Build your own birth

  • A cozy bedroom with string lights and decorative hanging ornaments, a wooden bed with pillows and a blanket, a side table with candles and flowers, a basket, a tablet, and a purple inflatable pool in the foreground.

    Home birth

    Bringing birth into your own rhythm and space.

    Consider:

    Do you feel most confident and relaxed at home?

    Is your pregnancy low risk?

    Are you comfortable with minimal intervention and trust your midwife’s guidance?

    Gently said:

    Home birth is often chosen by those who want a peaceful, intimate setting with midwifery care and a strong sense of autonomy. A safe transfer plan in part of every home birth.

  • A spacious room with a dark wooden bed frame, white bedding, and decorative pillows, a white sofa with a matching ottoman, a built-in cabinet with a small tray and bottles, a window with orange curtains, a small side table with plants, a ceiling fan, and a bathtub with a tiled wall, a window with a potted plant, and a white towel hanging in the room.

    Birth center

    A balance between comfort and readiness.

    Consider:

    Do you want a low-intervention birth but not at home?

    Would a cozy, midwife-led setting feels right for you?

    Is the center’s location and care philosophy aligned with your needs?

    Gently said:

    Birth centers offer a middle ground – a supportive, calm space for natural birth with access to emergency care if needed. They’re great option for those who want both comfort and preparation.

  • Hospital room with a hospital bed, monitors, and medical equipment, with a couch, chair, and window with curtains

    Hospital Birth

    Access to clinical tools and support.

    Consider:

    Do you feel safest with full medical access nearby?

    Are you planning or open to an epidural or medical pain relief?

    Are you okay with some protocols or routines that may come with a hospital setting?

    Gently said:

    Hospitals offer the highest level of clinical care and are the right place for higher-risk birth or for those who feel reassured by immediate access to medical tools and staff.

Birth Facility tour Questions |

Birth Facility tour Questions |

Three people, two women and a man, appear to be engaging in a heartfelt or emotional moment in a room with a window and curtains in the background. The second woman acting as the couples doula, helps them navigate through labor.

Every birth setting offers different strengths. What’s most important is that you feel safe, supported, and informed. Use the questions and gentle notes below to explore each option — no pressure, no agenda, just clarity.

    • What comfort tools are available (birth balls, tubs, showers, peanut balls, wireless monitors)?

    • Do you offer water birth or laboring in water? What is your policy on laboring in water?

    • Is eating and drinking during labor allowed?

    • What does a typical labor room look like?

    • What is your policy on continuous vs. intermittent fetal monitoring?

    • Do I have to have an IV placed? What is your policy there?

    • How do you support patients who want unmedicated births?

    • What is your epidural or induction policy?

    • Can I have multiple support people with me? A photographer?

    • Are birth plans reviewed and respected?

    • What happens if my labor slows or doesn’t progress “on schedule”?

    • What newborn procedures are routine, and can I delay or decline any?

    • Will my baby room-in with me after birth?

    • Is immediate skin-to-skin encouraged?

    • What kind of breastfeeding or lactation support is available?

    • How long does your facility consider delayed cord clamping?

    • If I need to transfer or escalate care, what is the protocol?

    • How far is the nearest hospital (if not already in one)?

    • How do you handle complications in labor or postpartum?