Through advanced care and research, there are a variety of options on the location and method to giving birth. The most common child birthing experience today involves the hospital, but it is not your only option. If you want to have more freedom and control over the process and procedures during your delivery, take the time to learn about other options available to you. But before you start your research, know that you must be a healthy woman with a healthy, low or no risk pregnancy to consider child birth outside of the hospital.

Birthing Centers offer a home-like environment with the freedom to experience labor in your own way. Birthing centers are run by nurse-midwives, and are fully equipped with a variety of medications, IVs, oxygen, and resuscitation equipment should your baby need it. There are no electronic fetal monitoring equipment, epidurals, labor induction devices, drugs, or cesarean deliveries.

A birthing center offers a natural birthing experience, as close to a home birth as you can find. Something you should know and consider is the fact the women are discharged right after the birth, or no longer than 12 hours thereafter.

Hospital Birthing Centers combine the “homey” ambiance with the security of high-tech birthing options. They are also run by nurse-midwives and are very similar in décor to other birthing centers, but have the advantage of accessing high-tech medical care when needed.

These types of centers are most appropriate for pregnant women who are not sure they can make it through labor without pain medication and those who may need to spend up to 48 hours in the hospital post-birth.

Home Birth allows the mother-to be to experience birthing on her own terms within the comfort and familiarity of her own home. It is suggested that a midwife follow the pregnancy and assist with the birthing process. If you are interested in this experience, take the time to research and interview midwives to find the one who is right for you.

If a certified midwife tells you that a home birth is not in your best interest, listen to her. She has the experience and credibility to provide these suggestions. Best candidates for home births are healthy women with a normal pregnancy and a good after-care support system.

Most importantly, listen to yourself. Whatever decision you make, be sure you feel comfortable about it.

Giving birth at home was the norm around the world for centuries. A woman in labor would have a midwife at her side to help along the process, provide comfort and offer practical aid when and where needed.

In most countries, home birth is still the most common form of birthing. In the US, on the other hand, childbirth has been moved from the home and into the hospital since the 1900’s. Obstetrics has had a tremendous effect on the changes to the birthing experience in the past century. While many have become accustom to delivering in a hospital, there are a growing number of women who are going back to midwifery and choosing home birth over the hospital experience.

A home birth can be an option for you if you are a healthy expectant mother, have a high predictability of a normal pregnancy, and have no medical or obstetrical risk factors. Giving birth at home provides you with the comfort of familiar surroundings and gives you the liberty to choose as many participants to assist you. Mothers who have experienced home births claim that they encountered a more controlled birthing experience, a quality that is not necessarily guaranteed at a hospital.

Choosing to have a home birth is a decision you should feel strongly about. The successful homebirther is one who is dedicated to finding the right birth practitioner for care throughout the duration of pregnancy and the person who can provide assistance and comfort during the delivery.

Research is essential in learning about your childbirth options, and knowledge is key to making the most appropriate decision for yourself and your baby. Take the time to learn about the different birthing options, and try to stay open to unexpected changes (that can occur if baby needs immediate medical interference, etc.).

Postpartum depression is a serious illness, that can last for months after childbirth, miscarriage and stillbirth. Symptoms of postpartum depression include deep sadness, feelings of hopelessness, loss of appetite, sleep problems, extreme fatigue, difficulty to concentrate and even fatal thoughts. You may also find yourself unable to care for your newborn.

Unlike baby blues, which many women experience in the first couple of weeks after childbirth, postpartum depression can last for months. With baby blues, you may have trouble sleeping and feel moody, teary, and overwhelmed, but you will likely have these feelings along with being happy about your baby.

In rare cases, a severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis may develop after childbirth. Symptoms of postpartum psychosis may include strange behavior and hearing things that are not there. A women suffering postpartum psychosis may harm herself or her baby or others and needs immediate treatment.

It’s very important to get treatment for depression. The sooner you get treated, the sooner you’ll feel better and enjoy your baby.

“Some emotional roller coasters are natural and expected after childbirth, even if your baby sleeps like an angel and you truly love your visiting in-laws.”

About 70% of new mothers experience some form or another of baby blues. These feelings are caused by the sudden change in hormonal balance after childbirth. Other factors that may trigger this phenomenon include feeling of anxiety stemming from the sudden responsibility and tremendous task of caring for a newborn, fatigue and lack of sleep every new parent experiences, even frustration over breastfeeding difficulties or problems.

Baby blues symptoms may include weepiness, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, loneliness, restlessness and / or impatience. While emotional turmoil is normal, you want to make sure it is under control to avoid more serious forms of depression, such as the postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis.  In rare instances, mothers who suffer from postpartum psychosis commonly do not know they are experiencing depression and are putting themselves and their child at risk. If you feel you are under more emotional pressure than you can deal with or would like to know more information about baby blues, speak with your health care provider.

Don’t keep your partner in the dark. If you feel that you have the baby blues, let him know what you are experiencing and find ways for him to help you in any way you may need.  You don’t have to deal with the baby blues alone. Together you can devise a plan to help you get some rest and share the responsibilities of parenthood.  Through cooperation and open communication, you can hurdle over the baby blues and enjoy raising the newest member of the family together.

This mild form of depression can start a few days to a week after giving birth, and usually lasts for about two weeks. If you continue feeling “blue” or notice the symptoms mentioned above lasting for over two weeks, talk with your physician about how to recognize and treat postpartum depression. There is no shame in admitting you are experiencing the baby blues. The sooner you talk about it and get the assistance you need, the sooner you will feel yourself again!

Not too long ago, men used to sit at home or the hospital’s waiting area while their life partner was pushing and sweating with only the medical staff at her side for the delivery of their baby. Today, men are not only in the delivery room with the mother to be, but they can even choose to cut the umbilical cord if they so wish.

Things have certainly changed quit a bit over time, but there are still couples who choose not to include the dad in the delivery room. The fact that men are now allowed in the delivery room, does not mean they have to attend. This is a decision made between the couple. When you prepare your birth plan think of what you want and need, and decide who should be present during the delivery.

Regardless of which way you voted, dad’s role will start with the first contraction, while you are still at home (or elsewhere…). This is the time for dad to be a distraction from the contractions and get you two organized for the hospital.

A father to be’s role in the delivery room these days can take on different forms depending on what the mother to be wants and needs. If you have gone to a birth preparation class together, dad can help with breathing techniques and count, massage, hold mom’s hand, and provide encouragement and support.

“Having a baby together is an intense, life-changing experience that most couples want to experience together. The father can be an immensely reassuring presence for the mother” says Patrick O’Brien, a consultant from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

If you choose this as your route, the best thing you can do is take a class together, talk to each other about your expectations and/or speak to friends or family who have experienced a delivery with dad present in the delivery room about their experience. This can be a very special experience, and talking about what you want, need or even expect of each other before hand, can be a tremendous help in putting both mom and dad at ease.

A full term pregnancy lasts anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks (counted from the first day of the last menstrual period). Contractions starting on or after the 37^th week of a healthy pregnancy are normal and expected and will lead you to the delivery room.  It is contraction or dilation (opening of the cervix) before the 37^th week that may lead to preterm labor and/or premature birth.

The danger in premature birth is that the baby may not be fully developed to live outside the womb. Premature babies (also called preemies) are at high risk to develop complications, which in some cases can result in death. The risk of complications increases the earlier the baby is born. After a preterm birth, the preemies are cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) until they are of full term, have reached the minimum weight and are out of harm’s way.

It is hard to predict preterm labor or birth, especially with first pregnancy. There is a range of factors that can affect preterm labor, including certain genital tract infections, placenta issues, excessively large uterus, too much amniotic fluid and certain chronic maternal illnesses. Speak to your doctor about preterm labor or birth if you experience any of the above issues or are concerned about it and want to know more.

Six to eight weeks after you give birth, you will be ready to have sex again. It may take more or less time, depending on your delivery experience, your healing process, bleeding (usually lasts 4-6 weeks after delivery), fatigue from adjusting to your baby’s schedule and the new lifestyle as a Mom.

If you worry about pain during intercourse, you are not alone. Your vagina may be dry (especially if you are breastfeeding) and tender, which can be resolved with the use of lubricants. Start slowly and share your feelings with your partner. Different positions may work better, so try different ones if in pain till you find the right fit. If intercourse is still painful, consult your OB/GYN for other possibilities.

It is normal for your sexual desire to decline after childbirth. Fear of painful intercourse, fatigue from care for a newborn and hormone levels changing, even baby blues, can result in decreased desire to have sex. Share these feelings and concerns with your partner and find other ways maintain intimacy till you are ready to resume sex.

When you are ready to resume sexual activity, make sure you wait to have intercourse after your postpartum checkup. Realize that child birth does affect your sex life. Think for a moment of the delivery process. Remember that? It caused some trauma to your body, and it takes time for it to get back to its normal state. Thing will not be exactly as they were, but close to it. Decreased muscle tone in the vagina may reduce pleasurable friction during sex. Kegel exercises will help restore the pelvic floor muscles.

Whatever issues you may experience in your sex life after giving birth, give yourself time. Things will get better when your body will heal and you will be adjusted to motherhood and your new schedule and lifestyle.