Moving Acadiana Forward: New birthing center opens in Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- The Baby Catcher Birth Center is offering new services for expecting mothers in Lafayette.

“I’m a mermaid,” says Aria Cully. For a toddler, she isn’t too far off. She was born in the water, during a home birth in her parents' bedroom. 

“I thought it was so much easier and relaxing being at home. I had my support system right there and obviously, this was prior to COVID, so then when we found out we were having her there was no doubt,” says mom Cassie. 

Both Cully girls were delivered at home by Shatamia Webb, a certified professional midwife with the state of Louisiana. She now has her own birthing center in Lafayette. 

“I would say I’ve done over 130 births so far this isn’t my first rodeo it’s just a permanent spot for me I’m usually doing home births and traveling all over the state,” says Webb, who’s been a midwife since 2012. 

“I see mothers just like they would normally see a doctor. Every month, every two weeks, and then every week until they deliver. They come to me in labor and they usually stay about 4 to 5 hours after they have their baby. Then I go to see them the very next day for their first postpartum visit. I do have a nurse and another midwife that comes with me,” says Web. 

Her schedule stays busy and did see an uptick in mothers who wanted to deliver at home during the pandemic.

As an African-American woman, Webb chose to deliver her babies at home for a different reason. “My biggest fear of going into the hospital was not walking out. Just because of the statistics that are out there," says Webb, “I knew that personally, I wanted to have my babies at home. As long as I remained low risk. Because it is a criteria that you have to meet. I’m happy to open the doors to anybody as long as they fit the criteria, they are low risk and they can have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.” 

Webb says that local doctors have reached out and are encouraging of her new center.