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