Trish: [00:00:00] My name is Trish Ware and I am obsessed with all things pregnancy and birth and helping you to navigate with the practical and the magical seasons of this journey called motherhood. I'm an all day coffee sipping mama of seven. I've had the amazing privilege of delivering many babies in my 15 plus year career as a labor and delivery nurse and as a mama of seven.

I'm here to help you take the guesswork out of childbirth so you can make the choices that are right for you and your baby. Quick note, this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not replace your medical advice. Check out our full disclaimer at the bottom of the show notes. Good morning, beautiful mamas.

Welcome back to another empowering podcast. episode of the birth experience with [00:01:00] Labor Nurse Mama. That's me. Today we're going to talk about a topic that I get asked about all the time. I get thousands of DMs every week and a lot of them are asking me about the different places to give birth. So where should you give birth and how does each space allow you to experience the birth that you desire?

The truth is. There are so many more options than you might think at each of the spaces as well, from your cozy bedroom to the bright, sterile lights of a hospital room, which is my expertise. So buckle up mama, we are going to unravel all those possibilities that can really shape your birth experience into something that is truly yours, which is what I'm here for.

Right? Okay, so let's start out by talking about the place that's like most intimate to you and that's your home. Home birth is a [00:02:00] thing and we support it here on Labor Nurse Mama. I know I am a high risk labor and delivery nurse. But I truly love home birth. Side note, I really wanted to have Grayson at home or at Ina May Gaskins farm, which was my real dream.

But I ended up on blood thinners. So that's one of the first things I want to say to you is that if you're high risk, I was high risk for hemorrhage, right? And I was older. I was old. I was 42. But I was high risk. So because of the blood thinners, I decided I'm not going to do this and I probably wouldn't have gotten a home birth midwife to actually agree.

So home birth is for low risk mamas and babies. So if your baby has some sort of high risk diagnosis, not smart to give birth at home. Who's going to deliver you at home? That is a home birth midwife. They are not trained to Like medically they didn't go to a college and get a [00:03:00] degree they did this through a home birth Certification method where they have to attend a ton of births.

Now the things about home birth midwives and nurse midwives is They've probably seen a lot more unmedicated uninterrupted natural process of birth. So that does make them an expert in some areas. So just because you have a home birth midwife, this does not mean she is not freaking as seasoned an expert as an obstetrician.

Okay. So imagine this, the lights are low. You've got your favorite candles burning, camp burn candles at the hospital, ladies, your favorite playlist, or maybe you don't like music. You want it quiet. And you're surrounded by the people you want because there's no limit. It's up to you, your birth tribe, your family, your partner, your midwife, your doula.

Home births are all about freedom of choice. You can give birth girl, however you want, wherever you want, in any [00:04:00] position you choose. If you want to squat in the corner of your living room, go for it, girl. If you want to get cozy in your own bed and welcome your baby right there in that comfort, that's your choice.

You can deliver wherever you want. It's your choice. You can even deliver out back in your backyard. If you want to get into your tub, you can have that dreamy water birth that you've envisioned. It's really about following your body's cues and creating the space that supports your intuition. Now, should all be at birth be that way?

Yes, But truth be told, it's not. The biggest win for a home birth, it is literally a no rule environment. It's guided by you and your team. No hospital policies, no scheduled shifts, no nurses in and out, no, you know, house cleaners coming in, just you in control.

The only thing that matters in your home is what feels right to you. And that is very, very important. Powerful. Okay, mama. Thank you so much for listening to this [00:05:00] episode. I'm about to dive in to birth centers, but I want to take a quick moment here. First of all, I absolutely adore you and that you're here with me today listening and being a part of this incredible journey.

And I know that life is busy, but But it means the world to me. So I want to ask you a favor. If you're loving this episode, could you take a hot second to write a review for the podcast? It really helps the podcast and it helps us reach more amazing mamas and it truly means so much to me. But here's the fun part.

Y'all know I am a gift giver at heart. So if you leave a review, send an email to info at labor nurse mama. com. Let us know you left a podcast review and Darby will put you into our monthly Amazon gift card drawing as a huge thank you. I appreciate you so much and I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

Okay, now. Let's talk about [00:06:00] birth centers. The balance between home and hospital lands in a birth center. At home, you're going to have your home birth midwife. You, you create all the rules. She's going to have the supplies you need, and she's going to help you deliver the baby, help you recover, get you cleaned up and go home.

A birth center is like a happy, like home birth meets hospital. And they have a baby. This is. You know, for mamas who maybe a home birth is outside of your comfort zone, but you still want a cozy, natural vibe, a birth center can be an amazing middle ground. So picture this for your birth center, a homey environment.

It's all about birth. You've got queen size beds with actually cool comforters and comfortable ones, nice sheets, good pillows, not the, you know, plastic ones from the hospital, but not yours. So bring yours if you want. You've got bathtubs, you've got showers, you've got rugs in your room, maybe [00:07:00] a recliner and a rocker, TV.

It's like, You're, it's like home but hospital. At the birth center you might even have birth stools and you've got a lot of the same freedoms that you had at home. You can birth in the tub, you can rock on the birth ball, you can get in position and crawl on the floor girl if you want, if that feels right.

You're not restricted to the bed. like in a hospital. You can labor in the bathroom. You can hang out on a yoga mat. You can lean into your partner in the shower. One of my favorite things. Birth centers have all the beautiful options for you to feel comfortable. And I'll tell you, mindset is everything in birth.

This is why most of my students add on the labor bat signal and we keep them at home as long as possible. The majority of my students who utilize the membership and the weekly hangouts with me in the doulas. And the labor bat signals, the majority of my students get to the hospital at seven to eight centimeters because they're so relaxed and chill.

They're not getting there frantic. They're not like, Oh my [00:08:00] God, I'm dying. No, they're like, Holy smokes. Am I really in labor? Cause I think I'm in labor, like my contractions. I think so. But I'm not sure. And then lo and behold, they're almost ready to deliver. The good thing about birth centers is that you have a lot of different options that will allow you to stay in that mindset that we have at home, where we feel comfortable.

Like, think about it right now. If you're having like a really crappy day at work, you're stressed out, you're freaking out, you want to go home. Because home is usually our happy place, if we're in a happy, safe home. The magic about the birth center is you're supported by midwives. So you don't have doctors.

Usually they might be close to a medical facility or attached just in case, but you're away from that clinical feel and it creates that space that can keep you in that safe, nurtured, I'm in charge mindset, which is going to help you progress. It's going to help your cervix dilate. If you guys want to know [00:09:00] more about pharmacology, Fear and mindset and powerful pain coping tools and how to flip the fear of pain of labor on its booty Come to fearless birth experience five days Free mini birth classes hang out with me in the telegram chat.

Once you sign up get in the telegram chat I've got goodies for you in there a workbook and worksheets and audio drops tons of things Go to labor nurse mama. com forward slash fearless and join because we are going to empower you like never before. Teaching live, that's my jam y'all. Okay, so back to the birth center.

You're going to have a certified nurse midwife. It's not a home birth midwife and you're going to have labor nurses or, and sometimes they provide doulas, but the whole point of the birth center is still to have the access to the medical care, but the feel of a home. Okay. Okay, so last but not least is hospital birth.

This is going to have more boundaries and rules. Now, [00:10:00] I've given birth to all six of my babies in the hospital, unmedicated, and I had beautiful births. Were they all picture perfect, easy? No. And some of y'all know my story. Lainey came out, she broke my tailbone, she came out face up. It was hell, but it was also beautiful.

Okay? So hospital birth is the most traditional setting. 90 percent of you guys listening, that's where you're going to deliver. And while hospitals can be more restricted, they do come with the benefit of having yours truly, a labor nurse, doctors, and immediate medical support. So for my high risk mamas, this is a no brainer.

Home birth and birth centers do not take high risk mommies or babies. So here's the truth. If you're in a hospital setting, you're going to face more limitations. You're often encouraged to stay in bed and the bed itself becomes the center of the action, but you have choices. [00:11:00] Hospitals tend to prefer.

positions that make things more convenient for your staff. Here's what I tell my students over and over again, so much that they quote me during the birth, nothing out of convenience or curiosity. Things that are convenient for them would be you being in a reclining, pushing position, lying on your back, or using the stirrups.

You might even, be told you have to have the monitors. You have to have the IV, which is going to limit how much you can move. But I want to emphasize, even in a hospital, you still have a say. So don't be afraid to ask to get into a different position. Or girl, just get into a different position.

It's your right. We cannot manhandle you. Never once in my 16 years as a labor to delivery nurse, did I have a mom who refused to change positions that I grabbed hold of her and forced her. We can't physically do that. So you don't even have to fight us. Just say no confidently. Now I tell my students, if [00:12:00] your doctor comes in and says, okay, mama, let's get on your back, put your feet in the stirrups.

We're going to go ahead and have a baby. That's out of convenience. But if your doctor comes flying in, they're like, You know, mama, I need to get you on your back. I need to check the baby. The heart rate's down. That is not. So learn to read the room. Don't be afraid to speak up. You have human rights. You can even use a birthstool in the hospital if we have them.

So if you, if you want to get even more empowered about navigating the hospital environment, I've got some juicy episodes for you to check out. Episode 135 is all about. medical interventions in the hospital so that you know how to navigate them. Episode 133 really dives deep into your rights during labor because girl, you have rights.

So if you want to also do what I said is the most powerful thing. Hint, hint, labor at home longer before getting to the hospital. Go to episode 109. So 135, 133, [00:13:00] 109. Those three episodes are packed with insights that will really help you feel more in control. If you're having a hospital birth, hospitals do mean that you'll have to be a little more vocal to get the freedom you want, but advocacy is key. Now, your partner needs to be as educated as you because during labor, your only job girl is to labor. That's when your team, your partner, your doula can start advocating for you.

Now your doula's hands are a little tied, but this is why when you join my birth classes, we give you. Our, birth coach class for free, because we want your partner to be able to speak up for you. So girl, you can labor and have that baby. That's really why it's so important to have a strong supportive team.

Whether it's your partner, your doula, your mama, also your nurse. I teach my students how to fire their nurse if they're not jiving, if she's not supporting. Hospitals can be a really beautiful place to have birth if you approach it with awareness and an empowered Mindset. So it all narrows down to you have [00:14:00] a choice.

You have a choice. So choose wisely what's best for you. Not everybody is comfortable having a home birth and not everybody is comfortable having a hospital birth. So choose what's best for you. We are all about you having choice. That's how it should be. That's why I've dedicated my entire life. to educating women online.

So there you have it mamas three very different places where you can birth your beautiful baby into the world from the absolute freedom of your home to the balanced vibe of a birth center to the medically secure environment of your home. of a hospital. The most important takeaway, again, is that it's your darn choice.

Don't let anyone take your choices. Wherever you feel most comfortable, safe and empowered, that's the fit for you. And not one size fits all. So don't let other people sway you with their choices. But before we wrap up, if this episode sparked any questions, are you ready to go deeper into [00:15:00] planning your dream?

I'd love for you to join us inside of our birth classes. You can jump in at any time. Use the code POD50, I believe. We'll put it in the show notes. Join us. Also, hit subscribe. Share this episode with another pregnant mama who needs it. And remember, you are so freaking powerful. Stay fearless. Stay powerful.

I'll see you again next Friday. Bye for now.