Your birthing options
There are many options for the birth of your baby. As long as your pregnancy is running smoothly and you’re fit and healthy, you are free to choose the birthing option you feel most comfortable with for you and your baby. Of course this all depends on what’s available at your hospital and in your local area, and whether your health care professional is supportive of you going with this option. Talk through what’s available to you with your health care professional and birth partner, and remember that the birthing option you choose is not cast in stone. You can always change your mind!
Hospital birth and home birth
A home birth may be an option for women who would prefer their baby be born in this environment, but much may depend on your local area and what health care professional can support you with this option. If you contact the Australian College of Midwives or the Australian Society of Independent Midwives they can provide you with a listing of midwives working in your area. You can also contact any national home birth associations that are found on the internet or call our advisors for additional information about the resources available for homebirths.
The benefit of having a hospital birth is that you and your baby are in a place literally packed with expertise and facilities to help you whatever happens. You’ll have the full range of pain relief options, access to immediate caesarean section if needed and emergency care available should things become tricky.
On the other hand, some mums-to-be say they find hospitals to be cold and unfamiliar places, which may make it difficult to relax. This is a main reason why some mums-to-be choose a home birth instead. Home birth may be an option if it’s determined that your pregnancy has been trouble free and that there are no expected labour or health concerns for either you or your baby, but it should still be discussed with and supported by a qualified health care professional such as a doctor/obstetrician or midwife.
Whatever your choice, it is important for mums-to-be to feel comfortable and safe in the place chosen for the birth of their baby.
Remember too, that whilst hospitals often have set procedures, you have the right to ask to be treated in a certain way. You can refuse any aspect of your labour care including having your waters broken, or pain relief drugs if you so choose but remember, it is very important that you have an understanding of what is being offered and the risks of any decision to refuse these.
Talk to your health care professional about how your chosen hospital deals with childbirth. If you hear anything you’re not sure about or don’t like, just say so. You can then talk it through and agree on what you would feel more comfortable with. Be sure to put this all into your birth plan and make sure your birth partner is aware of and in agreement with your decisions too.
Water birth
Some women see a water birth as a relaxing way for their baby to come into the world as it means they are born into an environment that is quite like the one they’ve been growing in for the past nine months. Equally, some mums find a water birth can reduce stress and the need for additional pain relief as its warmth and soothing nature goes a long way as a pain reliever. Water provides a buoyant environment where you can adopt a more comfortable position in which to give birth. There’s also no need to panic about your baby’s breathing either; it doesn't begin until he or she is exposed to the air.
Some hospitals in Australia can provide a bath, shower or pool if you like the idea of using water during your labour, so check in advance what your hospital offers. If you plan on having a home birth, talk to your health care professional about what you will need if you would like a water birth for your baby.