my home birth search cont.

[carrieV]

So I thought I would fill everyone in on My Home birth Search here in Indiana. I have found 5 midwives/groups that can help facilitate my birth. (my husband and I and in the process if interviewing them now) There is only one in my city directly and everyone else is approx 45 minutes to an hour away. They all have slightly different ways of doing things, one drives to my home for every visit, and the rest I have to drive to them. They range in price from 1200 to 1600. I haven't asked if they take insurance, because that isn't really an option for me :) (But it think they would help facilitate that if you need it)

Anyway, I'm finding that it is very affordable with payment plans, that also vary. I am glad I know so early that this is what I want, because most need full payment by the 6 week follow up visit. Some also offer 10% off if everything is paid in full by the time of delivery! And one accepts bartering!

It has been a fun adventure. I also learned that I can sign up for government subsidized health care (Hoosier Healthwise)... and can be honest that I am planning a home birth, because technically they cannot refuse treatment (or payment), should something come up that I would need to be transfered to the hospital. I also could sign up with an OB and never go to any of my appointment, or I could go to a few appointments or all of them. If I wanted an Ultrasound (which I don't) I could go enough times to get that done, or if my Midwife thought it might be a good idea for whatever reason to have tests or ultrasound done, I could go and see my OB, and not need to pay for the tests. I was a little worried, but it looks like it will be just fine, working with Hoosier Health-wise.

And I don't have to sacrifice what I truly believe in or what I want for my baby. It is very affordable, and I believe a great use of money.

I hope this is helpful, for those of you who would like to have a home birth, but for whatever reason feel that it isn't possible, because of money or insurance.

[AngelBee]

I am glad i is going well for you. :hug

How did you start? Do you google midwifes in your state? :innocent

We are planning UC, but dh has been talking alot about having a midwife present but only on hand. This will be our first homebirth. My other three were born in the hospital, 2 with OB and 1 with a midwife.

[Brisen]

That sounds great! We have subsidized midwives here in Ontario -- good in some ways, but you can't pick and choose, you have to go to a practise whose catchment area you are in, and they have to follow a lot of rules/guidelines -- can't attend a homebirth if it's twins or breech or med/high risk, for instance. :(

I've thought about unassisted, but I would really need my hubby to be on board, and he's not. He doesn't think the midwives take away anything by being there, and he likes the "security" of having them there. Sigh. (Though with one of the homebirths, he did, when I was in labour & thinking of calling the midwives, suggest just not calling them. But I had *nothing* ready.) So, I hope for hands-off midwives. Last time, they were fine with no u/s, no vag checks unless I requested, no glucose test, no hep swab, yada yada yada... but looked at me funny when I asked if dh or I could catch. I think the attitude really changes from practise to practise. I have been in two, for two pregnancies, and this will be my third homebirth, again in a new practise. Apparently, in Ontario, only 10% of women midwives attend have homebirths. The rest choose hospital birth (or are transported, but I don't think that's very common). I was told, rather conspiratorily (in a good way), how happy the mws are when a woman chooses a homebirth. I would be pretty disappointed if I went into midwifery hoping to do homebirths and only get to do one out of every 10 births at the mom's home.

[/hijack] sorry about that, carrie!

[carrieV]

I google searched, but only found one! Then I just started asking around, I found the Midwife closest to my area, who gave me the phone numbers to everyone else.

They all seems to be really helpful, and they all want us to find the right midwife for our family. Which is very nice.

[boscopup]

I found my midwife through Googling, but it was really really really difficult (since it's illegal in my state). But later I found that the LLL group here knows all about midwives and can usually help you find one also. So LLL is a great place to start looking if you have no clue where the homebirthers are in your area. While not everyone at LLL has a homebirth, the leaders will often know who in the group does, and they can help you on your journey. :)

[theretohere]

I'm having trouble finding midwives here (i'm in IN as well)- what part of the state are you in?

[ferrum97]

How far are you from Cincinnati? There are some HB MWs in this area. If you are not too far from the area, I can send you the link for the HB Yahoo group.