Homebirth midwife/doula/UC support in Sturbridge?

[dawsigail]

I'm 27w2d pregnant right now with my second. I had my daughter at UMass in 2010 and had an extremely traumatic experience. My husband and I both feel that a home birth would be the best choice for both me and baby, but everyone we have contacted is SO expensive. My daughter has had to have multiple surgeries this year and we have no money to speak of. My husband's car is about to be repossessed and mine just died. We're looking at having to have a UC, but we would really like to find someone who could come to our apartment right after the baby is here (at the very least) to make sure baby and I are both okay.

Does anybody know if there is someone in or willing to travel to the Sturbridge area who would be able to help us? I'm due March 19th.

[BellyfullBirth]

I'm a doula in Franklin county, but it sounds like you want someone to come make sure that medically you and baby are stable after the birth, and that's not what a doula does. Before you decide that you need to birth unassisted, try talking to some homebirth midwives and explaining your situation. I bet that someone would give you a sliding scale, or barter, to ensure that you have medical coverage incase you need it. Also, you must qualify for masshealth, so use that to get good prenatal care even if you don't intend to birth with that provider. You have a few hospital options out that way too...ask around, maybe with a carefully selected hospital and a volunteer doula (I know there are some in Berkshire county and I could help you find one), you could have a healing and affordable birth at a hospital. Message me if you want, I can help connect you to some resources. Best of luck!

[dawsigail]

I've talked to 4 midwives and 6 doulas, none of them can work with us on pricing because we won't be able to pay everything before the baby is here. It seems like that's the way things are normally done. My family doesn't qualify for Mass Health. My husband makes just over the line of "too much" so even though we only see about 1/3 of his check monthly, we can't get help. I am seeing an OB for prenatal care and was going to deliver at Harrington because I had heard that they were good there, but my OB told me during my last appointment that I would have to fight tooth and nail for ANY of the things I had on my birth plan (which was only one page and didn't have anything crazy on it.) I'm going to be freaking out in a hospital, anyway, I don't want to have to worry about fighting while I'm trying to keep myself from having a panic attack just because I'm in a hospital. I had my daughter at UMass Memorial, and I refuse to go back there. My mom is a nurse and has worked at many of the hospitals in the area. I have heard too many behind the scenes horror stories to trust these hospitals.

I feel like I sound whiny and ridiculous here.

[BellyfullBirth]

Sorry I thought for some reason you were in Berkshire County but you are in between Worcester and Springfield right? What about the midwives at Baystate in Springfield - is that too far? They are a midwifery teaching hospital and I have heard lots of good things about them, they even have a volunteer doula program. I am not familiar with the hospitals any farther east than that. I am connected to two different networks of doulas, many of whom are working toward certification and/or otherwise take volunteer clients. I personally know a woman in Ware and another in Chicopee who might go out your way. If you want, message me your contact info privately and anything you want to say about your situation, as well as your due date, and I would be glad to put it out there on my list serves and see if someone would be able to talk with you and help sort through the options.

[dawsigail]

Thank you so much. I will message you. :)