# Would you ever have/consider an Unassisted Childbirth?



## Guppy051708

I am just interested in seeing how many of us would consider and/or have an unassisted childbirth. I do not want this to turn into a debate about if UC is good or bad, but just if you would consider it or not. I may do this down the road, but just curious what you all think as it seems like more women are doing it these days (i imagine more secondx+ moms due to hospital experiences with their first) but, anyways, Yes or No?
*
EDIT!!!!***I could not revise the thread, but there should also be another option* for _ Yes I would consider it, but i am not for certain at this time_ SO if that is your choice, please reply with it :D


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## Enough

My answer would be _Yes I would consider it, but i am not for certain at this time._
I have a midwife for this pregnancy, but I would choose an unassisted homebirth over a hospital if no midwife were available.


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## Blah11

Not for me. It would panic me which is the opposite of what I want in a birth. Home yes, unassisted, no.


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## vikirose

I was going to have one for my second baby but after as very long night of contractions staying at 12 mins apart we called a mw to get a bit of reasurance that things were moving. She was instantly rude to my oh on the phone when he called her and even tho I was mid contraction insisted on speaking to me and so rudely asked me 'where are we up too' that I told her not to bother coming. In the end they sent another 1 but as she was taking her coat off in the other room when my contractions went from 12 mins apart to having a strong one 1 min later...1 min after that I started pushing and my oh caught our son in 1 push with the mw on the phone to her back up in the other room. Seems my baby was determined that he only wanted to come out to me and his Dad!
We'll have a mw this time but I'm only calling her at the last minute again (different oh now as first passed away a yr after our son was born and tho he supports home birth he won't entertain UB)
So my answer would be Yes, I would consider a UB but not at this time!


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## Mervs Mum

I would consider it but I think with the system as it is here and knowing it pretty well, rather than go UC I'd just call when I was very close to birth so I knew that the mw was there for us if we needed them but not before. Al do get why people go unassisted though especially in the UK where you have no idea who will turn up to your birth and if they will give you worse care than none at all. :s I'd rather UC than give birth in a US hospital too.


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## Celesse

I thought about I briefly when I was having trouble getting the support I needed but quickly decided against it. I've had one labour that was long, slow with fetal distress, an epidural at 5cm and some gas and air before hand. If I'd managed a drug free natural birth perhaps I'd be more likely to consider an UB, but if that had been the case I wouldn't have faced any opposition to a home birth so there would be no need to.


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## wigglywoo

Yes I would consider it and think I would prefer it, but I'm currently not sure.

I don't like the idea of having anyone around during labour except DH and DD. I will be calling the midwife really late, in the hope that she wont get there in enough time to actually interfere. She even said at my last appointment that she can see my birth as a last minute phone call and they wont be here long!


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## lynnikins

id consider it but probably give in and call the MW at the last moment lol my mother had 2 hb's one unassisted but id want the MW there to check if i needed stiches and to check baby over just for peace of mind but there will be a hands off route insisted upon when this baby is arriving


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## Mum2b_Claire

No, but I think I might want to call the MWs quite 'late in the day'.


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## Samantha675

I would not. Planning an HBAC gives me a few extra risks to consider and I wouldn't be comfortable without my MWs in attendance. But every woman has the right, or should have the right to birth as she wishes. I can understand why a woman would go UB if MWs are not allowed in their state.


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## Tegans Mama

I would consider it, yes. I'm not 100% sure whether or not I would actually *do* it though, but I certainly won't call the MW until I/we think the time is very near.


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## Guppy051708

I am so happy about this thread. Everyone has a different opinion on UC but this has been such a positive thread despite differences. You girls rock! I was seriously scared this would blow up haha. 

I couldn't revise the voting options, but there were a few i wish i would have added :dohh: Like for me, i live in the US and my private healthcare (which i pay about $12,000 per year for :() REFUSES to cover homebirth :( its quite depressing. This birth i am seeing a MW at a free standing birth center (insurance will cover one of those even though they are HB MWs too :dohh:). (with DS i had a hospital waterbirth and had to avoid the system, which i did, but i dont like how certain things were brought up/done). Anyways, if we have the $5000 it takes to pay (on our own) for a homebirth MW NEXT TIME, then we will do that, but tbh, i doubt that will happen. If we can't afford a HB MW, then my vote is going unassisted (the birth center is just too far, but im willing to try it out) :thumbup:

Thanks for all of your great responses!!


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## Speccy

No, I wouldn't consider it. I would just worry, and if something went wrong I couldn't forgive myself. I can see the appeal in it - it must be a very magical and natural experience, but I would be so worried and distressed that it would be counter-productive. I read an UC story on here once and it sounded beautiful, but it's just not for me.


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## pregnantbabe

well i had an accidental unassisted homebirth with my first baby. and currently in labour with my 2nd baby. i am having a home birth but with a midwife present this time. i was just luckly that nothing happened with my first baby. it was extremely frightening but i was so proud of myself after


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## Guppy051708

pregnantbabe said:


> well i had an accidental unassisted homebirth with my first baby. and currently in labour with my 2nd baby. i am having a home birth but with a midwife present this time. i was just luckly that nothing happened with my first baby. it was extremely frightening but i was so proud of myself after

wow! best of luck to you! please update us when your LO arrives :cloud9:


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## chuck

If I had a partner that I trusted with my life I would do it.

I dont right now so if we ever have another no i wouldnt UC


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## pregnantbabe

Guppy051708 said:


> pregnantbabe said:
> 
> 
> well i had an accidental unassisted homebirth with my first baby. and currently in labour with my 2nd baby. i am having a home birth but with a midwife present this time. i was just luckly that nothing happened with my first baby. it was extremely frightening but i was so proud of myself after
> 
> wow! best of luck to you! please update us when your LO arrives :cloud9:Click to expand...

well still no baby :( i am extremely uncomfortable and tired.
for past hour or so been having lots of pressure down below hopefully this is might mean things start to speed up.
just waiting for midwife to come back to check on me :( :( :(


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## DMG83

is it not illegal in the uk to *plan* an unassisted birth? :shrug: that's what we got told at nct antenatal.. now if you just happen to "not realise" that baby is on the way and it's only you and DH there at the time, that's "okay" lol I might be wrong, but that's what we were told anyway 

It's not for me.. i'm a first timer anyway and have had a few issues through pregnancy but even without that, it's just not what i'd want myself. In awe of people who can do it though :thumbup:


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## Celesse

Its not illegal to plan an unassisted birth. Its illegal for someone to plan to assist you who isn't a doctor or midwife.


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## DMG83

Celesse said:


> Its not illegal to plan an unassisted birth. Its illegal for someone to plan to assist you who isn't a doctor or midwife.

yep that's what i meant - as in DH couldn't be your birth partner doing the job of the mw if it's just you and him. You can do it TOTALLY alone, but not with someone who isn't qualified.. That's what we got told :shrug:


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## Mervs Mum

Its not illegal to plan an unassisted birth of or for someone else to be present. It's illegal to act as a midwife if you're not one. The law is really there to stop people impersonating mws not to punish people choosing an UC. In the UK youre perfectly entitled to tak responsibilty for your birth and go it alone and you can call for assistance at any point and they must come and support you.


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## NaturalMomma

Yes I would consider it, but haven't had one. I don't want a UC, I like MW assisted HB.


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## irish_cob

Mervs Mum said:


> Its not illegal to plan an unassisted birth of or for someone else to be present. It's illegal to act as a midwife if you're not one. The law is really there to stop people impersonating mws not to punish people choosing an UC. In the UK youre perfectly entitled to tak responsibilty for your birth and go it alone and you can call for assistance at any point and they must come and support you.

And to add to this, as far as I understand it, anyone can assist in childbirth when it is a matter of emergency, the bin man or the post woman, the baby's father or anyone, and there's no problem with that. It's only a legal issue if one of these lay people tries to convince you they're a qualified midwife and goes around treating pregnant women - that's the problem. But no, no one will be prosecuted for helping a woman in labour or childbirth, and it's not illegal, and I'm surprised the NCT are telling you wrong, they're usually clued up on stuff like that.


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## Mervs Mum

Yes that's right anyone can assist in an emergency :)


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## DMG83

There actually was a father prosecuted for assisting a birth as they had refused any assistance and he told the mw's he would be acting in an assisting capacity, was just reading up on it because i was surprised by your reactions when we were told in NCT that it is illegal for the husband to *plan* to DELIVER the baby.. now i don't know if that wording makes any difference at all, with the way law is i'm sure it's all done on technicalities anyway :shrug: but anyway, it was just something i was pondering in response to the thread, it really doesn't matter in the slightest whether it is illegal or not, certainly no offence meant. Reading about it all the articles I have found for the uk say that in recent years the law has changed and it is illegal for anyone to *assist *a birth who is not a qualified mw/doctor ie. husbands/friends etc. (also even potential to be prosecuted if you are "in another room" according to the one article on it) unless it's an emergency. Like i said, unassisted isn't for me this time around, I was only wondering aloud how you could get around the legal side of it IF it is illegal and you want your partner to deliver the baby that's all. Never mind.


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## Mervs Mum

I think if you looked at the finer details of that case it was becuse he openly said he would be acting as mw. The FOB is legally entitled to catch his baby but it gets on to dodgy ground when he starts monitoring, cutting cords and as in this case openly admitting he intends to act as mw.

This is taken directly from a letter to a client of mine from a head of midwifery.




> A midwife has no right to be at a birth and not to contact or engage a midwife for your birth is your right to do so. *It is legal to do this as long as the birth is not attended or the responsibility for your care is assumed or undertaken by an unqualified individual. *You have to assume your responsibility for your birth. *An unqualified person is an individual who gives medical or midwifery care but may not lawfully do so, these may include an un-registered midwife, nurse, doctor, partner, relative or friend who is not a registered midwife or registered doctor. *They may be present at the birth but must not assume responsibility, assist or assume the role of a qualified registered practitioner. *This is unlawful and may incur sanctions and a conviction. *
> *
> If your intention is to have your baby without a midwife in attendance we will respect your right to this. *Should you at any time require the services of a midwife during childbirth we will of course attend and assist in accordance with the NMC Midwives rules and standards, code of conduct.


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## Guppy051708

wow thats all interesting!
Laws in the US vary from state to state. I grew up in Pennsylvania (relocated to new hampshire, last year), but anyways, Midwives,here hardly have any rights :( its quite sad. They can only work under OBs ...and malpractice insurance is SOOO rediculously expensive that most OBs flat out say "no" to having a MW under them :wacko: anyways, having a homebirth with a MW is VERY under ground in the state of Pennsylvania. If all goes well, then no one cares, bc you keep it on the down low. BUT if something does go wrong, and you need transfered to the hospital, basically mom (and her support) have to go the hospital alone. Because in Pennsylvania, if you show up with a MW (which clearly isn't working under an OB bc otherwise she would be in a hospital, not doing a HB), the MW will be charged for a plethora of things and then the parents will get into criminal trouble as well for endagering their child :dohh: its so rediculous! HOWEVER, it is NOT illegal to have a UC. So if the mother shows up on her own (or with her partner, etc) then they dont persue anything...they may act pissy bc you tried to have a HB (its pretty looked down on :() but they could never get you into any illegal trouble for it....the US can be pretty shitty when it comes to birthing outside of the hospital...

...but then other states, like where i live now in New Hampshire, they have a law that says any healthcare insurance MUST allow and pay for a HB MW should the woman want that...the catch 22 is if you have private and self funded insurance...which is what i have...the state cant dictate it since they (my insurance company) pays for their own health insurance...it stinks :( i wish dearly to have a HB one day, but until then the free standing birth center is next best :thumbup: That state of New Hampshire is very PRO MW because it was the first state to license MWs in the country. It is part of the culture. Luckily a lot of OB practises also have MWs working under them...but again, those ones wont be caught dead doing HB, they could only do hospital births (not even free standing birth center births). However, there are quite a few lay midwives that do HB and BC births-which i am VERY thankful and amazed about! So glad i live here and able to delivery in this state as opposed to Pennsylvania...


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## Guppy051708

oh and i'll shut up after this :blush: but in the state of Colorado, it is very legal to have a MW attended HB, a hospital birth, and a free standing birth center birth...the catch in that state? Where you have your first, you HAVE to have the rest. I.E. your first was in a hospital, so your others have to be there too, Otherwise you could face criminal issues.

And in state like South Carolina, etc (i think thats one of them) they dont even recognize a trained MW! They refuse, so if you birth in any way, shape or form with a MW, the MW will get into a TON of illegal trouble, and they may not recognize your baby as a US citizen. Its so unfair!!! im aware, personally, of a MW who did lots of HBs in that state and is now looking at a lot of fines, legal fees, and prison time because she was "illegally practicing" (because the state doesn't recognize trained MWs, remeber).

I wish UK birth ppl would come to the US and kick some Butt!! :rofl:


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## Mervs Mum

:wacko: omg that's bizarre!


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## irish_cob

It's different over here Guppy because we have a mainly midwife-led model of care. Midwives are employed by the NHS (national health service) and it is very normal to only see midwives throughout your pregnancy and birth if you have a normal, straightforward pregnancy. The midwives are not separate from the medical system, they are the mainstay of it.

You only see a consultant obstetrician if there is a need for it, medical issues etc, and often you have shared care, where you see a midwife for your routine check ups, and then see a consultant less frequently to keep an eye on any particular issues. Obviously the more severe the issues, the more likely you are to be seen more frequently and perhaps exclusively by a consultant, but this is pretty rare, most women are mainly cared for by midwives. It is these NHS midwives who perform most births too, and it's not like I've seen on the TV in the USA where they call the Dr in at the last minute to catch the baby, here midwives deliver babies.

We're very lucky to have the NHS. And I think we're lucky to have a midwife led model.

There are independent midwives which you can choose to employ privately if you want to have private care (outside of the NHS) for whatever reason - all British citizens get free health care on the NHS, so it's quite unusual for someone to employ a private midwife, but some do for their own reasons. They have to be paid for by the woman herself, we don't have health insurance in the UK like you do in the USA because we have the NHS. You can take out private health policies which means you can go privately to see a consultant if you have any health issues, some companies offer them as a perk, but as far as I know, they only cover illness, they wouldn't cover pregnancy or hiring an independent midwife. It's so different from the USA.


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## Guppy051708

yeah i knew it was different. ive spent a lot of time studying the different models of care, especially in other countrys because i am a child birth educator and birth doula. love my job, and i hope to help change the birthing culture here in the US...its such a sad thing and my biggest issue is how petrified women here are of the whole process...i was scared of "the system" but not birth itself...i wish i lived in the netherlands or some place like you guys have, but in the meantime New Hampshire is one of the best places for naturalistic minded births...

you guys are amazing! i know some UK girls are put off by the NHS and they are entilted to their opinions, but i really wish we would adopt some type of similar culture here....the US has one of the worst fetal and maternal mortality rates :(....i dont know why we think we are right in our ways...:shrug:

and like healthcare...the govt does have programs for low income families, but a lot of ppl dont qualify for them...of course how much you pay in health insurance, it makes it tough to afford :( there were a few times DH and i were both without health care because we could not afford it....we have to pay about $500 per month, just in premiums alone. Then its $400 PER PERSON before insurance kicks in. Then after a family memeber gets to $400, that same family member has to cover 20% of every bill after until they've spent $1500, its the same for each individual person, in the family...its rediculous...makes me want to cry actually. We spend about $12,000 per year in healthcare...we have no other options except to go without...and well thats never a good idea either...been there, done that...i am still paying back DS birth from one year ago, and i know i will be paying back this babys birth for a long time too...ick.


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## Guppy051708

If you guys are interested, be sure to watch "the business of being born"...it covers US births pretty right on. It such a great documentary! Also, "born in America" was good too :D


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## lozzy21

No i wouldent consider one.

Personaly i cant see the need for one in the UK when you can have a IM and have the best of both worlds but i can see why you would in the USA.


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## Guppy051708

^yeah, if i lived in some other developed country, i would not have a UC...it's "the system" here that bothers me to pieces.


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## Mervs Mum

lozzy21 said:


> No i wouldent consider one.
> 
> Personaly i cant see the need for one in the UK when you can have a IM and have the best of both worlds but i can see why you would in the USA.


What about people in the UK whole couldn't possibly afford an IM at £3500 a pop?


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## lozzy21

Mervs Mum said:


> lozzy21 said:
> 
> 
> No i wouldent consider one.
> 
> Personaly i cant see the need for one in the UK when you can have a IM and have the best of both worlds but i can see why you would in the USA.
> 
> 
> What about people in the UK whole couldn't possibly afford an IM at £3500 a pop?Click to expand...

Im not going to put what i actually think so i dont offend some one because i probably will.


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## Guppy051708

what is IM? :shrug: sorry for my ignorance lol


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## lozzy21

Independent midwife. 

They have the same training as a NHS midwife but is self employed so they are not restricted by the NHS policy's .


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## Guppy051708

oic :dohh: thanks :D


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## freckleonear

Yes I would consider it, but I'm not certain at this time. So far I've been happy with NHS care and it definitely helps that the midwife area leader is a family friend of ours. However, if I wasn't able to have a home birth again on the NHS for some reason then I would definitely think about going unassisted. An IM sounds wonderful but unless our circumstances drastically change then we could never afford it. We haven't had that much money in the bank since we were students!


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## tristansmum

no i would not consider it. each to there own but for me i want someone there who knows what they are doing cause i certainly dont


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## 9babiesgone

I would definitely do it, if I end up pregnant again.

I am so sick of the way the doctors treat me here, bc of my beliefs. Bc I do believe in homeopathy, and every time I have ignored my gut instincts I have miscarried, and bc doctors dont listen to intuition. I am so sick of it all. so if I do get pregnant again. probably an homebirth/waterbirth. without doctors. if I can find a good midwife I will do it assisted, but after my hard search for a good one, I dont think I could.


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## aliss

I'm having a scheduled C-section next time but part of me wishes to go unassisted as well. I don't have the medical knowledge to do it (as I am at a high risk of repeat shoulder dystocia) but I feel like if nobody or nothing bothered me, maybe my body would surprise me. Maybe!? Who knows...


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## Nikki_d72

I wouldn't for the simple reason that I think that no matter how well-educated I could become about it all, when I'd just given birth and was all full of lovely natural painkilling labour hormones and oxytocin, I doubt my responses would be fast enough or sharp enough to deal with any potential problems. I also think it would be really hard to stay rational and objective enough to deal with any problems if they arose with my own baby. Maybe I would prove myself wrong but I would never be able to relax enough during labour worrying about the possibilites, I don't think. I'm not trusting enough to rely on my partner and I wouldn't want to give him that burden, but it may be different if he was medically-minded. That's just my situation though, that's not to say others shouldn't or couldn't do it.

My friend here has HB all three of her children and told me herself that her first wasn't breathing at first and the midwives had to really direct her to talk to her baby etc while they were encouraging her to breathe, as she was so zoned out. She'd had a completely lovely natural drug-free birth. The baby was fine but it is an example of how affected she was by natural endorphins etc.

I am pretty lucky to be living in New Zealand though - we can choose our own IM who will see us through our whole pregnancy and be there at the birth (or their colleague, in the rare event of 2 women labouring at the same time), be it home, hospital or birth centre and it's funded for us through maternity care. My first MW was part of a small practice but they are quite conservative so wouldn't support a home VBAC, but my new MW works a bit more outside the box and she would. Given what's just happened to me though I don't think I could even go the HB route if there is ever a next time for me, well not where I live (4hrs from base hospital) as I now realise just how long a helicopter transfer takes from here to base in the event of a problem, having had to go that way. t I would still consider MW assisted HB if I could be near to the hospital. Anyway, my views may be a bit skewed by our recent loss, is what I'm saying - my faith in my body is shot.

I can completely see why many women would choose the IC route due to the systems they have to work with, to avoid hospital etc. I think it's a sorry state of affairs that women are forced to choose this due to factors like that, it should be a choice made for personal reasons, not because it's the only way to get a HB. I hate that insurers get to dictate your birth choices in the US, they are so risk-averse it can only get worse. What is the difference between a birth centre and home anyway? You would have to transfer to hospital for the same reasons from either, it's ridiculous.


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## Guppy051708

Nikki_d72 said:


> I hate that insurers get to dictate your birth choices in the US, they are so risk-averse it can only get worse. What is the difference between a birth centre and home anyway? You would have to transfer to hospital for the same reasons from either, it's ridiculous.

First off, my condolences for you loss :hugs:

Secondly, i couldn't agree more! insurance is so insanely ridiculous here! Some arnt, but mine certainly is. I directly asked insurance, why they would cover this MW for this particular birth center, so why would they not cover that SAME provider who also does HBs?!?!?! No reason, other than "HB is NEVER covered unless its an unplanned emergency" :wacko: It makes no sense! It's very unfair how insurances decide on what they decide. They literally sit down with hospital staff, mainly OBs, and then the OBs chat with the insurance ppl and obviously, OBs believe you should be in the hospital and how "unsafe birthing outside of the hospital is" thus insurance doesn't want to cover the "risk" :wacko: ...there is way too much power ....


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## Nikki_d72

Guppy051708 said:


> Nikki_d72 said:
> 
> 
> I hate that insurers get to dictate your birth choices in the US, they are so risk-averse it can only get worse. What is the difference between a birth centre and home anyway? You would have to transfer to hospital for the same reasons from either, it's ridiculous.
> 
> First off, my condolences for you loss :hugs:
> 
> Secondly, i couldn't agree more! insurance is so insanely ridiculous here! Some arnt, but mine certainly is. I directly asked insurance, why they would cover this MW for this particular birth center, so why would they not cover that SAME provider who also does HBs?!?!?! No reason, other than *"HB is NEVER covered unless its an unplanned emergency"* :wacko: It makes no sense! It's very unfair how insurances decide on what they decide. They literally sit down with hospital staff, mainly OBs, and then the OBs chat with the insurance ppl and obviously, OBs believe you should be in the hospital and how "unsafe birthing outside of the hospital is" thus insurance doesn't want to cover the "risk" :wacko: ...there is way too much power ....Click to expand...

Thanks hon. 

You're right, they will be swayed heavily by the Ob's who are also risk-averse and protecting their own position so it just goes round and round.

Regarding the highlighted bit above, could you use this to your advantage? Labour at home and say you just called your MW out to check if it was time to go to the Birth Centre and _Oh no, you've left it too late, you're already at the pushing stage, we wouldn't make it there, safer to deliver here, I'll just get my stuff from the car..._ Maybe a bit risky if they can refuse to pay out afterwards, but maybe worth asking your MW if anyone has done that and gotten away with it? I feel really devious now, but it makes me so angry that your choices are dictated by these idiots!


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## Guppy051708

Nikki_d72 said:


> Guppy051708 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nikki_d72 said:
> 
> 
> I hate that insurers get to dictate your birth choices in the US, they are so risk-averse it can only get worse. What is the difference between a birth centre and home anyway? You would have to transfer to hospital for the same reasons from either, it's ridiculous.
> 
> First off, my condolences for you loss :hugs:
> 
> Secondly, i couldn't agree more! insurance is so insanely ridiculous here! Some arnt, but mine certainly is. I directly asked insurance, why they would cover this MW for this particular birth center, so why would they not cover that SAME provider who also does HBs?!?!?! No reason, other than *"HB is NEVER covered unless its an unplanned emergency"* :wacko: It makes no sense! It's very unfair how insurances decide on what they decide. They literally sit down with hospital staff, mainly OBs, and then the OBs chat with the insurance ppl and obviously, OBs believe you should be in the hospital and how "unsafe birthing outside of the hospital is" thus insurance doesn't want to cover the "risk" :wacko: ...there is way too much power ....Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks hon.
> 
> You're right, they will be swayed heavily by the Ob's who are also risk-averse and protecting their own position so it just goes round and round.
> 
> Regarding the highlighted bit above, could you use this to your advantage? Labour at home and say you just called your MW out to check if it was time to go to the Birth Centre and _Oh no, you've left it too late, you're already at the pushing stage, we wouldn't make it there, safer to deliver here, I'll just get my stuff from the car..._ Maybe a bit risky if they can refuse to pay out afterwards, but maybe worth asking your MW if anyone has done that and gotten away with it? I feel really devious now, but it makes me so angry that your choices are dictated by these idiots!Click to expand...

Well, what i should have said is, they don't cover ASSISTED HB unless in the case of emergency...their exact words...but if it's an emergency then how the heck would it be assisted?!? :dohh: haha. 
We actually did think about having the MWs attend our HB, then if anything went wrong we would go to the hospital ourselves (not with MWs) and act as if we were going unassisted (remember its perrfectly legal to have "UCB" even though really it wasn't but what they dont know want hurt em :winkwink:). The only thing is the MWs are still going to want to get paid. We live an hour away from the birth center, obviously if i were birthing at the birth center, i wouldn't be going to the hospital near my house ha. so in which case they were going to let us pay them back over time....the younger MW (there are two) was ALL for it, but the older MW (i like her) but she didn't want to (it wasn't because of the "fraud") just that she didn't want to travel an hour, thats was way too far for her...even though they expect me to drive and hour when im in labor :dohh: haha. but anywho we were totally gonna do it. And of course 97% of the time (in a low risk woman) birth goes normal, without complication, in which case if everything went fine, they would be able to charge insurance and lie and say it was at the birth center even though technically it would have been at the house lol Then everything would work out peachy, our HB would be covered by insurance (even though they think its a BC birth lol) and we wouldn't owe money to the MWs.


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## Rmar

I considered it but I'm very glad I didn't. I had a PPH and neither DH or I could have ever managed it by ourselves. We needed someone who had managed it before and could do it with complete confidence. The midwife and doctor did it very well and they respected every choice I had made. They knew I did not want to cut the cord so the midwife told me I had a choice of cutting the cord to have the injection or give it a couple of pushes so the cord did not have to be cut it the placenta came out. It did and all was fine.

My DH however, was a mess. He paced around the house with the sight of all of the blood. I was too distracted to do anything, he couldn't do anything.

No matter how much I know myself being a student midwife, I still had too much to do with my baby to sit there massaging my uterus to keep it contracting. 

Regarding cost of homebirth, I don't mean to sound pushy or anything but DH and I are on a really low salary and we saved and saved for our birth in just a few months. There is nothing in the world I would have rathered pay for. It wasn't cheap (I payed about $6000) but I wouldn't trade it for anything.


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## Rmar

Oops double post.


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