If after researching all your options you choose a hospital birth, please take the time to research the different hospitals in your area.  Many moms pick their hospital because of convenience.  This hospital is closest to them, or it is where their primary care physician is a member.  If I suggest a different hospital, some moms tell me they feel it is inconvenient.  They seem to feel their birth hospital doesn’t really matter.

The hospital you choose matters immensely.

It is hard for me to express just how important the hospital you choose is.  Each hospital has different birthing “rules,” and those rules will affect whether or not your birth choices are honored.  There are four hospitals near me.  I would only recommend one of them.  Two are OK and one I would never go to-all because of their birthing rules.

I learn a lot about the hospital approach to birth by reading Labor and Delivery (L&D) nurses’ blogs.  At Rebirth’s blog I read about her experience caring for another L&D nurse from a neighboring hospital.

“This woman worked more years than I as a labor nurse but worked at a different hospital. The hospital she works at is known for some major old school obstetrics. This place still does routine episiotomies, tethers women in bed, elective inductions as early as 37 weeks, and even have a few doctors that will do maternal requested c-sections.”  (See link above)

Excuse me, did she say TETHERING a woman in bed?  Umm, yes and this post was written in 2009.  She goes on to explain how this mom was so surprised that

• she was allowed to drink something – in HER hospital they don’t allow that
• she didn’t have to get a vaginal exam – in HER hospital they require one every 2 hours
• she could labor down (wait to push until she feels the urge) – in HER hospital moms must start pushing at 10 cm
• she didn’t have to lie on her back to push – in HER hospital all moms with epidural push on their backs
• she didn’t have to send her baby to the nursery – in HER hospital that is routine.

So where would you rather birth your baby

Rebirth’s hospital or her patient’s hospital?  Do you know what the routines in your hospital are?

ASK your hospital questions about their routines.  Go on the hospital tour, or call the L&D floor.  Be wary if when answering a question, your OB says it’s up to the hospital and the hospital says it’s up to your OB.  If they don’t even know who gets to decide, that would throw up some red flags for me.