How do women who have given birth in both a hospital and a homebirth setting perceive their experiences giving birth? In a February 2023 study published in the journal, Women and Birth, three Irish researchers sought to answer this question. The study, “‘It could not have been more different.’ Comparing experiences of hospital-based birth and…

A giant, blue, birthing tub in front of the piano overtook the living room; a  large embroidered quilt—a privacy barrier— divided our family room from  the dining room. Coffee cakes with small slivers eaten stood by in the  kitchen. Stacks of towels, pads, plastic liners and a music playlist were  also at the ready, anticipating…