We Have a Birthing Center Again Thanks to Lilac Health!

        Lilac Health's vision to open the Asheville Birth & Wellness Center was sparked by a deep commitment to improving and expanding maternal health in the United States. When the closure of WNC Birth Center and the Birth Center in Chapel Hill made national headlines back in 2021, it signaled the call to action for the founders of Lilac. They recognized that these two communities are widely supportive of and seek out more natural birthing options and should not have to bear the loss of the Midwifery Model of Care any longer. 

        The Birth & Wellness Center is commited to providing an alternative birthing option for low-risk women. They value the unique needs of every client and truly seek to be supportive and adaptive. They understand that every pregnancy is unique, and they strive to honor each woman's journey with personalized care, catering completely to her individual experience and birth vision. The beauty of that commitment is visceral, you can feel their compassion and genuine support as soon as you step inside the center. There's a natural aura of comfort, safety, and trust that exudes from the nurse midwives and staff which really makes a girl feel like she’s in the right place. Birthing at Lilac is intended to be empowering, giving women the opportunity to feel safe, relaxed, and encouraged to stay in her natural birthing rhythm without feeling pressured or out of her element.

        Personally, I love the intimacy and wildness of a home birth. Although for some women, whether it be the minimal medical attention, the lack of a proper birthing space in their house or any other personal reason, a home birth can be a bit of a stretch. That's why birthing center's are so crucial! It's the perfect blend of hominess and medical security.

        Lilac provides a maxi-home setting, accredited by the CABC, with strict protocols and guidelines to ensure safety and optimal outcomes. Highly emphasizing the midwifery model of care, the center allows women to receive personalized and attentive care within a designated and well-equipped facility. It’s an incredible in between option with the best of both worlds.

        It’s unfortunately quite common for low-risk women who give birth at hospitals to be encouraged (and sometimes pressured) to receive medical intervention such as c-section or vacuum births at the hospital standard of the 40 week mark. However, especially with first time moms, it is common and healthy that babies tend to incubate all the way up to 42 weeks. The birthing center, although equipped like a hospital, gently awaits a mother’s natural birth time and only responds with medical intervention if absolutely necessary. Each birth is attended by a senior Nurse Midwife and professional Birth Assistant, both passionate and dedicated to women’s wellness, so mama can feel safe, knowin she will be tended to by well trained and licensed staff.

        The Lilac Health Center is an intentionally curated space that encourages comfort. Their large rooms were designed to be homey and aesthetically soothing. With cozy, plush beds, private bathrooms, and beautiful, hydrotherapy birthing tubs, it really makes a woman feel at home - but in an “I live in an epic, boutique spa” kind of way. They have a kitchen and library set up in the space also, so there’s plenty to keep a couple nourished and entertained for those particularly long labors. Another awesome thing that Lilac offers, which is a bit unique, is the use of pilate bars, birth slings and exercise balls which help stretch and calm mama's body to naturally progress labor.

        The ambience is perfectly soothing, with dim light, a speaker to play mama's favorite playlist and an essential oil diffuser with a scent of her choice. The goal is to create a space for birth which allow women to feel cozy and in their element as much as possible. They also welcome doulas and any family members they desire to have present at the birth, including children, so they can birth with the ease of knowing that they're in good hands with good company and in a space suited to serve their needs.

        Beyond being a birth center, Lilac Health offers a comprehensive range of maternal health and well-woman care, with exciting plans for further expansion yet to be seen! Passionate and commited to women's health, aiming to provide a greater continuum of holistic care. We, here at AVL Real Estate, as women and mothers ourselves, are super excited for this beautiful offering to return to our town! We immensely value having the access to exceptional and heart centered maternal wellness care.
Thank you, Lilac Birth and Wellness Center, for filling a void here in Asheville which we have too long been enduring.