Out-of-hospital births include freestanding birth centers and home births. Generally speaking, a freestanding birth center will have even more relaxed rules or protocols than an in-hospital Alternative Birth Center. Not all states have this option. A freestanding birth center is a small, more homelike facility with more autonomy and fewer restrictions than a hospital. Parents like the fact that there is access to more medical equipment, if needed. Facilities and midwives can vary a great deal in practice philosophy. You must tour the facility and see for yourself if it is a place where you will be comfortable giving birth.
When investigating your options, also consider a home birth. Both certified nurse midwives and non-nurse midwives provide assistance at home. Checking with your local birth network, at the local health food stores, with La Leche League leaders, childbirth educators, or doulas is a great way to find the home birth practitioners in your area. They will also have opinions about how each of them practices. You must decide what the differences are between individual midwives, and this may have little to do with their training. One major issue is backup in the case of a transfer to the hospital. It is also good to find out what guidelines are used to determine if a transfer is necessary. If at any time you decide that you want to change practitioners, it is your legal right to do so.
Choosing a midwife that you are comfortable with is a learning process. In order to make informed decisions, you must take the time to educate yourself. Having a well- qualified practitioner is very important and for many mothers with low risk pregnancies, midwives are an excellent choice.
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.expectantmothersguide.com)
