of color.
Last fall, North Memorial Health expanded their partnership with Roots. In a recent interview with Al McFarlane on KFAI-FM radio, Dr. Todd Stanhope, OB/GYN hospitalist with North Memorial Health and Rebecca Polston, founder of Roots and a certified midwife, talked about the many benefits of their organization’s partnership.
Partnership benefits
- Most pregnant clients who plan to have their babies at Roots do deliver there. However, sometimes hospital transfers are necessary – or planned. “We are experts in natural, ‘normal’ births, and want to fulfill the mother’s desire for birthing,” said Polston. “But we do not offer epidurals, so [those moms who want one] go to North Memorial Health.”
- At North Memorial Health, patients can use medications to aid or support labor if needed along with their Roots physicians and nurse midwives on call 24/7.
- Patients have access to all that Robbinsdale Hospital has to offer:
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- The LDRP method of care — which means you labor, deliver, recover, and spend postpartum time all in one room. One unit, one room, one care team.
- Birthing balls, nitrous oxide, bubble-jet tubs, and aromatherapy for labor relief, along with epidurals and IV pain medication. Epidurals are available if you should desire one, 24/7 without delay.
- One of the lowest cesarean rates in the state for hospital birth.
- A level 3 NICU unit that offers meticulous care and resources, no matter what your birth brings. Keeping birthing parents and babies together is a priority.
For more information about the Family Birth Center, visit North Memorial Health – Robbinsdale Hospital Family Birth Center.