Home birth or Midwife in hospital?

amberhoothoot · April 2010

Hello everyone... This will be my first post. We're officially trying! Big Smile

I'm wondering if anyone in Columbus can share thier experience with using a midwife in a hospital or at home.

My insurance covers a hospital birth so I would like to do it there "just in case" of complications. But I have been reading and watching documentaries about the hospital system and how they force interventions like petosin and dont allow stand-up or water birthing positions.

It seems like there is no happy medium. I don't consider giving birth to be a sickness so I don't really want to be hooked up to machines and IVs and stuff.

Anyone have anything to share?

crunchymunchy · April 2010

I had a homebirth with Choice Midwives in Nov. It was wonderful.

amberhoothoot · May 2010

Thats great!

I'm wondering how the insurance part of that works. I have full insurance on a hospital birth but I don't think they cover midwives at all.

May i ask how much your homebirth with CHOICE cost? And if any part of it was covered by insurance?

superMiller · May 2010

I'm 99% sure homebirths are NOT covered by insurance. I do know that CHOICE is s non-profit, but there is a charge, which is supposedly reasonable. (A good friend of mine delivered with them about 8 years ago. She was very happy with her experience.) There are very few TRUE midwives that deliver in hospitals in the Columbus area. The one's that do are very medical minded because I believe the law dictates they work under an MD, which means they have to follow the rules of the practice they work for. I know Crosswoods Women's Health in Worthington and Professionals for Women's Health (they have 3 locations) all have midwives in their practices, but again, they are more medical than what most people are comfortable with.

Also - someone just started a natural birth group if you're interested. It's really good and full of lots of info.

jmariehensley · June 2010

I am currently pregnant and using CHOICE midwives, planning a home birth. They are absolutely WONDERFUL and my husband and I couldn't be more happy. There fee for everything is $3000, but there is extra cost if you wish to attend their childbirth class, rent a laboring tub, etc (all reasonable prices). From research I've done that seems to be about what you pay AFTER insurance for a hospital birth anyway. However, the fee must be paid in full by 37 weeks, although they offer "bartering" systems where if you have trouble coming up with the money you can work things out with them to make it up in other ways (selling/donating furniture, clothes, etc, offering any skills you might have that they might need). Also, I have Aetna insurance, and when I spoke to the person handling the paperwork for them she said typically Aetna covers it, but it would be considered "out of network." From the math I did, it seemed as though I may only get back about $1200 of the $3000 after my $1000 deductible and the 60/40 coverage for out of network care providers. Also, you can't submit paperwork for coverage until 6 weeks after the birth, so everything must already be paid in full.

CHOICE is awesome! They are thorough, reasonable, and stay after the birth to clean everything up and make sure you're comfortable, settled and stable, and then they come back to your home a couple of times that first week to check on you. Be prepared though that your main gynecologist/OB will likely not approve, and if you were to be transferred to a hospital for any reason they do not consider you as having had any "prenatal care" if you use this type of midwife. However, I think it is completely worth it in order to aim for a more holistic and less invasive approach to care where they don't see pregnancy as a "medical problem" as doctor's and typical midwives do.

Good luck on your search! Let me know if you have questions!

gina7133 · December 2010

Whatever you do, DON'T GO TO KINGSDALE GYNCECOLOGY. I am a patient of theirs and have just found out they have a ban on doulas and birthplans. They also have an episiotomy rate of 50%. I have only w/in the last month decided and started planning for a natural birth. My husband and I have paid their fee for delivery already...we do not have insurance and I am 29 weeks along...I am at a loss for what to do. I would love to have a home birth and have been researching this. Good luck with whatever path you chose and congratulations!

kellyzanks · December 2010

Hi Amber! I know you posted this awhile ago, and since you're 13 weeks now you may have found a practice, but I noticed no one mentioned Women's Contemporary Health in Westerville. They are the only practice in central ohio that do water births (at St. Anne's) and believe in "all natural". I know you said you'd like to do a hospital birth (I personally agree but have nothing against anyone who would do a home birth, I say good for them, I'm too scared for that), and contemporary health doesn't do home births. They have two midwives and 1 or 2 OBGYN's in case of high risk or complications. I had a meet and greet with Becky a couple months ago and have my first appointment at 8 weeks with Emily (the other midwife-only 2 more weeks). The meet and greet is free and very informative. You do see both midwives in the practice, and they are on call by-weekly (one one week, the other the next and so forth-so you can't really be sure who will deliver your baby). They also encourage the use of doula's, as pp said, some practices make you sign a waiver saying you will not use a doula (very sad indeed). I hope this helps, or I hope you have found the right midwife for you! Good luck, and have a happy pregnancy.

Home birth or Midwife in hospital?

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