It’s great to know that pregnant women now have at least two options when it comes to giving birth. They may do it in a traditional hospital setup, which is still the most popular choice today. However, the other alternative is currently increasing in popularity, which is giving birth at a birth center.
A birth center isn’t a hospital or a clinic but a special center, which is much like a home, where everything you need to give birth naturally is available. Midwives lead the delivery process and there are health care professionals around to assist her. If there’s a need to transfer the mother to a nearby hospital for any reason, that’s accommodated as well.
What Makes a Birth Center Different?
Every person has seen what’s going on inside a hospital so you may already have an idea of how to give birth inside one even if it’s your first pregnancy. A birth center is quite different because it is more like a home than a hospital. For one thing, you won’t be tied to any monitoring equipment before or during labor. You are closely monitored by health care experts so you’re technically free to drink or eat as needed. It’s also okay to have many family and friends inside the room if you want that, which is something that isn’t allowed in hospitals.
However, birth centers aren’t for everyone. It is only reserved for mothers with healthy, low-risk pregnancies. It is also not for those who want an epidural or may require special methods to address the pain. A couple of doses may be okay but if you need IV antibiotics and pain suppressants, birth centers may not be able to accommodate that.
Who are the Good Candidates for Birth Centers?
As previously stated, birth centers support the traditional way of giving birth. As such, they aren’t equipped for complicated, high-risk births. They can’t even provide epidural anesthesia. Singleton pregnancies are accepted while those carrying twins or more are not accepted. Babies in a breech position are normally not accepted either.
High-risk pregnancies also include mothers who are suffering from certain medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Additionally, many birth centers refuse mothers who have had a C-section. This is because there’s that risk of rupturing the uterine wall on the scar. While that rarely happens, it’s a life-threatening emergency when it does and the birth center may not be equipped to handle surgical emergencies.
What Does Birth Centers Offer?
While birth centers don’t use epidurals and other complicated labor-inducing methods, they offer other natural alternatives such as warm baths, massages, and of course, encouragement from their midwife. In some instances, nitrous oxide and certain IV pain medications may be given. But then, their focus is to provide childbirth with the very minimal use of medications.
If you want to know what else Dallas birthing centers can provide you with, try to do deeper research on the topic as early as now. Don’t wait until your last trimester to decide because you want to make a solid and well-informed decision about giving birth at a birth center at the soonest possible time.
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