Is a birth budget a good idea?

Pregnant women will be given a £3,000 birth budget to manage their care - but is this a good idea?

Two mothers share their different views with BBC News.

Rachel, mother-of-two, Clitheroe, England - against a birth budget

"Pregnancy can be a very vulnerable time"

With my first child, I opted for the more natural environment of a birthing centre, on the advice of the midwives, who said I was an ideal, healthy candidate.

But I ended up being transferred in a very rushed and undignified way to a hospital 10 miles away, where I had to have an emergency [Caesarean] section.

I certainly did not feel in control of my body, but there was comfort in knowing the people around me knew what they were doing and I was in good hands.

The amount of aftercare, both physical and mental, I needed was more than I ever expected.

If I had a till register pinging away at the back of my mind, this would have only added to my anxiety.

I agree that a certain amount of control and choice should be given to mothers. However, this is a step too far.

I personally took comfort in the advice I received from all the professionals I encountered during my pregnancies, even if my first didn't go to plan.

Pregnancy, especially your first, can be a very vulnerable time.

The pressure of having to decide how best to spend a care budget should be left to the professionals.

Rachel and her family at their daughter's christening

More money should be poured into educating mothers.

Who would monitor the poor decision-making of some mothers clearly allocating their budgets in ill-effective ways?

You are effectively entrusting medical issues and all power into mothers' hands, and some younger mums might not be best placed to make those decisions.

I also think there may be other hidden agendas here, perhaps encouraging some women to give birth elsewhere puts less pressure on the NHS.

I can't help but think this is one step closer to privatisation.

Maybe more information needs to be released regarding the management of the scheme.

Jo, pregnant with her fourth child, Blackpool, England - supports a birth budget

"This is going to make a massive difference to so many women"

This is going to make a massive difference to so many women across the country.

To be able to make the choice of how to be cared for, without the financial worry of how to fund private services, is amazing.

I had a poor first experience in hospital. I felt as though I didn't have a say in anything.

I had requested gas and air, but that all went out of the window when the moment arrived to give birth. I did not have any control.

Jo in hospital after the birth of her first child

I was kept in hospital longer than I expected, and I felt like I was a burden. I remember saying at the time that I would never give birth in hospital again.

I didn't realise at the time how much of a traumatic experience it had been for me, until I got pregnant again.

By then I knew my own body, and I knew what I wanted and what was right for me.

During my second and third pregnancies, I wanted to hire an independent midwife but simply could not afford it.

I did have home births though, and it was a much more relaxed affair.

I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant and weighing up my options.

I've hired a doula to support me but feel other services would be too costly or simply not available in my area.

Jo and her family after a home birth, which she says was a much better experience

If I had a £3,000 budget, it would go some way in getting the help I want and need.

I have developed gestational diabetes during this pregnancy, and although I want to give birth at home again, I may not be able to.

I do believe it is very important to have the back-up of maternity services at the hospital just in case something goes wrong.

I'd like to see whether that would be affected by this change.

By Rozina Sini