[Fuamami]

My homebirth midwife is charging $3500. Does that seem like a lot to you? It sure does to me!

I think I'm feeling extra chafed because when I showed up for my 20 week prenatal visit today, she was at a birth and had scheduled her assistant to do the visit. The same assistant who did my prenatal visit last month when the midwife was on vacation. I guess I should find out more about this assistant, as all I know is that she's a doula, and seems to me to have very little experience. Right now I feel like I'd be getting better care from my dh!

 

[BelgianSheepDog]

Where are you? That price is about standard here. And it's definitely less than a hospital birth. Sounds like the bigger issue is you don't feel comfortable with your specific midwife.

 

[Fuamami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BelgianSheepDog Where are you? That price is about standard here. And it's definitely less than a hospital birth. Sounds like the bigger issue is you don't feel comfortable with your specific midwife.

Reno, Nevada. I could have a hospital birth, all OB fees, one night's stay, and an epidural for $4200 if I paid upfront. I know this from my last birth, when I was trying to decide if I wanted a homebirth. No, there's no discount if you don't want an epidural. Anyway, I know I don't want a hospital birth.

And I know I like my midwife. But I guess I feel she's a little cavalier about prenatal appointments, and I definitely need to find out more about her assistant, as she was introduced to me, and that was it.

 

[Guest*]

It doesn't seem extreme to me. A little above average, but probably about right for your area.

 

[pamamidwife]

perhaps you could tell her you'd rather her reschedule with you if she was unable to make it than to have her assistant do it. I usually have my assistant/apprentice do appts alone occasionally the further along she gets in her training. It helps to build her confidence and also to create a stronger bond with the clients than when I'm there.

 

[alegna]

It's not out of range here. In Houston it seems homebirths are ranging from $2500- $5000 +

-Angela

 

[Snowdrift]

It's a little on the high end for around here. Mine charges $2800, with a sliding scale down to $2000 for low income, and that's for a two midwife practice so no getting stuck with less-well-trained assistants.

I did find though, that my money concerns and frankly my resentment at having to pay out of pocket when we were spending a ton every month on insurance really negatively affected my relationship with my midwives.

Now we're saving up for the next one already (DD is 13 weeks old) and hope to just pay upfront at the first prenatal appt and not even think about moeny again after that. I'm not saying this is what is going on with you, esp. since at least for this area that fee does seem a bit high, but just sharing what my experience was.

Also, does she provide a birth pool? PP massage? Is she trained in cranial-sacral work or any other 'extras' that would help you feel better about the high cost?

 

[MsElle07]

My MW charges $4200, which is mid-range on the East Coast. It sounds like you're not crazy about the assistant, though. You can certainly ask not to be seen by her again.

 

[huggerwocky]

I pay 3600 in CA.

 

[rad]

I pay 3800. Most OBs charge their fee of around 3000 around here, on top of what the hospital charges. Maybe my insurance will pay for most of it all, but to me homebirth is totally worth it even if I have to pay every penny out of pocket. I personally wouldn't deliver in a hospital even if it was free of charge.

 

[Full Heart]

I think mine is $2400 which is pretty standard for my area. A hospital birth paid upfront is $3000 and thats just the birth no prenatal care.

I would just tell your mw that you would like to schedule vists with her only or with at least her present. She can't help when a birth comes up.

 

[huggerwocky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rad I pay 3800. Most OBs charge their fee of around 3000 around here, on top of what the hospital charges. Maybe my insurance will pay for most of it all, but to me homebirth is totally worth it even if I have to pay every penny out of pocket. I personally wouldn't deliver in a hospital even if it was free of charge.

See, since the average hospital birth comes to ore than 7000 $ and I have a 20 % co-pay I end up paying nearly exactly the same either way.

 

[ckhagen]

IIRC, $3800 plus labs here.

The hospital here hit up insurance for $22,000 for an uncomplicated vaginal birth with 48 hour stay. Plus, the OB charged $3,000 for prenatal care. I ended up with a section which pushed it to something more like $30-something-thousand, plus the $3k for the prenatals, plus another $3k to the OB for performing the surgery. I'm in SHOCK at the low prices some of your hospitals have.

 

[melamama]

mine was $4,000 labs and seeing the back up ob separate

Like mentioned I'd speak with your mw about the assistant. Even if it never happens again, I'd clear the air.

 

[~Megan~]

Doesn't sound high to me.

Midwives are often in private practice which means they generally are on call 24 hours a day, every day. That means if you go into labor on her daughter's birthday, she misses it. That in itself is a big sacrifice.

Giving birth with a doctor would cost you much more than that just for the doctor's fee alone. I felt like I got a lot better care from my midwife than I ever got from my OB.

It takes a lot of money to run a practice, so if you consider all those costs I don't think $3500 is unreasonable.

 

[zimmee]

We are paying $2000. We are military, so if I was going to have a hospital birth, the entire thing would be free. We have to pay the MW out of pocket. It is a financial strain for us (one income military is not a lot of money) but totally worth it in the end!

 

[DreamsInDigital]

When I was originally going for midwife care, her fees were $3000 and we're in Portland which is kind of on the less expensive end of the spectrum. I feel that for the amount of extra care and attention a midwife usually gives you, that's not really too much to ask.
But you really should talk to her about the appointment scheduling.

 

[cinnamonamon]

In Florida I paid 3400, but here in Michigan the average is more like 1500...midwives cannot get insurance here, though & I know that raised the prices A LOT in Florida.

 

[eco_mama]

the 1st mw i had charged $3600. the final mw i had (long story) charged only $2000.

 

[Emmeline II]

Here in San Antonio TX my MW charges $2700 and I paid $1400 out of pocket plus birth supplies.