So, you all know that we had some billing complications -- well, it turns out (though the lady was nice) we are now informed that this would be the price we'd be charged for every time (2,500+ for 4 hours in labor and delivery hospital charge (the OB already gets their own 2,700). Despite all my efforts for a cheaper birth this time... she informed me that the only way I could've had a cheaper birth would've been to arrive at the hospital at a 9 and deliver 5 minutes later... or not get checked into the hospital upstairs for recovery. Every woman who delivers is apparently a 'labor level 3' and it was a fluke in my favor that I was a 'labor level 1' with Amy.
Do you ever feel like you have no options? Logan only has one hospital. There are no birthing centers I can find, except in Roy which I'm not sure I'd make it down there fast enough. There is a good certified and licensed midwife, but she's not allowed any hospital privileges, so it'd have to be a home birth. You either look at paying upwards of 4,000 (with the help of insurance -- we have a 2,000 deductible per person) any time you have a baby... or you find something else. Everyone seems to believe that the hospital is the only place to have a baby. I have a dad who's an E.R. doctor and that's what I've been raised to believe, but from someone who has had non-complicated deliveries both times, and has not had much care from the nurses except to force me to stay on the External Fetal Monitor for longer, there comes a point where you are desperate for something different.
Unless the hospital agrees to let me labor how I want, or I can find a family doctor to deliver me there and then discharge me right away, I must say (and I hope my Dad at some point can understand) I am looking into another option and praying that I continue to have no complications.
5 comments:
Christina, it's not birth in general - it's Utah. For some reason, Utah hospitals and care providers seem to be scared of birth. I'm not sure why. Friends of mine who have had babies outside Utah report, for the most part, much more pleasant experiences and many more options. Just FYI, here's a link to my friend Julie's retelling of her son's birth story, in the Northeast part of the country (I do know exactly where she lives but it is not my place to share that information without her permission). My SIL gave birth in Indiana and had a similar experience. It made me want to move to either of these places to give birth.
It is incredibly frustrating how expensive having a baby can be. St. George is pretty similar, just one hospital that delivers, although there are midwives who do home births I believe. We had really good insurance and we still ended up paying about $4000.00 for Amelia's delivery. Now that we know how expensive it is, we are going to try to start saving for our next child. That way we can pay off the delivery from the nest egg. I don't think people should go into debt to have children. After we saw the bills I completely understand why so many people just get on medicaid and have the state pay for it. Its very expensive. Anyway, sorry for the ramble, but I just want you to know I feel your frustration with the costs.
-Steph W.
From the perspective of one who had complications with her baby, several in fact. I don't think I'd feel comfortable delivering anywhere but the hospital. Granted, they were not life threatening complications, as far as I know. But it SURE made me comfortable that if serious problems arose, they could put up the sheets and do a c-section. I certainly admire your courage, and not just because you haven't had an epidural. And I understand completely about needing a cheaper option for something that should be so natural a process for my own personal reasons I'll not discuss here.
Also, we need more pictures of your beautiful baby number 2.
Bummer, I'm sorry your insurance isn't covering very much. I'm dang lucky we have amazing insurance through Kyle's work that I only pay $270 for the whole thing, $20 at my first appt, & $250 for my hospital stay. Like I said, AMAZING insurance. I didn't know Roy had a birthing center. That would be intriguing to do for me. My family lives in Roy. Do you know anyone there that you could stay with at the end of your next pregnancy. That would be a nice option I would think. And I don't think it's horrible to have home births. Just a little risky, but if things work out the way they did with your first two, you should be ok. Anyway, good luck with everything!
I totally agree. I feel like I have no options. Not that I want do it at home with a midwife and doula, but I would like the choice to! And why the two extremes? Roy is too far for us to go to a birthing center. I'm having my first at the hosp and we'll see how that goes. Bur I have LOTS of opinions about how I want MY delivery and will make sure I am heard.
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