Whether you are a mother born and raised in Italy, or an expat mom newly arrived in Milan, a question you might be asking yourself is: “Where should I give birth?”
To answer this question, people often rely on advice from friends, relatives… those who have already been through it. But this can sometimes create even more confusion, especially when the advice is contradictory. One friend might say, “I highly recommend this hospital, I had a great experience!” while another might say, “No, go to that one, they were amazing and saved my life.” Yes, you often hear even dramatic statements like in the movies. This is because birth and the arrival of a baby are highly emotional moments, and the stories told are deeply personal and subjective, affecting opinions about hospitals.
But let’s start with the right questions… The right question would be: What kind of place do I want for the birth of my baby? The place where we will meet for the first time? And birthplaces can be different.
Lombardy, and Milan in particular, offer many options, some public and some private. Let’s take a look at some choices and their characteristics.
- Home Birth. This is absolutely possible only if everything is physiological — that is, if mother and baby are healthy, the pregnancy is uncomplicated (guidelines are more complex than this and you can get detailed info from your midwives). Unlike some other countries or Italian regions, in Milan home birth is only available privately. It’s very important to get informed early and meet your midwives before 28-32 weeks of pregnancy. One reason to choose home birth might be the need for privacy, respect, continuity of care…
- Hospital Birth. Hospital birth is a service of the National Health Service (SSN), and any pregnant mother can receive free care for the birth. No question about that, but which hospital to choose? There are many options in Milan and it wouldn’t be fair or rational for me to say, “Hospital XY is the best.” Every mother, based on her needs, will find the hospital best suited for her. There are bigger hospitals, smaller ones, some more suited to mothers with low-risk pregnancies, others specialized in high-risk pregnancies. Hospitals are classified by levels: first, second, and third level. Third-level centers have a high number of births per year, a neonatal intensive care unit, and can therefore care for babies with pathologies or very premature infants.
- Some hospitals offer a private pathway, meaning you give birth in the same public facility but with a privately chosen team among hospital staff. This can be a way to have the benefits of continuity of care — which ideally should be normal — but is currently a private service. If you are an expat mother and want to communicate in a language other than Italian, you might want to request this service with staff who speak your language fluently.
- Hospital Birth Accompanied by Your Private Midwife. This is an intermediate form, offering the benefit of spending as much time as possible at home (your midwives visit you at home during early labor) and then moving to the hospital, continuing to enjoy continuity of care within the hospital setting.
In general, the choice of the birthplace and your team—from birth partner to professionals who will assist you—is a fundamental piece of your birth experience and has often been underestimated in the past.
How to start? How to get informed?
- It is very important to research, participate in a childbirth preparation course, or work with your midwife to identify your needs for birth and base your choices on them. Try to answer questions like: How do I want to manage labor and pain? Who do I want with me?
- Visit websites of possible hospitals or groups of midwives who assist home births.
- Ask questions directly to understand their adherence to WHO guidelines to ensure respectful care for mother and baby.
- You can also check which hospitals are “baby-friendly” and comply with UNICEF recommendations.
- Official hospital data (annual births, cesarean rates, etc.) can be found on the Ministry of Health app “MAMMA IN SALUTE” by accessing the map.
- Find out about possible hospital tours (online or in person) to see the facility.
- Ask about visiting hours or partner policies (can the partner stay with mother and baby before and after birth? For how many hours? And overnight?)