[mammamoon]

I am so happy that our town just got a birth center, it is beautiful!
I was planning a homebirth with our doctor and his midwife assistant, but after seeing the birth center I would almost rather birth there. The only issue there is that it is pretty costl.

What do ya'll think about birth centers as apposed to the ideal homebirth?

 

[Full Heart]

You would have to drive in labor, get up just a few hours after birth, load you and new babe in the car and drive home. Get undressed, redressed into something comfy and back into bed with you and babe. I personally wouldn't do it. I think its like giving birth at someone elses house. Of course after giving birth at home as many times as I have I just can't imagine anything else anyway so I'm sorta biased.

 

[Tellera]

Ditto everything the pp said. Which is why I would love to have a homebirth if we have another child.

That said, I do love my birth center! Our insurance covers it, and not a homebirth, so barring any great $$ windfall, we would probably go to the birth center again.

 

[OMama]

It's the same cost for me to go to the birthcenter or homebirth and I can actually decide that day too (as long as I have gotten the supplies for a HB). But we are still planning for a HB. One of the main reasons is the drive and whatnot. I was pretty wiped out last time (in a hospital) and I wanted to leave but had hemorraged some and was just too weak. This time I really look forward to recovering in my own bed, my own bathroom, shower, etc. I also hated being in the car on the way there. I was 8 cms dilated when we got there and I still remember how freakin' bumpy and uncomfortable the ride was. IMO a pregnant woman in labor should not be subjected to the discomforts and confines of a car. It interrupts labor physically and psychologically. Ultimately you should decide where you will feel most comfortable and safest. Maybe for you that is the birthcenter. I like our birthcenter too and enjoy going there for my prenatal visits but again I think home will be the best place for us to be the day of my babe's arrival.

 

[Pandora114]

Car + Labour = Major suckage.

 

[boscopup]

I have to go to a "birth center", although it's really a "birth house" - just a regular old 2 bed/1 bath house where my midwife meets her clients and assists with their deliveries, since assisted homebirth is illegal in my state (the "birth house" is just over the state line). It's only a 15 minute drive for me, and I can go up there anytime and do all my labor there and tell the midwife when to come up. I plan to pretty much go as soon as I realize that "this is it", since my first labor was only 2.5 hours (and fast labors run in my family). The house is nice and has a really nice AquaDoula (costs extra, but it's there). I know I will enjoy birthing there.

That said... If assisted homebirth were legal in my state, I'd absolutely have my midwife come to MY HOUSE instead, so I don't have to get in the car while having contractions (even though I'll be going up while they're still "easy", or at least I hope to!), so I don't have to get in the car after birth, etc. It'd just be nicer to be at my own home.

My last birth was in the hospital (preterm), and I think the only benefit I really had to being away from home was the fact that I got waited on so well in the postpartum time (nurses bringing me food whenever I asked, etc.)... BUT... at the "birth house", my midwives will be going home as soon as baby and I are stable and have nursed successfully and all that. I can stay overnight if I need to, but it'd just be me, DH, and baby... so really not any better than going home. So I guess DH will just have to get really good at waiting on me that first couple days.

 

[mamamilkers]

I went through this same dilemma early on in my pregnancy. I decided on a hb for several reasons-- one big one is that I wanted my DD to be involved. Not that she couldn't have been at the birth center, but it will be easier at home. Also, the birth center is about an hour's drive away, a drive I was NOT looking forward to making again! I didn't then want to have to turn around and come home in the same traffic with an hours old baby. I like the idea of having all the things I need right here-- no need to remember what to pack or try to figure out what kind of food to bring along. I also like that people come to me when I need them to. I can just settle in and relax and not have to worry about when to rush out the door. My DD might never even have to wake up from her sleep or be disturbed if I go in to labor at night!

Probably the only negatives are that we don't have a/c, so I pray it's not hot when I go in to labor

Good Luck with your decision, it sounds like you have two good choices!

 

[Emilie]

ummm... no brainer for me- homebirth.... it sounds like you liked the women tho there? could you find a loving doula? i would not involve the dr till you absolutely have to.

 

[Tellera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandora114 Car + Labour = Major suckage.

:

 

[aisraeltax]

ok, ill be the one for the other way.
i had 2 c/s's and was told i had to have a 3d, so i fired my OB once i found MDC and realized my OB was full of it.

the reason i went for the birthing center (although it was an hour away) was b/c i am one of those anal ppl who wants everything to be perfect before ANYONE comes to my house. durng my preg. i had a lot of problems and could barely walk, so my house was not in tip top shape. i was scared of a problem and the hospital in my own town sux w/ their c/s rate. the one near the b/c is much better and some mamas on here have delivered there.

i thought the b/c was a peaceful place to be. i didnt have to worry whether my home was clean enough, whether everyone had enough of whatever they needed, etc. for me, it was MORE relaxing to birth there than at home.
plus, i always have long labors (like 30 something hours).
im sure most would prefer a h/b but those are my reasons for chosing the b/c.
oh, and i drove home in my pj's....after having dinner with my mw's and dh!

i felt fine (dh drove actually).

 

[2+twins]

Aside from the reasons already stated, I'd choose homebirth b/c a birthing center is bound by all sorts of rules you simply don't have at home due to the liability insurance they must hold (how long a woman can labor, push, etc.).

 

[alegna]

The only reason I'd consider a birthcenter over a homebirth was if my home wouldn't work for some reason (in the middle of nowhere or living with unfriendly people or in the middle of moving....)

-Angela

 

[Kidzaplenty]

I'd never choose to leave my own home to give birth.

 

[Aura_Kitten]

i would choose homebirth over a birth center any day. (but i'm one of those weird UC freaks.

)

 

[shelleyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by love_homebirthing Aside from the reasons already stated, I'd choose homebirth b/c a birthing center is bound by all sorts of rules you simply don't have at home due to the liability insurance they must hold (how long a woman can labor, push, etc.).

That's not always true. I gave birth in a bc and there were no rules about how long to push and all that. I had a dem and she also does hb and the same policies apply to bc births as hb. I chose the bc simply because I wasn't comfortable having the tub set up in the middle of my living room looking into the neighbor's kitchen window, and in my tiny house that's the only place it would fit. The bc was so perfect because I felt secluded if that makes sense. I also drove home in my pjs and we left when I was ready, no arbitrary time limit. The only people there were my dh, my mw and her apprentice. No nurses or anything. So I think that it really depends on your home situation and the particular bc. If my windows didn't stare into my neighbors, I'd give birth at home. If the bc had arbitrary time limits and policies and nurses on staff, I'd give birht at home. But for me, the bc worked out wonderfully. Good luck

Shelley

 

[Butter]

I did a birthing center for #2 and a homebirth for #3. I much preferred the homebirth even though I love my birthing center birth too. It was just wonderful not to go anywhere in labor and have people come to me instead. And it was pretty amusing to realize when the baby was 3 days old that he had never even been outside of the bedroom where he was born.

 

[mammamoon]

Another reason for this birth center is the wonderful midwives there ( there are just two) And they will not do homebirths anymore. I want so badly to be surounded by women. My doc is great, but , well he's a man. I almost don't even want my husband to be there (I've been reading the Red Tent

), though I would never really exclude him. I just wish I had all of you wonderfully supportive women to be there with me.

 

[Emilie]

i can see it in that sense- since it will be a doc- I would actually mayube lean towards the birth center in that case.

 

[Quagmire]

I went with a FSBC because:

1. It was 5 minutes from home so the drive was no big deal
2. I didn't want to have to rent a tub when one was available down the road
3. It was the same cost
4. I didn't want my toddler around while I was laboring and I felt that it was least disruptive to her routine (since I didn't know what time of day/ day of the week I'd be birthing) to keep her at home and have me leave.

There were no rules that differed from birthing in my home - like a PP mentioned it was just a building and didn't come with any equipment or staff that wouldn't have been available for a homebirth.

That said, if the BC hadn't been so convenient I might have opted for a homebirth since my midwives would do either.

MM, The Red Tent is a terribly depressing read after a while... be prepared!

 

[tropicalpunkin]

Hi MamaMoon, I weighed my options and the reasons included what everyone else said before. Driving distance, insurance, birth tub availability, etc.

We have a deep garden tub in my master bath.
Insurance covers either or.
Driving distance to birth center is 13ish miles.
Driving distance to nearest hospital is 7 miles.
I hated driving in labor.
We have two children, ages 2 and 8.5. Easier for them to be home and have someone come stay with them, or let them stay in bed!

If I didn't have so many favorable home birth options, I would have chosen the birth center and likely been extremely pleased with the experience.

Regarding driving in labor, I don't know how early you can arrive to your birth center in labor, but I waited until labor was getting active to drive. It probably would be fine to drive in labor if you aren't active yet.