Fort Meade Homebirth

[sarahartel]

Hey everyone!  I am new here, but I am moving to Fort Meade around October of this year and I will be about 5 1/2 months pregnant.  I had my first son in a hospital about two years ago and I really don't want to go that route again.  I am just having a hard time finding a midwife that is affordable to my budget, which is only around $2,000.  I was thinking about doing an unassisted birth, but my husband told me it's technically illegal on a military base for something along the lines of denying me medical care.  Which I think is outrageous.  But I am just starting to lose confidence in me having the dream birth I want so any and all help would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you all!

[Cynthia Mosher]

You might try posting in our Tribal Areas forum for your area to see if anyone has suggestions for Fort Meade area.

[Jenga]

Unfortunately, you are out of range for MAMAs but you could try calling Susan Dodge. She is in Odenton/Crofton and prefers to stay in the area. Joey and Evelyn were in the area, but both of them now have suspended practices because their licenses were pulled. We're stationed at Meade but live in Crofton and, after my homebirth midwife dropped me, I ended up using Bay Area and birthing at AAMC. I had to birth in hospital because it was my 2nd VBAC.

I would suggest you not ask around to "make sure" that UC is forbidden. Technically, you are not bound by military law but, if something happened, your husband could get into trouble... I suppose. Of course that situation could be avoided if you lived off post. I doubt anyone on post would even find out that you UC'd, you  could easily lie to neighbors if you wanted to, but unfortunately your business is the military's business sometimes and it could be an issue for your husband if someone wants it that way. Why not get on Standard and shop around at the birthing centers? For the love of all that is good, stay away from Bethesda. I had one telephone call with a nurse there and I switched to Standard the next day. Utter morons.

[artekah]

I actually know a lady who had a planned UC while living on Ft. Meade. At the time I was shocked because I wasn't yet open to the idea. That was about 12 years ago.

But I can't see how it would *ever* be illegal to UC. If you're worried you could just say it was precipitous. I mean, what's anyone going to say to that? You should have held it in longer?

[Jenga]

Originally Posted by artekah 

I actually know a lady who had a planned UC while living on Ft. Meade. At the time I was shocked because I wasn't yet open to the idea. That was about 12 years ago.
But I can't see how it would *ever* be illegal to UC. If you're worried you could just say it was precipitous. I mean, what's anyone going to say to that? You should have held it in longer?

I would definitely tell them that. Like I said, no one is going to know what you don't tell them. Whoops, we didn't make it.

Make it a DADT situation, if that is what you want to do. If you've already gotten prenatal care, you will probably want concurrent care and "accidentally have the baby at home."
 

[IMakeArmyBrats4]

I don't know if you're still planning a UC, but I'm on Ft. Meade and I had our 2nd UBAC here on post no problem, no questions asked etc. It's not illegal at all! :)

[southernmommie]

It's not illegal to give birth in your home on a military base. We've had this conversation on here many times before on this board before the changes. You can tell them that you didn't realize that the baby was coming as fast as it did. Or that you were trying to labor at home in comfort as long as possible before going to the hospital.

[micah_mae_]

You don't even have to tell them that, they don't care. We had our 2nd on Ft Meade. I asked where the hot water heater was because I planned on having a home water birth that fall, no one questioned it. My midwife had 0 problems getting on post.