[AZLiberty]

Because my wife hates hospitals with a passion, we had our daughter at a birth center (a house dedicated to doctor-attended birthing). We went in at 2:30 am, delivered within an hour, had a nap and breakfast, and were back home with the baby by 7:30 am. This went so well that we had our son at home three years later, with a midwife and my wife's mother assisting.

What finally convinced my wife to try the birthing center was our pre-birth trip to Stanford Hospital. Picture thirty pregnant women going up the escalator into the birthing factory.

My wife's opinion is that the birth was so easy because she was permitted/encouraged to do the final pushing in the squatting position. This puts gravity on your side, as opposed to the on-the-back position which causes ineffective pushing and unnecessary pain.