Hospital vs. birth center?

jessnbrandon · October 2013

So I have always wanted to have a baby at a birth center with a midwife. I have never been prego before but i also have my dr who worked so hard to get me prego. I don't know which to choose.

graceandbenjamen · October 2013

i went with a birth center and it was an excellent choice for my first pregnancy. It saved us money and we had no interventions. Just do it!

Jennys9 · October 2013

I love the idea of a birth center and a midwife for me, but I'm not yet sure what I'll do or where I'll go. We just moved so I'll have to shop around. My nephews are here today because of a great NICU and a friend's sister suffered a loss of her baby because it was a home birth (very different, i know) and the seconds without oxygen were too much.

In the end, I'm going to try to push my desires aside and pick the facility with the best reputation, statistics, and NICU for my baby. Some of the hospitals around here have birthing centers in them, and some employ doulas- that seems to be the best compromise. Women & more natural experience for me, but an equipped facility in case of blood loss or brain damage to the baby.

tbmadeamistake · October 2013

I'm more interested in the midwife than I am in the room I deliver in. My midwives, all of whom I love, deliver in a hospital. Hence, I will be delivering, again, in a hospital. Some people prefer their surroundings to be perfect and will settle for a doc/midwife at where ever they are most comfortable. Go, tour, meet the midwives, then choose.

KingLED · October 2013

I think being pasta sauce sounds weird. What's that like?

MollySm · October 2013

I like epidurals, so that puts me in a hospital :-) Otherwise I'd love a birthing center (there is one right near my hospital).

anc5 · October 2013

I personally loved the birthing center. However, everyone is different and you should look into both and go with what makes you feel comfortable.

ashtonblair123 · October 2013

I enjoyed my hospital experience and will do that again.

cristykaye · October 2013

My fiancé is a doctor and so we will have our baby at the hospital he works at

KristaU831 · October 2013

Hospital. I want all the drugs. And going home within 4 hours doesn't appeal to me

Waliany2015 · October 2013

I'm a L&D nurse and my first choice is a birthing center. The midwives who deliver at the birthing center also deliver at my hospital. I'm not afraid of things going wrong and bad things happening. The midwives are highly educated and I trust their judgment. It's not like there are no meds at the birth center. If I bleed after delivery they have the same meds as the hospital. Just bc they don't do pain meds at the birth center doesn't mean they don't have anything. I want a natural delivery and prefer the more home like setting.

MississippiCatfish · October 2013

KristaU831 said:
Hospital. I want all the drugs. And going home within 4 hours doesn't appeal to me

This was me with my first. Then my epidurals didn't work and the bed was so uncomfortable I switched with my husband for the window-bench area he was sleeping on. I'm leaning toward a freestanding birth center this time. I think sleeping (well, probably not sleeping all that much!) in my own bed sounds amazing.

ETA: had the epidural worked, I'd probably be doing that again!! No judgment here:)

KristaU831 · October 2013

Hospital. I want all the drugs. And going home within 4 hours doesn't appeal to me
This was me with my first. Then my epidurals didn't work and the bed was so uncomfortable I switched with my husband for the window-bench area he was sleeping on. I'm leaning toward a freestanding birth center this time. I think sleeping (well, probably not sleeping all that much!) in my own bed sounds amazing. ETA: had the epidural worked, I'd probably be doing that again!! No judgment here:)

Yeah i was like that with my first too, and it was a fantastic birth which is why im doing it again i liked the help from the nurses in the hospital afterwards, especially because they had on call LC and i def didnt have that at home.

AshB11 · October 2013

Birth center. My last two were born in the 6oclock hour. We were home and in bed by 11pm and slept a good 7 hours straight with zero interruptions. Ahhhhhhmazing. I can only hope this one is born in the evening too!

jckeown89 · October 2013

Birth center. This will be my first, but I am sold on a birthing center experience. It is much more personal and comfortable.

ColeyJ88 · October 2013

We just visited a birth center tonight. After having a hospital birth with my last, I can say we will definitely be going to the birth center. They are less expensive. Less risk of unneeded interventions. They spend on average 38 hours with you by the end of everything compared to 7 with conventional maternity care. They told us that when emergencies have happened, they were able to get the laboring mom to the hospital and have the baby delivered by. 30 mins, which is the average wait time for emergency c-section even if you are at the hospital to begin with! They also encourage you to sleep for 6-7 hours after birth, then begin being up with your baby every 2 hours for feeding. This sounds amazing to me, as I did not get any sleep AT ALL in the hospital last time. Can't wait to recover at home this time!!

AshB11 · October 2013

@coleyj88 when my midwife told me with ds1 to let him sleep till morning I thought she was nuts. I thought there is no way this baby will sleep. But they do!! Ds2did as well:) I did the hospital with my first and it was just miserable being woken up for stats, or blood work, or wanting to take the baby for whatever reasoning (bath, hearing test, ect). I went home exhausted!

AshB11 · October 2013

Also my birth center does this amazing herbal bath for mom and baby right before you leave. It is fantastic.

ColeyJ88 · October 2013

@coleyj88 when my midwife told me with ds1 to let him sleep till morning I thought she was nuts. I thought there is no way this baby will sleep. But they do!! Ds2did as well:) I did the hospital with my first and it was just miserable being woken up for stats, or blood work, or needing to do stuff with the baby. I went home exhausted!

Ugh it's true!! One nurse for you, another for the baby. And they come in at separate times to wake you from needed sleep!

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Hospital vs. birth center?

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