Having a baby is a monumental moment in someone's life. As you prepare for your child, you have many decisions to consider and make. You may be contemplating a birthing plan and where you should give birth. Searching online or asking friends and family, "Birthing center vs hospital, which is better for delivery?"

 If you are considering having a natural baby at a birthing center, you should first learn the pros of giving birth at a birthing center near you to help make a decision.

Nevertheless, we will discuss the advantages of birth centers in this article. 

What is a Birthing Center?

A birth center is defined by the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) as a home-like facility. It is a part of a healthcare system and offers a treatment plan based on the wellness model of pregnancy and childbirth.

Further, birth centers are directed by preventive, sensitivity, safety, appropriate medical intervention, and cost-effectiveness principles.

The Benefits of Giving Birth at a Birthing Center

Nowadays, a pregnant person can pick from a wider variety of birthing centers than ever before. There is a broader range of options for where to give birth, with personalized birth plans—more hospitals, obstetricians, and midwives promoting and incorporating birth center options into the birthing plan.

A birth center could be an excellent choice for low-risk pregnant women who want to give birth in a more natural setting. An alternative birth setting is ideal for stress management for the baby and the birthing person due to the ambiance and services. 

However, the following benefits can help you decide whether delivering a baby at a birthing center is worth it. 

1. Cost-effective

If you are pregnant, you already know that being pregnant and having a baby costs a lot of money. However, if you take the time to learn how much it costs to have a baby, you and your family can plan financially for the road ahead.

Nonetheless, it's good that there are researches that can tell you that midwives cost lesser than doctors. In a cost-effectiveness analysis, a study was used to compare a birthing center to a hospital for low-risk deliveries. The results show that a birth center is cost-effective.

2. You’ll Get The Comfort of Your Home

Research has shown that altering the clinical environment for labor with an alternative birth setting that is specifically designed to promote freedom of movement, feelings of calmness, and a sense of control. Have lower rates of medical interventions during labor and birth, and higher satisfaction levels, without increasing risk to themselves or their babies.

Small yet important details like aromatherapy, plush bedding, soothing color accents, therapeutic music, and thoughtfully staged labor materials are all part of a birthing center experience. Private bathrooms and a deep soaking birthing tub in a spacious private room allow the birthing person to use different methods to relieve pain and find the best method for them during labor. These are among the advantages of birthing room delivery at birthing centers.

Circle City Midwifery & Women's Health Services Inc. incorporates these advantages of birth centers into a calming space for the whole family. 

These are created with the patients in mind to promote further relaxation and aid in a natural birthing process. The whole point of a birth center is to make you feel at home as if you were there.

3. Less Medical Intervention (Unnecessary)

You will likely experience several interventions if you give birth in a hospital. The majority of these are typically unnecessary for a healthy, low-risk pregnancy.

In a birth center, none of these interventions are applied unless absolutely necessary. A portable fetal doppler is used to monitor the fetus and is checked frequently. There are no drugs, intravenous fluids, or inductions. 

As per studies, fewer unnecessary interventions overall have been linked to births attended by midwives. This includes fewer cesarean deliveries, improved perinatal outcomes, and higher patient satisfaction.

4. You Can Adhere to Your Personalized Birthing Plans

You can follow your own birth plan autonomously at a birth center. There is less pressure to agree to medical procedures that you or your unborn child do not desire.

The midwife will sit down with you throughout the final stages of your pregnancy and discuss the options and rationale behind each treatment or procedure. 

Studies tell us that doctors rarely involve patients in decision-making compared to a midwife. This includes treatment decisions made without their input or consideration of their needs and desires. Their findings will indeed affect your personalized birthing plans.

5. Better Postpartum Experience for the Person and Baby

Postpartum care  in a birth center is more beneficial for the birthing person and the baby. Research shows that skin-to-skin contact is crucial minutes and hours after a baby is born. This is a sensitive period for both the infant and the birthing parent.

In birthing centers, direct skin contact between the birthing person and the newborn is encouraged. When skin-to-skin contact occurs, the birthing parent and newborn release oxytocin, causing a feeling of elation and joy. However, many actions taken in the hospital during those early minutes after a baby is delivered can hinder the bonding experience and affect the child's health long-term.

Whereas, providing family-centered care is the philosophy of birthing centers. It is a type of care that focuses on what the birthing parent, baby, and family need. The midwife cares for the birthing parent and the infant in one room to promote parenting abilities and bonding.

Risk Factors

When considering whether to deliver in a hospital or a birthing center, several risk factors are associated with choosing a hospital birth instead of a birthing center birth.

• You have multiple births.
• You are diabetic
• You've got preeclampsia.
• You are older than 35
• You are having a breech-positioned baby

Get the Best Experience of a Birth Center from us!

Suppose you choose to have a natural birth at a birthing center such as Circle City Midwifery & Women's Health Services Inc. We assure you that your special day will be relaxing, memorable, and safe. We believe in empowering our clients to choose their space and plan for their special day. We have a fully-equipped birthing center in Corona, California, with trained, certified nurse-midwives. (CNM).

Our CNMs have privileges at local hospitals in case an emergency arises or if you choose to have one of our midwives with you during a hospital delivery.

Differences that set us apart:

• A CNM is accessible around-the-clock for urgent queries or problems.
• Direct touch with a CNM via pager or text message when labor starts
• Routine labs performed in our office, generally eliminating the need for lab visits
• We provide evidence-based care by the regional standard of care, with the same visitation schedule and lab testing as a doctor's office, but paying particular attention to each patient's preferences and needs.
  
  

We are eager to help you welcome your new baby into the world at our local birthing center. Call us today to schedule your first consultation with us and begin the memorable journey (951) 547-4208.