how much did finances factor into your decision to uc?

[happyhats]

I'm weighing all my prenatal and birthing options before I have a second child. I'm very interested in having a midwife, but the cost could prove prohibitive just depending on circumstances. I'm never sure if hubby could get laid off, we're low income and it's hard enough to try to create an emergency fund so one incident could potentially deplete any savings we'd have toward a midwife. Even doing monthly payments, depending on the situations, could prove impossible. In that case, I'm wondering about ucing. I was just curious if any other mamas decided on ucing because of, or in part because of, finances.

(And before anyone is wondering why I'd try to conceive in some of the decisions I was describing... Right now we're doing well financially, hubby has a stable job and in a few years our income will marketedly improve. I'm just trying to prepare myself for any situations that could come to help me be more empowered and educated when I finally am pregnant.)

[zoebird]

for me, finances was not a consideration. it was an added benefit, though, i guess.

i think that if you are going to be conceiving in a few years, then you might consider seeing if you can set up a fund for the birth. also, if it is a second child, you might ask for $ for the birth on your registry, KWIM?

i think that financial reasons "should be" low on the list for choosing to UC.

it is important that you feel safe in your birth. if you feel that your birth would be safe and happy as a UC, and there is financial benefit, then awesome. if you feel that an attendant is necessary for a safe and happy birth, then i would be creative in any way possible to have the attendant at that birth.

[TabithaB]

Finding a midwife

I am considering an unassisted birth due to inability to get a midwife that is willing to see me. Midwifery here in Illinois is not legal and heavily lobbied against. The cost of "conventional health care" has become very cost prohibitive. It shouldn't cost $17-20,000 to have a child. So yes. For me it is a cost consideration. I shouldn't have go that far into debt to have my child.

[Astraia]

It was what made me consider UC seriously. Even after I found a midwife who would have done her best to take me on free/cheap and a doctor who was homebirth friendly and totally natural minded, I was 100% set on UC. I would'nt've considered it without the financial consideration (ie, couldn't afford a midwife) but once I started thinking about it it grew more and more appealing.

[happyhats]

Don't get me wrong. It's not TOTALLY about the money. I mean, I'm quite aware that I'm dealing with my health and the health of my unborn child. I'm just thinking about the options I have to have the birth and prenatal care I'd like.

Midwifes in my area are NOT common. Right now I only know of one within two hours of me. She seems like a very nice lady and she does take payment plans. But even if money doesn't become an issue there's always the chance that she won't be free, or that we won't click for whatever reason. And as far as an ob/hospital birth, I don't really think I want that this time around. I'm going to be requesting my medical records so I can read more about what their reasons for a c section were-not that I'm necessarily expecting it to even make sense, lol. When I get pregnant I might discuss things with my old obgyn and see how he felt my ability to birth really is. (I'm concerned only because my mother had a horrible delivery and recovery giving birth to me and very nearly died-and apparently because she has the same issue I had). I'm considering, if midwifery doesn't work out, to use an obgyn for initial care and an ultrasound and then in the second or third trimester going it alone.

But I cannot ignore that money is an issue as well. It's hard to feel empowered about your options when you know that if you were to get pregnant at the wrong time, or if something were to happen, what happens to your body could be out of your control. That is where the financial practicality of ucing appeals to me. I feel safe birthing with my husband-he's great under pressure and he has medical training. It's more uping the entire pregnancy that makes me nervous, but I'm slowly learning more about that as well.

[zoebird]

please don't get me wrong either. i didn't assume it was the sole reason or even the primary one.

[CherryBombMama]

i had always had my heart set on a midwife. we were by no means "poor" when my first ds was concieved, but there wasnt $5000 floating around for us to be able to have a midwife. so we went through kaiser, which was paid by my dhs union.

now, on the other hand, after having a disappointing/bad experience with the kaiser birth, and after my dh being out of work for five months, and me being a sahm, UC is not only empowering for me, but its also a lot more affordable

eta: havnt UCed yet ... baby is not due until aug

[happyhats]

I didn't take offense zoebird, no problems. I just didn't want to give people the impression I just didn't want to pay for healthcare. I know there is much much more to the decision of ucing.

[onyxravnos]

it was huge. because of the laws of alaskan i could bring up a midwife from the lower 48 OR i could go to another state to have the baby. lots of $$$ and more then i had. it was one of the biggest factors. (other then the stupid vbac laws)

[MyBoysBlue]

Being in Canada my son's hospital birth would have been completely paid for. I didn't want a hospital birth. I originally wanted a Midwife and homebirth. But being that I gave birth really fast to my first and the only midwife nearby was over an hour away, I felt it would be a waste of money. $3000. Now Midwifes are also paid for under our health care but the're still very few of them. So the money made me choose to take one step further and have a UC but the hospital would have been free too, just not the option I wanted.

[DivineIZ]

Yes, money played a role in our decision. It is also a part of our personal mission of being more independent. (imho) Not having to spend money for something you can do yourself is empowering...like making your own baby food and breastfeeding--there's a health pay off as well as a financial one.

[fyrebloom]

It was a big factor for us and when I really needed some support I didn't call my backup because I knew I didn't have the money to pay for it. We're very very low income and have a large family. We were actually talking about it yesterday about how we couldn't afford a midwife and I had to explain to my partner that I don't want to hear him saying it would have been a waste of money because it makes me feel like I wasn't worth spending our little bit of savings on. In the end after UPing and UCing for 24 hours I transfered and gave up my homebirth for a speedy hospital vbac. I'm ok with it but would it have been worth the money to have someone to talk be out of crazy transition decisions like transferring to the hospital. Heck yes. Would I UC again if I got pregnant again. Absolutely.... but I'd hire a doula or something. I found I really craved that woman to woman connection during birth.

[L J]

I would say that my financial situation was one of the factors that led me to consider UC the first time around, but once I started reading and thinking about it, it just clicked that it was the right thing for me to do.

With my first pregnancy, I had good BC/BS health insurance, but I live in a state where midwifery is illegal and therefore not covered by health insurance. So, after reading about the cost of midwife assisted births in my state, I thought, eh - I have a family history of short labors anyway, who needs one? And I kind of went from there.

But, I knew that I had fantastic health insurance as backup should I need true medical assistance.

[stellamia]

I'm so happy to find this thread because I had been wondering the same thing. We can have a fully paid for hospital birth, or pay over $3000 for a MW assisted homebirth.

I already like the idea of UC and absolutely feel that birth in inherently safe. I love the idea of my husband delivering our baby.... But for us, the financial aspect is also playing a major role in our decision making.....

[ScarletBegonias]

honestly, finances were kind of rolled together with my number 1 reason for uc'ing my son: i didn't want a birth attendant ruining my birth again, and why should i have to PAY someone $3500 to interfere with and ruin my birth again? i trust birth, and my body and i know i can birth just fine with my dh supporting me. also, i can provide all my own prenatal care. and it's a fun learning exp as a student mw.

now, this time, i kinda wish i had the $ to hire a mw, ONLY because i'd like someone to fuss over me, but i can still pamper myself in other ways: prenatal yoga classes, massages, birth and pp supplies that i don't need but want (birth ball/pool, new sling, some new clothes), luxuriating in the river, things like that.

[zoebird]

i want to luxuriate in the river.

[ann_of_loxley]

It wasn't a factor at all - but then I live in the UK and health care is essentially (I can't change the amount of tax we pay! lmao) 'free'.

[SoCaliMommy]

I haven't had a UC yet, but it's not a reason for us.

I had a pretty good midwife birth for my first in hospital

My 2nd was a natural birth at a kaiser hospital, i loved having a doula my mom hired but birthing at that place was no so great and i left AMA when my son was 6hours old, the post partum room was horrible and small and it was shared with another person.

When we get pregnant again i have my heart set to UC, we will probably do backup care with a obgyn since we are already paying for healthcare might as well use it and it'd be great for the just incase we needed to go to the hospital.

[AllieFaye]

No, finances were not at all a factor. In fact, it didn't even occur to me until well past the decision that we'd be spending that money differently than other new parents. I don't think money is a good reason to UC, but it is a nice bonus. Even so, if it were illegal to UC and there were a heafty fine, I'd still UC, even if an assisted birth were 100% free.

[*EarthMama*]

Originally Posted by Astraia

It was what made me consider UC seriously. Even after I found a midwife who would have done her best to take me on free/cheap and a doctor who was homebirth friendly and totally natural minded, I was 100% set on UC. I would'nt've considered it without the financial consideration (ie, couldn't afford a midwife) but once I started thinking about it it grew more and more appealing.

It's not the reason I made my ultimate decision but it is what steered me in the direction. So glad it did!