anyone VBAC'ing in Florida? - Page 2

[cinnamonamon]

Give me a day to unsick myself, lol! Then I'll take you up on that. See you soon.

[OnTheBrink]

Hi all! I'm planning a HBAC in Lakeland, due in late Sept/early Oct. I was unable to find a midwife in Lakeland who would be part of this. (The MWs at the birth center are connected to a doctor who puts restrictions on them.) My MW, Kelli Johnson, is in Orlando and is awesome! I highly recommend her! http://www.amothersnaturemidwifery.com/

We are meeting with Dr Gatto on Tuesday afternoon. When Kelli spoke with him, she said he seemed encouraging and helpful. I look forward to seeing him. His was the name recommended to me by the Lakeland midwives at Labor of Love birth center as well.

My daughter was born in Miami with the midwives at Loving Start. www.alovingstart.com. Emma was breech at 41 weeks when we decided on the c-section. Deborah and Mary were wonderful. It was Deborah's husband, Dr Wayne DiGiacomo (in Hollywood) who did the surgery. Deborah stayed with me through the surgery and after. I know that they do VBACs and that Dr D backs them up, but it might be only for birth center births. Not sure? Mary gave me the name of a Dr Spence in the Miami area who backs HBACs.

So - as tough as it is, there ARE options! By far, the best option seems to be to stay home for the birth. I certainly have no intentions of going anywhere else!

(AMANDA (Only Boys) - Are you back online???)

[calla lily]

Weird, my doc has not mentioned that he needs to be there during my labor. Maybe there just has to be a doctor in the hospital the whole time. I sure hope he's not getting my hopes up that I can vbac and then changes his mind. I have managed to talk him out of induction before term. I am due on Tuesday the 6th, and at my last appointment, he didn't even mention it. And there are no signs of this baby arriving before then.

[calla lily]

Also, did you guys have to sign anything? I haven't.

[onlyboys]

Originally Posted by MommyMoses

(AMANDA (Only Boys) - Are you back online???)

Yes! Finally! And, I must confess, I seeing you on MDC! So glad you were here to chime in!

Edited to add: I cannot believe that I was so fricking fracking negative about Dr. Gatto. I flat out told my midwives if he walked into the labor room I'd run for the door. I feel like kissing him now! I can't believe that he's so VBAC friendly! Yay! to Dr. Gatto!

[OnTheBrink]

[QUOTE=onlyboys]And, I must confess, I seeing you on MDC! So glad you were here to chime in!QUOTE]

Gee! Thanks!

I do try to pop in, but there's only so much time in the day, ya know? I admit that my "comfort zone" is at Amity's, just because I've been hanging out there since I was first pregnant with Emma and I "know" more of the mamas.

[Kleine Hexe]

Originally Posted by 3 little birds

For my clearance he did tell me he didn't think a home VBAC was a good idea and why, but that it was my baby, my decision and he wasn't going to tell me what to do. I am very grateful that he signed my form and was honest with me about why most OB's aren't going to actually allow a VBAC. I finally understood.

Hummm, seems like Dr Gatto is still popular. I think it depends on his mood as to what he tells you at any given time. Right now he is the only OB signing consent for HBACs in Central FL. He's getting a lot of peer pressure to stop. : He signed my consent last Oct and I had a super wonderful HBAC 5 months ago. Homebirth is so awesome!

When I saw him he did not say anything about HBAC not being a good idea. He asked me if I knew the risk and I quoted him the 0.5% risk of rupture he just nodded. Signed the form and told me he thought my midwife was wonderful. Now I had major problems with his employees. Stupid people! : I can't believe how I was treated and the ignorant things they said.

Best of luck to all VBACers! Nice to see so many in this part of FL.

[3 little birds]

Wow, everyone in his office was really nice to me.
That's too bad about the peer pressure to stop. Why do they care?

[OnTheBrink]

WOO HOO! I just got home from my appointment with Dr Gatto to get his "approval" for my home VBAC. He was wonderful! What a supportive man! I love him! He said that there is no reason not to be at home since the risk of rupture does not change based on location. Smart guy! Basically, everything is perfect and we are good to go! WOO HOO!

[cinnamonamon]

I'm starting to think that we are going to have to start writing mass thank you mail to this Dr.!

Congrats!

[3 little birds]

Yay!!!
It sounds like he was way less doom and gloom with you than me.

Maybe cause he's signed a bunch of HBAC's and they've all been sucessful!!!

Best wishes on your HBAC MommyMoses!

[MommytoTwo]

where is this Dr Gatto located?

[kcwilliams]

Dr. Gatto is in Winter Haven. I can post address and phone number if anyone needs it, or a google search for "Dr Gatto Winter Haven FL" pulls him right up.

[OnTheBrink]

Dr Gatto in at the Bond Clinic in Winter Haven - 500 East Central Avenue.

[got_mama_milk?]

How are you all paying for these Homebirths? We simply cannot figure out a way to pay for one. We've cut everything except our airconditioner to no avail. I refuse to be PG with all this nausea and not have AC.

I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Defreese for VBAC but awful things about the hospital he attends births at.

Dr. Gatto isn't on my insurance, and I can guarantee that my DH wouldn't want to drive that far for appointments anyway.

So, what's the solution? Will HBMWs take you in the 3rd trimester and charge less? DH is giving me greif for wanting a Doula. UGH... what have I gotten myself in to?

Please don't tell me to "charge it" or that "if HB is that important, then we will find a way". I have heard that so much and it really doesn't make things any better. I can't find the $ for the extra $100 in groceries that DH wants every month let alone the $1500 for a HB. And Saving up for the next 6 months isn't an option either since there's really nothing left to save at the end of the month.

I have also applied for jobs, but no one seems to be hiring.

Thanks!

[cinnamonamon]

I believe there are some midwives who will work out payment "plans" with you. You could also try to barter something...sewing, cleaning (ahem...AFTER you have recovered, of course!), watching her children while she attends births, etc.. you could also try temp agencies for short jobs here & there.

nak...re: doula, do you have a friend who could do this? or ask mw if they know mw-in-training who would do this for free so they could attend birth for experience. good luck -- we will most likely be using some credit ourselves.

[OnTheBrink]

Well, as far as affording it, I guess I don't have a good answer. Our insurance covers 30%, so that's $900. That left us with $2100. We don't have lots (I don't work and DH is a teacher), but it was something we really felt committed to figuring out. We consider it a health issue that we are not willing to mess with.

It might be worth calling a few HBMWs and asking them some questions. Ask what the pro-rated amount would be to start this late (fewer appointments and tests to charge for). Also, ask them about some type of low monthly payment type deal. Many are committed to this as a ministry and might be quite open to different ideas!

[3 little birds]

Mommymoses, I posted this somewhere else, so excuse me if I am repeating myself.

In Florida there is a statute that says that health insurance has to pay a licensed midwife the same percentage they would pay your doctor. If your insurance covers 30% of maternity care, then you are cool. But if they pay a higher percentage then you are entitled to higher coverage.

I had a VBAC two years ago with a licensed midwife. Cigna paid 100% of the contracted rate that they worked out with her (I can't remember if it was 3500 or 3800). I had expected to pay out-of-network (70%) but I wasn't going to argue with 100%.

Cigna reduced their coverage of maternity with my husband's job this year to 90%. I expect to pay 10% ($400.00).

[3 little birds]

Statute 627.6406
This is part of it:
1) Any policy of health insurance that provides coverage for maternity care must also cover the services of certified nurse-midwives and midwives licensed pursuant to chapter 467, and the services of birth centers licensed under ss. 383.30-383.335.

7)(a) This section does not require a mother who is a participant or beneficiary to:

1. Give birth in a hospital.

2. Stay in the hospital for a fixed period of time following the birth of her infant.

http://www.flsenate.gov

[OnTheBrink]

True about the insurance having to cover it. BUT - They consider my midwife "out of network" and thus only cover 30%, rather than the 70% if she was in network. We are debating this, though, since she is the only midwife around who will attend a VBAC at home. (That's with Blue Cross Blue Shield.)

Luckily for us, though, we switch insurance in about 2 weeks and our new insurance (United Health Care) is much better!