IV

According to my midwife, I V is only needed. If you have to have it for strep B. Other than that, it’s only needed if you’re refusing to eat and drink while in labor. If you’re going to actively eat and drink, this is the best way to hydrate and feel yourself during laboras opposed to an IV, which is pretty standard at most hospitals, but as learned from my midwife for a home birth, not a requirement nor a necessity that would link to the outcome of the labor and delivery. If while you’re in labor, you find yourself unable to drink or eat. I would then opt for the IV.

The reason why the IV is necessary is because you can go downhill so fast. You can refuse it but in my opinion that's stupidly risking your life.

The reason for the IV is because it's so much harder to get access while someone is actively hemorrhaging/decompensating. For many medical emergencies IV medications are the first line of defense and it's harder to get access when someone is actively crashing. I'll take an IV over an IO (needle drilled straight into the bone when we can't get IV access in emergencies) any day!