I’m interested in other people’s perspectives in case there are aspects I haven’t considered yet.

I live in Alberta, Canada in a mid sized city. These are the current birth options I’m weighing and some of my considerations. I’m due end of Feb — temps average -20C and road conditions are icy. We will have our two year old and our parents live 2 hours away.

I’m quite interested in having a doula for the birth and postpartum care. It costs about $1000-$1500 and has to all be paid for privately.

The delivery is all publicly funded. These are the choices:

1. Hospital Birth with a doctor.

- 10 minutes from my house

- my Dr works in a team of nine so I have a 1/9 chance of having her.

- I hate some of the other members of her team (creepy, rough, old men.

- I had my first at this hospital so it’s familiar and it was very positive BUT I was the only one delivering at the time which meant tons of nurse assistance, and I got my lovely doc coaching me along

- pain meds option

2. Midwife at Birthing Centre

- 1 hr + from home

- unfamiliar

- next-door to hospital in case of emergency

- water birth facilities

3. Midwife at different Hospital

(They’re fully booked in my local area)

- 1 hr+ from home

- unfamiliar

- large private rooms

- overnight area for husband

- water birth facilities

- pain meds options

I think I’m most leaning towards option number one with the doula but my husband thinks we should go for number 3.

Thoughts?