Hospital or Birthing Center?

kayneg924 · August 2014

Hi! This is my first pregnancy, took a test(or 2) Wednesday and got a BFP and we are over the moon excited! We have been trying to conceive for 2 years! So my question is... How do you all feel as far as natural vs. drugs and hospitals vs. birthing centers?

littlewest1 · August 2014

All of the drugs.

I think our hospital has a birthing center.

kayneg924 · August 2014

Haha! I am really leaning towards natural. I am calling a local birthing center today to make sure my insurance will cover them.

klt2015 · August 2014

Drugs and hospital

rosemama116 · August 2014

With dd, my doctor joked that I wanted the epidural in the parking lot before I walked in the door. He wasn't that far from the truth. Bring on the drugs!

AggieDaner · August 2014

I would have loved a birthing center, but our insurance didn't cover them. I ended up with an epi, but I was 9cm dilated and could have done without if not for the 16+ hours of labor I'd already done. I hear that the second kid tends to come faster, so I'll be trying again this time.

Birth center or hospital, let me tell you, your best friend for a med free birth is a doula. Trust me on this, doulas are magical creatures sent from heaven to help you not murder everyone while you're in labor.

kayneg924 · August 2014

I read a little about doulas but haven't put much thought into it yet.

redneckmomma25 · August 2014

I birthed in a birthing center attached to a hospital. Not the way to go if you want drugs. I begged from 4 cm to 7.5 cm for drugs. Torture. My other option is a hospital further away so I will ask for drugs at the door this time.

lindsayanne14 · August 2014

I went into last time ready to try natural but willing to get an epi if I felt I needed it. I needed it! Seriously though, the epi allowed me to relax a bit and I actually enjoyed my birthing experience. I will more than likely get another one this time around.

fitfam20 · August 2014

^ This. There were no warnings to the complications that arose during labor with my son. I was told that if we would have delivered anywhere other than the hospital, both my son and I would not have survived.

If you are planning on a birthing center or home birth, find out how long it would take to get to a hospital in an emergency

klt2015 · August 2014

Those thinking natural:

A friend of mine swears by her hypnobirthing coach. She just had her third. She and her DH are the green, holistic, make their own food kind of people and it works for them. However, she will never convince me, lol.

be888 · August 2014

My son came out of my vagina so I consider it pretty natural (as are all babies). Drug free may be a better term.

I gave birth in a hospital and will this time too, with or without an epidural, we"ll see how labor goes this time around.

demirhae · August 2014

I'm leaning towards a birthing center. The one we are scheduled for our first appointment is a 2 min wheelchair ride from birthing room to ER/NICU so I feel safe knowing there's a backup plan. The center itself is a huge converted Victorian house with exam rooms on the first floor and birthing rooms upstairs with tubs in each. It feels very home-y but they have all the necessary medical items needed to care for you. I will also be using a doula (they're offered for free so why not!) I do well with someone talking me through things.
They're also very strict in their rules to actually allow you to give birth there. You are cleared only if you've had a complication free pregnancy. No anemia, no blood pressure issues, no preeclampsia allowed. But they will allow you to labor for a longer amount of time and there aren't any progression milestones you have to hit before the induce.
I think it's a good choice for us, visit both and see which one you click with.

terradash · August 2014

My dd was born at a hospital. I was hoping to go as drug free as possible, but after 20 hrs in labor I changed my mind. lol The epi caused my dd to have an irregular heartbeat and my blood pressure to drop. Then the epi ran out just before I started pushing. Needless to say, I'm going for med-free this time. I've found a CNM at a local hospital and hoping to go that route.

As others have said - every birth, every body, and every baby is different. Do what works for you.

BLPL101 · August 2014

I had a natural birth in a hospital with a midwife. That's my plan again.

A+R=T · August 2014

I had a drug free hospital birth with my first and it was great shoe from the hospital part, all I wanted was for people to stop harassing me and let me go home. That said we are planning a home birth this time. IF anything were to happen and we needed to go to the hospital it's about 7 minutes from our house.

AggieDaner · August 2014

I'm just going to sit here and shout, "DOULA!!" until everyone goes and hires one because I love them. And I'm a control freak. Just kidding. Kind of.

(Dooooooouuuuuulaaaaaaaaaa....)

topaz7777 · August 2014

High risk here on blood thinners. I have to be induced at least a week early and will definitely be in the hospital. I'd like to survive the experience.

BabiesEverywhere · August 2014

I know it's important to have easy access to hospital staff/equipment in the case of an emergency but also remember that emergencies aren't the norm. I'm very thankful for hospitals, OBs, NICUs, etc because sometimes they are needed. But I also think that our culture has become afraid of birth in the sense that we don't trust that a woman's body knows what it's doing. No, you aren't trying to prove "how strong you are" by going med-free but there are some benefits to it for both mom & baby. I'd recommend the documentary "The Business of Being Born." I think it's on Netflix (at least it used to be). Some of their statements are a little extreme in my opinion, but overall it's very informative. Also - be prepared to see some naked women in labor.

In the end, you have to choose what's best for you & your family. For some families that's a hospital birth with an epidural & for some families that's a med-free birth at a birthing center. But don't let anyone make you feel guilty for whatever choice is best for y'all!

BabiesEverywhere · August 2014

Holy moly, @somerandomchick‌! You have my deep respect. 10lb 13oz baby & a vaginal birth?!? You go, girl.

mmckeon101213 · August 2014

I am all for natural! Love my midwife and hopefully it will be a wonderful experience

Unknown · August 2014

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nahawley82 · August 2014

I intended to go with the flow with my first, with the hopes of having a vaginal birth with an epi, my baby and body had other plans. Dd would not drop bc of fibroids near my birth canal. So I had to schedule a c section. I asked my dr about vbac, but they only were able to remove one of the four fibroids during birth, so he thinks it would be a safer option to schedule another c-section. I'm on board with the option that will leave baby and I happy and healthiest!

Unknown · August 2014

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veganmama36 · August 2014

Natural all the way. Healthier for everyone and way less chance for unnecessary interventions and/or c-section. Did the whole hospital thing with my first and it was the worst experience. I'll be having my third baby, second unassisted water birth in April and wouldn't have it any other way.

yolliee · August 2014

Hi, I'm Yolanda and I'm due April 13th. I'm planning a natural, un-medicated homebirth.

Megispreg · August 2014

I had a wonderful experience at the hospital last time. And I have zero desire to go med free. I want my epidural as soon as I walk in the door.

ejeh4 · August 2014

I'm hoping for a vba2c. I'm going to a hospital in case I end up with a c-section again. Also hoping to go drug free since I react horribly to epidurals. We will see how this plan goes, ha!

Sweetlill1 · August 2014

I have already told my husband that I only want to deliver at a hospital with an excellent NICU, even though it is farther from our house. As a Pediatrician, I have seen enough of the complications to make sure I am as prepared as possible for my baby to succeed if needed. I haven't decided med free or epidural yet. Will probably plan to try med free but there is plenty of time to change my mind!

allbrittle · August 2014

This is my first too! Congratulations

My husband and I are all about eating natural and using natural products and cleaners, but when it comes to child birth I feel I have nothing to prove! We are going to be spending 9 months creating this child I think it's okay if we need a little help getting it out! Plus I like that at the hospital if anything were to go wrong they have all they need right on hand to help my little nugget!

RJGmommy · August 2014

Hospital and drugs! I feel more comfortable being in a hospital setting. I had my first two vaginally with no problems. My last was breech and I ended up with a c-section. We didn't find out he was breech until I was in labor at the hospital. So every birth is different.

knitfastdiewarm · August 2014

Delivering w/ a MW at a hospital. I have some medical issues that could mean that I'll have to have a C-Section, but since the MW is aware of them, I will get the chance to try to have my med-free birth first.

@AggieDaner We have our interview w/ a doula all set up already bc she books up so fast.

kayneg924 · August 2014

I don't feel that I have something to prove I have just always felt more pulle towards a drug free birth, possibly a water birth. I have an appointment at a BC on Tuesday that is only 3 mins from the hospital so we will see

LRL131 · August 2014

Repeat C-Section here and ok with it. Initially, I wanted a med free birth but it didn't work out that way, my C Section was very smooth and recovery easier than I expected. I may talk to my doctor about trying a VBAC but I'm not sure if I will be a good candidate and I trust her, so if she says no, I won't push the issue.

nursemom83 · August 2014

No birth plan here except for to deliver a healthy, full term baby.

I'm high risk this round since my son was born at 30 weeks.

So hospital for me and I'll do an epidural again.

Just going in with the mind set that I am not in charge, little one is.

Becks613 · August 2014

Hospital with a midwife and doula. Not planning for meds or natural...just gonna see what happens and decide then!

Mindish · August 2014

I intended to have a birthing center birth but DS was a preemie so I had a drug free hospital birth instead. I think birthing centers are GREAT. For a low risk, typically developing pregnancy there is very little risk involved in birthing outside the hospital. My midwives said that they can see most birthing issues coming from a mile off, which is plenty of time to transfer to a hospital if needed. My birthing center has only ever had one emergency transfer since they've been open, and that would have been prevented if the woman had had an ultrasound. (She refused.) They now require one u/s and have had no emergencies since.

ajstrnisa · August 2014

I tried to go to a center with my first child but it seems they were just a hospital with pretty rooms. Protocol and policies landed me in a transfer to the hospital and I was given pitocin and some other stuff. They uped my pitocin without my permission and lots of other things. I had a folley ball because I wasn't dilating on my own. At the end i wanted to push but they wouldn't let me which was more painful than any contraction. I needless to say have done my research this time as discussed it with the doctors and it seems that I wasn't in labor to begin with and I had an undetected cervical lip All turned out fine my daughter is perfect. I have some emotional scars and I don't want certain things repeated. This time I am going completely hippie as some might call it and I'm having a homebirth. My midwife is lovely and she and I are quickly becoming good friends. I am happy to find a sweet christian woman that believes in all my morals convictions and lets me have my own medical opinions.

kaitc333 · August 2014

Are you planning to birth at Cambridge birth center? @demirhae‌ Sounds similar.... I am hoping to as well, I have my first appointment in a couple weeks, would love to hear your experience

purple_2012 · August 2014

I would love to do a drug free hospital birth. With this being our first child I would feel more comfortable giving birth in the hospital.

rachelsb81 · August 2014

This was me first and second kid. I took naps while I was in active labor. Team epidural.

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