As Kansas City prepares for hosting the 2026 WorldCup, a freestanding birth center is providing global-class natural birth experiences from the privacy of Corporate Woods in Johnson County; Kansas City’s New Birth Company.
Co-Founded by midwife Catherine Gordon and Cerner alumni Kendra Wyatt, New Birth Company is among the over 400 licensed birth centers in the country and serves as KC’s only state licensed and nationally accredited freestanding birth center for low-risk women. Their mission is to generate an atmosphere that provides and supports women of all backgrounds with a natural childbirth that is safe, beautiful and affordable.
“We invite all moms and families to come out for a tour and orientation and learn about midwifery and the birth center as an option,” said Wyatt. ”They can discover if our focus on nutrition and stress reduction is something they are interested in. During their initial visit, we perform extensive screenings supported by lab results, and we can tell moms early in their pregnancy if they are a great candidate, or if they are best served by an obstetrician. What people don’t know is that 85% of pregnant women qualify for care with a midwife.”
Wyatt says the birth center excludes certain interventions like c-sections, epidurals, and constant electronic monitoring. Wyatt assures safety is a top priority at New Birth Company and stresses the center has transfer plans in place in case moms need to be moved to a hospital if there are complications during, before and after birth. New Birth Company also utilizes electronic medical records for expecting mothers and their babies to ensure clinical and safety standards. The center’s certified nurse midwives (CNMs) are also all board certified.
“Supporting moms desiring a wellness pregnancy and physiologic birth should be an option for everyone,” said Wyatt. “We don’t make guarantees in healthcare, but we can dramatically increase the odds of having natural childbirth. It’s a triumphant, spiritual and athletic process which many of us have experienced. We can help you increase the odds of you having the birth you desire.”
Education is another pillar at New Birth Company aimed at building trust between families and their birth team.
Personalized prenatal appointments are routinely scheduled to monitor mom's health, baby’s growth and give family’s one-on-one time with their midwives. The visits also help the center learn more about expecting mothers and their medical history, health status and also educate a mother on nutritional and body movement needs during pregnancy and finalizing a birthing plan.
During birth, families can choose among the center’s three birth suites. Each suite mirrors a home-like environment equipped with comprehensive medical supplies and offers a queen size family bed. The suites also have an active birth pool to support an expecting mother and her birthing plan, including the option for a water birth.
Following the birth of a newborn, the center offers postpartum and newborn care. Home visits are also scheduled following birth so families can receive the parenting and breastfeeding support they need. Wyatt stresses each family is different, but the goal is to create an inclusive space for everyone especially since it’s located within Kansas' most populous county.
“We are in network with every major insurance plan. Large employers are calling for the increased utilization of birth centers and midwives. We are one of the answers to improving maternal outcomes and especially for women of color,” said Wyatt, “everyone deserves a safe and beautiful birth experience.”
