Have you bartered with a midwife?

[aisling]

This defintely isn't usually where I post (though I lurk here a lot!) and I hope no one minds me "barging" in but I've been thinking about this a lot lately and figured I'd just ask...

I have seen many of you mentioned bartering with your midwife for at least part of your Homebirth cost but not many have mentioned what specifically you bartered with. So that's my question:

If you have bartered with your midwife what skill or service did you provide as your payment (or partial payment)? Or if you're a midwife, what have you accepted in lieu of payment (or again, partial payment)? I'm very interested in this!

TIA!
Meg

[mwherbs]

value of service in terms of hourly wage for that service- what would you normally make per hour for your work.
some things like cord wood- and the mw would normally pay $230 for a cord of wood unless you live somewhere in the north a midwife will not want 10 cords of wood she may only want 2-3 cords of wood-- so you either have other things to trade or money

some trades are just for what someone wants- like a mw needs a fridge and some dresses for her daughter that may be enough- except for labs or other things that take some cash

[chiro_kristin]

Hmmm... I bartered for chiropractic care, but I don't suppose that helps you much...

I know my MWs barter for organic free-range meat, poultry, and dairy and other natural items they can use for their families...

I had encouraged another pg woman on MDC to use her CD store as an offer.

I do also offer my office as a place for prenatal appts if they need it or homebirth classes.

Babysitting for her own kids might be another idea if you feel close enough to offer that. I know my MWs would love to get out of the house minus the kids and with the DH without the reason of attending a homebirth or prenatal or postnatal check.

Sorry I'm not much more help... I'll try to think of some more ideas!

[aisling]

No, these are all great ideas! I just want to get some ideas of what people have done before so I have some frame of reference when, Lord willing, my "turn" is here! We're a paycheck-to-paycheck kind of family right now and if insurance won't cover a homebirth, I'm going to have to get creative, you know?

So far, the only ideas I have come up with for myself are babysitting, cleaning and possibly scrapbooking. I do pretty good work (IMHO! ), so its something I'd be willing to offer. Plus, with the scrapbooking, people pay HUGE amounts of money to have others do it for them, so it could be a pretty "valuable" service. You know, if its the kind of thing they're be interested in.

I like hearing specifics of what other people have done! Thanks so much!

Meg

[mags]

I have no personal exp with this, but at my LLL mtg we were talking about my LC (who I love), and it turns out she will gladly barter with anyone who needs her services, but cannot afford it. I think one common one she suggests if the couple has no clue iwhat to barter s for them to mow her lawn. I think that's pretty reasonable. Granted a LC doesn't cost as much a midwife, but maybe offering up your DH as handyman or to do small projects around MW's house if she needs it (like painting a room or installing shutters, doing landscaping projects, etc., that kind of stuff), might be something they would consider. If you have good computer skills and your MW doesn't have a nice website, maybe offering to make her a professional looking website.

[chiro_kristin]

Ooh ooh!... well especially if you already have a MW in mind that you want to utilize, or if you know of some midwifery practices in your area...
how about being proactive? Make up some business cards (you can do some super cheap to free ones at www.vistaprint.com) about your "scrapbooking service," and have the MW put them in her new client information - you can make some money!

Or you can make a little business out of "babymoon cleaning and cooking" service - where you go into homes with brand new babies and take care of the cleaning and some cooking for the first week to allow the parents to focus on their new little miracle. And a card or little home-printed flyer for that could go into the client folder too.

And yes, in my brain, that was a Welcome Back Kotter "ooh ooh." :
:LOL Sad but true.

[teachinmaof3]

We are this time. I offered to make Mother's Bracelets, Little Girl Bracelets and rag quilts for her.

[Czen:)]

Our midwife offere to barter with us! I was kind of surprised because I have never done anything like that before. But with her ease in bringing up the situation I must guess it is not uncommon. My DH is a structural engineer and mw wants an addition. He is doing up the plans she needs for the city. Its working out great so far.

Czen

[RachelGS]

I was wondering about that, too. DH is an architect and could barter addition plans.

[Keeper]

I bartered $300 worth of scrapbooking supplies to lower my birth fee (I'm a Creative Memories consultant). I've seen my preceptor accept car detailing, massages, and Mary Kay product, as well. She puts a $300 limit on bartering per client, but it seems to help.

Sarah

[mwherbs]

I have known of yard work trades, and house repair, heating system parts depends on how busy the midwife is and if she can afford to take a trade and still make her own bills.
here in Tucson for a while and maybe still (but I haven't heard about it lately) there was a barter system where you got credits that could be spent at other places....
I can't really say from any of my own recent experience because I have been doing births for free since I have lived in AZ. I get paid as an assistant occasionally from other midwives but that is it.

[ZeldasMom]

I would also ask if a payment plan is at all a possibility. I believe my midwife has allowed some folks to take years to pay off their births. I could understand if the midwife couldn't do this (they have to support their families too and deserve to be paid for their services), but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[aisling]

These are all wonderful ideas and they are very heartening! I go back and forth about homebirth simply because of $$$. One minute I have my heart set on it, knowing it is the right choice. The next I think that we could never afford it and so I should just get ready for the hospital! UGH...I hate the back and forth of it all! But this all makes me feel like, between bartering and payments and some money saved up, we might actually be able to make it happen!

Thank you so much!
Meg

PS...I'd love to hear more.

[mesecina]

We gave our doula a window air conditioner we weren't using... This hadn't been the plan, but she was saying she needed one, and we happened to have it in the basement anyway. She wasn't sure how much to charge (this is her last birth before becoming certified), and I'll give her some money as well, but the AC will be the bulk of the payment.

[Full Heart]

My midwife got a living room set before as payment. I heard another story where the dh made a dining room table and chairs for the midwife. I wish someone would barter with us (dh owns a homebusiness) I could really use someone to come and paint for me! I cooked dinner for my parents a few times a week and they payed for dd to go to preschool. I did that for 5 mos. They had plenty of money but no time so this was the biggest help for them. Oh yeah and I also picked up my brothers from school and ran errands for them. If you are proficient on the computer there might be something like book keeping that needs to be done. My friend is reappholstering some furniture in exchange for some dental work.
Michelle

[Oh the Irony]

my midwife has ten kids. i made birthday cakes for the kids on their birthdays. we moved part way through the arrangement, so i found someone else to complete the last ones.

[Thursday Girl]

Part of our birthing bill is being bartered for my husband's mechanic skills. For working on two cars it was going to cover the whole thing, but as DH no longer has access to a lift he can only do one (in our driveway. yes our neighbors love us) I also told her that he is a plumber so maybe we will get some more off. Oh and she actually brought up the car as one of the payment options.

I wanted to do a homebirth but dh doesn't so we are going to her birthing center.

Courtney

[Valerie]

Wow. Barter. A subject after my own heart. Over twenty years of midwifery I have done a ton of barter, and most of the time it has worked out very well. I have bartered my midwifery services for painting, plumbing, wallpapering, and tree removal, as well as for various items including a vacuum cleaner and an old used car.

Probably the most interesting barter was for an African Gray Parrot (what can I say?...my daughter really wanted it). Unfortunately, the bird had a habit of plucking out all its feathers and <ahem> propelling its excrement through the bars of its cage and onto the livingroom floor.

BUT ASIDE FROM THAT....if all parties understand exactly what they are getting, and when they are getting it, it can work well.

Valerie
Illinois

[camprunner]

Originally Posted by chiro_kristin

Or you can make a little business out of "babymoon cleaning and cooking" service - where you go into homes with brand new babies and take care of the cleaning and some cooking for the first week to allow the parents to focus on their new little miracle. And a card or little home-printed flyer for that could go into the client folder too.

I am looking for someone offer this in my area. The closest postpartum doula is forever away and dh and I can handle the kids I think

[ObsessiveAndrea]

I have been cooking meals for my midwives.