Is This Possible?

[CalebsMama05]

I LOVE my ob. he's the greatest! always reassures me and is very caring. I love doing my prenatal care with him. I really hated my hospital birth though (broken waters, slow labor after arrival, huge episiotomy, separation from baby initially etc) and would like a homebirth...is it possible that i can continue my Pregnancy care with my OB but have a homebirth? How can I arrange that?

[Mom2Adam]

It is probably possible - but you would have to have your ob agree to only doing prenatal care - and you would need to find someone willing to do the hb (unless it was unassisted).

But...I think that getting to know the practioner (in the case of a HB - the midwife) is an essential and integral part to a successful homebirth. If you went to the ob for this care - you would be missing out on the relationship with the mw. KWIM?

[alicia9178]

I have an OB, HB midwife, and a Perinatologist because I am diabetic. So....it is possible to have more then one care provider. However.....my OB and Perinatologist DO NOT know I am planning a HB. I see the Dr's on the normal "schedule", and see the midwife a few times during the pregnancy. I don't know of many Dr's who would feel comfortable knowing that you would be seeing them and then birthing a home, I know there are some out there, but I would think it is rare.
ALicia

[onlyboys]

I'm curious why you would love him so much as a practicioner if your birth with him as your careprovider was unsatisfying for you. I'm not being snarky, but honestly wondering.

My first child was born with an OB with a terrific bedside manner. Very kind, considerate, etc, until we got to the delivery day.

If you want concurrent care with an OB, you certainly can have it. Talk to your OB and find a homebirth midwife to work with for your homebirth.

Good luck!

[JanetF]

I wondered the same thing. Wasn't he the one who organised and managed your birth? If not, then maybe he would be supportive but most aren't. They don't really believe women can give birth without all the crap you had in your birth. Get a lovely MW and stay home where no one will do that stuff to you even if they're lovely in the prenatals

[Anuska]

I did this once because of insurance reasons. I kept my Dr. (intentionally) up until the end of the 8th month. I knew I couldn't hospital birth, but did get the good prenatal care covered by insurance. Then at about 36 weeks, I hired a local midwife, got my medical records transferred. She took me on at about one quarter of the regular delivery price. I think I paid $600 for the care, birth and 6 week followup. We paid her off in installment.

My Dr. didn't say much. I think she kind of knew what I might do because of my previous homebirth. I told her it was just two stressful for me to anticipate a hospital birth and for some neat reason, she understood.

It was actually cheaper for my HMO too. Wouldn't have cost them more if I'd had hospital birthed.

The $$ we dished out at the end was well worth it.

[LeosMama]

good prenatal care covered by insurance

The insurance wouldn't cover a midwife? Many insurances do, and it seems like the prenatal care offered by midwives would be more comprehensive and intelligent.

[AnditheBee]

Originally Posted by LeosMama

The insurance wouldn't cover a midwife? Many insurances do, and it seems like the prenatal care offered by midwives would be more comprehensive and intelligent.

Insurance companies don't seem to operate on logic, from what I can tell. We called ours to find out of they would pay for a homebirth (given that a planned c-section is the only other local option), and they said only if it was under a CNM. But of course a CNM can't deliver without working "under" an OB, and OB's don't do homebirths in this state. Sheesh.

We are now officially planning a HB, and will be having prenatal care with the MW as well as with the OB's I have been seeing. I want to keep them "on retainer" not for their care, but for the fact that if I do have to transfer to the hospital, I don't want to go in as a "no doctor" patient and end up with whoever is on call. There is one doctor in town that I would just as soon spit on as look at (and I'm sure the feeling is mutual), and I don't want him touching my child. So I need to know, within three guesses, who will be delivering my kid if something goes wrong. Slim chance, yes, but it relieves some of my stress at the prospect of a transfer.

[LeosMama]

It's so amazing how pregnant and laboring women are treated. Like they're irresponsible morons. Like we're dirty, stupid, uneducated and second-class dogs. We can't make decisions about our own bodies and babies without someone sneering or humiliating us.
Andi, I hope you have a wonderful homebirth and all of this unnecessary logistical maneuvering is just that, unnecessary.

[2+twins]

Many OB's will not see you if they know you're planning a homebirth. So you have to forget to mention that fact (liability reasons). But there are some that would. Personally I say skip the OB and find a mw you love. I don't see any reason to see them both.

[Monica]

I am doing dual care - seeing my ob at the military hospital - they DO NOT know I am homebirthing - it isn't really any of their business as far as I am concerned. I am paying out of pocket for my midwife - she in fact advised me not to mention my birth plans until the very end if at all, her reasons...1. they can give you a lot of crap trying to talk you out of it - stress no pregnant woman needs 2. if I became high risk for any reason and need them I don't want to have developed a bad relationship with them. I am 28 weeks and the further along I get the less likely I think I am to tell them I am homebirthing. I will give them a call afterwards LOL

One reason to stay with your OB and a midwife is that your insurance will pay for any of your labwork that you opt to have - plus like a previous poster can pay out pocket for just the birth instead of all your prenatal care with the midwife.

[JennaLeigh26]

I told my OB's nurse that I was planning a homebirth w/a midwife and that I wanted to continue seeing my OB for all prenatal care. (i didn't understand, at the time, that midwives provided prenatal care) She told me the Dr. could not keep me as a patient because they do not "coordinate care".

I was upset at first, but it ended up being no great loss at all. My midwife did an awesome job providing me with prenatal care with far more compassion and one on one attention than the OB ever could have offered.

I recommend sticking with the your birth attendant for prenatals. You can use that time you spend with her to get to know her and become completely comfortable and familiar with her so that her presence at the birth will be that much less distracting.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[LeosMama]

Just deleted this post. Sorry, I was venting and it was inappropriate for this thread. I can do it elsewhere.
-Lindsay

[newcastlemama]

About the insurance thing (I agree it is totally backwards, they should be awarding homebirth moms for savin them so much $$$) My insurance said they would cover 70% of the cost of homebirth/prenatals ect...$3,000....since my husband and I paid in cash early we got a discount $2700...I think my midwife billed it as $3000 though because we got all our money back!!

Also, my midwives say that if you can find an ob who supports homebirth, then they can be part of the care just in case of transfer ect...I happened to already have the only OB we know of that supports homebirth in the city! I did not see her during my pregnancy though.

I hope you get the love and care you deserve, Jennfier