>>12735459The real answer is "it depends".
If you have a non-complicated pregnancy with no high risk factors you will ALWAYS be better off having a homebirth with a certified midwife (titles vary by state, but you want the ones with 3 years of post-grad education, not the type that took a quick quiz with the state and can now call themselves that). They can prescribe as necessary and even stitch you up if you tear a bit.
Hospitals are only for complicated, high risk pregnancies, and they treat ALL cases that way. Once you enter, the interventions begin immediately. Not progressing on the OB's timeline? Pitocin, which increases risks of tearing, putting the baby in distress (due to stronger contractions before you're ready), and uterine rupture on top of all the pyschological side-effects. You feeling discomfort? Have some narcotics and an epidural. Oh no, did that halt/slow your labor and now you can't participate? MORE PITOCIN! It's a vicious cycle, and part of the reason that C-section rates are skyrocketing (the other being that they can bill more). All the while, the mother is weakening because she's not allowed to eat or drink, the primary reason for this being surgical prep.
On top of this, almost universally they want you in lithotomy because it's easiest on the staff, despite that being the absolute worst position to deliver in (pelvic opening) and the one that causes the greatest chance of tearing. This allows them to bill for more interventions, though, such as vacuum extraction, forceps use, and vaginal repair. Also, if the mother is doped and being stitched up, she's less likely to be able to refuse other interventions such as immediate cord clamping (terrible), forcible airway suction (terrible), immediate hepB vax (fucking why?), eye drops (do you have gonorrhea or chlamydia?), and vitamin K (which is actually a good thing if they mechanically extracted the baby, but almost never necessary otherwise unless you're SE Asian).
