cost of MW in training

[Nannysbaby]

This is a stretch but I thought I would ask anyway. About how much is a fair price to pay for a MW in training? The mom is 30 weeks along and receiving care from a mw that delivers at a birth center. Momma really wants a home birth and actually had a hb mw at beginning of pregnancy but had to switch her care because of $$$ issues. (the birth center is covered, hb is not) Anyway, this fist mw is offering to attend the birth as an assistant and have her assistant, the mw in training, do the actual birth.

So how much can the momma expect to pay? She is in Houston.

I hope this makes sense. Thank you!

[MsBlack]

I'm confused about who is who here....maybe you could try again.

[Nannysbaby]

The pg mom is 30 weeks. She wants to switch from her planned birth center birth, which is covered by insurance to a home birth, which is not covered. The mom had been seeing hb mw earlier in the pregnancy but had to switch to the bc mw because of not having the money to pay for the hb. The problem is that the mom wants a hb but money is still an issue. Her original hb mw suggested that she could attend the birth, but that her (the MW's) assistant (the midwife in training) could actually do the delivery. Thereby saving the mom some money. I was wondering how that would work as far as how much it would cost to have the midwife in training do the birth? Because this mw isn't telling her a price but rather saying "how much do you think is fair?"

Any better?

[Belle]

I think if the Hb MW suggested the change as a money saving plan then the HB mw would be the one to talk to about how much she would save.

My MWs acted as assistants at my dd's birth and their apprentice caught the baby. We paid full price for the services rendered. Our midwives were still in attendance and their apprentice was unpaid. We felt it was fair. The birth went well, the apprentice got some experience catching and unwrapping a nuchal cord, and our midwives got paid.

[laughingfox]

Honestly, I think the service is still worth full price, since the midwife will still be in attendance.
From what I've gathered from midwives, doulas, and homebirth docs I've known, "pay what you think is fair" basically means "pay what you can, but be reasonable".
If I was the mom in question, I'd offer as much as I could afford, which would hopefully be at least between 1/2 and 2/3 of the normal fee.

[MsBlack]

I agree with Laughing Fox, in one way. But it also sounds kind of sketchy to me, this whole proposal. What if the senior mw's services are needed after all (not just as an assistant)? I don't know--but the mom in question should do what feels right to her.

[Nannysbaby]

I would like to add that the mom has paid $600 to the hb mw for prenatals that she had done before she switched to the bc mw. AND this mw was the mw for the momma's last birth, so there is a relationship there too. Which is why hb mw made the offer in the first place. The mom wants to be fair. She is just so confused and wants this hb. It's all so messed up because her husband was laid off and they are just starting to catch up. Actually she is thinking of UC at this point too because she cannot wrap her head around the bc birth.

Thanks everyone for your input!

[nashvillemidwife]

The midwife should set a price. It is unprofessional and inappropriate to expect the client to do that for her. Personally, if it were me I would charge full price. The midwife still has to be on call, attend the birth, and be responsible for the assistant.

[Sk8ermaiden]

I would say the midwife is doing this mom a huge favor. It sounds like she really just wants to let mom have her homebirth, but doesn't want to open the can of worms of offering a discount price. Since mom has used her before, she knows there is nothing shady or fly by night and she is in good hands.

If I were in this position, I would offer as much money as I could possibly afford without it hurting my family. And thank the midwife profusely.

[Peppamint]

Whatever the going rate is for a homebirth, IMO.

I am not on my own yet, but taking on a client here and there and bringing along a senior midwife... I charge the going rate because I have the pay the sr midwives to attend and be on-call.

If I misunderstood the question, ignore me!

[beebalmmama]

I interviewed a midwife in training and her price was around the going rate, acutally a bit higher than the midwife I decided to go with.
I agree with pp posters who said the midwife should set the fee. If she is making the offer than she shouldn't put the mama in that position.

[ShwarmaQueen]

For prenatal care and delivery, in the range of $1000-$1500 is fair IMO. If it's just for the delivery, $500-$1000 is fair.

[JennTheMomma]

I would try to set up a meeting with the senior MW and the MW in training and discuss this. Sometimes MW's will give discounted prices if you pay before so many weeks, or if you are low income. This is certainly something to talk about.