Canadian (currently living in SK) moving to Columbus, Ohio. Help!

[SuprMe]

Hi!

Earnestly my head is spinning at the moment, my DH has received a job offer we cannot turn down but does require us moving to Ohio. He is American, I'm Canadian and we have been living since we met in South Korea. We have a great doctor here and had a birthing center and midwife picked out but it seems we have to be in Ohio before the beginning of the year. So we are now rushing around trying to empty our current apartment, find a new one, end contracts for phones/leases etc. 

It's pretty crazy. 

We'll be looking for an apartment to rent either the first of December or January, and will also need a new doctor/midwife.

I have no idea where to even start, i've been looking at places online and trying to track down reviews of different areas & I have found very little information about midwives/birthing centers in Columbus. So I'm here to beg for a little information :)

Our current plan is to move mid December, when I'll be about 31 weeks along. 

1. What is the average cost of a live birth in Ohio (HB vs. Hospital vs. birthing center)?

We will have insurance through his employer, however I have no idea exactly what it will cover right now. Is it common for american insurers to support home births or birthing centers?

2. What areas of Columbus would you avoid living in if given an option?

I have been reading a number of area Q&As which have left me a bit nervous of the impending move, i've never lived in a "dangerous" area in my life and don't want to wander into one. 

3. Are there any Doctors/midwives/hospitals/birthing centers you would recommend?

(please include as much contact information as possible :) 

Thanks

[Youngfrankenstein]

Homebirth is not legal in Ohio and there are no birth centers.  However, there are plenty of great midwives all around.  If you are truly interested in homebirth, I can PM you my midwives name and she may be able to direct you to some people in the Columbus area. 

[Midwesterner04]

Hi! Congratulations on your impending move to Columbus! You may very well love it!

For midwife and out of hospital birth options, I'd look into CHOICES as well as chatting with the previous poster who can plug you into some options. There is a birth center offering waterbirth and a low c-section rate attached to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton 60-90 minutes from Columbus.

If hospital birth is something you would consider, the midwives at Contemporary Women's Healthcare in Westerville attend births at St. Ann's and are popular for supporting waterbirth, no IVs, intermittent monitoring, etc. Grant Medical Center in downtown Columbus does not have waterbirth but does have labor tubs and good lactation coverage, plus high rates of breastmilk feedings in it's level III NICU (hopefully you will never need this, but just fyi). Natural birth and breastfeeding advocates tend *not* to recommend Riverside Methodist Hospital or Ohio State University Hospital.

Clintonville is home to Sprout Soup, a natural parenting boutique that hosts babywearing and cloth diapering groups and classes, as well as La Leche League meetings and moms' groups. You might be able to meet some likeminded friends there.

Some other moms may have more suggestions, but I know of a few great pediatricians in the Columbus area. Carl Backes is a kindly DO who accepts alternate vaccination schedules and is generally accommodating of more natural approaches. I hear that he now uses some homeopathy. Dr. Sant at WholeKids Pediatrics in the Grandview Area is very supportive of natural family living and advocates a two-at-a-time vaccination schedule. Dr. Ali Carine (drcarine.com) is an osteopathic pediatrician who practices integrative medicine in Upper Arlington. She is our ped and I can't tell you how much we love her.  There are copies of Dr. Sears's The Vaccine Book and The Breastfeeding Book in each exam room, she makes Boiron remedies available in her office and she is very respectful of my young child. She doesn't think it is unusual that my toddler is still nursing or that we have coslept and done baby-led solids. One of the best things about her, in my view, is the fact that she is experienced with using osteopathic therapy to help babies with breastfeeding problems. It is so important and helpful to have a breastfeeding-supportive ped.

As far as neighborhoods go, a lot will depend on your preferences. Do you know where your husband will be working and how close you want to be to his office? Do you like suburbs? Exurbs? Walkable communities? Maybe you could tell us what you are finding and we can provide some feedback?

I hope some of this might be useful and that preparations for your move will go well!

[bugmenot]

I have heard that there are a lot of circumcisions at Grant Hospital, but I cannot verify this whatsoever. However, if you are a no-circ'er, then you won't have a problem anywhere in Columbus. Ohio seems to be more parents with circumcised kids, but if you're anti-circ, you'll certainly find a lot of intact kids for him to befriend.

You'll need a car, if not two cars. Columbus does have a bus system, but it's bad. Also, be prepared for lots of road construction. There is always something going on, including a major highway project just started in the downtown area that is expected to last in multiple phases, over 10 years.

As far as living, I can recommend Grandview, Dublin, Hilliard, Worthington, New Albany, and Westerville. The first is close to downtown, and the rest are all surburban/semi-suburban areas. The "Short North" area is another good urban area with a ton of parks and a booming art scene with lots of art galleries and various eccentric shops. It almost prides itself on being a little bit anti-establishment. There are a lot of independent shops, and the "local" starbucks actually closed. However, if you don't have off-street parking, such as a garage, parking can be very difficult, especially on weekends.

While there are dangerous areas, there are safe/friendly areas as well...just like any other city.

As far as schools, stay away from Columbus City (the public school system), but the school systems in the areas I previously mentioned are all quite good. I can also recommend http://sjms.net/ as another good school. It *is* part of the Catholic Diocese, but all faiths, and even non-faiths are welcome. Unlike most Catholic schools, there is no dress code, and last I checked, the religion curriculm is 100% optional. It's a two-time "blue ribbon" school, which is a national ranking system of schools. To win a "blue ribbon" is quite an achievement The system used to work that once you won blue-ribbon status, you had it forever...but the system was recently changed so that a school could win multiple times.

[SuprMe]

Thank you so much for all of the information! All of this is so so helpful, I have my little book of notes going full speed now and feel so much more comfortable with the up coming move. 

I'm not positive as to where exactly his office will be, all I know is it is about "15 minutes from the airport" but when looking at maps of Columbus, there seem to be a number of airports in the area. He's still going through all the paper work and such so I'm sure he'll get it all sorted soon, but it is rather frustrating. Currently we are looking for areas that would allow for walking as much as possible as that is what we are used to here/prefer. Or a safe area that will be near his office (wherever that maybe, lol)

A few of the hospitals mentioned should work well with our birth plan, which is good to know. However one poster mentioned that home births are not legal. Is that to say they are illegal or simply a gray area which will not be covered by insurance, etc? I would love to get in touch with a local midwife to talk about the options that are available :)

Again, thank you all so much! (^.^)

[Midwesterner04]

Hi SuprMe,

"The airport" usually refers to Port Columbus International Airport (flycolumbus.com) near Gahanna. If you are looking for walkability a short drive from the airport, I personally would recommend Grandview, but some other moms might be able to recommend specific neighborhoods on the Gahanna and New Albany side (I am more familiar with central and northwestern Columbus and the suburbs on that side).

I hope you'll soon find all the information you are looking for! :-)

[bugmenot]

Originally Posted by SuprMe 

Thank you so much for all of the information! All of this is so so helpful, I have my little book of notes going full speed now and feel so much more comfortable with the up coming move. 

I'm not positive as to where exactly his office will be, all I know is it is about "15 minutes from the airport" but when looking at maps of Columbus, there seem to be a number of airports in the area. He's still going through all the paper work and such so I'm sure he'll get it all sorted soon, but it is rather frustrating. Currently we are looking for areas that would allow for walking as much as possible as that is what we are used to here/prefer. Or a safe area that will be near his office (wherever that maybe, lol)

A few of the hospitals mentioned should work well with our birth plan, which is good to know. However one poster mentioned that home births are not legal. Is that to say they are illegal or simply a gray area which will not be covered by insurance, etc? I would love to get in touch with a local midwife to talk about the options that are available :)

Again, thank you all so much! (^.^)

I was having a conversation with someone about home births the other day, and they said that home births were legal in Columbus. I'm not calling the other person wrong, i'm just re-stating what I heard.

[columbusmomma]

I hope you and your family will love it here!  I also wanted to say there are GREAT Columbus City Schools here! I found the PP's comment about avoiding our schools to be inaccurate.  Like any school district, there are positive and negative things within the system. But I couldn't not post after reading that comment!

[bugmenot]

Yeah, there are good things and bad things about Columbus City Schools... however, (generally speaking), the nicer schools are certainly in the northern suburbs.

I will say that Fort Hayes is a very respectable school. The newish STEM academy is supposed to be good, but they just had a problem the other day, so hopefully that one issue is the exception to the rule.

However, and this certainly isn't true for the entire system, but when the school has to play its football games on Saturday mornings, instead of Friday nights, due to violence....something isn't right.

[erigeron]

My understanding is that home births are alegal in Ohio: not regulated at all. CNMs can't attend them. There is one birth center in the state, but it's in Dayton, and it's attached to a hospital, so if the birth center is full and you show up in labor, you'll wind up on the hospital side anyway.

[columbusmomma]

Originally Posted by bugmenot 

Yeah, there are good things and bad things about Columbus City Schools... however, (generally speaking), the nicer schools are certainly in the northern suburbs.

I will say that Fort Hayes is a very respectable school. The newish STEM academy is supposed to be good, but they just had a problem the other day, so hopefully that one issue is the exception to the rule.

However, and this certainly isn't true for the entire system, but when the school has to play its football games on Saturday mornings, instead of Friday nights, due to violence....something isn't right.

There are many great high schools in Columbus City Schools. And they don't all play football on Saturdays!  Yep, Fort Hayes is a good school, so is Whetstone HighSchool, CAHS, Centennial. So generally speaking where are the nicer schools in the northern suburbs, just curious??  Are you talking about the Columbus City Schools in Clintonville? Yes they are great!  I just think your comments in general  may put off the original poster because you are making generalizations.  Like any parent, you research schools, if you don't like what's around you you choose other options. That's one of the great things about Columbus City Schools, the option to lottery your child into a different school if you don't want to send your child to the "neighborhood" school that's based on your address.  Yes there was a problem at Linden McKinely STEM but that was a rare instance, even for that school. I was working there that day!

[ASusan]

I did do a natural delivery at Riverside, but it was clear that it was an "event" for them that they didn't see too often, despite it being the "baby factory" of Central Ohio. (10 admits before me, and 10 after me on the day I delivered. I think I was the only one who did drug free.) I left the possibility of another Riverside birth behind when my OB practice (Kingsdale) banned doulas.

I switched to Contemporary Women's Healthcare. The midwives in that practice have a 10% c-section rate. There are 2 OBs in the practice if you "need" them, but you can stick with the midwives through your delivery. Delivery is at St. Ann's in Westerville. We won't do a homebirth because I am in at least two risk categories.

My cousins live in Westerville and LOVE it. They also love the Westerville schools. They homeschooled for many years, and their children opted (at different ages) to go to school, starting sometime in Jr Hi or High School. It is a very Republican town, but they are progressives who feel comfortable there.

[anjsmama]

The northern suburbs of Columbus previously mentioned (Dublin, Hilliard, Westerville, Worthington) are very nice, but they're also very expensive. If you're looking for suburb, I would look at the south/southeast side as well : Canal Winchester, Pickerington, Grove City, are very nice areas and not nearly so pricey as the northern areas. As for places I wouldn't want to live: WEST SIDE. Stay away!

I also second the recommendation for Dr. Sant @ WholeKids Pediatrics - she is wonderful, it is a wonderful practice.

I don't know enough about out-of-hospital birthing in Ohio to be sure, but I have heard a lot of good things from women who delivered at St. Ann's, a lot of midwife assisted births there. 

[curransmama]

Homebirth: alegal.

Midwives: CHOICE, also Kathy Mitchell, Tricia Spears; I'd be wary of CPMs here -- they have little autonomy

Places: Clintonville (crunchy but expensive to buy), Delaware (just moved up here, love it)

Peds:  Backes has all but retired :(.  Sant is awesome.  Also family practice of Shelly Blackburn (we see Brill, he's great too, cool with non vax)

[Jfpmidwife]

First of all, homebirth is not illegal in Ohio. Women have a right to choose where to give birth. The issue is the legal status of non-nurse-midwives. Unfortunately, Ohio has a long way to go regarding giving legal status to midwives who aren't nurse-midwives.

There are plenty of good midwives doing home birth, it's just that none of them are nurse-midwives. Check out CHOICE, an organization advocating for birth in Ohio.

If you are wanting good nurse-midwifery care within the hospital that includes availability of waterbirth as an option, check out Contemporary Womens Care - Rebecca Wagner is a friend of mine and a wonderful midwife. She and 2 other midwives work with 2 or 3 physicians that are very supportive of midwifery care. You will be in good hands.

Happy Birthing!

Jfpmidwife (CNM formerly from Ohio)

[bugmenot]

I don't come around here too much, but any updates from the OP would be appreciated.

[heartland midwife]

"OP" ?   What does it mean?   thanks : )

[bugmenot]

Originally Posted by heartland midwife 

"OP" ?   What does it mean?   thanks : )

Original Poster.


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