Birth Experiences of Women Giving Birth in French-speaking Belgium and Pathways to Choosing a Place of Birth

The aim of this research is to understand what motivates women giving birth in Belgium to choose a particular place of birth and their experiences of childbirth. This understanding is made possible by collecting qualitative data from women who have given birth (from the first month after giving birth up to one year postpartum). The objective here is to understand what motivates the choice of place of birth (with a focus on the notion of 'non-choice') and to gain insight into the childbirth experiences of women giving birth in Belgium. The researcher also meets with birth companions (perinatal health professionals and birth companions such as doulas, for example) to understand their professional practice and their choice of workplace (home, birth centre or cottage, traditional hospital ward, university hospital ward, etc.).