What Soon-to-Be Moms Can Expect When Delivering at a Maternity Center

Expecting a baby is a very exciting, yet terrifying, time. There are a lot of things to get done before the baby is born — from setting up the nursery to buying those cute baby clothes, preparation is key. But one of the most important steps to take during pregnancy is deciding where you want to give birth. More and more women are starting to choose a maternity center for their delivery location so this article is going to provide some basic information about maternity centers.

 

Maternity Centers vs. Hospitals

 

It’s important to understand that a maternity or birthing center is not a hospital. The main difference between a hospital and a birthing clinic is that birth centers offer a more natural, comfortable place to give birth. Additionally, the procedures that are common in hospitals, like epidurals and fetal monitoring, are not offered at birth centers. While maternity centers offer a variety of services, like prenatal care, childbirth classes, and breastfeeding education, these centers are more hands-off and leave more choices to expecting mothers.

 

Benefits of Choosing a Maternity Center

 

One of the main reasons expecting mothers choose a maternity center is because it’s like giving birth at home — it offers a comfortable, relaxing environment, but with the help of medical professionals as needed. Birthing centers also often offer their patients more privacy, whereas a hospital tends to put new moms in semi-private rooms. And a main benefit of choosing a maternity center is the freedom moms are offered. In hospitals, expecting mothers are typically told which position to lay in, what to eat, and how long they need to stay after giving birth. But at a maternity center, moms can do pretty much whatever they want — they can walk around, eat and drink, and deliver in whatever position is most comfortable. And best of all, they can have their family members with them as long as they want them there.

 

With about four million babies being born in the U.S. every year, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to deciding where to give birth. So if you’re an expecting mom looking for a comfortable, relaxing environment to give birth in, consider choosing a maternity center near you.