| Women have more choices available today than | | | | would not choose to have their babies at home |
| they had even a decade ago. A mere 100 years | | | | or in a birthing center, or may have scheduled a |
| ago, the majority (95%) of births were at home. | | | | cesarean for a number of reasons. |
| The tide turned, and more women birthed in | | | | Choosing a birthing center, you may experience |
| hospitals. In the 1970s, women began to change | | | | fewer medical interventions and have staff that |
| their minds. However safe they perceived the | | | | you've met before. Natural pain relief options will |
| hospital, it was uninviting and sterile. | | | | be stressed instead of medical options, and you'll |
| Hospital environments were originally designed to | | | | be able to move around as you wish during labor |
| meet the caregivers' needs while they attended | | | | and delivery. |
| to the needs of mother and child. These | | | | Choosing a birth center also means you don't |
| circumstances did not take the mother's family, | | | | have access to medical pain relief without |
| other children or spouse into account, however. | | | | transferring, and depending on your insurance, it |
| The stereotypical scene of an anxious father | | | | may or may not be covered. New moms leave |
| pacing in the waiting room was the norm. | | | | for home 6 to 10 hours after giving birth. In an |
| Birthing centers became a solution to this problem. | | | | emergency, she will need to transfer from the |
| Birth centers strived to help women birth their | | | | birth center to the hospital. |
| babies in a home-like environment that was also | | | | With an increasing number of midwives doing |
| safe and sterile. Family members were | | | | home births, more women are choosing to stay |
| encouraged to be there for the birth. | | | | at home to give birth. At home you have a |
| Choosing between a birthing center and a hospital | | | | familiar relaxed environment, you can eat and |
| is a decision for the mother-to-be. Which is better | | | | drink whenever you want, you can labor however |
| depends on many things. | | | | you like and you are not on the clock. Choosing to |
| Traditional hospital birth has the benefits of being | | | | birth at home has the lowest infection risk for |
| able to offer mother and baby emergency | | | | both mom and baby, and also the lowest |
| medical care, pharmaceutical pain relief and access | | | | cesarean section rate. |
| to support if either patient is high risk. | | | | If you birth at home, you do not have access to |
| However, choosing to have your baby in the | | | | pain medications or epidurals. If you or your baby |
| hospital often means no privacy. The | | | | needs medical care beyond the scope of a |
| mother-to-be may become stressed by dealing | | | | midwife's training, you will need to transfer to a |
| with medical professionals that are strangers. In a | | | | hospital for care. Homebirths are also not covered |
| hospital it will be more difficult to avoid medical | | | | by insurance. Most costs for a homebirth must be |
| interventions, you won't be able to eat, and the | | | | paid out of pocket. |
| cesarean section rate is much greater than if you | | | | An expectant mother's belief system will play a |
| chose one of the other two places to give birth. | | | | part in whether she chooses home or birthing |
| You can hire a doula to help you avoid some of | | | | center vs. a hospital delivery. Financial issues, fears |
| the stress of the hospital environment. | | | | about childbirth and health issues will need to be |
| To be fair, choosing a hospital doesn't guarantee | | | | factored into this decision. High risk moms and |
| you a cesarean. The cesarean section rate at the | | | | babies will be expected to choose a hospital. |
| hospital includes women who are high risk who | | | | |