As dh and I ttc, I am (still) investigating birth options in DC and I'm getting very frustrated that nothing seems to fit my needs/wants. Can people tell me about their various experiences with hospital birth, birth center birth, and homebirth?
Here's my situation: dh and I will be living in NW DC; we will not have a car, and I don't have a driver's license, anyway. I am very committed to a natural, drug-free birth. My preference would be a birth center, but I can't find one that seems accessible and/or in which the midwives have hospital privileges (my sister has a uterine anamoly that required a c/s; because of the possibility that it may be genetic, I want to at least be prepared for a possible transfer, but I am VERY worried about transferring to a hospital where my primary care provider has no priviliges and may not be able to advocate for the birth I want). I would consider a hospital birth w/ a CNM, although it's a pretty depressing prospect for me--and I've heard that many DC midwives (the Takoma Park practice, for example) are highly interventive. Homebirth also seems like a good possibility to me, although I think it will be a real battle convincing dh (mostly b/c it will be our first) and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing a homebirth in an apt.
Any insight will be greatly, greatly appreciated.
Here's my situation: dh and I will be living in NW DC; we will not have a car, and I don't have a driver's license, anyway. I am very committed to a natural, drug-free birth. My preference would be a birth center, but I can't find one that seems accessible and/or in which the midwives have hospital privileges (my sister has a uterine anamoly that required a c/s; because of the possibility that it may be genetic, I want to at least be prepared for a possible transfer, but I am VERY worried about transferring to a hospital where my primary care provider has no priviliges and may not be able to advocate for the birth I want). I would consider a hospital birth w/ a CNM, although it's a pretty depressing prospect for me--and I've heard that many DC midwives (the Takoma Park practice, for example) are highly interventive. Homebirth also seems like a good possibility to me, although I think it will be a real battle convincing dh (mostly b/c it will be our first) and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing a homebirth in an apt.
Any insight will be greatly, greatly appreciated.