|
If you’ve just found out you are pregnant - you now have several choices to make. Cloth or disposable diapers. Breast or bottle feed. Doctor or midwife. And where to give birth - at a birthing center, at home or at a hospital. As to the choice of where to give birth - much of it depends upon your health - your baby’s health and the care provider you choose.
BIRTHING CENTER
A birthing center is a cross between a home birth and a hospital - of which I will go over in detail below. Birthing centers offers the benefits of home births with the close availability of a hospital. Most of the time, you will go home within hours of giving birth. The cost is lower than a hospital stay. However birthing centers are usually only found in larger cities.
HOME BIRTH
Home births popularity are on the increase. A century ago almost all women delivered at home - then with the boom of medical technology in the 20th century women began the hospital birth trend. Nowadays, there is a move back to the natural - with trained midwives and excellent prenatal care - having a home birth can happen with confidence and safety. Even VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) candidates can attempt a home birth. Reasons to not have a home birth include diabetes, ill mother or fetus, maternal
high blood pressure, placenta problems (abruption or previa) or a complication from a previous birth that could hinder the present pregnancy.
Home Birth PROS
1. Baby will be with you from the very beginning - allowing bonding and breastfeeding to begin immediately.
2. Birthing can be done in any desired position.
3. Cost is considerably less than a hospital birth.
4. Freedom to drink and eat at will.
5. Freedom of movement.
6. Freedom of time.
7. Midwife will more than likely be able to be with you the entire time through most of the labor and birth.
8. No forced medical intervention such as constant fetal monitoring and IV’s.
Home Birth CONS
1. If an emergency occurs mother and baby could be in grave danger - such as placenta abrupto, uterine rupture, cord prolasp or distressed fetus. The time it takes to get to a hospital could be detrimental to either the baby or the mother if any of these things occur.
2. No anesthetic pain medication.
3. Must have an emergency back-up plan - a doctor on stand-by and a hospital close should an emergency occur.
HOSPITAL
Since the 20th century, hospitals are by far the most popular place to give birth in the United States. Now that the trend toward home births are rising, most hospitals have abandoned the “sterile medical” look of the old separate labor and delivery rooms and have changed to the more homey birthing suites or LDR - labor, delivery, recovery. Also gone are the days when “Dad” waited in the waiting room and a nurse announced the arrival of his daughter or son. Now, Dad or anyone Mom chooses can be in the room and “coach” her through labor and delivery - not only is it allowed - it’s encouraged. And with the policy of rooming-in - the baby can be with Mom most of the entire hospital stay.
Hospital PROS
1. The availability of birthing rooms - labor, delivery, recovery all in one and rooming in with the baby - makes for an easier transition into parenthood.
2. The availability of constant fetal monitoring. This sometimes helps to ease the mind of the laboring mom.
3. The best of emergency care available - with the trained staff and the necessary equipment to handle any critical situation.
4. The availability of anesthetic pain relief - i.e. epidural - during labor and delivery.
Hospital CONS
1. Expensive.
2. Forced medical intervention, IV’s, fetal monitoring - can hinder the freedom of movement during labor and delivery.
3. Lack of personal attention by the attending doctor. Most will check once during labor and arrive in time to birth the baby.
4. No food or drink during labor.
5. Time limits on labor - resulting in intervention through Pitocin drips to augment labor, artificial breaking of the bag of waters and sometimes a cesarean if the birth does not take place in a specified amount of time.
The choices between a birthing center, home birth and hospital depends widely upon your personal preferences. Some women relish the thought of an all natural birth with no drugs and no medical intervention while others would feel more comfortable in a setting where the availability of medications and a trained staff to take care of her needs. Which ever you choose, weigh all the factors with your health care provider and choose accordingly.
| 
