HOMEBIRTH!!! - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[mamaki]

Originally Posted by mellybelly 

Well, girls, thanks! Really just the exercise of writing it all down helped me decide on the birth center. I also realized, "Geeze, I'm worried about a wheelchair ride at 8 cm and I'm considering driving to a hospital at the same stage? WTH?!?" So I think we're doing it. I'm going to a "meet the midwives" next week. Looking forward to it! Thanks again!

Good choice.  I had one car ride and one ambulance ride in labour - both were horrible!!!  It was so nice not going anywhere in labour during my homebirth!

[1love4ever]

Hey everyone, planning a home birth here too!!  I had a HB with my last as well, amazing and wonderful experience!

[GISDiva]

Me!  I had an out-of-hospital birth with my first with a midwife at a free-standing center.  Kind of like a bed and breakfast for births, it was great.   They just moved their center to a new location, so it would be fun to have one at each, but I think for DS's benefit I want to do it at home.  It just sounds easier to me all around.  Plus, we literally live right next door to the giant regional medical center, so if anything went really, really wrong, it would be a shorter trip than if we started at the birth center.

We are very lucky here in Wisconsin, my midwife is one of the women responsible for creating the licensing program in the state.  There are a growing number of midwives here in SE Wisconsin, which I think is just awesome.

[MyKidKissTrees]

GISDiva!  JEALOUS!!!!  I am having SUCH a hard time even calling to interview MWs because I cannot get ANY experience info on them from the HB moms, because they are ALL new.  All of our veteran HBMWs have all been arrested or charged with something and aren't practicing anymore :(  It's all very depressing.  Moving to the farm is looking more and more like and option... haha.  If only it wouldn't cost like $10,000 out of pocket!

[GISDiva]

Originally Posted by MyKidKissTrees 

GISDiva!  JEALOUS!!!!  I am having SUCH a hard time even calling to interview MWs because I cannot get ANY experience info on them from the HB moms, because they are ALL new.  All of our veteran HBMWs have all been arrested or charged with something and aren't practicing anymore :(  It's all very depressing.  Moving to the farm is looking more and more like and option... haha.  If only it wouldn't cost like $10,000 out of pocket!

   I hate that all of us don't have the same options.  It isn't fair at all...

[carmen358]

My DD was born at home with our midwife and a doula. I will absolutely want to birth at home again!

[kkloep]

Just joined the group!  I am due August 5, but realistically will probably have my baby sometime mid August closer to the 42 week mark ;).

My first baby was a c/s for modified footling breech.  Second baby was a 55 hour hospital VBAC (all but the last 2 hours were done at home).  Third baby was a 24 hour HBAC in Wisconsin.  I'm strongly considering UBAC for this baby.  My last pregnancy started out in Nebraska.  I did my prenatals with an underground/out of state CPM.  She traveled over 6 hours to Nebraska, but at any given time could be up to 8+ hours away.  Hoping for a labor shorter than a day this time, lol.  But, we will see how that goes.  I love he climate in Wisconsin compared to Nebraska.  My backup OB is so great.  He actually told my husband last time that I was safer at home than the hospital! 

The reason that we are planning an UBAC is because I have some major trust issues with providers.  The CPM we used last time sounded great, said all the right things and seemed to be just perfect for us.  In the end she had her own plan and completely manipulated us into doing what she wanted.  Once she showed up she turned into active management, didn't let me birth in the water, yanked my placenta out and was overall pretty controlling.  I asked all the right questions and still got played.  I just don't know if I can trust anyone again.  I feel safer on my own.
 

[emily11megan]

I've had two homebirths, and plan to this one too!  My labors were 6 hours and 90 minutes, and I agree with a PP that fast labors are INTENSE!!!!! I think I'd prefer a little more length and space between stages to cope.  But...you get what you get.

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience, kkloep!  As an aspiring midwife, it really ticks me off that someone would become a homebirth midwife, then subject women to the very experiences they hope to avoid.

I hope all you ladies find the providers you seek.  My midwife had a baby on the Farm several years ago.  Seems pretty freakin' awesome.  I've been fortunate to live in places where HB midwives were fairly easy to find, although I'll be paying full price/out-of-pocket for the first time...$3200.  Damn.  And that's the prepay discount. But, saving that and birthing in the hospital isn't worth it to my partner and I, so we're spending our tax return on a new baby :)

[kkloep]

Originally Posted by emily11megan 

I've had two homebirths, and plan to this one too!  My labors were 6 hours and 90 minutes, and I agree with a PP that fast labors are INTENSE!!!!! I think I'd prefer a little more length and space between stages to cope.  But...you get what you get.

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience, kkloep!  As an aspiring midwife, it really ticks me off that someone would become a homebirth midwife, then subject women to the very experiences they hope to avoid.

I hope all you ladies find the providers you seek.  My midwife had a baby on the Farm several years ago.  Seems pretty freakin' awesome.  I've been fortunate to live in places where HB midwives were fairly easy to find, although I'll be paying full price/out-of-pocket for the first time...$3200.  Damn.  And that's the prepay discount. But, saving that and birthing in the hospital isn't worth it to my partner and I, so we're spending our tax return on a new baby :)

$3200 sounds like a dream!  My mw only saw me from week 32-42 and we paid her $4500 out of pocket, pre paid (supposedly the discount), although when insurance paid her their portion of the birth she pocketed it all and told us to hire a lawyer if we wanted to see the rest.  She made $7900 for 10 weeks of prenatal care (no labs or anything, we refused it all) and about 4 hours of labor (did the other 20 without her).  Come to find out now that I have lived here longer (moved here mid preg last time), she had a history of this practice.  She has ripped off a LOT of people.  She has moved back to Illinois...good riddance!!!

[Banana731]

kkloep- my first HB was a UBAC. It was great and healing birth, and absolutely the right choice for us.

Emily- ITA. It is worth it for us to pay out of pocket as well. I wish that I had understood that with my first! One of the hardest things to explain to first time moms that I have met who are really dedicated to having a natural birth and want to HB, but have decided not to because the hosp is covered by insurance or because of outside opinions, is how much it matters when it's all said and done. If I could go back in time, I would have had a HB by hook or crook. 

It's one thing if HB is just not for you, I get it. But I have never met a woman who was satisfied with a hospital birth that she just sort of gave into. kwim?

[Banros]

I had a very traumatic 30 hour (20+ other hours of which at a hotel, over 50 hours total) hospital birth with my daughter. We're doing a homebirth this time. It was just awful from start to finish - rolled right over everything I had planned almost causing my daughter brain damage. I can never ever birth in a hospital setting ever again for my health and sanity. I wanted a homebirth with her too - but the circumstances of DH's and I's living situation prevented it plus the scarcity of midwives in MA (as mellybelly said). It actually is "legal" but homebirth midwives have to have a supervising OBGYN and have to follow the hospital protocol that that specific OBGYN practices at (even though the OB is never even at the birth!). It's stupid complicated and just a stupid system in general. I would have shelled out $5000 for a homebirth. 

Mellybelly - I am from MA (Boston area) literally JUST moved away two weeks ago. I have a CNM in mind for prenatal care, but as I've prefaced...it is NOT the hospital to birth in. Message me if you're interested. She's from the UK and very natural-minded.

Anyways, how do you create a signature? I'm a newb.

[somegirl99]

Originally Posted by Banros 

Anyways, how do you create a signature? I'm a newb.

Go to your profile by clicking on your username at the top right of any page while you are logged in.  Then scroll down towards the bottom of your profile page and there will be a place to "Edit Signature".

[Banros]

Thanks Paula. I don't see it, but I still have the "Your Community Profile Will Become Visible After You've Been Active..."  message and I'm assuming after that goes away I'll be able to find it. :)

[kkloep]

Originally Posted by Banros 

Thanks Paula. I don't see it, but I still have the "Your Community Profile Will Become Visible After You've Been Active..."  message and I'm assuming after that goes away I'll be able to find it. :)

I can't edit mine either....all of my posts still go to moderation for 4-6 hours too before they show up...makes it hard to participate!  lol

[mamaki]

Kkloep - wow - I can't believe that awful MW and what she did. That's so unprofessional.

It amazes me the difference in birth option availability in the US. It seems like some states are great, with midwives, birth centres and home births available. But other states only have hospitals and OBs. We have fairly good access to midwives here in Canada (I'm in Ontario) but no birth centres yet (coming soon!). Home births are a good option though and all medical care is free (provided by provincial medical insurance). The number of midwife attended births is still quite low though. I come from New Zealand where 70%-ish births are midwife attended and can be at home, in a birth centre or hospital.

[kkloep]

Originally Posted by mamaki 

Kkloep - wow - I can't believe that awful MW and what she did. That's so unprofessional.
 

Yes, it has really effected my trust.  I thought, she of all people I could trust, but I was so wrong. I thought I was a good judge of character.  I honestly wish my backup OB could just do my homebirth.  I had my consult with him yesterday and he spent over an hour with me just chatting.  He said if I want to do prenatal care with him for now, he basically would just check in with me every 6ish weeks to measure me and listen to the heartbeat.  In low risk mamas that are experienced as he says, he doesn't do the whole weight, pee in a cup business.  He said, "I can learn a lot more about the health of your pregnancy sitting here talking with you."  You don't see that very often with an OB!  I don't love him enough to birth in a hospital, though!  But, if I had a medical reason that meant I needed to be there, I would fee comfortable with him, and I know he would make the best of a less than ideal situation. 

[somegirl99]

kkloep, that sounds like an awesome OB!   I'm sure it is a relief to have him on your team especially after your last experience.

[LeighPF]

Originally Posted by kkloep 

$3200 sounds like a dream!  My mw only saw me from week 32-42 and we paid her $4500 out of pocket, pre paid (supposedly the discount), although when insurance paid her their portion of the birth she pocketed it all and told us to hire a lawyer if we wanted to see the rest.  She made $7900 for 10 weeks of prenatal care (no labs or anything, we refused it all) and about 4 hours of labor (did the other 20 without her).  Come to find out now that I have lived here longer (moved here mid preg last time), she had a history of this practice.  She has ripped off a LOT of people.  She has moved back to Illinois...good riddance!!!

You don't need a lawyer for small claims court and fees are about $250. And you would likely be awarded them (she pays). Also talk to your insurance co. They have their own provider fraud people to go after her.

[kkloep]

Originally Posted by LeighPF 

You don't need a lawyer for small claims court and fees are about $250. And you would likely be awarded them (she pays). Also talk to your insurance co. They have their own provider fraud people to go after her.

The thing is, she made all that additional money by committing insurance fraud.  So, technically she only owes me about $700, but she owes my insurance company thousands of dollars for double billing and saying she did the full 40 weeks of prenatal care.  In Wisconsin there is no insurance fraud division.  Insurance fraud claims are investigated by local police...and, well, they don't really care, unfortunately.  And, since she is out of network and it isn't a huge sum of money, the insurance company doesn't care either.  I think, from what I have heard, after I contacted her billing company with information, they might have done something.  I'm not sure.  I do know that she quit midwifery and moved out of state, thank goodness.  I just hate the thought of her doing this to other families.  Where she moved CPM's are not licensed, so hopefully she decides to just move on to something else.  The most unsettling part of it all is she was financially ripping off families, but she was extremely wealthy.  I guess maybe that is where she got her wealth from :/

[Banros]

I would be furious and file in small claims too. $250 is a small price compared to $4500!! It's always important to hear from locals. :(