Non-Traditional Birthing?
"Crystal, Since you believe that children should not be prevented due to finances...do you advocate a non-traditional way of giving birth? I've heard that typical hospital births cost about $10,000 when all's said and done, and that's if nothing goes wrong. Many health insurance plans don't offer maternity benefits. Just curious :o) -Erin"
Hi, Erin! Contrary to popular opinion, it doesn't have to cost $10,000 to have a baby! In fact, for Kathrynne's entire birth, including prenatal and postnatal care, along with birthing classes and the whole kit and kaboodle costs us a grand total of about $700!
God provides when you trust Him! There are many ways to have a baby which won't break your budget!
Far Kathrynne's birth, we used a free-standing birthing center with an all-female staff (my husband and I are with you on that, Zan! Unless I'm dying, I only want a female doctor, nurse, or midwife!). Our insurance did pay for most of the costs (and we are on student insurance!), but going to a birthing center is also a lot more economical (about $3,000 for the total care package). We loved the birthing center. My husband and I wanted to be able to make our own decisions regarding care of mother and baby and this allowed us to do things in a much more natural way.
Many of the traditional hospital procedures are not only unneccessary, they can also be harmful to both mother and baby (Don't shoot me, Zan, or any other RN or MD out there reading this!). Birth is a natural experience. It is not a sickness or a disease and it should not be treated that way. Yes, there are sometimes complications which arise, but for the most part, a healthy mother who has a healthy pregnancy and has prepared herself for the birth can have a wonderful, natural birth experience. My birthing experience was really one of the most incredible experiences of my life (if you want to read my birth story, feel free to email me and I'll be happy to send it to you). It really was a lot easier than I was expecting. Having a natural, unmedicated birth is a very thrilling experience.
Having a homebirth is also another great option. My sister apprenticed as a midwife for two years and my mom has served as a doula at a number of births, so I'm quite familiar with homebirths. I've even been able to attend a few (I attended the birth of my youngest brother-- my sister delivered him with the oversight of 2 midwives!) There are many Christian midwives who will provide care free of charge or for whatever the family can pay. I know of many families who will barter with a midwife for her services. My husband and I are hoping to have a homebirth next time, Lord-willing.
Another thing, my husband and I have been on a couple of insurance plans since we have been married and we always make sure that whatever insurance we have will cover maternity. It can be worth it to pay a little more to have that covered. So, if you have a choice of insurance policies, definitely maker sure your bases are covered on this one. Very few insurance companies cover homebirths, but they will usually cover birthing centers.
Please note: I am not bashing hospital births, nor am I saying it is a sin to have a hospital birth! I am just providing some alternatives which are usually more affordable. :)
Hi, Erin! Contrary to popular opinion, it doesn't have to cost $10,000 to have a baby! In fact, for Kathrynne's entire birth, including prenatal and postnatal care, along with birthing classes and the whole kit and kaboodle costs us a grand total of about $700!
God provides when you trust Him! There are many ways to have a baby which won't break your budget!
Far Kathrynne's birth, we used a free-standing birthing center with an all-female staff (my husband and I are with you on that, Zan! Unless I'm dying, I only want a female doctor, nurse, or midwife!). Our insurance did pay for most of the costs (and we are on student insurance!), but going to a birthing center is also a lot more economical (about $3,000 for the total care package). We loved the birthing center. My husband and I wanted to be able to make our own decisions regarding care of mother and baby and this allowed us to do things in a much more natural way.
Many of the traditional hospital procedures are not only unneccessary, they can also be harmful to both mother and baby (Don't shoot me, Zan, or any other RN or MD out there reading this!). Birth is a natural experience. It is not a sickness or a disease and it should not be treated that way. Yes, there are sometimes complications which arise, but for the most part, a healthy mother who has a healthy pregnancy and has prepared herself for the birth can have a wonderful, natural birth experience. My birthing experience was really one of the most incredible experiences of my life (if you want to read my birth story, feel free to email me and I'll be happy to send it to you). It really was a lot easier than I was expecting. Having a natural, unmedicated birth is a very thrilling experience.
Having a homebirth is also another great option. My sister apprenticed as a midwife for two years and my mom has served as a doula at a number of births, so I'm quite familiar with homebirths. I've even been able to attend a few (I attended the birth of my youngest brother-- my sister delivered him with the oversight of 2 midwives!) There are many Christian midwives who will provide care free of charge or for whatever the family can pay. I know of many families who will barter with a midwife for her services. My husband and I are hoping to have a homebirth next time, Lord-willing.
Another thing, my husband and I have been on a couple of insurance plans since we have been married and we always make sure that whatever insurance we have will cover maternity. It can be worth it to pay a little more to have that covered. So, if you have a choice of insurance policies, definitely maker sure your bases are covered on this one. Very few insurance companies cover homebirths, but they will usually cover birthing centers.
Please note: I am not bashing hospital births, nor am I saying it is a sin to have a hospital birth! I am just providing some alternatives which are usually more affordable. :)
posted by Crystal Paine at 2:49 PM
20 Comments:
No way to deliver a baby the price is $10,000! I'd deliver it myslef! ;-) PEACE & HOLLABACK
"Very few insurance companies cover homebirths, but they will usually cover birthing centers."
Mine didn't cover birthing centers, but they did cover the pain meds.
-Ash
I have found that quite a few insurance companies cover home births or at least part of them. I haven't seen any yet that don't cover the cost of birth centers.
I really want to have a homebirth next time, as well. Our son was born at a hospital an hour from home, which we chose because it is a very good hospital and the closest one that has midwives that work there. (I too really prefer to have a woman caring for me, and I was very comfortable with the midwives there.) However, it is so expensive, and because my husband is self-employed, we are not able to afford health insurance. We ended up getting Medicaid, which neither of us were really thrilled about, and I'd prefer not to have to do that again. The cost, at least at that hospital, was around $11,000 for a natural, unmedicated birth. I did have a wonderful birth experience there, for which I am very thankful. No meds, no pressure to take meds, and a great midwife and nurses, plus a very supportive hubby! (I couldn't have done it without him!)
Besides the cost, here are a few other reasons I hope to have a homebirth next time around:
--Distance--I'd rather not travel an hour to all my appointments, and especially not while in labor! (I was in active labor on the trip there, and Sam was born only 3.5 hours after arrival at the hospital!)
--I think I'd be more relaxed in my own home, and I like the idea of just being able to relax and enjoy bonding with my baby after the birth, rather than having nurses in and out of the room all night long.
--I also like the idea of just having one or two midwives through the whole pregnancy and delivery, rather than working with a group of 8 and just getting whoever is on call at the time for the delivery. (Thankfully with Sam's birth, I did get a midwife I had already had 2 appointments with, so that was nice!)
We are also hoping to become part of a medical sharing program soon, such as Samaritan ministries, since we can't afford health insurance. I know they are very much in favor of homebirths; I can't remember for sure, but they may cover the whole cost of them. We would personally feel better about that than using Medicaid.
Sorry to be so long-winded on this comment! I appreciate your sharing about the alternatives to an expensive hospital birth! (As an additional note, I have a friend who had her first child in a hospital, second in a birth center, and third at home. She said the homebirth was the best experience of all!)
I won't shoot you Crystal. I won't even strike you :) I had my son at one of the best hospitals in the country. I'm not exagerating! It has won many awards for birthing excellence and was one of the pioneering hospitals in water births. I would rather have my kids on land but many women swear that water births are wonderful. Most of the staff there were women but their were a couple male doctors. Thankfully I didn't need one. Labor was one of the most incredibly painful experiences I've ever been through. The back labor was terrible. I went into the birthing experience with a very open mind and no plans. I think when people make birthing plans you can be easily disappointed. I was going to go with the flow and accept whatever way the baby was born. I gave in after 10 hrs of heavy back labor and had an epidural (which was heavenly). George was born two hrs later and I never felt a thing. The whole birthing experience was very fulfilling to me because I was painfree and very alert. I would definately choose an epidural again but usually the second baby comes out faster. We'll see. I'm keeping my options open. BTW, I think my hospital bill was $900. It might have been a little more. The epidural was pricey and so was the circumcision. They might have billed the circumcision seperately though. I can't remember. My husband's insurance payed for everything. If you are able to get health insurance it is definately worth it. I know a Christian couple who pass on it to save money and rely on the state for their child's health care. That seems so wrong and dishonest to me.
-Zan
" I haven't seen any yet that don't cover the cost of birth centers. "
Health Check and Medicaid in the state of NC as of 2002.
-Ash
Even if it is cheaper to have your baby at home or at a birthing center, I'm too scared to. :) I had both of my kids at the hospital (with a man doctor----who I felt very comfortable with, surprisingly!), and will do so again with our third who is due in March. I hear alot about both sides, but I think its really a personal thing. I went natural the first time, because there was no choice, I got there already 8 cm dilated. :) But the second time, I was induced, and finally opted for some medication. I agree with the "heavenly" comment. It was incredible. :) I would do that again, as I was completely alert and aware, and so was my baby. Yet the pain was not there. WOW. The nurses were WONDERFUL, and my doctor was terrific. These, in my opinion, are priceless, and I will pay for that. Granted, my husband has insurance through his work, so that pays for most of it. I think we end up paying somewhere around $700-$800. Defintely worth it. I would never bash birthing centers or home births. They're just not for me. :)
Laura
Crystal, thanks for this post in answer to my question:o)
It seems that no matter which direction chosen, it's definitely a benefit to have some health insurance coverage. Carrie, my husband works in a "self-employed" capacity as well, so we have the insurance problem too. We currently are not covered but were really interested in getting a Health Savings Account plan. The problem is that the ones we've found don't offer any maternity. Maybe we should just keep looking.
I don't know if I would try a home birth for the first child! But the birthing center idea sounds very nice. I didn't realize they were so much less expensive! Do they offer all the same precautions and services in case of an emergency?
By the way, I'm not pregnant yet. Just planning ahead:o)
Erin, I'm self-employed as well and have a Health Savings Account through Assurant Health. You might want to check into them - I know they offer a maternity rider.
I'm not pregnant or married so it will be awhile for me but my mom had both me (I'm the oldest) and my brother (two years later). Her labor was less than 2 hours for both of us. I just hope it's like that for me.
I would love to have all my future children at home with a midwife. I've been thinking about this for a very long time.
"Birth is a natural experience. It is not a sickness or a disease and it should not be treated that way."
YES! I am SO glad you wrote that! With the exception of the eldest, my siblings and I were ALL home births with a midwife attending, as were my sister and brother's kids (my other sister wanted to, but it didn't work out, as I posted before).
The experience with my eldest sibling is what led my mom to homebirth the rest of us. She had my brother in a hospital and felt that she was indeed treated as someone diseased; they took my brother from her immediately after birth and even gave him a bottle without asking (mom's a breastfeeding advocate and breastfed us all for at least a year).
I'm glad you had such a wonderful birth; best wishes for many more in the future!
Alice, who can't sleep and is glad to have your blog to read at 1am. :P
Well, like you said, Crystal... there will always be a way where there's a will. A midwife who is willing to barter, or who will have compassion and reduce her price for a struggling family... So a person may not have their first choice (I know people who have unassisted births) of a midwife or hospital birth, but there would have to be a way to have a child without accepting government assistance, right?
Since Joshua is self-employed, and has been for the last 4 years, we can't afford health insurance. It costs several hundred dollars a month, has high deductibles, and costs even more for maternity coverage. And then you have to find a doctor/midwife/hospital/clinic that is covered. Maybe in large cities this isn't a big deal, but in smaller towns where there isn't even a birthing center located unless you drive 2-4 hours, well, it's not going to be worth it. If we're paying $4-6,000 a year for insurance, we may as well take our chances and pay out-of-pocket. So far this has worked for us... one emergency room visit ($1500), a home birth ($900), a few doctor's visits here and there (maybe $800 including a circumcision) spread out over 3.5 years... definitely cheaper than insurance.
I know people who have had several babies close together, and I do think it adds expense. Not saying it isn't worth it, or that YHWH won't or can't provide. He always does, right? So it's rather silly to worry about the cost of something. Somehow there will be a way, even if you have to have an unassisted birth. I know a family who has made payments for years due to medical expenses from complications during a birth. It may not be fun, but if we need the care (a c-section, whatever) we may just have to find a way to pay for it.
What's sad is that medical costs ARE so high, and that it's just assumed that the government can pick up the tab for anyone who doesn't have insurance.
Insurance isn't a good option for some people (I don't think we could afford to pay as much for insurance as we do for rent!) and even birthing centers or homebirth midwives cost money.
The reason I would opt for a hospital over a midwife is that I would rather be too safe than have any risk. I know a lot of women who have homebirths and they do just fine. I lost a lot of blood and my son(being three weeks early)couldn't regulate his temperature which is common for early babies. The warming light was right there and the nurse was able to check his temperature regularly. I also almost passed out after they delivered the placenta because I was so anemic. The whole staff was around me in seconds with O2 and an open IV. I'm fine now. The insurance thing really upsets me. It is frustrating that men who work hard at their own jobs can't afford health insurance for their families. I remember taking care of a carpenter who fell off a ladder a busted quite a few of his bones. He only would stay one night in the hospital because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to pay the bill. He left in excruciating pain. It was very frustrating. I do know that our hospital does have payment plans and a couple I know uses that whenever they have children. I believe America has the best healthcare in the world but I do think we should work on making health insurance more affordable. About the epidural, I would definately get one if I had to be induced because induction makes labor alot harder and longer. It makes the contractions more intense. I hope not to ever be induced but doctors are so careful when it comes to labor and delivery because of our society's sue-happy attitude.
-Zan
Wow, reading this I realise afresh how blessed we are in Canada. I have never heard of a woman having to pay to have a baby here. It's automatically covered by general health care that every Canadian gets. Even when I went to another province to have our baby I just presented my card from the Northwest Territories and didn't pay a cent.
~Jenny
Yes, Jenny, no offense to the Canadians, but some of us in the US wouldn't want government-funded health care...I'm really hoping we aren't required to have it someday. :)
Some pregnancies/deliveries DO cost near $10,000. We had health insurance for our first and second child. Our insurance wasn't all that great, so our out of pocket was still $1,000 - $2,000. With our third child, we didn't have insurance and didn't qualify for medicade. Insurance would have cost us much more than the cost out of pocket. We DID pay about $8,000 to have our third child. In our area, we don't have birthing centers. The midwives work in big women's center and deliver at the hospital only. We'd like more children but it REALLY does cost a lot around here to have babies. (Clover, South Carolina). If I could find a midwife to deliver at home/birthing center, I would do it. We are still paying on that $8,000 17 months later. It seems that birthing centers and home births are more popular in some places than others. I hope it will change around here.
Nikki
I would love it if we had universal health care, maybe people would have more kids.
There is NOTHING unbiblical about government funded health care; I challenge anyone to tell me different.
-Ash
Ash: Do you believe in one-world government or Communism?
I live in the UK but am both american citizen and UK citizen and I have to say, having the health care provided in this country compared to living in the US (where I had my first child) is the world of difference. Here the health care provice midwives for you, unless you have any medical problems then you have the baby at the hospital. But it is very uncommon to have a male doctor look over the pregnancy here. It is all about what the women want and need. I rather like it. :) It costs us a lot less too. We spent close to a grand on coverage ourself in America for our first baby's birth.
- Nicole
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