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Anyone else planning homebirth?

1K views 34 replies 19 participants last post by  babytoes 
#1 ·
We are going for our second attempt at a homebirth. Last time I transferred after 3.5 days of labor, baby baby position and a very unusual labor pattern. It was pretty traumatic for me at the time. This time I am really praying and claiming a healthy homebirth.
 
#3 ·
Me, well probably. I have had one homebirth (well, no one was there but u s chickens, but it was technically at home), one birth center, and one hospital, not in that order lol. We are hoping for a homebirth, with the midwife there, but depending on our house situation might have to be in a birth center again. Mostly I am worried about not being able to relax and let go enough. And getting there in time, I have a long pre labor and a rough short transition / pushing. But logistically homebirth would be easiest. It will also depend on the baby s position, licensed midwives can't attend breech births anymore in my s t ate, and if we have to cross that bridge again we are going to need a new plan. I don't know what we would do. I'm fine with a rcs for a real medical concern, which most breech position s are NOT. So, yes, we hope to have a homebirth. Lots of prayer though, lots and lots of prayer.
 
#4 ·
Yes lots of prayers going out for you! I am surrounding this pregnancy in trying not to fear a repeat of last time here. I think I am going to try hypnobirth or babies (I get them confused) this time to help with the letting go and feeling comfortable.
 
#5 ·
I had my first two at home, but it's not an option this time since I'm considered high risk. Honestly, I wouldn't have chosen another homebirth anyway, after a pretty horrible experience with my second, but I wish I could at least do a birth center or something.
 
#9 ·
That does sound like a very traumatic experience. And a tough road since. I am sorry to hear it. I wish you well in this pregnancy and birth!

I am very thankful that my Midwife and myself were very in tune with when I needed to transfer. I did complain a few times early on and mentioned transferring, when I really did NOT want to. She would make eye contact with me after a contraction was over and ask me if I was sensing something, or if I truly wanted to go in, or if I was just having a rough couple contractions. She honored my wishes the whole time.
 
#10 ·
I am! My first was in the hospital with an OB and wasn't a good experience for me. Not horrible but not good either. My second was a beautiful water birth at home and I wouldn't choose anything else again! :wink: That sad thing is my lovely midwife moved out of state so I will be missing her but using someone she suggested. I have talked to my new midwife and like her so far but am waiting to meet her at 12 weeks! Hopefully we can all have wonderful homebirths this time around!
 
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#11 ·
Oh how I dream of a home birth! Maybe if #2 is incident free, I can convince dh for #3 . He was deployed, and had to Skype in for DS birth, and it was an induction and...just a mess, so I think he's still pretty scarred. This time we're doing a hospital with a mid wife, and I'm armed with much more knowledge so I'm hoping it'll go smoother.
 
#12 ·
Yes! A million times yes! I'm just starting a business and had to buy a car so we're gonna have to get creative with how we pay the upfront costs (my insurance will reimburse for homebirth with a CNM or birth center). I'm thinking I will go with OB care (my best friend is a very crunchy FP doctor who won't question my refusals!) And transfer to midwifery care after the anomaly scan. Any ideas about making this work are MUCH appreciated!
 
#13 ·
Awesome that you have a great doctor friend! My insurance does not cover it at all sadly. We are bartering with our midwife for some of the fee. My dh runs a computer repair business and she needs some work. The rest is coming out of a settlement check we are getting, I am going to try for co-care as their is an office around here that does it and usually only makes you come for 3 visits.
 
#15 ·
I'm waiting to meet my midwifed new partner too tspencer! It's a technicality since my main mw is still around but I haven't seen her partner in years. Better at least meet once in person, just in case.
 
#16 ·
@tyness - do you have a health savings account? It may reimburse you for the cost.

I had an unecessary and unwanted c-section that was traumatic for me. I am going between my midwife at the hospital with a doula or a homebirth (if I can convince DH). I love my midwife, but I worry about the hospital policies and the nurses trying to constantly enforce them...I fear that would keep hampering my mood and my concentration.
 
#19 ·
Just discovered I am pregnant! Hi, fayebond - we were in our last DDC together.
If the baby stays around, presumably we will do a homebirth as my first baby was born at home in a beautiful experience. A little conflicted on which midwife to go with, though. My midwife was out of town when I went into labor and the teachers of my homebirth class were the ones to deliver the baby. It's not going to be cheap - we also have to figure out what the costs will be with our new insurance arrangements. Previously we paid for all the midwife costs out of pocket and let the insurance cover the parallel OB/hospital care. So we paid several thousand for the midwife, but maybe $60 for all the scans, visits, etc. I'm wondering this time if there's a way just to get some low-cost scans and stay exclusively under midwife supervision, because the OB / hospital were highly stressful and I don't have the luxury of time to waste any more.
 
#20 ·
We probably should be looking into co care as well. We paid a lot of money for the scans etc last time. I'm leaning birth center if our I insurance is the same as last time, since they didn't pay anything for the midwife but covered the bc 100%. We could probably get away with paying nothing if we went with a bc midwife, but I love my mw. How does cocare work? Not interested in extra appointments, but I am a little nervous about how much the laws are changing around breech birth, and I want my foot in the door, as it were. Especially after my first scan was so awkward. The tech asked if I believe in ultrasound. It's a technology, not a cult you bow to, oy, I just don't want you sticking stuff where it doesn't belong any longer than necessary.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I laughed out loud about the tech's question! Thanks for that.
Not sure how co-care will work with this insurance (Blue Shield). Last time around we had employer-sponsored Kaiser which covered everything on their end such as visits, scans, and labs 100%, just needed copays of $10 each time or so. I went through their standard course of prenatal care (HIGHLY unimpressive, the MD did not even know what midwives do). The homebirth midwife fee of $5500, the homebirth classes, the supplies -- that was all out of pocket. I thought of picking a different insurance and talked to a midwife billing specialist who was nice, but was very clear that the insurance system was totally non-transparent and there was no way to tell in advance what would be covered and at what percentage. Since my main objective was to avoid the inflated costs associated with a possible transfer, we just went with what WAS transparent. I am going to ask some other homebirth mamas how their co-care worked and get back to you.
 
#22 ·
I'm seriously thinking about a home birth. The insurance I have now doesn't cover the midwives & hospital I used last time. Plus, that 45 minute drive to the hospital was torture while in labor last time. I have a hospital 2 minutes from the house. They don't have a nice birth center or anything, but I was thinking of seeing if any midwives deliver there...I was thinking I could labor at home as long as possible and finish up there...where the hot water tank doesn't empty after 20 minutes (that is if they let laboring moms in the shower).

My other option, is a home birth....I don't know yet...I need to figure out who I'm going to see for my care first...
 
#23 ·
we're planning a homebirth,too
it's our first, but my dear friend used the midwives we've contacted for both her babies and just adores them.
Her first was breech so they transferred and she had a c-section instead, but the midwives helped her do a VBAC at home for her second. @fayebond: good luck with the house-hunting!
 
#27 ·
Fayebond, I checked around and everyone had a different story of how co-care worked. It depends on your midwife, your insurance, and your conventional-care providers. One good suggestion was to organize the conventional care through the most midwifery-friendly hospital available. The midwives know which ones these are and can tell you. The report below is only marginally helpful in getting a global view of obstetrics practices.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...Hospital-Ratings-Avoiding-C-sections-FULL.pdf
 
#28 ·
Undecided

Possibly planning our second home birth. Our last one was amazing. We just had a birth center open up not too long ago that is very much like home, so depending on if insurance will cover anything...we may go that route instead. I hate that money will ultimately be my deciding factor. This momma needs a mini van now too. Fitting 3 kids in the back of my Sebring worked for awhile but 4 will not fit ;)
 
#29 ·
Possibly planning our second home birth. Our last one was amazing. We just had a birth center open up not too long ago that is very much like home, so depending on if insurance will cover anything...we may go that route instead. I hate that money will ultimately be my deciding factor. This momma needs a mini van now too. Fitting 3 kids in the back of my Sebring worked for awhile but 4 will not fit ;)
We just got a minivan! I am so excited my mw is bartering some of our fee. She was very generous as well.
http://www.mothering.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/
 
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