Can You choose where You Give Birth?

I continue to be saddened when I hear the phrase 'They wouldn't let me', or the question 'am I allowed?'.

When it comes to having a bowel movement, You take yourself to Your chosen bathroom and Your body carries out its natural process, You don't wait for permission or even consider that You might have to ask anyone if You're allowed ...

It is ridiculous to think that we might go to a medical establishment to have a bowel movement, just in case something goes wrong.  Our body is carrying out a natural physiological process, not requiring drugs and doctors and tools.  So why then, when we give birth, does our mind believe that we NEED to be in a medical institution. 

When You give birth to Your baby (a natural process!), You should be considering where is Your Chosen place to Birth, not stopping at the cross roads of 'will They let me'. 

Once you have figured this out, You can then consider finding the support that feels right for You, within this chosen birth place. 

Remember you can always request a different midwife / doctor if you don't feel that someone is right for you. 

Over the past 100 years the western medical system has created a societal expectation that babies are born in hospitals.  Humans have existed for thousands of years, birthing their babies how nature intended (otherwise we wouldn't be here!).  Hospital birth started with just those requiring more specific medical assistance, but has now become the norm.

Granted there are rare cases where medical assistance is most necessary, but the vast majority of pregnant women do not require this assistance.  And yet it has become considered the 'safest' place to be. 

I can guarantee you, the safest place for You to be, is the place in which You feel most safe!!  This could be Your own home, or it could very well be the hospital.  The important part is that You are the one to decide which is the best setting for You and Your baby.

In the UK, depending on Your location and proximity to these services, there are a number of options:

Home Birth

Your home birth comes with many benefits including:

• Being in the comfort of Your own home
• Less risk of infection - Your body is used to the microbiome of Your own environment, which is safer for You AND Your Baby
• You can chose where you want to sit / stand / move
• If You want to eat, drink, sleep - You can!
• You get to decide who You want to be with You
• You can request the support of a hospital midwife (which does come with some hospital policies, but also the reassurance of a medically trained professional on hand if You or Your baby needs help)
• You could decide to birth Unassisted too

Midwife Led Stand Alone Birth Centre

Unfortunately these units aren't available to everyone, there are only around 20 in England at the moment.  But If you have this as an option you can benefit from much of the comforts of being at home with the safety netting of being in a medical environment with extra equipment should You or Your baby need assistance. 

You'll be looked after by midwives, guided by the hospital policies, without the input of obstetricians. 

Alongside Birth Centre

These Birth Centres are a more realistic option for many women, as more of them exist!

There are lots of positives about attending an Alongside Birth Centre for Your Birth:

• Quicker access to medical attention in the event of an emergency
• Access to some pain relief options, often you'll be able to have gas & air or a pethidine/diamorphine injection, but not an epidural
• Midwives to support you, who are experienced with aiding lower intervention labour
• Your Midwife is also medically trained with access to medical equipment should it be required
• A range of equipment, and quite often birthing pools, to assist with mobilising
• Your birth partner can be with You throughout and often will be able to stay overnight once baby's born
• More privacy than a labour ward

They are a Birth centre, led by Midwives, within the confines of the hospital.  So You have far quicker access to medical support, or transfer to a medical ward/theatre in case of emergency. 

On the downside, being within the hospital means that You're more likely to have obstetric intervention, stricter adherence to medical policies and be put 'on the clock' so to speak.

There is also the very real possibility, that when you go into labour the birth centre may be closed, due to a lack of staff.  Meaning You have no choice but to go to the much more medical setting of the labour ward to birth Your Baby. 

Labour Ward

If you have higher risk factors relating to any medical conditions, the labour ward is the place to be!  You have a full cohort of medical staff on hand, along with more specialised medical equipment, quick access to a theatre in the even of an emergency and also the possibility of having pain relief in the form of an epidural.

This is absolutely the best place for You if You are feeling the need for that extra level of pain relief or if You have additional medical needs.

Labour wards are rarely 'closed' due to staffing as often occurs with a birth centre or a home birth service, and if they are, You will be offered a transfer to the next nearest hospital with space for You to come and birth Your baby. 

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Where You birth Your baby is ultimately Your decision!

Unfortunately there are a lot of home birth services which have been stopped at the moment due to insufficient staffing levels - this does not mean that You can't have your baby at home!  What it means is that You will not be able to call an NHS midwife, there is the option of hiring a private midwife if this is in Your budget, or the ultimate freedom to birth unassisted (although this is not a decision I'd recommend taking on lightly, without doing Your homework!)