Nestled within the heart of North Carolina, Raleigh-Durham is known for its academic prowess and technological innovation but what you may not know is that we also have a vibrant and tightly-knit birthing community. In our small corner of the world we have an amazing groups of seasoned midwives, and a large selection of hospital options, including those affiliated with esteemed institutions like Duke, UNC, and WakeMed. Depending on your goals and hopes for your birth there really are so many great options for expecting families in the Triangle. Amidst all the options my goal in sharing this blog is to help you navigate and prepare for the birth experience you want. I hope with this list you’ll be able to plan and curate a birth experience that aligns with your vision and helps you feel connected to our beautiful birth and family-centered community.

Choosing Where to Give Birth

Home birth, Hospital, or Birth Center

Where you give birth matters. It will shape truly every part of your experience and it’s important to consider many elements to find the best place for you and your experience. Here in the Triangle we are filled with options which can honestly end up feeling overwhelming for some families because it’s hard to know what to choose and why to choose them over another great option.

In terms of Hospital Birth there are Six major hospitals to Consider

My favorites based on witnessing empowered birth, evidence-based care, and supportive medical staff are UNC, WakeMed Raleigh, and Durham Regional. All of these locations offer great options for birthing families alongside mother-centered care during labor, birth, and postpartum. I think when it comes to hospitals it truly does come down to the care provider you choose and the amazing staff of nurses on the L&D floor. I have loved working with the various teams at these hospitals.

The other three major hospitals that I photograph births in are UNC REX, Wakemed Cary, and Duke University Hospital. There are some great care providers who serve at these hospitals as well.

In terms of Birth Centers

Sadly due to the closing of two of our beloved birth centers in the last several years, we no longer have any local birth center options. But I hope to update this section soon!

In terms of Home Birth

Due to limiting laws the only legally practicing midwives in NC are Certified Nurse Midwives but while our list of home birth midwives is short they are mighty and incredibly busy. I’ll share the list below.

mother smiles moments after giving birth at home in Raleigh, NC

Finding the Best Birth Care Provider for Your Goals

Midwives and Obs

The list of great care providers in the Triangle would be super long so I am keeping it to my absolute favorites so you can feel empowered and supported in any birthing choice. This is from my experience attending births alongside these providers!

For Hospital Midwives

UNC Midwives - UNC Chapel Hill Hospital

Durham Woman’s Clinic - Durham Regional

Chapel Hill OBGYN - UNC Chapel Hill

For OBGYNs and Birth Teams

Kamm McKenzie - Dr Byrd - Wakemed Raleigh

UNC MFM - Dr Strauss - UNC Chapel Hill

Duke MFM - Dr Dotters-Katz - Duke University

Triangle Physicians for Women - Dr Cooper - Wakemed Cary

Duke Woman’s Health Heritage - Dr Ford - Wakemed North

For Home Birth Midwives

Once you feel confident in your birthing location and birth provider it’s important to begin considering your birth team. For some families this is simply their partner, who takes the time to get educated and feel empowered themselves for supporting you during your birth. For others, it’s their supportive mother or sister who brings only support into the space. But for most, I recommend looking at some of our amazing, wise and experienced doulas. Doulas are one of the best investments you can make for your birth. I like to think of doulas as birth guides, they are there for you and your partner, mentally, emotionally, and physically all throughout your pregnancy, birth, and often postpartum. As primarily a birth photographer I have gotten to work alongside many of our amazing doulas in the Triangle. Here is quick list of some of the best, most experienced, and currently practicing.

Gabe Lazarus

She Offers wonderful hands-on and emotional support, very calming and patient

Anna Cole

She is passionate about VBACs and offers hands on and emotional support.

LaToshia Rouse

Birth and postpartum doula, plus she offers classes to her clients.

Emily Kelly

Really connects with her clients and works to juggle any roles needed in the birth space.

Joanne Dahill

Also a massage Therepist and has excellent hands on support

Birth & Beyond Doulas

They work really hard to ensure their clients feel empowered and supported emotionally and physically

Doulas of Raleigh

The way they manage clients through a team allows the clients to form deep relationships with their doulas

hospital staff surround mom as dad lifts baby after birth

Getting Educated & Feeling Prepared

Getting educated and feeling prepared for birth is a crucial step in any expectant parent's journey. Enrolling in a birth class not only imparts valuable knowledge about the birthing process but also empowers individuals with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their birth preferences. These classes offer comprehensive information about labor stages, pain management techniques, and newborn care, ensuring that parents feel confident and ready. Additionally, seeking chiropractic care during pregnancy can be immensely beneficial. Chiropractic adjustments can help align the pelvis, providing optimal conditions for the baby's descent and reducing the risk of complications during birth. By combining the insights gained from a birth class with the physical benefits of chiropractic care, expectant parents can enhance their preparedness, promoting a positive birth experience for both themselves and their baby. Here are my top recommendations for both here in the Triangle, to help you feel knowledgable and aligned for birth.

Birth Education

Dr Lauren Scott

The Essentials for an Empowered Birth Experience

It’s hard to ever feel fully prepared for birth but I wanted to put together a checklist of sorts of things to consider, make choices about, and have ready when your birthing time comes. Some of these are simple while others may require some time to consider and research. This list also comes after you’ve made the big choices about where you give birth and who will be there to support you.

Write a Birth Plan: Craft a detailed birth plan that reflects your desires and preferences for labor and delivery. Consider all of your options, wishes, and hopes. You may also want to write a “just in case” plan if induction or cesarean are required unexpectedly so you can have your desires for those circumstances written out as well. Make sure to discuss this with your healthcare provider.
Birth Photography: Decide whether you want to capture moments through photography or video, and hire or designate someone responsible for it.
Pain Relief and Labor Prep: Explore both medical and natural pain relief options available to you during labor. Consider using tools such as birthing balls, massage oils, heat packs, and water to help during your labor. Learn various positions, movements, and techniques to ease discomfort and encourage a smooth labor.
Imagine your Birth Space: Think through the space you plan to birth in. You may want to prepare lighting, calming music, aromatherapy, or special items that provide personalized comfort during labor whether you are setting up a space at home or bringing these into the Hospital with you to set the right atmosphere.
Hospital Bag Essentials: Pack your hospital bag with essentials such as comfortable clothing, toiletries, snacks, important documents, a phone charger, and any comfort items that will help you feel at ease.
Set Boundaries: make sure those invited into your birth space are prepared and aware of your birth plans and how you expect them to support you throughout. For those not invited make sure you have set boundaries in place for when and how you plan to update them. This can be a great time to create a group text of your inner circle so you only have to message once to update those you want to keep in the loop.
Rest: I’m putting this on here because it’s often the easiest to overlook but most important. Pregnancy is not a time to scramble or stress, it’s a time for your body to slow down, create a baby and prepare for birth. Don’t forget to give yourself time to rest mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Creating a Postpartum Plan

Last but not least you will want to put together a Postpartum Plan. As the excitement and anticipation of the birth take center stage, it is easy to overlook the crucial period that follows. However, the postpartum phase is a time of immense physical, emotional, and mental adjustment for both you and your partner. By taking the time to create a comprehensive postpartum plan, parents can ensure a smoother transition into this new chapter of their lives. From establishing a support network to outlining specific needs and desires, a well-crafted postpartum plan creates a roadmap for navigating the challenges and joys that lie ahead. It provides a sense of structure, decreases stress, and allows parents to prioritize self-care, bonding with their baby, and creating a nurturing environment for their growing family. Ultimately, by recognizing and preparing for the unique needs of the postpartum period, parents can set themselves up for a more positive and fulfilling experience as they embark on the beautiful journey of parenthood. Here in the Triangle, we have some amazing postpartum support! Here is who I recommend to either have saved in case of need or hire for support ahead of time!

Lactation Support- Emerald Rice - Cornerstone Lactation LLC

Pelvic Floor PT - Lori O’Neill

I hope this list of resources feels helpful as you navigate pregnancy and birth in Raleigh-Durham. This list has been formed over my years here living and connecting in this community. I feel so passionate about supporting families for evidence based birthing and love helping direct them to make the best choices for their birth and baby.

My Ultimate List for Preparing for Birth in the Triangle

The other three major hospitals that I photograph births in are UNC REX, Wakemed Cary, and Duke University Hospital. There are some great care providers who serve at these hospitals as well.

Sadly due to the closing of two of our beloved birth centers in the last several years, we no longer have any local birth center options. But I hope to update this section soon!

Due to limiting laws the only legally practicing midwives in NC are Certified Nurse Midwives but while our list of home birth midwives is short they are mighty and incredibly busy. I’ll share the list below.

The list of great care providers in the Triangle would be super long so I am keeping it to my absolute favorites so you can feel empowered and supported in any birthing choice. This is from my experience attending births alongside these providers!

Hey! I’m Amanda

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