I can't believe I'm even asking...

[Lovinmy2babies+1]

or considering it considering Dh says no way.

Since a HB isn't covered by my insurance, how much does it cost overall? Is it safe for a VBA2C when the closest hospital is 45 minutes away?

[mama_at_home]

My twin homebirth was $3000. That covered all my prenatals, PP checkups and 2 midwives at the birth. I think a single birth with my midwife was ony $1800. Oh yeah, the birthing tub, too. No experience with the VBAC but I know there are mamas here who had successful HBAC. I am glad you are considering a homebirth. The longer you hang around here, the more natural and normal a homebirth will seem. I bet your dh will be more open, the more you learn. Stick around!

[alegna]

It varies greatly by area. Here it is between $2000-$5000+ BUT it is so worth it. There is no price in the world to be put on a birthing experience. And a VBAC? No way I'd be anywhere but at home for that. A hospital is just going to be looking for a reason to cut again. And they'll find one.

-Angela

[CrunchyKat]

Mine costed $3500, included the same stuff, but also included 4 baby checkups afterwards, but you had to get the birthing tub yourself. And that was just for a single birth. Anyways, I'm sure that you can have it at home, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm sure with lots of research and information to back up your choice and how safe it really is, you could at least convince your dh to consider it, maybe have him attend a meeting with a MW with you, so he could be there to hear what she has to say. I'm sure it would make him feel a lot more comfortable with it. Good luck and I hope you get to try HB.

[Daisie125]

Hey Lisa! (Are you stalking me? )

My MW (who also does homebirths although I'm having a birth center birth) charges $3500, BUT it's covered by my insurance (Medicaid, at that!) I wouldn't assume your insurance doesn't cover it, when I called they told me they didn't, and my MW said that's crap, they just don't like to SAY they cover it. I still have to pay $1750 for the facility fee (or $750 supply fee for a HB) that insurance doesn't cover.

I would for sure call some midwives & do alot of reading. I personally would feel fine birthing with a hospital 45 minutes away, but that's all dependant on your comfort level. You could always try for a birth center too if your DH is dead set against a HB. (That was a compromise DH and I made, and to be honest, I like my birth center better than my apartment anyway!)

[DesireeH]

Hey girl! I paid 2400 (plus $50 lab fee for my blood testing and $25 bucks for the kiddie pool I bought.) I think it just depends on where you live. My midwife charges 3000 but if you pay in cash by the 30th week you get a $600 cash paying discount.

[Drummer's Wife]

Here it costs between $2-4 K depending on what all is included (pre/post-natal) and who attends the birth. I would double check with your insurance as it may very well be covered. Like a pp said even medicaid covers homebirth's so your insurance company may as well. I had a friend who payed out of pocket for a hb and filed for medicaid 3 months afterwards and was reimbursed for the full amount because her husband owned his own business and they qualified.

I would talk to your husband and convince him this is what you think is best, you're the one having the baby and I agree that home is where you will be most comfortable and successfull with a vba2c. Good luck

[Lovinmy2babies+1]

Originally Posted by Daisie125

Hey Lisa! (Are you stalking me? )

My MW (who also does homebirths although I'm having a birth center birth) charges $3500, BUT it's covered by my insurance (Medicaid, at that!) I wouldn't assume your insurance doesn't cover it, when I called they told me they didn't, and my MW said that's crap, they just don't like to SAY they cover it. I still have to pay $1750 for the facility fee (or $750 supply fee for a HB) that insurance doesn't cover.

I would for sure call some midwives & do alot of reading. I personally would feel fine birthing with a hospital 45 minutes away, but that's all dependant on your comfort level. You could always try for a birth center too if your DH is dead set against a HB. (That was a compromise DH and I made, and to be honest, I like my birth center better than my apartment anyway!)

I was like, who's that? Then I saw your siggy. I may have to look into medicaid. We don't have a birthing center nearby, so that's out for us.

[girlsmamma2]

Our midwife has it broken down into categories of household income. so if you only make so and so, you only have to pay so and so. they also let you figure out the payment plan but want it all by one month before your due date. so maybe see if they can work with you that way. Our insurance was recently cut big time, so i think our cost of $2800 is a bargain. i had a med free first birth at the hospital but they charged for everything they could possible charge for. Even for turning the tv on, which dh made them take off!!!!!! So I'd imagine if you got any interventions whatsoever the charge will go up as follows. but depends on your plan too. we have a more open plan that we can chose any doc without approval but we pay much more. other friends of ours pay less and get it all covered but don't have much selection and can't change willy nilly.

[Guest*]

It obviously varies by region and midwife, but most people end up paying 2-3K. If you insurance doesn't cover it or your midwife does not accept insurance, it is worth every penny to come up with the money yourself.

As far as having a VBAC at home...it's probably the BEST place to have a VBAC as your birth will be natural and you won't have anyone looking for a reason to section you again. Women have successful VBACs at home ALL THE TIME. With today's political climate and fear of lawsuits where hospitals are not allowing VBACs anyway, depending on where you live a homebirth may be the ONLY way you will get your VBAC.

If you haven't started to research already, check out www.ican-online.org for information about the risk/benefits of VBAC and how to make yours a success.

[cheenya]

One more thing to think about is how much a hospital birth would cost you. Supposedly our insurance will cover at least some of the costs of Johnathan's birth (we haven't heard from them how much yet), but even if we ended up paying for all the midwife fees, it would still be lower than what we would likely have had to pay in the hosptial after deducatbles and non-covered services. That fact was what finally got my DH to give in to the idea of a home birth this time around and its the one reason I was happy that our insurance was downgraded between when DD was born and now. If you have great coverage it might not work this way, but its worth looking into.

[grace's voice]

Homebirths in my state are $2600, but most insurance covers it, including state insurance.