Living and birthing in Wausau, Wisconsin

[hunterofkyle]

We just found out a few hours ago that we'll be moving to Wausau this summer (end of May, beginning of June). I have SO many questions and am crossing my fingers someone can help.

#1) Birthing in Wausau. I'm due July 14th, before our insurance will have kicked in. Are there local home birth midwives? Has anyone birthed at Aspirus? My husband will be a first-year resident at the hospital, so I know I'll feel some pressure to deliver there, but my first choice would be home birth. Anyone know approximate cost of delivery with a homebirth midwife? I would love a midwife willing to come at the last minute or even just post partum, but would change plans if I didn't find anyone comfortable with that and have a fully midwife-attended birth.

#2) What's it like in Wausau? I'm a little freaked out when I look at the map because I was born and raised in Phoenix and am used to having all the amenities I need around me in every direction. Is there shopping? Restaurants? Is it affordable to live? Property taxes? Insurance rates?

#3) How about the school systems? My husband thinks he remembers hearing only good things about the schools there. Anyone have any experience?

#4) NEighborhoods. We want to be around other families with plenty of young kids like ours. To cut down on fuel costs and time away from home, my husband doesn't want to drive too far, so we figured mostly within Wausau, but maybe there are some other towns that are close and convenient.

#5) Which airport is most convenient and affordable for travel?

Probably what scares me the most is the birthing thing - and I won't lie I am REALLY nervous about this move. I am hoping someone can offer some tidbits of information that help me see this as the positive thing that I know it can be.

[kgreenemama]

I live in Green Bay, which is 1.5 hours east of Wausau. We spend time in Wausau, because we like to ski, and Rib Mountain is the closest place to go amid our rather flat geography. (BTW, it's not really a mountain, but a large hill.) There are nice lakes and outdoor activities in Wausau. Personally, I think it is a rather scenic area. For a small city, it has a bit of culture (keep in mind that we are talking Wisconsin here). It is along the main route to Minneapolis, so I think that influence has been good in bringing some diversity. Surprisingly, there is an arts influence - some theater and such - for a small city. There is a very small airport in Wausau, but you'd likely be best off, cost-wise, flying into Green Bay or Madison. Shopping - they have a small downtown area with shops, some nice local restaurants, particularly Asian cuisine. The malls are close to the highway routes.

My best friend graduated from DC Everest, a very good high school. Wausau West is also quite reputable. You'd be hard pressed to find a "bad" school in that area of Wisconsin. You can search the WINNS site: http://dpi.wi.gov/sig/index.html for detailed info on the schools in Wausau. In terms of health care and day care and birthing, I'm not much of a resource (sorry!).



Wausau is no Phoenix, mind you. You're definitely moving to an area more rural than you're used to. The "northwoods" area - beautiful - is just beyond the city, and nothing but farms in the other directions. It IS a nice community. Pack some warm clothes - it gets cold here in the winter, but the summer is superb.


Welcome to Wisconsin! I hope your move goes well!

[burdock]

I used to live in Stevens Point which is about 45 minutes south of Wausau. The Stevens Point grocery co-op is great!

As far as homebirth midwives: http://www.wisconsinguildofmidwives.org/find.html

In the Beginning Midwifery Services in Iola may be your closest.

Best of luck moving and birthing!

[trumpcard]

Dropping into this thread to share that we just found out we will be moving to Stevens Point this summer from Arizona. Our first babe is due in May and we should be moving in July. Any other information about the area is greatly appreciated. Pediatricians? Other child resources in the area?

[blizzard_babe]

I grew up in Stevens Point; my entire extended family is in Wausau. I'm biased, but it's a pretty great area. Point is probably "crunchier" and more liberal (it has the University campus for the area there, which I think makes the difference... a few nearby tiny towns are downright hippie-esque in that weird rural Wisconsin way), but both are decent places, if you want my slightly biased opinion .

As for pediatricians... all the ones I've found in Point (we stay there most summers, visiting family) have been pretty mainstream. I never looked too hard, because we just had to pop in for a quick well-baby exam, it's not like they were "our" pediatrician.

I think the Point LLL is not currently meeting... if I remember right, Wausau has one. Point has a small-but-nice Children's Museum (the only thing of worth in the downtown "Mall," don't get me started, it's a touchy local subject). Not sure about Wausau.

The area in general, is pretty affordable. Salaries are probably lower than national average ('specially if you're looking at big cities), but costs are lower, generally. Housing is fairly inexpensive. Don't know much about taxes or insurance, sorry.

The nearest airport (just a regional carrier... connects to Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, etc) is conveniently labeled "Stevens POint/Wausau." It's technically called the "Central Wisconsin Airport," airport code CWA. It's located in Mosinee, which is right in between Point and Wausau. Appleton and Green Bay are probably an hour or an hour and a half away. Closest major/international airport is MSP (minneapolis/st paul), a three (well, less now that Highway 29 is all four-lane) hour drive from Wausau, three and a half (again, less now) from Point. Milwaukee (MKE? not sure on the code) is probably 3 hours from Point, more from Wausau... they're a national airport, not international. O'Hare is... um... farther.

Don't know anything about birthing there... I know Andi Raine out of Appleton covers Stevens Point, but probably not Wausau.

Ummm... idk. It's hard to describe the place you grew up. PM me with any more specific questions and I'll be much more help. It's a VERY different area than Phoenix. It's not urban. It's not podunk small town where everyone knows everyone, but it's... midwestern small-med city. Stevens Point (half hour drive) has a college, so there are "cultural" events and such, and Wausau has its own stuff going on, but it's... small town-y. There are good restaurants, but it's not a culinary center by any means. Now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the area. It has so much to offer that you can't find in a big city (I've also lived in Minneapolis) when it comes to community.

If you want any further information about specific neighborhoods, I could ask my aunt, but I don't know Wausau well enough to know neighborhoods.

PM me if you have any more specific questions. I'll be in the area this summer; perhaps a meet-up is required.

[hunterofkyle]

Wow, great information.

We are flying in this weekend to look for homes. From what I'm seeing on the internet, we'll probably end up with something older and smaller than we would have in Phoenix, but without the long commute and traffic congestion - so probably worth the trade off. I'm pretty excited.

I did get in touch with Jane Peterson (mw) and she does travel to Wausau. I'm not sure if she works with our insurance, so we'll see how that works out.

I heard and read in some of the other threads that there are a few unlicensed midwives in the area and I would love to get in touch with them to ask a few questions. Does anyone local know how I would go about that. Google really turns up nothing.

I am SO excited to experience a summer that we can actually ENJOY vs. the hot desert of Phoenix.

Oh and FTR - your Wisconsin property taxes are CRAZY. Now I know why you all have great schools.

[blizzard_babe]

May and June are usually BEAUTIFUL. July and August can get hot and muggy by local standards (90-90), but still quite tolerable based on what you're used to.

There *IS* a lot to do in summer, especially. Not the same kind of stuff you'd find in a big city, but craft fairs and podunk town weekend "festivals" (food, beer, bands... all outdoors).

If you're interested, the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair is June 18-20, in a small town near Stevens Point. Renewable energy stuff, plus vendors, etc. Lots of the "crunchy" people from the area (and the region) are there.

[Wausau74]

Wausau Native here- I loved it there and wish I could move back. It is a small city, with some things to do, but it is no Phoenix as someone said. There is really no traffic to speak of- so don't worry about that. You could live out in Marathon and be maybe 30 minutes from Aspirus. Since it is centrally located you can be up north or to the Twin Cities or the Milwaukee in 4 or so hours so you can plan to go to different cities for overnight trips or even day trips. Even Chicago is only 4.5 hours away. It has a lot of things going for it. Point would be crunchier than Wausau, but Wausau does have a natural market called Back to Eden and an organic grocery store downtown. During the summer the Farmer's Market meets on Saturdays and one week day on River Dr. Schools in that area are really good! Feel free to PM me with any more questions or more specifics.

I know nothing about birthing there other than going to the hospital.

[thecoffeebean]

My husband just interviewed in Wausau this week and it looks like they're interested in him. Now I'm freaking out slightly and am telling him I'm not sure after all! I'm used to a bigger city and am really hesitant about leaving where we are for a smaller one!

The info in this thread is great. Thank you for posting the information about the midwives and the schools- both important to me.

Does anyone know about any local choirs in Wausau? I was just accepted into my city's Chorale and I'd be really sad to leave it if we moved. :-( Also, are there older, unique homes in Wausau? If so, which part of town would I find them? We'd love a home built between 1900-1950, as we live in a 1940s Mediterranean style home now. Thanks!