Home Birth versus Hospital Birth

REASONS TO HAVE A HOME BIRTH VS HOSPITAL BIRTH:

1. No chance of bringing home someone else’s baby.
2. No chance of having someone steal your baby while in the hospital.
3. No chance of having someone else nurse your baby.
4. No chance of having your baby being given formula when you want only breast milk.
5. No chance of being separated from your newborn.
6. No chance of you catching a hospital born virus or bacteria
7. No chance of your newborn catching a hospital born virus.
8. No chance of receiving an episiotomy.
9. No chance of getting an infection in the episiotomy stitches.
10. No chance of ripping out the episiotomy stitches when having a bowel movement.
11. No chance of being confined to a bed during your labor.
12. No chance of being left alone during your labor, unless you want to be left alone.
13. No chance of having the ones you love excluded during this important time in your life.
14. No chance of getting an IV in your arm.
15. No chance of getting the wrong drug in your IV.
16. No chance of getting an unknown/nasty care provider at the time of labor/delivery.
17. No chance of getting an unwanted/invasive procedures done on your  newborn.
18. No chance of getting an unwanted vaccination for your newborn.

19. No chance of getting an uncomfortable continuous fetal monitoring.
20. No chance of getting unwanted drugs during your labor.
21. No chance of laying in an uncomfortable bed.
22. No chance of laying flat on your back during the birth.
23. No chance of having your legs strapped down into stirrups.
24. No chance of having unbearable cramps in your legs because you cannot move them.
25. No chance of enduring the noise of a typical hospital after the birth
26. No chance of enduring unpopular or against your diet hospital food.
27. No chance of being coerced into a C-section.
28. No chance of having an anesthesia reaction, and dangers that goes anesthesia.
29. No chance of having your doctor cut your baby during a C-seciton.
30. No chance of having your doctor cut your intestines during a C-section.
31. No chance of having your doctor cut your bladder during a C-section.
32. No chance of getting an infection in the Caesarian incision.
33. No chance of having your doctor leaving something inside after a C-section.
34. No chance of having to endure C-section incision pain after the birth.
35. No chance of having your care provider or hospital refusing to do a  VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section).
36. No chance of having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the hospital.
37. No chance of having to endure a bumpy/uncomfortable ride in the car.
38. No chance of not making it to the hospital.
39. Your Doctor views birth as a potential disaster.
40. Your Doctor will put limits on the length of your pregnancy.
41. Your Doctor will want to induce you, if you pass his dates.
42. Most inductions are failures if you are not close to your baby’s REAL date.
43. Your Doctor is “banking” that your induction will be a failure.
44. Your Doctor has financial incentives to do MORE procedures.
45. Your Doctor likes to maintain DAYTIME obstetrics.
46. Your Doctor can make double the money for doing a C-section, and he can be finished in 1 hour.
47. Your Doctor does not like late night births, he has office visits.
48. Your Midwife views birth as a normal function of a women’s body.
49. Your Midwife only attends normal births, that is her specialty.
50. Your Midwife will always do your prenatal care.
51. Your Midwife will listen to your needs and fears.
52. Your Midwife is available 24/7 to answer your questions.
53. Your Midwife will honor your birth plan.
54. Your Midwife doesn’t do ‘quicky’ office visits.
55. At home, you can labor in the position of your choice.
56. At home, you can go to the bathroom without asking someone.
57. At home, you can lay down or stand up without asking someone.
58. At home, you can eat or drink if you choose to.
59. At home, your young children can be with you, if you choose.
60. At home, your labor coach is the same familiar person that gave you prenatal care.
61. At home, the baby catcher can be anyone that you want.
62. At home, you can have the people that YOU want at your birth.
63. At home, the baby is born into an environment he has spent his whole life in.

Thanks to a handout from Merrie MacDowell, RM.