With overwhelming community support and the indispensable help of family and friends, Catriona Munro and Christine Gibbs established Bellingham Birth Center in early 2004 to answer the community’s need for a private, peaceful setting for labor and birth. At the time, there were no free-standing birth centers north of Everett, although the possibility of a birth center had been discussed in the community for many years. In 2008 we added a 3rd birth suite to allow for the occasional need for a 3rd space. That extra space provides the staff and clients a great deal of peace of mind ~ because sometimes babies come in flurries!

Ina May Gaskin, an internationally recognized expert on natural childbirth, “cut the umbilical” cord of the Bellingham Birth Center during the grand opening ceremony, as hundreds of community members looked on and joined the celebration.

Christine began a much-deserved retirement in 2020, and now Catriona is in charge of keeping the lights on and stocking essentials such as bleach, bendy straws, and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Bellingham Birth Center facilitates a person’s innate ability to give birth without intrusive interventions while providing an appropriate amount of technology to ensure safety.

• Each of the three birth suites includes a roomy tub for labor and/or birth, a hand-held shower, and a private bathroom.
• There’s a central kitchenette for you to keep snacks (popsicles, fruit, juice, whatever you like) and we also have a nice supply of energy bars, electrolyte drinks, instant oatmeal, crackers, coffee, tea, etc. We think it’s a very good idea to eat and drink during labor.
• We also think that it’s a good idea to make gravity your friend and to move into different positions throughout labor. Because of that, we have birth stools, birth balls, and birth slings.
• We offer nitrous oxide for pain relief, although the freedom to move, access to a birthing tub, and knowing the people who are there with you are all incredibly helpful and important during birth.
• Each room has a comfy queen sized bed with an infinite supply of pillows and blankets, heating pads, fans, bluetooth speakers, and dimmer switches (of course!)
• Each room is also equipped with the medical tools that only come out when needed ~ medications and oxygen, IVs and catheters, suture and lidocaine. We generally keep them tucked away but easily accessible.
• There are no machines that make annoying noises, just a doppler that makes the comforting sound of your baby’s heartbeat.

Please email us at bellinghambirthcenter@gmail.com and we can set up a tour and answer any specific questions you might have. You can also call us at (360) 752-2229.