[pageta]

I'm contemplating switching from a very crunchy OB to a midwife. I have two main reasons: first, the midwife gives me a few more options at birth that the OB doesn't (catching the baby myself, delaying the clamping of the cord, etc.) though the OB is known for having a gift at guiding the mother through birth which I experienced for myself with ds and was very pleased with and just the simple fact that I would like to see what birth is like with a midwife...kind of like a riding mower vs. push mower thing (they both cut the grass but the experience is different with each).

DH, however, has his undies in a bundle about the financial aspect of it. I assured him that the charges are comprable and that they prorate what they have done/what is left to be done with this pregnancy. And quite frankly, even if it costs $500 more with the midwife, with our insurance, that is a mere $50 to us. I think I have very good chances of going natural with the OB, but even better chances with the midwife...and epidurals aren't cheap. You don't really know how much a birth is going to cost until it is over with.

So, has anyone else changed providers mid-pregnancy? What were your reasons for switching? What were the financial implications of the change and how did you handle that? Thanks!

 

[Quagmire]

I switched around 23 weeks from a not-at-all crunchy-OB practice to a midwife.

Basically I did a lot of reading here plus some Goer and other stuff on the side (

) and came to the conclusion that there was no way I'd be giving birth in a hospital again. I also wanted a waterbirth which was not available to me with the OBs. Finally, I had met with my OB and asked her specific questions about the things that went wrong with DD1's birth and her answers sucked big time (basically amounted to "I was afraid of being sued so I did it to CMA").

Financially there was no impact to me. My insurance covers all prenatal visits at 100% after the first $20 copay so it made no difference who those visits were with. The midwives were in the process of accepting my insurance so once that was done I started with them (they didn't bill me for anything before that).

If your insurance company gives you a hard time or tries to bill you more, you might try calling them to see what can be done. Chances are your hospital birth would cost WAY MORE than birthing at home so they should be able to help you offset those costs, kwim?

And worst case scenario if you do have to suck up $500 maybe you can use the health care flexible spending account and do it pretax? (this is what I did for hospital costs with my previous birth).

Good luck! Birth where you are comfortable

 

[Hayes]

Twice.
With my 1st I switched OBs at 16 wks.

With #4, I switched from a CPM birth to a HB with a midwife at 32 weeks. GO for it!

 

[bohemama]

I switched midwifes this pregnancy at 34 weeks. Luckily I had not made my large payment to my first midwife because the midwife I switched to didn't really give me a huge discount for coming in so late in pregnancy. She took about $200 off for labs I already had.

I say if you really want to go for it then do it! It's your birth and it should be exactly the way you want it

 

[pageta]

Unfortunately, I would have to birth at a hospital with either provider (homebirths cannot be legally attended by a midwife in our state and thus insurance doesn't cover them either).

I went through the bills with ds this morning and the thing is, what my doctor billed BCBS for wasn't what they paid him or was it what I paid 10% of. It was that way with the hospital, ped and everyone else. I tried calling the insurance to ask what their "allowable charge" for prenatal care and delivery was, but they wouldn't give me an amount - they said my provider would have to bill them and then they would decide. But perhaps they say that because no one knows how much a birth will cost until it's all over with - I could end up with an epidural again or even a c-section. Who knows.

I'm thinking I will just tell dh that the insurance will only pay a certain amount for a birth and we will only pay 10% of what they decide to pay 90% of, regardless of what the self-pay fee is. Wish me luck...

 

[jrose_lee]

Yup...at 7 months we decided to have a homebirth and switched providers to do so. It was the best decision we've ever made. The birth was positively wonderful. We switched from in-network to out-of-network so it did end up costing us a bit more. But it was worth EVERY penny!

 

[alegna]

I did. My MEDwife dumped me at 28 weeks. Best thing that could have happened. I found a real midwife.

-Angela

 

[swampwitch]

I switched from a factory OB practice at 27ish weeks to an OB who was a lay-MW before becoming an MD. She now has a family practice and does OB. This is my first pregnancy.

We are SOOOOO happy with our decision to switch. We are now with a single doctor whose backups are also keen on natural childbirth (one even did his residency doing homebirths with the Amish, how cool is that?!). We are having a hospital birth, but switching OBs also switched our hospital. We are now going to be at the hospital in this area for natural childbirth. The nurses in L&D at this hospital are very acquainted with NC, and some have even done homebirths, themselves.

I started at the first OB because I wasn't expecting this pregnancy so soon and trusted my GP's recommendation because I love my GP. I was scared about the whole labor and delivery and pain and all the unknowns. Since educating myself and taking Bradley classes, I am looking forward to a natural birth and being at the hospital for as little of the labor as possible. When we decided that our current practice was not in line with what we were seeking in our birth experience, we interviewed a midwife and the OB. We decided on the OB because we clicked with her personality more. However, insurance was a deciding factor in who we interviewed and those were our only two options.

I had prepaid some $$ at my prior OB. That is now tied up until they file my visits with my insurance, at which point I'll recieve a check for the balance of what I overpaid.

My new OB has a global plan, which covers the entire cost of pre- and post-natal, L&D. However, since I switched so late, billing told me I would be charged for the individual expenses...or something like that. However, I also have insurance through a new provider now, which covers all pre-, post- and L&D at 100%. Had our insurance not switched, we would have owed $500 while still waiting for the other money to come back. So, as you can imagine, we are quite relieved to find such great coverage with our new insurance.

It sounds like the cost difference will be minimal, but I certainly understand being concerned about having to come up with tons of extra money at this point. Good luck working it out!

 

[angelpie545]

I switched providers with #1 when I was 7 months preggers. I was 18 at the time so I just went and saw an OB without even thinking about a midwife. A friend gave me information about a local birth center, where her mother had given birth. I interveiwed the midwives and after much deliberation and decided to give birth there. It was the best decision that I ever made; a decision that I feel helped me avoid a c-section from a complication that arose during the birth. I'd say $50 is a small price to pay if gets you were you feel comfortable. In order to have a good birth, you have to feel comforable in your environment and with your provider.

 

[tiffany21074]

I switched at 36 weeks as well

 

[DreamsInDigital]

I switched during my 2nd pregnancy at 30 weeks from an OB to a CNM. Not so great but better than it would have been if I'd stayed.
I switched during my 3rd pregnancy at 28 weeks from a CNM to a CPM for a homebirth. So great, best decision I ever made.
I switched during my 4th pregnancy at 12 weeks from a CPM to UP/UC.

 

[autumn_faune]

I switched at 6 weeks from a doctor to a CNM, at 12 weeks to a different CNM, at 18 weeks to a LM, at 20 weeks to a different LM, and at 37 weeks to an unlicensed MW.
Like my mother always told me, the only time it's too late to change providers is when you're crowning.

 

[DreamsInDigital]

ROFL Sarah!

 

[Avena]

Yep me too! and SOOOOOO glad I did!
It's super important you go with whom ever makes you feel comfortable and provides the care you need.....I switched at 5 months and cannot of been more thankful...Like another pp said I switched from a lame MW to a REAL MW and our birth experience couldn't of been better!

 

[Peony]

I just switched last week, and I'm 28 weeks. I'm having a HB and switched from a MW who wasn't going to give me the birth or care I wanted to a "hands-off" MW. My new MW doesn't do any testing, no peeing on the stick, weight checks, no vaginal exams at all, either the mom or dad catchs the baby, she doesn't believe someone besides that should touch the baby for the first time. She doesn't touch the baby until 1.5 hours after the birth, I'm basicially paying her to come to my house to sit around, which is what I want (I'm more of a UC mindset whereas DH is not). I'm happy with my decision.

Honestly I don't even know what the financial aspects are going to be yet, I had payed half of my first MW's fee, I wil get some back but she hasn't told me what. And I don't know what the new MW is going to charge me yet.

I'm not concerned, DH and I will come up with whatever it takes to get the birth I want.

 

[dharmama]

I switched MWs (and hospitals) at 32 weeks. BEST decision I could have made. Only wished I had done it sooner so I could have had the wonderful prenatal care my second MW provided right from the beginning.

 

[sparkprincess]

I switched OBs at 30+ weeks last time. When I first got pregnant I wasn't very crunchy at all (hadn't found MDC yet) and I just chose the closest OB to my home. The more I learned the more I realized I did NOT like my current OB. When I tried to discuss my birth plan with him he laughed in my face and then lectured me.

:

I got a recommendation from my cousin's wife (also pregnant at the time) and was very glad I switched. I was really happy with the new OB and his practice and am looking forward to seeing him this time around.