Having your baby at a birth center is something many moms chose to do. This is a nice step between a hospital and a home birth. When I say birth center, I usually think of what is specifically known as a free standing birth center, a facility to have a baby, but outside of a hospital. This provides the most autonomy for the practitioners (doctors or midwives) as well as the moms and their families.
There are a few true birth centers that are within the walls of a hospital. Though many find it is really hard to have birth center in this manner, because the hospital mindset is so pervasive. It is possible but simply harder.
The problem for me comes in the marketing departments of hospitals who choose to call their standard labor and delivery floors - birth centers. This has fooled more than one mother into believing that she was going to have a different mindset for her care. Don't be fooled.
If your hospital calls itself a birth center, ask if they are accredited by the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC). Think of this as consumer protection from false advertising.
Does your hospital do this? Do you have access to a real birth center?
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Photo © April's Grapevine Photography
Choosing a Birth Center Birth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, April 16th, 2012 at 09:25:54.
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