Before you create your birthing plan, you should learn the differences between a birth center and a hospital so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your baby. The two seem like one and the same, but they’re vastly different in several aspects. Take a look with us as we analyze the differences between the two medical facilities you could choose to birth your baby in.
Room Environment
The biggest difference between these labor and delivery facilities is the environment. Birth centers have more of a homey feel, typically with no restrictions on the number of people you can have present while you’re giving birth. Usually, the room will have a double bed that you can share with your partner so that they can help you throughout the laboring process. However, a birth center could turn away a woman with a high-risk pregnancy; she should deliver at a hospital in case there are complications during the labor.
A hospital is a more clinical setting, and you can typically only have up to two people in the room while you’re giving birth. Hospital beds can also move in various positions to aid your labor.
Heartbeat Monitoring
Birth centers offer many advantages, but one of the best is that your movement won’t be restricted throughout the laboring process. If you have a low-risk pregnancy, the health-care providers at a birth center won’t find monitoring every benchmark in labor necessary; instead, they’ll use a handheld monitor to intermittently track the baby’s heartbeat.On the other hand, in a hospital, a nurse will typically place an electronic fetal monitor with two sensors on your belly. This limits your freedom of movement, which can be uncomfortable with immense labor pain.
Pain Medications
If you plan on taking pain medications, a birthing center might not be for you. These medical facilities offer freedom of movement and non-pharmaceutical pain management tactics such as massage therapy or acupressure rather than pain medication. However, hospitals commonly use epidurals to help with any discomfort. So if you plan on having an epidural, you’ll want to birth your baby in a hospital.
Now that you know a little more about the differences between a birth center and a hospital, you can make the right decision for yourself and your baby. Consult with your medical team about the options available to you; both of these options are great resources for labor and delivery.