My observation and experience as a husband an father, is that this area is full of people who advocate extremes, from full anesthesia and surgical extraction, to giving birth in a bathtub by firelight in a cabin in the country.

How many other parts of your life are relegated to the extremes? Find a moderate approach that is appropriate for your child’s birth.

In my opinion, a natural birth is preferable if there are not complicating factors. In my opinion, the birth is best done where there is medical backup if something goes wrong at the last minute.

We had both our daughters at a birthing center built into a local hospital. The birthing and recovery rooms were like nice comfortable hotel rooms, but just a few feet away was an OR as backup. We were blessed with two healthy natural births, but we were happy to have the safety net there if it had been needed.

It was a wonderful experience for us.