Appointment with Special Beginnings

I have an appointment with Special Beginnings, a local stand-alone midwifery practice in Arnold, on 24 January. I'm so excited! When I initially made the appointment, it was for a consult, to get a pap smear, and to get a prescription for vegetarian prenatals (which was actually taken care of thanks to Amazon), but I'm hoping that it can turn into a prenatal appointment with a confirmed pregnancy.

If you remember, I posted about our tour at Special Beginnings over at TCC before (no linking to the specific post as my blog does pingbacks, but just search for "Special Beginnings" if you're interested). I really love that they encourage laboring at home, that they take a hands-off approach to prenatal and labor care unless absolutely required, that their c-section rate is less than 8% (they're affiliated with Anne Arundel Medical Center nearby), that they encourage you to labor in a fashion that's right for you (no being strapped to a gurney!), that they encourage skin-to-skin contact...

I consider myself a pretty crunchy person in some regards -- vegetarianism aside, I'm pro-natural childbirth, -breastfeeding, -homebirth, -birth center, -cloth diapering, -attachment parenting, -cosleeping, and so on. However, I do also believe in a woman's choice to do as she wants and needs for her own pregnancy, labor, delivery, and parenting; I'm not one to judge. These are all things that are just right for me. :)

But I'll be honest: I'm terrified of hospitals, I'm terrified of interventions, I'm terrified of all the accoutrements that come with both. If it's necessary, it's necessary, of course. If I can go entirely natural, though, and have the ability to do so, I'm going to go that route. Part of my reason for choosing a birth center is because of this fear! And it's not without good reason; from my other blog, regarding the hospital that is closest to me (AAMC):

AAMC, by the way, has some abysmal cesarean rates for 2008-2009: 38.4%! While not the worst in Maryland — that honor goes to GBMC with 44.8% in 2008-2009 — it’s ridiculous compared to the birth center, which has a very low rate of emergency cesareans: “Extremely rare” according to their website, and 8% according to David.

Those are some scary statistics. Fortunately, the midwives do attend your birth at a hospital whether you choose to go there initially or need a transfer, so they can act as advocates for you while there. The cesarean rate still makes me incredibly nervous, though, so I truly hope I can stick with the birth center!

For those of you who are here and have had (or will have!) children... where did you give birth? Would you have done it different? Is there a reason why you chose where you did... or did you not choose that option and were made to make it, anyway?