Birthing Your First Baby - at Home or the Hospital

The day has finally arrived. Your having your first baby. Once the joy wears off, there are a ton of things that are going run through your mind.

Sooner or later the reality hits. Questions start to pop into your mind. Where to have the baby? Do we have enough money? Who's going to deliver it? If you're not careful, you will find yourself ill-prepared to deal with your pregnancy.

You see, although you physically are having the baby, you are still "expecting" in other ways. This means you have the other concerns as a mother. Actually, while you're handling all of the physical decisions, there are other life decisions that will come into play also.

One of the first decisions you'll have to make is where to have your baby..

Home Birth vs Hospital Birth

With very little exception-especially for first-time parents-you will be giving birth inside the walls of a hospital. If an unforeseen situation arises, hospitals have staff available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist you. This staff will be equipped with every specialized piece of equipment and all of the latest medications necessary to assist in birth.

Most hospitals now have rooms and staff that are sole dedicated to delivering babies. The rooms are designed and decorated to feel more like home for the mother so she will be more at ease during her stay.

The bad side to hospitals is that no matter how comfortable they try to make you feel, it's still a hospital. When trying to rest you will have not only have to deal with the noises that come with being in a hospital, but also with the nurses checking on you periodically, even when you're sleep. This can be somewhat stressful on a expecting mother.

Also with all the beeping and gadgets going off, and the possibility of having a roommate, hospitals can have a downside to your first birth.

So what about home birth? With hospitals being noisy and impersonal, it may not be for everyone. If you haven't had any complications throughout your pregnancy, home birthing may be a more relaxed option for your first baby.

But please note, there is a big difference from having a baby at home compared to having a baby at the hospital. First off, there are not drugs on the market that can match what you'll get at a hospital. You will need the help of a home nurse or midwife to facilitate the delivering of the baby.

Also, you'll be responsible for making sure they environment is sterile and stable enough to bring a brand new baby into the world. That means Fido and Kitty may have to leave the house.

Although both have their advantages and disadvantages, one option will fit your situation best. Make sure you choose wisely, you only have one first baby!