Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
How to choose a place for giving birth? Where to give birth? Is it better to choose a hospital, delivery room, or maybe follow the latest trend and give birth at home? In the article below, we will try to present the advantages and disadvantages of each of these solutions.
Until twenty years ago, women who were about to become mothers did not have much choice as to where their children were to be born. Today, the situation is changing more and more, and although most women still choose to give birth traditionally, more and more women are looking for alternatives so that the moment when the baby is born is just the dream, and not the one that can be seen in the worst nightmare.
Giving birth in the hospital
Still one of the most popular places to go when it comes to giving birth is the hospital. In Poland, only 1% of children are born outside Poland. Why is this happening? First of all, because it is the most obvious solution, and secondly, giving birth in a hospital offers many possibilities, if, for example, there are complications during childbirth. It is worth mentioning that, in contrast to the old regulations, zoning is no longer applicable today, which means that a pregnant woman may choose any hospital for childbirth in your city or even in a neighboring city.
Where to give birth – how to choose the most appropriate hospital?
Not every hospital is the same. And you don’t have to be a patient to assess the conditions in a given facility. It is enough to visit the hospital to see which hospital is neglected, which has problems with the accessibility of places, which is tidy, and which is better avoided. Choosing the hospital in which we will give birth is extremely important. It must be a friendly place where we will not only feel nice and comfortable, but above all safe. Before we decide on a specific facility, it is worth reading the opinions of women who have already given birth in it. This is the easiest way to find out if a hospital that seems perfect from the outside is actually the right place to welcome your little one.
When choosing a hospital, it is worth paying attention to both the staff and the equipment of the rooms. Avoid facilities that are struggling with financial problems and do not have the funds to carry out a proper renovation in the building. It is worth noting that each facility may have different degrees of specialization in the maternity ward. If the pregnancy is uneventful and the delivery is timely, the first degree of reference is sufficient. However, if we are dealing with a high-risk pregnancy, we should opt for a level III hospital. Not every hospital will have this option, but if possible, try to see the delivery room. Its overall appearance and equipment can be decisive when it comes to your choice.
Giving birth in the delivery room
One of the possibilities is also having a baby in the delivery room. The last facility of this type in Poland, located in Lędziny near Tychy, was closed in 2009. However, such places still exist in many Western European countries, as well as in the United States and New Zealand. Very often, ladies decide on this option because in delivery rooms there is usually a much more pleasant and intimate atmosphere than in delivery rooms in hospitals. In addition, it is a safe choice, because delivery rooms, like hospitals, have qualified staff at their disposal. However, it is worth remembering that it is not a good choice for women whose pregnancy is not correct or there is a high risk, because delivery rooms do not have such specialized medical equipment and such versatile staff as hospitals.
Where to give birth? Only at home!
Apart from the women who feel safest about giving birth in the delivery ward or in the hospital, there is also a growing group of women who answer the question about the place of giving birth unequivocally. Only at home!
Though many women at home give birth to a headache, many women who have given birth to their babies at home emphasize that it was the best choice they could have made. Giving birth at home is primarily a choice for women who want to make the birth of a child a unique, intimate situation. However, only those women who give birth without any complications and whose baby has a good chance of being born naturally can decide to give birth at home.