Understanding Your Pregnancy Options

Many women are realizing that they do not have to give birth in a traditional hospital setting with the traditional ob/gyn. The days of giving birth while laying in bed are over and opening up to new concepts and ideas. Let's face it, even in the old days most women gave birth while standing and let gravity take hold while someone stood by to "catch" the baby.

Doulas: A doula will provide emotional, physical and informational support to the mother. These types of support will be provided before, during and after the birth of your child. A doula can also provide support during the postpartum period. According to the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute a doula can decrease first time labor by two hours.

Midwife: A midwife does much of the same care as an OB doctor. They offer care, education, support, education, and counseling throughout the pregnancy. The goal of a midwife should be to promote and maintain a healthy pregnancy and birth.

OB/GYN: An OB/GYN (obstetrician/gynecologist) is a specially trained doctor who deals in the birth of babies and handles the care of females. The OB/GYN specializes in the reproductive system and includes all the prenatal care in pregnant women.

Birthing Centers: Birthing centers are geared more to a relaxed non medical feel. A birthing center gives more a home life feel which offer more comfort to give birth in. While providing all the needs of a hospital but offering all the comforts of a home. Birthing centers also offer a more relaxed atmosphere with less pressure to use conventional methods of a hospital such as episiotomies or pain relief measures. There is more freedom to move around and the ability to move about more naturally as you would at home.

Hospital Birthing Centers: While more women are being able to control their births by writing up birthing plans hospitals still want you to conform to their ideas of the more traditional birth. Hospital births are more geared towards pain control and medical procedure.

There are many types of birthing alternatives that can assist you in the birth of your child from standing births, swings, water births, etc. It's best to consult with birthing centers, your midwife, doula or OB/GYN to create a birthing plan that suits your needs.

Source:

DONA: What is a doula

Citizens for Midwifery