Home birth vs. Birth center

[namistenicole]

Hi mammas,

I am considering a home birth vs. a birth center. Can you give me your take on the difference between these two? Comfort? Safety? Overall experience?

_________________________

Me (30) : DH (38) * DS (4) * New baby! (due 12/4) :

[applejuice]

Birth center: disadvantages - need to "go" somewhere during labor, other people's germs are present, more oppportunities for interventions. advantages - connected probably to a hospital, more paraphenalia at hand, perhaps more competent, licensed help, interventions more readily available if needed.

Home: disadvantages - l imited drug and medical paraphenalia, fewer competent attendants, may be far from hospital. advantages - your own germs, familiar surroundings, a woman is queen of her household, home court advantage, fewer opportunities for interventions that necessitate other interventions that are not available.

JMHO and experience.

I had four home births. I never had to clean up anything as the midwife did that. I always had food frozen or canned in advance for more than a week and snacks ready for the midwife.

[alegna]

IMO the only reason to consider a birth center is if your own home is unsafe in some manner. (physically or emotionally)

-Angela

[applejuice]

Originally Posted by alegna

IMO the only reason to consider a birth center is if your own home is unsafe in some manner. (physically or emotionally)

-Angela

Ultimately, ITA!

[DallasCPM]

Are you comparing a hospital-based birth center, or a free-standing? I'm going to assume a free-standing birth center.

If so, really, a birth center birth is a homebirth in someone else's "home".

As a homebirth midwife, I carry the same equipment to homebirths as is at the local birth centers. When I go to the birth, I look like I"m moving in. :giggle I have recusitation equipment, oxygen tank, etc., etc. I rarely use it, but it's there if I need it. The vast majority of my births, everything I use is in a little 2qt. Rubbermaid Box.

Reasons to use a birth center instead?
If you home is unsafe for any reason.

If you home is so very far away from a hospital, that you feel being at a birth center would be a better option for easy access to a hospital if necessary.

Roommates that might inhibit you from laboring well.

[nashvillemidwife]

Originally Posted by applejuice

Home: disadvantages - fewer competent attendants.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but I feel certain it is situational. If you're referring to having fewer competent midwives to choose from, that's certainly not the case here are there are lots of homebirth midwives and no birth centers. If you mean the number of attendants present at the birth, when I worked at a FSBC births were generally attended by either 2 midwives or 1 midwife and 1 nurse, no one else was even present in the building after hours. Again, most homebirth practices in my area will employ at least 2 skilled attendants.

[roxyrox]

I think something to consider is your water supply and whether you want to be constantly having to fill/empty/fill a pool at home to keep it warm. (plus the clearing up afterwards) I had my ds in a birth centre and I think the plumbed in pool was a big advantage - I have seen "fishy pools" and for me, they wouldn't have been adequate!

That is presuming you want a waterbirth... for me, the water provided so much pain relief, I can't now imagine giving birth on "dry land"

[Nan'sMom]

Originally Posted by alegna

IMO the only reason to consider a birth center is if your own home is unsafe in some manner. (physically or emotionally)

-Angela

I agree. Birth centers generally practice less evidence-based medicine than homebirth midwives. For instance, they often require many tests, some of which are controversial (such as routine GD and GBS testing), often won't let you opt out of doptone ultrasound for birth, have strict timelines for labor and placenta delivery, etc.

[adtake]

I have used a FSBC with my last 2 and will again this time. I would love to do a home birth, but the area I live in creates issues: 1) no homebirth midwives in the area 2) non competant hospitals near (closest hospital I would want to go to is 40 minutes away, 5 minutes from FSBC) 3) I prefer to have a safety net...I'm a bit paranoid about what if's.

Ideally I agree that homebirth is the complete best choice, but for me it just isn't. I envy all your homebirth moms!!


Hope you find the answer you are looking for! Good luck!

[Juvysen]

Honestly the best part of my homebirth was that I was HOME afterward. Labor is labor, but being home afterward is priceless. It really made the transition from a family of 3 to a family of 4 feel seamless and natural. It wasn't punctuated with a stay away from home.

And as for the fishy pool vs. jacuzzi tub... I've labored in both, and the fishy pool was by far my preference. Those nice semi-squishy sides to lean on, omg, it was heavenly!

[nashvillemidwife]

I forgot to add that when I worked in the FSBC, narcotic pain medication was the only thing available at the facility that I do not have available for my home births. The pain meds were rarely used anyway. Mostly, going to the birth center was for all practical purposes driving to someone else's house to give birth.

[namistenicole]

Originally Posted by DallasMidwife

As a homebirth midwife, I carry the same equipment to homebirths as is at the local birth centers. When I go to the birth, I look like I"m moving in. :giggle I have recusitation equipment, oxygen tank, etc., etc. I rarely use it, but it's there if I need it. The vast majority of my births, everything I use is in a little 2qt. Rubbermaid Box.

The only reason is my possibly erroneous assumption that the FSBC is safer in the case of a real emergency - because of equipment (??). But it sounds like you are saying the same equipment would be available in either situation. I will bring this up as I tour the two FSBC in my area and see what they say. Both are staffed by CPM midwives, incidentally.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by namistenicole

The only reason is my possibly erroneous assumption that the FSBC is safer in the case of a real emergency - because of equipment (??). But it sounds like you are saying the same equipment would be available in either situation. I will bring this up as I tour the two FSBC in my area and see what they say. Both are staffed by CPM midwives, incidentally.

Yes. In almost all cases homebirth midwives travel with all equipment that would be available at a FSBC.

-Angela

[Belleweather]

I've had both an FSBC birth and a home birth and was able to have them attended by the same midwife. So from a strictly location based stand point, I'd have to say that they were about the same.

I LOVED being home immediately after the birth, being able to eat food I'd left in a pot on the stove, in my warm jammies in my own bed with my brand new baby right next to me. But I HATED having to clean my house and keep it clean for those seemingly endless weeks of waiting for the babe to come. Especially since I'm not one of those glowy mamas in the last few weeks; I hurt and was pissy and didn't want to worry about mopping floors and managing clutter. On the other hand, I also HATED having to be in the car for labor, and I loved having the midwife come to me... especially since DS was born in the middle of a blizzard and they nearly had to come on skiis.

As far as equiptment, interventions, skill of the staff, and pain relief, it was all about the same. I bought a La Bassine Birth Pool, and had a waterbirth both times. The LB worked about the same as the built in tub at the birthing center.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Belleweather

But I HATED having to clean my house and keep it clean for those seemingly endless weeks of waiting for the babe to come. Especially since I'm not one of those glowy mamas in the last few weeks; I hurt and was pissy and didn't want to worry about mopping floors and managing clutter.

Well no wonder I liked it, I never worried about that!

-Angela