October 15, 2020

Best Place to Give Birth! Hospital, Birthing Center, Home?

“Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers–strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.” –Barbara Katz Rothman

I remember when I was pregnant with my first baby! I was so excited, nervous, anxious of the unknown, and ready to find the right care provider and birthing team. The actual location didn’t even dawn on me at this point. In the back of my mind, having a Midwife was sounding good. I started reading everything I could find at the library (does that date me hehe) and scheduling interviews!!

I LOVE The Birth Book by Dr. Sears and his wife. This started me on the path of where I felt best about having my baby. They lay out all the good details of how to choose a care provider, the location of the birth, and ALL your options leading up to the birth. I also grabbed this GENIUS book by the legendary Ina May Gaskin-Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. If you are leaning towards a natural birth, check this one out! As you begin this journey, you will find good and bad in each book, blog, vlog, post, etc. Grab the positive info that feels right to you as you start your research.

The day came to meet the Midwife I had searched so hard for. She was at the local hospital near Bunker Hill, West Virginia. Soon after I arrived, I found myself answering only questions on pain medication and how I’d like to manage the pain of the birth. I hadn’t even seen the Midwife yet. By the time I met with her, I knew I wasn’t supposed to have my baby there. I was feeling lead to a home or birthing center birth. I asked the Midwife for some referrals that did home birth. I was still not completely clear I wanted this option, but I went with how I felt. My path began to open up from there. I found the right Midwife, the location I felt comfortable having the baby, and the birth classes I needed to help me feel confident in this plan.

So! How do you find what’s right for you??

Decide what kind of birth you are hoping for and that will be the safest for you and your baby. Like me, I was undecided and went to the next step.
Interview and decide on a care provider that you feel BEST with. Someone that will listen, work and respect your wishes, and ultimately keep you and your baby healthy and safe. Remember-you are HIRING them! No question is dumb.

INTERVIEW questions for a MIDWIFE and Printout HERE!