My son was born in a hospital in Chile. My daughter was born at home in Idaho. The two experiences have almost nothing in common whatsoever and I am thankful for the drastically different perspectives!
Both births were natural and unmedicated, but my home birth was so much easier than my hospital birth. It was faster and more intense, definitely, but overall, it was so much better for me physically and mentally.
After 63 hours of labor at home trying to have a home birth with my son, we went to the hospital that was very close to our house. They told me to be quiet (I wasn't even that loud, and no woman wants to be hushed when she's having contractions!), they wouldn't let me sit up, they gave me an episiotomy when I asked to try without, and then they accused my son of having a breathing problem (which he absolutely didn't have), and kept him from me and gave him an iv without consent.
Not nursing him for the first 24-36 hours made it really difficult to nurse him the first week and I believe added to the latch problem that I had, which led to bloody nipples and a ridiculously awful yeast infection in my milk ducts that lasted four months. I have to tell you, breastfeeding with mutilated nipples and a yeast infection hurt way more than having him. It was basically the worst pain I have ever experienced and it was at least six times a day that I felt the pain. My son looked like a hungry piranha whenever he was ready to be fed.
Healing from an episiotomy was awful. I was in pain for weeks.
My labor at home with my little girl was short, but very intense. She came quickly and I didn't tear. Healing naturally without stitches for an unnecessary, inflicted cut is WAY easier. I expected there to be more pain and discomfort based on my hospital experience, but after the first 24 hours, I was just sore.
My daughter was with me immediately after birth at home. She wasn't whisked away where I didn't know where she was or what was happening to her. She latched on to eat perfectly and she slept peacefully with us that night. It was so beautiful!
I would highly recommend having a birth in the comfort of your own home. I had competent, experienced midwives that took care of me and were prepared for emergency hospital transfer if that became necessary. They were really hands off, not doing anything invasive. It was intimate and relaxed. We went to bed at a good time, we weren't exhausted, and we didn't have to worry about where our baby was; she was right with us.
I don't regret my hospital experience because I know everything happened the way it was meant to, and I am so thankful for my beautiful home birth experience!