Having a Baby: Homebirths Vs. Hospital Deliveries

Women of today are lucky that they have multiple options for having their babies. They can have a baby in a hospital, at a birthing center or even at home. If you are planning on having a baby, then check out your options before developing your birthing plan.

Having a Baby in a Hospital

The most common type of delivery is the hospital delivery. This birthing option is generally considered to be the safest option that mothers-to-be have. Hospital births are advantageous because mothers have instant access to doctors, nurses and equipment that is needed when birthing complications arise, such as if you need to have a cesarean. This is why deliveries that have been classified as moderate to high risk are generally required to be done at the hospital. However, safety isn't the only reason to have a hospital birth.

The hospital also offers many services that are convenient for expectant parents. They offer prepared meals, places to walk that are not far from medical help, places for the family to keep themselves entertained while they wait for the new baby to arrive and even places for water births to take place. Today you have the option of coming up with your own birthing plan which means you get to decide what type of birth experience you have even in a hospital setting.

On the con side of the argument there are a few drawbacks associated with having a baby in a hospital. The first drawback is the cost. Having a baby in a hospital is expensive. In fact it can cost you well over $10,000 if you have complications. Another drawback is that you lack personal control over the noise and the amount of commotion that is present in your birthing environment. These things are a normal part of a hospital and really can't be avoided when giving birth in a hospital.

If you are planning to have your baby in a hospital then there are several things that you will need to bring for you, the new baby and your support team. Your support team will need books to read, your birthing plan, a list of phone numbers for everyone that will need to be called and money for the vending machines and the pay phones. You will need a change of clothes, a nightgown, socks, slippers, hemorrhoid pads and post partum sanitary pads. The baby will need a car seat, clothing to go home in, diapers and outerwear, such as a hat, coat and mittens.

Having a Baby at Home

Having a baby at home gives you a lot more control over your birthing environment. You can control how many people are with you, who is with you and how much noise is allowed in the room. Having a baby at home also lets you include more family and friends in the process, if that is something that you want. In addition to the amount of control that you have over your birthing environment, home births also give you more privacy, more comfort and they keep your birthing costs down.

Those that oppose home births generally site safety as the main reason for not having a baby at home. Having a baby at home is risky, but so is having one in a hospital. The key is to work with a trained and licensed midwife and to have an emergency plan ready in case something goes wrong.

You need a lot of stuff if you are planning a home birth. First of all you will need a home birthing kit. These kits will usually include things like cord clamps, medial scissors, a bulb syringe, 4 inch by 4 inch gauze pads, Betadine, a thermometer, a plastic tub for the placenta and waterproof bed pads. If you are planning a water birth then you will also need a birthing pool or a large bathtub. Finally, make sure you have stuff for the mother and the baby after the delivery. For example, you will need warm blankets for the baby, diapers, formula, a breast pump, nursing pads, a nursing bra, post-partum pads and hemorrhoid treatment pads.

References

http://worthnote.com/pros-and-cons-of-having-a-baby-at-home/2009/09/08/

http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/health_safety/birth_partner.shtml

http://www.phelpshospital.org/clinical_specialties_services/maternity.php