No chance of home birth

[AliceGeorge]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this question, but it seemed like the best choice. I would like opinions. I wanted a home birth for my first baby and ended in an unplanned cesarean (sp?). I would really like to have home births for my next potential births, or at least the chance of having home births. My husband and I are considering moving within Canada, but to a different province. The province we're thinking of has no midwifery, and therefore I don't believe I would have any chance of having home births in the near future. Not only that, but I think I'd be guaranteed not only of having hospital births, but non-midwife hospital births. So my question is, would you move to said province and why?
Thanks in advance,

Alice

[barefootpoetry]

Do you mean that midwifery is not legal there? Because that certainly hasn't stopped a lot of midwives here in the states in areas where midwifery is illegal. Unless you are moving to a totally barren wasteland with no other signs of civilization for hundreds of miles, I'm willing to bet there are midwives. You just have to look beyond the phone book to find them.

[AliceGeorge]

This is the situation there: http://www.canadianmidwives.org/pei.htm

http://www.wnpei.org/midwifery.html
1. "Our group receives many emails and phone calls from women every year looking for the services of a midwife and it is very disappointing for us to have to tell them that there are no midwives currently practicing in the province."

2. "Prince Edward Island is one of only two provinces that do not have midwifery service integrated into the health care system either publicly and/or regulated. Women in PEI may use midwifery services but must purchase the service from out of province and have a home birth. There are no options for in-province service because there is no regulation or registry for PEI midwives to operate in PEI."

In Ontario, where I am currently, midwives are regulated and certified. They also have to have hospital privileges so they can practice, and they're covered by our provincial health plan. It would be a huge change for me, and I don't think I could afford to pay a midwife, whereas a hospital birth would be covered by the provincial health plan. I think the barren wastelands of Canada have more midwifery legislation than PEI does! LOL

Does all that make sense? I like the fact that midwives in Ontario are regulated, covered by medicare, and would be your caregiver in the hospital if you have to transfer from a home birth. I cannot afford to pay for midwife services, so the hospital birth would still be my only option. The best I can think of would be that I could get a doula (if there are any on PEI) and have a very specific and limiting birth plan.

Alice

[mellowyellowmama]

Hey mama, I had a VBA2C last year! You can so do this! Have you thought of going to an OB and having a 'accidental' UC???

[AliceGeorge]

I guess my brain's not working so well. Usually I'm good with acronyms, but I can't figure out VBA2C and UC!

Alice

[applejuice]

UC Unassisted Childbirth
VBA2C Vaginal Birth after two Caesarean Section Deliveries

I hope you get the birth you want. Every mother deserves at least that and their babies too!

[AliceGeorge]

Thanks applejuice. I've only had one c-section. I'm not sure about unassisted childbirth. What does that involve? I might not be confident enough in knowing if I needed to go to a hospital.

Alice

[barefootpoetry]

So, since you wouldn't be able to use a midwife in the system there, you would haev to pay her out of pocket? Am I reading this right? How much would that cost?

[AliceGeorge]

I'm pretty sure that's how it would work. That's how it sounds from the websites I've been looking at. I'm not sure how much it would cost, but I'm guessing I can't afford it since I can't afford anything right now! LOL I don't know how it will be when we next have a baby.

Alice

[blissful_maia]

Sorry, I think I'm missing something... why you can't have a VBAC at home in Ontario?

[AliceGeorge]

Ontario's not the problem. My husband and I are considering moving to PEI, where midwives can't really practice.

Alice

[blissful_maia]

Originally Posted by AliceGeorge

Ontario's not the problem. My husband and I are considering moving to PEI, where midwives can't really practice.

Alice

Ohhh, I see. I didn't quite understand the original post. I thought you were considering moving to a province that was supportive of home VBAC. Well, good luck and I hope it works out for you and baby!

[AliceGeorge]

Sorry, I must have worded it badly. We're considering moving to PEI, a province that isn't officially supportive of homebirth/midwifery.

Thanks,
Alice

[barefootpoetry]

Originally Posted by AliceGeorge

I'm pretty sure that's how it would work. That's how it sounds from the websites I've been looking at. I'm not sure how much it would cost, but I'm guessing I can't afford it since I can't afford anything right now! LOL I don't know how it will be when we next have a baby.

Alice

Let me tell you, if I can afford a HB, anyone can! We live paycheck to paycheck, we don't even have a car because we can't afford to buy gas. But I found ways to pay my midwives. I sold a lot of my stuff. I worked hard sewing cloth diapers and cloth pads to sell on Etsy. I scraped together whatever I could, even if it was just a few dollars at a time, to put aside. It took me over a year to pay it all off, but I did. Midwives are great about working with you on that.

Ultimately, if HB is that important to you, you will find a way to have one. I would sell all my possessions if that's what it took, and if there were no midwives around, I would drive to find one! Never say never!

Since you're not pregnant yet, why not start saving now? Just putting back 5 or 10 bucks every week or every month will add up and it will give you something to start with when you do get pregnant again.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by barefootpoetry

Let me tell you, if I can afford a HB, anyone can! We live paycheck to paycheck, we don't even have a car because we can't afford to buy gas. But I found ways to pay my midwives. I sold a lot of my stuff. I worked hard sewing cloth diapers and cloth pads to sell on Etsy. I scraped together whatever I could, even if it was just a few dollars at a time, to put aside. It took me over a year to pay it all off, but I did. Midwives are great about working with you on that.

Ultimately, if HB is that important to you, you will find a way to have one. I would sell all my possessions if that's what it took, and if there were no midwives around, I would drive to find one! Never say never!

Since you're not pregnant yet, why not start saving now? Just putting back 5 or 10 bucks every week or every month will add up and it will give you something to start with when you do get pregnant again.

It might sound really silly to someone from the US, but for a person in Canada to actually *pay* for health care is pretty much unheard of- and incredibly stressful. The vast majority of health care providers really don't know what to do with you if you're not covered by the Provincial health plan- they don't have fee schedules or anything like that, beyond knowing "I get <such amount> from the government for a visit." or "I get <such amount> from <this health insurance company>." Even dealing with health insurance beyond the Provincial health insurance can be a serious PITA.
It's a completely different mind set to know you *have* to pay for health care. Unless you've lived someplace where that wasn't the case, you really just can't grasp it.

[barefootpoetry]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

It might sound really silly to someone from the US, but for a person in Canada to actually *pay* for health care is pretty much unheard of- and incredibly stressful. The vast majority of health care providers really don't know what to do with you if you're not covered by the Provincial health plan- they don't have fee schedules or anything like that, beyond knowing "I get <such amount> from the government for a visit." or "I get <such amount> from <this health insurance company>." Even dealing with health insurance beyond the Provincial health insurance can be a serious PITA.
It's a completely different mind set to know you *have* to pay for health care. Unless you've lived someplace where that wasn't the case, you really just can't grasp it.

I guess that's true. I did have Medicaid with my first pregnancy though, so I have experienced "free" healthcare. I could have had a "free" hospital birth with my last baby, but I paid out of pocket for a homebirth.

Regardless of the shock, I still reiterate - is it worth it? If it is, then make it work.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

It might sound really silly to someone from the US, but for a person in Canada to actually *pay* for health care is pretty much unheard of- and incredibly stressful. The vast majority of health care providers really don't know what to do with you if you're not covered by the Provincial health plan- they don't have fee schedules or anything like that, beyond knowing "I get <such amount> from the government for a visit." or "I get <such amount> from <this health insurance company>." Even dealing with health insurance beyond the Provincial health insurance can be a serious PITA.
It's a completely different mind set to know you *have* to pay for health care. Unless you've lived someplace where that wasn't the case, you really just can't grasp it.

Yeah, but it's a PITA to get a US health insurance company to pay anything for home birth. It took my midwife nine months to get paid. Some midwives won't deal with insurance and you have to battle the beast yourself; we have issues here too, just different ones. I would say the average home birth in the US is $3500US. Find out what a midwife gets paid in a similar COL area and offer to arrange payments, cash, payment due by date...

[AliceGeorge]

$3500?! Holy crap! I guess never paying for medical care I really haven't seen how much things cost, but I think I've heard they're more in the US, anyway. That would take a lot of saving for us. My main issue, other than cost, would be that midwives being unregulated, what if we got a dud, or what if I had to go to the hospital and my midwife couldn't even speak for me. I'd be in the same boat as if I hadn't had a midwife at all. Since they're not regulated, they wouldn't have the same equipment, necessarily. It seems too iffy to me. I want a homebirth, but I wouldn't want to do it if I felt I could be risking my baby's life or health. I couldn't feel comfortable labouring if I were worrying. I also wouldn't feel comfortable if I were in the hospital stressing over whether they'll listen to me, and whether my support people will speak for me while I'm labouring, and after. I'm set on a "good" birth. I think midwives are how I'd get that, and I really think a homebirth is, but I want to make sure it's possible for us.

Alice

[weliveintheforest]

Just because a midwife is not regulated by the government doesn't mean you can't check up on her. You can still talk to other clients, interview her extensively, check out her training, find out who she apprenticed with... You can also ask her about equipment etc and find out if there would be anything missing that you would prefer to have available. Before 1998 midwives in BC weren't registered, but they were still good midwives. You may also be able to find a birth attendant who will be able to work for less money, or work out a good payment plan.

At the same time as I am saying this, I understand your concerns and agree that you need to feel safe and secure, and I know that choosing a private birth attendant isn't for everyone. Maybe if you had to go with a hospital birth you could find a great doula who would help you feel heard... or maybe you will live somewhere with a mother-friendly hospital.

Can you put off your move to PEI until you have another child?

[barefootpoetry]

Originally Posted by AliceGeorge

$3500?! Holy crap! I guess never paying for medical care I really haven't seen how much things cost, but I think I've heard they're more in the US, anyway. That would take a lot of saving for us. My main issue, other than cost, would be that midwives being unregulated, what if we got a dud, or what if I had to go to the hospital and my midwife couldn't even speak for me. I'd be in the same boat as if I hadn't had a midwife at all. Since they're not regulated, they wouldn't have the same equipment, necessarily. It seems too iffy to me. I want a homebirth, but I wouldn't want to do it if I felt I could be risking my baby's life or health. I couldn't feel comfortable labouring if I were worrying. I also wouldn't feel comfortable if I were in the hospital stressing over whether they'll listen to me, and whether my support people will speak for me while I'm labouring, and after. I'm set on a "good" birth. I think midwives are how I'd get that, and I really think a homebirth is, but I want to make sure it's possible for us.

Alice

I'm not sure how it works in Canada, but here in the US even illegal midwives have access to all the "equipment". It's just harder for them to get it. Shoot, even the LEGAL midwives have a hard time getting certain things sometimes, but they still do it!

Maybe it's time to do the good ol' pros-and-cons list. Make two sheets each with a column for homebirth and a column for hospital birth. Write all the pros on one and all the cons on another. That might make it easier to objectively look at your options. Homebirth isn't for everyone, and if you don't feel safe doing it, then by all means don't feel obligated!