Birth Place Options

Although your specific experience may be different, here are some general observations about the benefits and drawbacks of the options you may have for a birth place.

Hospital	Birth Center	Home
Most Restrictive Policies	Some Policies	You choose
Most Prepared for Emergencies	Some Emergency Supplies	Minimal Emergency Supplies
No prep/clean up for you	No prep/clean up for you	You arrange prep/clean up
All supplies on hand	All supplies on hand	You may need to provide supplies
Easy availability	Some availability	Some availability
Average stay 24-48 hours	Average stay less than 8 hours	You are home

What would you like next?

Learn comfort techniques for labor.

Explore the process of labor.

Find products to help you enjoy pregnancy and prepare to give birth..

Read research about birth options.

Find natural birth resources in your area.