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I can probably guess what you want out of your birth experience: a healthy mom and baby. Everyone wants that. But what "everyone" didn't know to tell you is that you can have a healthy mom and baby and a good experience, too! In fact, the scientific facts prove that a natural, no intervention birth attended by a midwife (out of the hospital, even) is more likely to result in a healthy mom and baby than a typical doctor-attended hospital birth. So if you've ever thought about home birth or birth center birth, but dismissed it as being "unsafe", you should be happy to learn that planned home birth attended by a midwife (as proven by dozens of studies) is at least as safe as a planned hospital birth for most women. Don't take my word for it, do the research for yourself (Research Home birth and Birth Centers and check out the Info Links page and the books on the Recommended Reading page).

Another thing to realize is that a lot of what constitutes "standard of care" in obstetrics is based on tradition or fear rather than scientific data. "Standard of care" really just means "what most other obstetricians are doing". You don't have to take your doctor's opinion as fact. Always remember that you hired your birth attendant--you're the boss! Feel free to question what your doctor or midwife is telling you. If you find that you often disagree with your care provider, it's a good idea to switch to a provider who is more in line with your preferences. Have the birth you want, rather than the birth others might expect you to have!

Below you will find links to birth preference plans and links with more information about various procedures that are common in hospital births.

Hospital or Birth Center Birth Preference Plan    Home Birth Preference Plan   

Informed_Consent_Questions (what to ask to make sure an intervention is really needed)