Left: Aviva Elchonen shows off her new- born, Faiga, to Dr. Brent Davidson, certi- fied nurse midwife Lorie Pender and reg- istered nurse Sarah Friedman at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital Birthing Center. Above: A birthing suite at the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Birthing Center 11 - path as well as a rooftop garden that opened recently. "In addition to providing an opportunity for healthy movement and relaxation for the mothers who labor at the center, we hope the garden and its intentional design elements will have an inspiring and calm- ing influence throughout the hospital," said Danialle Karmanos, who said the vision for the garden was driven by her husband, Peter, a master gardener. Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital Birthing Center Aviva Elchonen of Southfield is a registered nurse in labor and delivery at the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Birthing Center. "I taught parenting classes at the center after I graduated nursing school, and I enjoy working there Aviva said. "My husband, Aharon, and I thought the center was the perfect place to have our baby because they provide several delivery options for women, like me, who are Orthodox Jews, including midwifery services. These women are not only well trained medically, but they also are instructed about the traditions and guide- lines required to meet the needs of Orthodox families. "In this program, ifs a midwife who admits the Orthodox woman to the center, stays with her during labor and helps her in whatever way she can:' Aviva said. "There's a doctor on call 24/7, but it's the midwife who holds your hand and helps the mother push the baby out:' She gave birth to Faiga on May 20. Registered nurse Sarah Friedman of Southfield also works at the center in labor and delivery, and also is Orthodox. "I was fortunate to deliver [two of my four babies] there because the staff understands the Orthodox Jewish husband is not involved with the deliver' she said. "Most of the time they're not in the same room during labor and they don't cut the cord. As a patient, I was grateful I didn't have to explain any of this to the staff while in labor and that my husband felt no pressure to respond to ques- tions that weren't appropriate for us:' 10 August 6 • 2015 According to the 2013 data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, most new mothers gave birth in a hospital with the help of medical doctors. Certified nurse midwives attended close to 8 percent of all births, up less than 1 percent since the mid-1970s. Friedman gave birth to Ayala on May 10, 2014. Brent Davidson, M.D., service chief for women's health services at Henry Ford West Bloomfield, describes the hospital's birthing center as a family-centered environment that uses a collaborative approach. "Physicians, midwives, nurses and lacta- tion consultants work together as a team at the birthing center," Davidson said. "Care is provided in comfortable, home-like suites during the mother's labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum phases. Suites include spe- cific areas for the newborn, the patient and family. Amenities include hydrotherapy tubs, special sinks with warming lights for the newborn's first bath and sleep sofas for new fathers. "Our highest priority is a healthy baby and healthy mother; he said. "We want to make the birthing experience safe, comfortable and individualized, recognizing and respecting each couple's preferences for childbirth. The birthing center also includes two suites for those requiring a C-section for their baby's delivery. "Interestingly, many of our patients at the Birthing Center are Orthodox Jews because our staff is trained to work with the cultural and religious needs of this population. In addition, kosher food is available. Because we offer these services, we also have a signifi- cant number of Muslim patients who deliver at the birthing center:' DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Harris Birthing Center "Our daughter, Whitney Drew, was born at the Harris Birthing Center; says Brooke Lasky-Margulies of West Bloomfield. "I chose a traditional birth and found it to be non-stressful. The nurses were very accom- modating, but what really made the experi- ence more wonderful was that the nurses talked to me in a language I could under- stand:' She gave birth to Whitney Drew on May 21. Danny Benjamin, M.D., OB-GYN, said, "I haven't seen a trend toward more natural childbirths or home births that aren't medi- cally supported, but I have observed that women want more choices for their baby's delivery. Patients spend time carefully creating their birthing plans, which pro- vide guidelines for what procedures and support Dr. Danny they want during labor, Benjamin delivery and recovery. We go over those plans with them during their last month of pregnancy, making sure our goals for keeping the baby and mother safe are met and that everyone is on the same page:' The large private rooms at the Harris center are arranged in a circle around the nursing station so that medical staff has easy access to all patients. "We're a smaller suburban hospital with a culture of community that we extend to our patients by giving them our local personal touch:' Benjamin said. "For example, the women who work at the hospital use the birthing center to deliver their babies and can give patients firsthand accounts of their experience:' The good news about having a baby today is that a wealth of information is avail- able from physicians and on the Internet. However, ifs important to discuss the pro- posed tests, treatments or interventions with your doctor or midwife. This means researching the possible plans for care and treatment options and becoming a full par- ticipant in making decisions during your pregnancy and birth so you can identify which technology and birthing approach will give you and your baby the best outcome. ❑ 1, 04 Mireille Plotke Sal Castro Discover Tradition, Cuisine Of Bygone Jewish Egypt The "Different Cultures, Different Foods" program series will intro- duce Mireille Plotke and Sal Castro, who are, respectively, Jewish natives of Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. As with most Jews who fled or were violently expelled from the Middle East and North African Arab lands, little has been shared about their traditions and cultural heritage. Join in reliving the very differ- ent experiences of Mireille and of Sal who grew to adulthood in cities where they were increasingly unwel- come. Taste traditional Jewish cuisine of Egypt following their presenta- tions on Sunday, Aug. 16, from 2:30-4 p.m., hosted at Keter Torah Synagogue in West Bloomfield. The cost is $10. RSVP by Aug. 13. Register by PayPal at www.jrefugees1948.org or by email at jrefugees@gmail.com . For details or RSVP, call (248) 891- 2563 or (248) 891-3665. Program series co-sponsors are StandWithUs-Michigan, Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, Greater Detroit Section and Zionist Organization of America-Michigan Region.