Making Plans for Baby

by Leah Smith, MD, Women’s Health Associates

All mothers have their own labor and delivery stories. We love to tell them, and we love to hear them. This is a very personal time in a woman’s life. Each woman has a plan – a birth plan, if you will – or idea about how the process will unfold. At Boone Family Birthplace, we strive to achieve what each expectant mother has envisioned to bring their baby into the world.

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There are wide ranges for what each mother desires on the labor and delivery unit. Some women are open to all interventions for induction, delivery and pain relief. Other women want to limit any interventions. There is no right or wrong way to have a baby – this is an individual and very personal choice. Of course, as physicians, our ultimate goal is a healthy mother and baby. We believe that this is best achieved within a hospital setting.

Whatever a woman desires for her labor and delivery, whether at home or in a hospital, it’s important that she makes an informed decision based on reliable information. In this day and age, there is so much information and misinformation available that it can be daunting. We are happy to take the time to answer any questions and help make a personal plan to meet a new mother’s expectations. 

From a medical standpoint, it is difficult to study the risks and benefits of home births versus births in a hospital setting or birth center. While it does appear there are fewer risks of fetal death and seizures when babies are delivered in a hospital, there are more maternal interventions available, such as induction, pain relief and monitoring, when mothers deliver in a hospital. We believe that there can certainly be a balance of the risk and benefits by having a low-intervention delivery in the hospital. Why not have the best of both worlds, with the assurance of emergency care for mom and baby, but with minimal interventions?

For the average low-risk OB patient, Boone Family Birthplace offers low intervention deliveries. An IV access is all that is required. We have capabilities for intermittent monitoring or wireless monitoring of your baby. Delivery can be achieved in a variety of positions. Many different laboring tools and techniques are available, and you are welcome to bring a doula or labor coach if you choose. Most importantly, perhaps, we have staff who are trained to help you through the process. 

At Women’s Health Associates and Boone Family Birthplace, we strive to meet each expectant mother’s wishes and desires for their labor and delivery. At the same time, we have a duty to ensure the best health of both mother and baby. Expectant mothers should be aware that almost any birth plan can be achieved at Boone Hospital Center. If you are considering a home birth, I challenge you to consider having a low intervention delivery in a hospital setting. The nurses and staff on labor and delivery pride themselves on making each experience a personal and happy one at Boone, no matter how you want your Boone Baby to arrive. 

Learn more about Boone Family Birthplace's low-intervention options »