What is your Birth Plan?

Question

I'm a first time Mum - expecting our boy beginning of Feb and I'm starting to think about where to give birth. I'm looking for some advice from experienced mothers and thoughts from other first timers! I know that the Hospital is the safer more traditional option as you have all of the available resources nearby (pain relief, medical equipment, specialists). The Midwifery seems a bit more personal and private but I'm not sure what resources will be available (I'll check with WF at next meeting). Homebirth would be nice because I'd have all my home comforts and I can just relax afterwards with my partner and enjoy babies first night at 'home'. I'd appreciate any experience and thoughts that you have :)

Answer

Go to a hospital. Honestly, if anything were to go wrong, a hospital is the best option

Answer

What about a birthing center attached to a hospital?

Answer

Hospital. I know doctors can sometimes perform unnecessary interventions, but there are so many women who, if they weren’t at the hospital, would’ve been putting their baby’s life in jeorpardy. 
YES, most births go without a hiccup and a Home birth can be so beautiful, but to me.. the risk is not worth it. 
Luckily I live in Southern California where the hospitals are making a big push to be more friendly to “natural” births. Perhaps you could look into a hospital near you with a similar practice?

Answer

I just delivered my third baby without any medication. I took Bradley Method classes with my first to prepare and delivered at a hospital with a midwife in an OB practice. I did not like the hospital at all because they were not used to uneducated patients and wild take my blood pressure in the middle of contractions, burst in she flip in the lights, ask me all the same questions I had already filled out on my pre-registration forms, etc. The midwife also had a very medical mindset and gave me crap for not taking pain meds and eventually did ask episiotomy against my wishes. 
For my next to deliveries, I went to a birth center located next to the hospital. I liked the proximity in case something went wrong. The prenatal care is so different with the midwives-- they don't treat you like to have a disease, they are set up to support natural birth, and are a lot more personable. my birth center is like delivering at a fancy hotel-- way better accommodations than my own home! I had a water birth for both deliveries there and especially loved the tub this last time! I delivered a 9lb 3 oz baby (my first was 7-6, second 8-0, so totally unexpected to have a huge baby!) fairly easily with only needing a few stitches! 
my labors were 9 hrs, 9hrs, and 8.25 hrs. 
I'd encourage you to take Bradley classes to at least understand how labor works and get some techniques to handle pain if you're at all interested in unmedicated birth. I can't say enough positive things about my birth center prenatal care/deliveries vs. my hospital experience.

Answer

Ive had 2 hospital births and this time I am going for a home birth.
Midwife sets up a corner with vital equipment should anything bad happen (obviously hope not)
Also, she said that if in any case they become concerned they act on it a lot quicker than they would in a hospital, also if need be they will get an ambulance on stand by ‘just incase’... years ago there wasn’t any options. I think it will be nice and calm at home with my normal surroundings.

Answer

I had two med-free hospital deliveries and will do the same this time. Being in a hospital comforts me knowing that I have immediate access to medical intervention if anything goes wrong.

What is your Birth Plan?

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