Emily R. is no stranger to the delivery room. With three little ones already at home, she knew she wanted something different for her fourth pregnancy, so she decided to rewrite her birth story.
This time, she came into pregnancy with a clearer sense of what she hoped for — an experience where she could trust the natural process of birth.
“I’ve had three hospital births, but I knew going into her birth that I wanted a different experience,” Emily said. “I’m so grateful that we have the medical interventions that we do when they’re necessary, but I wanted a birth that was really physiologically led, a very calm, low-intervention experience.”
Emily was searching for a space that honored the transition of birth rather than simply managing it. At the Quincy Medical Group (QMG) Birth Center, she finally found the environment she had been looking for.
When the Right Door Opens
Emily lives with her family on her husband’s family farm in Golden, about 30 minutes from Quincy.
Knowing the type of birth experience she wanted, she had already begun prenatal care at a birth center a few hours away.
“We just don’t have a lot of options for birth here in our area,” she said. “Having a home birth was never something I felt comfortable with, especially living so far out, but I definitely wanted a birth experience that was different.”
When the QMG Birth Center opened as she approached the final weeks of pregnancy, Emily made the decision to transfer her care closer to home.
“I kind of walked in for the first time thinking, okay, let’s just see how this is,” she said. “I was immediately blown away. It exceeded everything I expected.”
From her first appointment with Ashley Stroot, APRN, CNM, WHNP-BC, certified nurse midwife at QMG, Emily felt the difference.
“I think what makes midwifery care so different is just the time and intentionality,” she said. “From the minute you walk in, it feels more client-focused. It feels more at home, more at peace, and more at ease.”
When Care Meets Trust
For Emily, the QMG Birth Center was more than a place; it was a philosophy.
The midwives and nurses honored her birth, her body, and her family, creating a space where natural processes were trusted and respected.
“I have never felt more safe and in control of my experience,” she said. “Every single member of the team was exceptional. This should be standard care for everyone.”
Emily describes the birth room not as an exam suite, but as a “glowy little cave.” She dimmed the lights, brought candles from home, and used the center’s tub to help move through labor.
“When animals give birth, it’s so private,” Emily said. “That’s how I felt at the birth center. Most of the time it was just me and my husband and my doula.”
The care team checked in when needed, but otherwise allowed the moment to unfold naturally.
Trusting the Process
Late in labor, Emily chose to use nitrous oxide to help manage the intensity.
“I will tell anyone who will listen, it was better than an epidural,” she said with a laugh. “I felt like I was still in control the entire time. It allowed my brain to step aside and my body to take over.”
The ability to move freely, use the tub, and adjust positions helped her body continue working throughout labor.
“My body was doing things that I would have never consciously chosen, but it was like my body knew what to do,” she said. “I felt totally in control of my experience and my body. That’s not something I can say for my other births.”
The moment she had been waiting for finally came when she welcomed her daughter.
The Quiet Moments After Birth
The thoughtful care continued after her daughter arrived.
The Birth Center team focused on creating a calm environment that allowed families to rest and recover.
“In postpartum care, especially overnight in the hospital, it feels like someone is coming in every few minutes,” she said. “At the birth center, it was like, ‘No, we want you to rest. We’re here to support you. We’re not here to interrupt you.’”
The family went home later that afternoon. Just 24 hours after coming home, Emily returned to the Birth Center for a follow-up visit. What happened next surprised her.
“They said, ‘Let’s bring you back to your room,’” she recalled. “And I thought — wait, I get to go back to the birth room?”
Walking back into the room where her daughter was born brought an unexpected wave of emotion.
“They brought me back into the birth room and it made me so emotional,” she said. “It was just such a thoughtful, intentional way of caring. We felt so loved and supported.”
A New Standard of Care
For Emily, the Birth Center represents something bigger than just a different setting for delivery. It offers a new vision for what birth can look like in the region.
“Women’s bodies know how to birth, and we deserve to be supported in that,” she said. “Having access to the right tools and support, while trusting your body, is such a gift.”
Emily believes her experience reflects how the QMG Birth Center is helping expand those possibilities for families in the area, combining the safety of medical expertise with a deeply intentional approach to care.
“I really believe in the sacredness of women holding each other through that portal,” she said. “Giving women the agency to trust their bodies first and intervene last totally changes the experience.”
Now back home with her four children, Emily says the experience is something she will continue to talk about with other families.
“I just kept walking away with the feeling of this should be standard care,” she said. “To have that warmth and support, backed by a team that knows exactly what to do in any possible situation? It was incredible. Absolutely incredible.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the QMG Birth Center, visit qmgbirthcenter.com.
Photo courtesy of elijahxemily Photography.
Health Topics:
