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These questions pertain specifically to hospitals and birthing centers, as the limitations and routine procedures that may exist in those places do not apply to homebirths. However, if you choose homebirth, your midwife will want to visit your home on at least one occasion prior to your birth to discus your options and make sure your home is conducive to a comfortable homebirth experience.
To return to Choosing Your Birthing Place, click HERE.
- What is the nurse-patient ratio?
The lower the better! Ideally, 1 nurse to every 2 women.
- What is the policy regarding continuous electrical fetal monitoring and routine IVs?
The use of continues EFM and an IV will limit your ability to move freely, possibly confining you to bed.
- Do you offer one room in which I can labor, deliver and recover?
LDR suites are usually more “homelike”, making it somewhat easier to relax.
- Do you limit the number of people I can I have with me during labor and delivery? If so, why?
Having family and friends with you for support and encouragement during your birth will help to make it a more personal experience.
- What is your cesarean/successful VBAC rate?
Nearly one in every four women have c-sections, usually unnecessarily. The lower the c-section rate and the higher the successful VBAC rate, the better (in my humble opinion).
- In the result of a cesarean, can my partner stay with me at all times?
Having someone there with you makes a HUGE difference...I’m speaking from experience!
- Can I have physical contact with my baby soon after delivery, barring complications that require immediate attention?
This is VERY important to me. I feel that immediate physical contact with your infant is so very important, regardless of the method of birth.
- Can my baby remain with me at all times after delivery or “room in”?
I am all for rooming in! I believe that immediate, continuous contact it’s crucial for establishing a bond with your new baby, and for a mother’s emotional well being. I missed out on the first few hours of my son’s life and it made a huge impact on me emotionally.
- Can my mate stay with me at all times? Do you allow syblings in the birthing suite durring labor and delivery? If not, when can my other children visit?
Most hospitals and birthing centers allow husbands to stay 24 hours, which is wonderful! Unfortunately, siblings visits are usually are restricted to the indicated visiting hours of the facility. I personally feel that, if they so choose, children should be allowed to be present for the birth of their syblings as it is a family-centered event. Restictions on family visitation in hospital settings are one of the reasons I have chosen homebirth.
- Are you staff supportive of breastfeeding?
Do you offer the services of a lactation consultant? Having been referred to as a “titty nazi” for my decision to breastfeed exclusively, and getting little to no support, this one is at the TOP of my list!
| Choosing a Care Provider | Choosing a Birth Environment | Building a Birth Plan |
| Your Labor Support System | Pain Management | VBAC | Common Interventions & Procedures |
| Breastfeeding | Birth Stories | Recommended Reading | Doula Services (Denver)
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