Homebirth
Believe it or not, babies can be born outside of hospitals. Some women find hospital deliveries too medical and choose to give birth at home instead. Homebirth advocates claim that artificial rupturing of membranes, augmentation of labor and even C-sections happen needlessly in hospitals. But complications can arise fast during labor, and in that event fantasies of cocooning with your newborn on the couch may be thwarted by an emergency trip to the hospital.
Birthing centers offer a home-like environment, less medical intervention and the security of having a professional staff on hand. Some professionals, including many doctors, advocate hospital births as safer, while others, including many midwives, recommend birth at home or at a birthing center for low-risk pregnancies. In the end, most concede that stress can make labor longer and more painful, so it's better to give birth wherever you will feel the most comfortable.
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