Many women are starting to feel squeezed in today’s political upheaval regarding health care. They are burdened with the pressure to give birth according to their insurance provider’s protocol and are not necessarily getting the birth experience they were hoping for. As a small business owner, my only options are high-deductible health plans. So, my husband and I figured if we were going to be paying out of pocket for the birth of our third baby, we might as well have the exact birth experience we envisioned.
What did this look like exactly? For my healthy, low-risk pregnancy, I realized I had options for care providers, and it was my choice to make. After much research, I decided I truly wanted a water birth. I wanted to do delayed cord clamping. And I wanted my husband to be as hands-on as possible. So we decided to ditch the hospital and pursue personalized care with a certified nurse midwife (CNM) through a private birth center.
Here is why a birth center became the right choice for our family and how it shaped our birth experience.
Why a Birth Center Was the Right Choice for Me
These are the personal reasons my family and I chose a birth center and what made the experience feel so supportive and empowering.
1. For More Individualized Care
Personalized midwife-led care helped me feel seen, supported, and never rushed during pregnancy.
Our CNM typically takes only about five births a month. This allows her to truly invest in each client’s quality of care and ensure that the birthplace is never overcrowded or that her schedule is not spread too thin. I never once sat in a waiting room wondering when I would be called back for my appointment. I always felt like my baby, and I was of the utmost importance. And I left each visit confident and empowered. We constantly communicated throughout my pregnancy, and that kind of commitment to care was very important to us.
Related: 6 Reasons to Give Birth at a Birth Center
2. For a More Intimate Birth Experience
The calm, private setting created a birth environment where we could stay fully present and connected.
Our two previous births were in a hospital, and they were perfectly fine experiences—they brought us our beautiful baby boys. And to be perfectly honest, we didn’t realize that alternatives to traditional hospital birth were even available to us at the time. But a few years of motherhood later, you realize your birth story is something you will carry with you for your entire life. This time around, I yearned for a more intimate and healing experience.
Our midwife and the birth center space allowed my husband and me to work together through labor in a safe, supported, fully equipped environment.
I labored in a beautiful suite with dim lighting, allowing moonlight to spill through the skylight windows. We had our birth playlist softly streaming via Bluetooth speakers and my favorite essential oils for labor and delivery diffusing. I could move through the room as I pleased, in whatever position that felt comfortable at the moment. I was not restricted to a hospital bed even when the baby was being checked on. My midwife moved with me, and I felt that encouragement every step of the way.
Our birth was exactly as we had envisioned and everything we had hoped for. I left feeling immensely proud of my body and so very strong!
3. To Have the Freedom to Leave
Being able to recover at home shortly after birth made the entire experience feel more natural and family-centered.
One fantastic aspect about going to a birth center is that you get to leave! Unlike the hospital, which requires you to stay overnight or even several nights, after a couple of hours of monitoring, if you and your baby are doing well postpartum, you’ll be discharged to return to the comfort of your home. Although our birth center was so wonderful, some of us didn’t want to!
4. Because You Can!
That’s right. Why might one choose a birth center over a hospital? Because it’s your baby and your birth story. Every woman has the right to experience it her way, because she should be empowered to take charge of her health. And because you deserve to be given the opportunity for informed, shared decision-making with your provider of choice. Because there is no wrong way to become a mother, whether it’s surrogacy, adoption, Cesarean, home birth, or hospital birth . . . you are an amazing warrior mama who can do anything!
Giving birth at a birth center was an empowering experience for our family, and I am grateful we explored every option before deciding what felt right. If you are curious about birth centers, consider meeting with a provider, asking questions, and trusting your instincts. Your birth should feel supported, safe, and aligned with your values — wherever it happens.
