Yeah for me I know that I don't want to birth on a hard floor and I know I won't want to be on hands and knees - so for me the perfect place was our bed.

I'm also a bit of a roaming lion in labour so I'll be moving until I can't at which point I'll probably sit on a fitball leaning over the bed and when it's time to push move to the bed.

Mess can be cleaned easily enough. We own our home and are recarpeting once bub is here so mess on the carpet really doesn't bother me too much!