Choosing a Birthing Location
In many parts of the United States, women can choose between a hospital birth, a birth center birth, or a homebirth. Where you decide to have your baby will play a major role in determining the atmosphere in which your new baby will be born.
If you decide to have your baby delivered by an OB/GYN, you will more than likely deliver at the hospital where your doctor has admitting privileges. That's an important consideration to keep in mind when you choose your health care provider. If you prefer to have your baby in a birthing center or at home, you will need to find a midwife who will consider these options.
Hospitals
In the United States, most women deliver their babies in hospitals. Many women feel more comfortable in a hospital because hospitals have the staff and facilities to give pregnant moms and newborn babies immediate medical attention should the need arise. If you have a medical history that puts you at risk for complications during your delivery, then a hospital delivery may be the safest choice for you and your baby.
If you do decide to deliver in a hospital, make sure you take a tour of the facilities before you go in to labor so that you will feel comfortable with the rooms, staff, and equipment that is available to you. Many hospitals are making strides at incorporating green designs, such as solar panels, natural lighting, and outdoor walking paths, into their facilities. So don't be afraid to ask what, if any, steps the hospital is making to go green. Be sure to also ask questions about what you are allowed to bring in to your room and what may be forbidden.
If you decide to have your baby in a hospital or birthing center, you will not be able to control the amount or type of energy used during your stay. But you can “offset” the energy used during your baby's delivery by purchasing carbon credits or planting your own carbon-absorbing trees to commemorate the occasion.
Birthing Centers
A birthing center is a facility that allows you to take advantage of the medical facilities of a hospital in a more natural “home-like” setting. Birthing centers are designed for expectant moms with low-risk pregnancies who are unlikely to need medical intervention during their delivery but want the assurance of nearby medical care.
Most birthing center facilities are designed to look more like someone's home than a hospital, with wallpaper on the walls, cushy pillows on the beds, and an open kitchen for you to use during your stay. Birthing centers are also much more open to respecting the wishes of your green birth plan. They will generally allow you to make your own decisions on issues like how many people to have present during the delivery, pain management, and so on.
Many major health insurers will cover the birth of a baby at a free-standing birthing center just as they would in a hospital. However, if you are thinking about having your baby in a birthing center, contact your health insurance carrier ahead of time to ensure that all tests, procedures, and therapies will be covered.
Another significant difference between a birthing center and a hospital is that in a birthing center, the tests, bathing, and care given to your new-born baby will take place right in your room after delivery. In a hospital, newborns are usually moved to another room for a short period after delivery for testing before they are returned to their mothers.
Home Birth
A home birth, just as its name implies, is when a pregnant mom delivers her baby at home. Many women decide to have their babies at home so that they can maintain control over the labor and delivery process and ensure that it remains as natural as possible. Home births are only recommended for expectant women who have had no complications during their pregnancy and who are not likely to need medical intervention during delivery.
If you choose to have your baby at home, you will have complete control over the foods you eat, the pain management techniques you use, and the exercises you do during delivery. You can choose where to deliver, on a bed or in a tub, without asking for permission. And you can ensure that the cleansers, lotions, diapers and creams used on you and your baby are healthy, nontoxic, and eco-friendly.
The disadvantage of a home birth is that it should an emergency arise, it will take longer for you and your baby to be transported to a medical facility and receive medical attention. If you do decide to have a home birth, you should have an emergency backup plan in place. And be sure that all members of your birthing team know what to do in case of an emergency so that you and your baby can get medical help quickly should the need arise.
