Natural Birth

So Glad You Ladies Are Here!!!

I just got a surprise BFP on the 19th and DH and I couldn't be happier! We had been told that it was likely that we wouldn't be able to conceive on my own because they thought I might be annovulatory. I guess God showed THEM! lol! I'm about midway through my fifth week now, and I've been doing a lot of thinking.

I've wanted a natural birth since DH and I had even started talking about the possibility of getting pregnant, but especially since I saw "The Business of Being Born." That really launched my own research into science of birth and recent trending toward c-section as simply a matter of course.

I'm worried though- DH and I don't have insurance right now because DH is finishing up nursing school (he'll be done in August and able to get a job with benefits) and we WERE both working until I got laid off (the WEEK before we found out I'm pregnant!!! The job market STINKS in Michigan) so now DH is the only one working, but he works two jobs, which brings him to full-time.

Long story short, we've just started getting government assistance (I'm NOT proud of that, believe me, and it's ONLY until DH graduates! 8-9 months, TOPS) and I'm scared that I won't be able to have as much control over the kind of the birth I have. I don't want to feel bullied into having anything less than the best care for both me and my baby just because of our financial situation, you know?

How do I handle this? 

Re: So Glad You Ladies Are Here!!!

  • You handle it by making sure you and your DH are very informed on your options.   You practice/prepare the best you can for med-free birth.    You make sure that DH is ready to advocate for you in the delivery room.    You don't happen to have any friends that are doulas, do you?

    What kind of birth do you hope for?    What are your options right now in regards to where you can birth?   

  • I can give birth at our local hospital (which is an excellent facility) in a birthing suite. I want to have as natural a birth as possible. I would like be able to implement the Bradley Method as much as possible- up and walking around as much as possible, not just strapped to a bed waiting for them to come and shoot me full of pitocin. I know that a water birth isn't possible there (the hospital is just generally not in favor of them), but I would like to be able to take a shower or get in the bath for awhile if I think it would help. Ideally, I would prefer to have a midwife or a doula and have a home birth, but that's just not possible. Our house is WAY too small and we can't afford to hire a doula/midwife. Failing that, though, I would like to have as CLOSE to that experience as possible. 
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  • DH and I applied for food benefits when I was 17 weeks pregnant because he was the only one working (similar situation to yours I had to leave my teaching job because of hyperemesis in late September and DH only works part-time while going to school full time).  Even though he was part-time we still had insurance though him.  He works for REI (an amazing company to work for!).  The state of New Mexico offered us pregnancy-related medicaid in addition so we would have no co-pays for the rest of my doctor visits.  We thought that was a great relief, but then I found out that medicaid offered homebirths that our insurance did not.  I am now able to have the homebirth I want and far more control with medicaid instead of our regular insurance.  I would look into what Michigan medicaid offers.  I was extremely grateful and cannot thank the state enough for what they are allowing me to do. 
  • Is a birthing center possible? I know in my state Medicaid just started paying for birth center births. If you have a birth center in your area, I'd definitely give them a call and talk finances with them - the one I'm delivering at has a special rate for uninsured patients (actually, it's a "pay-early, cash discount" because the insurance companies get mad if it's called a special rate for uninsured patients).
    Lilypie - (8zJg)Lilypie - (Eu83)
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  • don't know what all your financial issues are.  but if our insurance wouldn't cover it, we were going to use a portion of our tax money for the birth.  It would cost about 1700 completely out of pocket.  i'm sure money is tight and maybe you already have places for that money to go, but just a thought
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  • imageSparkleCupcakes:
    I can give birth at our local hospital (which is an excellent facility) in a birthing suite. I want to have as natural a birth as possible. I would like be able to implement the Bradley Method as much as possible- up and walking around as much as possible, not just strapped to a bed waiting for them to come and shoot me full of pitocin. I know that a water birth isn't possible there (the hospital is just generally not in favor of them), but I would like to be able to take a shower or get in the bath for awhile if I think it would help. Ideally, I would prefer to have a midwife or a doula and have a home birth, but that's just not possible. Our house is WAY too small and we can't afford to hire a doula/midwife. Failing that, though, I would like to have as CLOSE to that experience as possible. 

    Okay, so you know where.   Now, have you checked on other policies in your local hospital regarding IV/hep-lock, movement during labour, pushing position options, fetal monitoring, etc?

    Birthing in a hospital doesn't necessarily mean intervention happy.    Hopefully, your hospital is more low intervention/med-free encouraging than others.    Our hospital is incredibly small, but it's approach is very hands off and the nurses are very skilled in pain-relief during labour (not medications - but moreso with positions, vocalizing, etc).  

     

  • I just moved out of state and there are no birth centers here- to my suprise, I found the midwives practice at a local hospital.  It's in a clinic for low income mothers that also happens to take my insurance.  Most patients choose to see an OB, but there are 2 midwives in the practice and if you are a midwifery patient a midwife attends your birth, no possibility of an OB (unless there is an emergency, etc)

    I don't know if there is more than one hospital in your area, but I would check out all of them, you may be surprised.  I was.

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  • First of all... congrats!

    Second of all... I know that FL medicaid will cover birth centers, but I have no idea about home births. I agree with pp that you should check into what your options are. You might be surprised.

    Also, I know my birth center offers a different rate for families without health insurance coverage. They also have a policy that no pregnant woman is turned away for prenatal care and they really try to work with families that are having a hard time financially. If you are really set on an out-of-hospital birth, you may want to call around and look into any birth centers in your area to find out what their policies are and if they would be able to help. GL

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  • imagebabyTaylor2011:
    DH and I applied for food benefits when I was 17 weeks pregnant because he was the only one working (similar situation to yours I had to leave my teaching job because of hyperemesis in late September and DH only works part-time while going to school full time).  Even though he was part-time we still had insurance though him.  He works for REI (an amazing company to work for!).  The state of New Mexico offered us pregnancy-related medicaid in addition so we would have no co-pays for the rest of my doctor visits.  We thought that was a great relief, but then I found out that medicaid offered homebirths that our insurance did not.  I am now able to have the homebirth I want and far more control with medicaid instead of our regular insurance.  I would look into what Michigan medicaid offers.  I was extremely grateful and cannot thank the state enough for what they are allowing me to do. 

    That's awesome Smile Way to go NM!

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  • ::lurking::

    I am from Michigan, aiming for a natural birth and around 5 weeks :)

    Congrats!!

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