How to Decide Where to Deliver Your Baby
Consider whether your pregnancy is high risk., Decide if you want pain medication or not., Consider if you would like a midwife., Ensure that your choice is covered by your insurance.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider whether your pregnancy is high risk.
If your pregnancy has been labeled as high risk or if you are planning a vaginal birth after c-section(VBAC), then this will limit your options.
In these cases, it is important for you to deliver your baby in the hospital.
This will ensure that the latest medical technology will be available if the need should arise.Keep in mind that the decision of whether to give birth vaginally or to have a c-section is a decision that your doctor will make based on medical need.
However, some women request c-sections out of fears about the pain of childbirth or for other reasons, such as convenience.Make sure to discuss your concerns with your doctor to find the best option for you. -
Step 2: Decide if you want pain medication or not.
If you want pain medication or anesthesia during your delivery, it must be given at a hospital or birth center.
If you decide you want this, you cannot have a home birth.
Make sure that your choice allows you to have the pain relief you choose.
The most common form of anesthesia is called an epidural.
This is delivered through your spine during labor.
It offers great pain relief, especially during contractions.While taking the epidural, you will not be able to walk.
You will be confined to your hospital bed.
Side effects include headaches and low blood pressure, although these are not common., Midwives are trained to help women deliver their babies.
They are not medical doctors, although many have nursing credentials.
Midwives tend to order fewer tests and C-sections during birth, which is attractive for those who are worried about extreme medical interventions during their delivery.Midwives can also help you prepare for the delivery and support you in the days following your birth.If you decide that you want a midwife, you will need to find a hospital that gives them admittance privileges.
This means that the hospital will allow your midwife to deliver your baby in their facility.
Midwives cannot perform C-sections.
If you require a C-section, you must go to the hospital.Birth centers tend to staff more midwives.
If having a midwife is important to you, you may consider going to a birth center instead., Insurance companies have different regulations about childbirth.
Some may not pay for midwives.Medicaid covers birth centers, but some insurance companies do not.You may have more luck covering a C-section or having a doctor deliver your baby. -
Step 3: Consider if you would like a midwife.
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Step 4: Ensure that your choice is covered by your insurance.
Detailed Guide
If your pregnancy has been labeled as high risk or if you are planning a vaginal birth after c-section(VBAC), then this will limit your options.
In these cases, it is important for you to deliver your baby in the hospital.
This will ensure that the latest medical technology will be available if the need should arise.Keep in mind that the decision of whether to give birth vaginally or to have a c-section is a decision that your doctor will make based on medical need.
However, some women request c-sections out of fears about the pain of childbirth or for other reasons, such as convenience.Make sure to discuss your concerns with your doctor to find the best option for you.
If you want pain medication or anesthesia during your delivery, it must be given at a hospital or birth center.
If you decide you want this, you cannot have a home birth.
Make sure that your choice allows you to have the pain relief you choose.
The most common form of anesthesia is called an epidural.
This is delivered through your spine during labor.
It offers great pain relief, especially during contractions.While taking the epidural, you will not be able to walk.
You will be confined to your hospital bed.
Side effects include headaches and low blood pressure, although these are not common., Midwives are trained to help women deliver their babies.
They are not medical doctors, although many have nursing credentials.
Midwives tend to order fewer tests and C-sections during birth, which is attractive for those who are worried about extreme medical interventions during their delivery.Midwives can also help you prepare for the delivery and support you in the days following your birth.If you decide that you want a midwife, you will need to find a hospital that gives them admittance privileges.
This means that the hospital will allow your midwife to deliver your baby in their facility.
Midwives cannot perform C-sections.
If you require a C-section, you must go to the hospital.Birth centers tend to staff more midwives.
If having a midwife is important to you, you may consider going to a birth center instead., Insurance companies have different regulations about childbirth.
Some may not pay for midwives.Medicaid covers birth centers, but some insurance companies do not.You may have more luck covering a C-section or having a doctor deliver your baby.
About the Author
Daniel Green
With a background in manufacturing, Daniel Green brings 15 years of hands-on experience to every article. Daniel believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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