military and home birth?

[letabug]

We are not yet trying to have a baby again or anything but next time I really want a homebirth. DH was at war and missed our son being born and next time (if he is here) I want it to just be us. I asked my doc and he said a BIG no on the military homebirth thing especially since we are in base housing right now. I was just wondering if anybody was a military family and had a homebirth?

[mamachiquita]

We are having a homebirth and DH is in the military. However, we do not live in base housing. We had our first baby in a military hospital in Alaska (we lived in base housing then). I guess there are some legal issues when it comes to birthing in base housing. Have you checked out birth centers at all?

[pamamidwife]

I would think you could have a homebirth even if you lived in base housing. I mean, I know that the military controls dependents and active duty members to some degree, but c'mon! I have heard of women having their babies on base housing.

Don't let that doc scare you away from talking to midwives!

(BTW, my dad is retired Navy - 22 years! - so I'm a bit cynical about who says what!)

[Elphaba]

I know a woman who had a homebirth in post housing.

[letabug]

Thanks, there are no birth centers close, I was just wondering. I just wanted to get my facts straight for next time around!!!

[SaraC]

You can have a homebirth in base housing. I live at Barksdale AFB and I know of a few women who have given birth here. I also know of a few women who gave birth at Sheppard AFB in Texas with the midwives I used with my oldest DD. There was actually a large homebirthing community there. We just moved off base but if we still lived there then I would have had our next baby at home. I think that the doctor is bound by the military to say "no homebirth on base" but they can't stop you if they don't know. Your midwife would be providing your prenatal care not the doctor so no one(unless you tell them) will know what you are doing in your home.

T Hey Laurie!! Good to see you!!

[letabug]

do you know how to deal with the Tri-Care aspect of things? And how much do midwives normally charge?

[JillyKay]

When I switched to a CNM group, the only way that Tricare would approve my referal was to have a Dr's name. We just put the name of the Dr would backed the MWs and everything was hunky dorey. ---I never even met with the Dr.

[Mothra]

You're going to end up paying out of pocket for the midwife. Tricare does pay for CNMs, but the amount they reimburse is shameful. Less than a third in the area I was in. I did not end up having a homebirth (issues with the midwives and finances, separate issues), but no one can stop you from having a homebirth in your home on base. It is your home, and you still have rights. I wouldn't go advertising it, just because some people are jerks, but you most certainly can have a baby in base housing. A military doctor is not the best place to seek advice about having a homebirth!

Call midwives in your area and talk to them. Most of the ones in my area had delivered military patients before. If you have to use a lay midwife, Tricare will cover none of it. The midwives probably know more about the process than anyone else.

[Elphaba]

I just wanted to add that I had a hospital birth with CNMs and we did not pay one cent out of pocket. Nothing. Not even for the ultrasound which Tricare refused to pay for. The hospital just ate that bill.

[JayGee]

My husband is military and I was planning a homebirth up to 2 days before my due date . We don't live on base, but homebirth is a-legal in our state (Illinois). The biggest mistake I made was going to the OB clinic on base for backup and mentioning to the CNM there (who "seemed" supportive at first) my desire to HBAC. As soon as I mentioned to her that I was thinking of homebirthing, I got a bad vibe. Then, in my records I saw a note that I was also seeing a civilian CPM and was "counselled strongly against homebirth". Two days before my due date, my husband was taken aside by his commander and told that he needed to "control his insubordinate dependent" and that his selection to the next rank could be revoked if I gave birth at home . I was devastated. My MW was wonderful though, and agreed to labor with me at home as long as possible and then transport to the hosptial for the delivery. Which is what we did.

Also, my MW is BANNED from our base (her name is on some kind of list at the gate) for doing homebirths in base housing. I know a few women who have rented hotel rooms (jacuzzi suites ) just off base for their births.

[pamamidwife]

oh, Kristina, that is so horrible. I'm amazed at how the military just assumes control over everyone's lives. It's like having a mean father all the time. Ick.

[Mothra]

JayGee-- that is an issue for IG. Your husband could not have rank because you had a homebirth. They would have absolutely no recourse against him at all, and his commander should get reprimanded for that.

Tricare pays for homebirths in states where CNMs can legally attend homebirths. The military has no say in this matter, and if they try to they should be stopped. It is not military policy, it is a crappy commander.

[kama'aina mama]

I know a woman who had an on post home birth in Louisiana. She was later contacted by JAG about it. It made her VERY nervous. (I think the issue they settled on to persue had to do with medical waste, ie the placenta.) That said... you can do it, but keep it very quiet would be advice.

[True Blue]

I believe the reason the military frowns upon homebirth in base housing is because of insurance liability. Same reason you can't have pools, trampolines, etc in your yards on base. I know it isn't exactly the same, but people are sue happy these days and the military does not need to be involved.


Tricare covers CNM's only as far as midwives go. Here in Florida, where it is law that insurance companies cover homebirths by Licensed Midwives, Tricare is exempt because they are not an insurance company but a government benefit -- thus they do not fall under insurance laws anywhere. Unfortunately for me, we have only LM's in the area so we'll be paying for our midwife out of pocket (luckily DH just got a big signing bonus!).

However, all of your other care will be covered 100% -- blood tests, GD test, U/S, etc.

Tricare does not pay much to any midwives (actually, any care providers at all, OB or otherwise). In CA Bay Area, one of the most expensive areas in the country, they paid my midwife $1500 or so, and we paid the other $1500. Had she been in-network, however, we would not have had to pay anything out of pocket bc she would have agreed ahead of time with Tricare to accept whatever they pay.

[Greaseball]

You could go unassisted and claim it was not intentional.

I wouldn't expect your doctor to tell you anything about homebirth that is true. Talk to midwives or other mothers.

ABout giving birth in a hotel - hotels are filthy. They don't truly clean the rooms; they give them the appearance of being cleaned. Your own home would be the most sanitary place. A hotel is about as filthy as a hospital, only in the hotel, there is no ready access to antibiotics and lifesaving equipment. Hospitals can do a few things to combat the effects of their sloppy housekeeping; hotels can't. I used to be a maid and it was all about spot-cleaning, not true sanitizing.

[Lisashepp]

I have a question I am 5 weeks pregnant and my dh is probably going to get orders in the next few months. I am not going to look for a midwife here until we are sure we aren't getting orders before the baby is born.

Has anyone received prenatal care on base, and then had a midwife assisted homebirth? Has anyone received care through both a midwife and on base (just as a backup) through your whole pregnancy? I mean if tricare isn't going to pay for a homebirth then why not get 2 checkups & make them pay for it anyways LOL?