Where to give birth. Public hospital or private clinic?

 Who will attend to me during childbirth? What if a problem arises? Will I be able to be with my baby all the time? Will you allow my oldest son to come visit me? Will I have to share a room?

These are some of the questions we ask ourselves before delivery and that can help us choose the clinic where we want our baby to be born.

The answers may vary depending on the different maternity hospitals. The more we know about the center, its equipment, and its protocols, the better we will be able to decide the clinic where we want to give birth. We must not forget some details that may seem secondary but are essential for our comfort: the visiting hours, the companion bed, and the characteristics of the room.

It is important to organize our priorities: do we want a more natural birth? Do we find it important that our partner accompany us at all times? Do we prefer the security of a large hospital or the intimacy of a small clinic?

Although you cannot choose, it is advisable to know in advance what will happen in the maternity ward, because the information helps the future mother to cope better with childbirth.

Public hospital

The mother must give birth in the hospital that corresponds to her . However, in some autonomous communities you can request a change, as long as the requested center is not saturated. If the pregnant woman goes into labor far from the reference maternity hospital, she can go to another: public centers are obliged to accept patients in emergency situations.

If the birth is normal, it is attended to by the midwife who is on duty. The obstetrician acts when complications arise: the doctor, with the help of the midwife, assists at risk births, determines whether a cesarean section must be performed and attends to births with forceps , suction cup or spatula.

During dilation, the pregnant woman remains in a single room or in a shared room , in which the beds are separated by screens or curtains. After delivery, she may be taken with her baby to the single room she occupied during dilation or to a resuscitation room.

A few hours later, mother and child are moved to a room they would normally share with another woman and her baby .

Private clinic

The choice possibilities are wide. The most common option is to contract health insurance with a company and choose between the maternity hospitals that it has arranged. If you want to give birth in a specific clinic  , you must find out well in advance about which insurance companies include it in their offer.

The birth is attended by a gynecologist with the help of a midwife . If agreed upon in advance, it is possible that you will be seen by the specialist who has followed the pregnancy.

The woman undergoes dilation in the single room she will use during her stay or in a room attached to the delivery room. From there, she is transferred to it, and after her birth, she returns to the room. There she will undergo postpartum checkups .

Alternative centers and home births

They are still a minority option to bring a child into the world. They are alternatives to consider for women who want a more natural and participatory birth in a less medical and more familiar environment. You can choose to give birth in a clinic with a welcoming environment, a birth center or at home attended by a midwife.