Many of you know that we have chosen to give birth to our baby at home. We had Daniel at home as well, and we loved it so much, we wanted to do it again. This being said, having a child anywhere takes alot of thought, prayer, and can change as need dictates. So our current plan is to have our new baby at home, but should either Scott or I begin to feel bad about the decision, we will reevaluate.
Home birth is on the rise. One of the biggest reasons is probably cost. A normal, healthy child born in the hospital will probably cost around $6,000. If you don't have insurance, or if you don't qualify for Medicare, this is a little costly. Compare that to the $1,800 that it will cost Scott and I to have a normal, healthy child at home is quite drastic. This alone is probably one of the major factors. When Scott and I went looking for insurance that would cover child birth, it was extremely expensive, even through his work. The insurance company wanted us paying the insurance for over two years before they would cover any Maternity Charges. I thought this was ridiculous. Since we would have to cover the charges ourselves ANWAY before they would pay out, and we would still be paying an insane amount of insurance, we decided to save the difference. See, our insurance will pay for emergency situations. IF we had complications with our pregnancy, they would cover everything except the actual birth.
Another reason I think Home Birth is on the rise is simply because birth is a natural process. It happens anyway. Having been trained for an emergency situation, when it comes to birth we are told to only interfere if there is obvious stuff wrong, like the cord wrapped around the neck. In a major disaster, the first people turned away from hospitals are women in labor, because they can do it themselves.
I know that there are reasons to have your baby in the hospital, and I want the hospital there and available in case I need it. I just want to be able to go into the hospital knowing it is where I need to be, instead of being forced there.
In a few days, a bill that has already passed the Utah State Senate will be appearing before the House of Representatives for a vote. This bill limits the women who can choose to have a home birth to nearly nothing. If it passes, it means that I will not be able to have this child at home. I do not think it is the government's responsibility to legislate who can and cannot have a home birth. Every midwife in practice knows what women are high risks, and they reccomend them to a doctor. It is hard enough to help a woman, but no one wants to willingly walk into an emergency situation if they can head it off.
The bill is SB93S1, and I am personally writing my representative today, and asking that he vote no. I am also explaining why. I want the choice for myself.
