Home or Hospital?

[LisaMJCook]

I am a student at college where I'm writing a report and essay about home and hospital births. It would be great if I could get your opinions on this subject because it is important to me that I take into account a mothers perspective. I would like to know how you came to chose that option, why you chose one option over the other, and were there any other alternatives available.

If you could help me I would really appreciate it.
Thank you :)

Home. Every time- and I've done home, hospital and birth centre.

Home birth is calmer, quicker and more pleasant in every conceivable way. Plus 70% less likely to have interventions.

Have a look at homebirth.org and also look up the birthplace study.

Hth

Might be worth posting this in the childbirth section as this section is mainly used by mothers who are going through testing for problems with their unborn babies so not really likely to reply. Also get a higher flow of traffic in Childbirth than on here x

Lol, and hten I get proven wrong just as I reply! xx

As for my reply to your origional question, I had 3 hospital births, 1st because it was my 1st and I wanted to be in a medical environment in case it didn't go the way I had planned. 2nd because I wanted to be in hospital for reasons stated above. 3rd was meant to be a home birth as 2nd was so quick and I coped very well with no drugs, but developed pre-eclampsia so was induced in the end.

All very positive birth experiences and had wonderful care from the midwives. But was very keen to get home asap after each delivery

Definitely hospital every time for me, I couldn't bear the thought of something going wrong and having to wait for an ambulance and then a transfer to hospital, so many things could happen in those precious minutes. Personally I wouln't touch a midwife led centre for the same reasons I need to know that everything is on hand just in case.

Same as Boggler - I used to audit hospitals for my job, so am not stressed out by the places. 1st delivered no probs in hosp, 2nd now - I want a afull medical team JUST IN CASE!!! Possible probs with baby diagnosed. I live 40 mins away from my hosp - and that's in light traffic. Would be concerned with a homebirth that if something did happen, I would end up giving birth in a traffic jam. My sisters baby was born with the cord around her neck and she had to go straight to intensive care, so I guess I have a scare story to stop me considering HB. I want pain killers on hand as well - I'm not brave!

p.s. only options given were home or hosp - not even sure we have birth centre