NYT article on the cost of having a baby

[MillCreek]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/health/american-way-of-birth-costliest-in-the-world.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&src=igw&_r=0

Interesting article on the cost of having a baby.  Interesting that they did not mention malpractice as a cost driver here in the US.  Cases involving neurologically-damaged infants are amongst the most expensive we have, with payouts often in the high six or low seven figures.  This is why OBs and family medicine doing OB pay the largest malpractice insurance premiums.

[Fly320s]

Malpractice insurance costs don't fit the narrative of, "OMG! US health costs are too high!"

[zahc]

We delivered Thing 1 at home. We purchased the services of a birthing center and their midwives. Total cost for the all the pregnancy check-ups, ultrasounds, and at-home delivery and follow-up, with 2 sometimes 3 midwives constantly available during the 20 hour labor, was < 10k total, some of which our insurance covered.

From what I understand, many states have laws against midwifery and home births. For the children, of course.

[MillCreek]

We delivered Thing 1 at home. We purchased the services of a birthing center and their midwives. Total cost for the all the pregnancy check-ups, ultrasounds, and at-home delivery and follow-up, with 2 sometimes 3 midwives constantly available during the 20 hour labor, was < 10k total, some of which our insurance covered.

From what I understand, many states have laws against midwifery and home births. For the children, of course.

Most states allow home births to be done by certified nurse midwives.  Many states do not allow unlicensed, lay or untrained midwives to do deliveries.  If I went that route, it would be a certified nurse midwife with a delivery in a birthing center with adequate emergency transport arrangements to the hospital. 

[Tallpine]

Our daughter has had two children at home now.

The last one she had on the bathroom floor, and the midwife was not even there yet (she had left after deciding that it would be a long time yet).

[BlueStarLizzard]

We delivered Thing 1 at home. We purchased the services of a birthing center and their midwives. Total cost for the all the pregnancy check-ups, ultrasounds, and at-home delivery and follow-up, with 2 sometimes 3 midwives constantly available during the 20 hour labor, was < 10k total, some of which our insurance covered.

From what I understand, many states have laws against midwifery and home births. For the children, of course.

^ sadly, there are enough fools to actually make this halfway nessasry.
A mostly former friend of my boss had a homebirth with a "holistic" unlicensed midwife. Ended up being driven to the hospital midway through labor in the back of a mini van, and I'm pretty sure that's the only reason the child survived.
Now, how much longer it will last is up in the air, as the mother has continued thinking her "all natural" approch is just dandy.

[makattak]

^ sadly, there are enough fools to actually make this halfway nessasry.
A mostly former friend of my boss had a homebirth with a "holistic" unlicensed midwife. Ended up being driven to the hospital midway through labor in the back of a mini van, and I'm pretty sure that's the only reason the child survived.
Now, how much longer it will last is up in the air, as the mother has continued thinking her "all natural" approch is just dandy.

I love people like that.
"Who needs doctors!? For all of human history, women gave birth just fine without doctors!"

"You're quite right. And up until this century, the leading cause of death for women was complications from childbirth..."

(Disclaimer, above statement is not backed by 7 peer reviewed studies and washed in the tears of unicorns. It is, however, a pretty good approximation of the state of the world...)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

[MechAg94]

I love people like that.
"Who needs doctors!? For all of human history, women gave birth just fine without doctors!"

"You're quite right. And up until this century, the leading cause of death for women was complications from childbirth..."

(Disclaimer, above statement is not backed by 7 peer reviewed studies and washed in the tears of unicorns. It is, however, a pretty good approximation of the state of the world...)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

Don't want to forget how many children died before adulthood also. 

[Northwoods]

Most states allow home births to be done by certified nurse midwives.  Many states do not allow unlicensed, lay or untrained midwives to do deliveries.  If I went that route, it would be a certified nurse midwife with a delivery in a birthing center with adequate emergency transport arrangements to the hospital. 

We did the CNM/birth-center thing with the first 3 (well, technically Thing 2 was born in the car on the way).  For Thing 4 we said screw it and had the baby at home in our own bathtub.  Worked out very well, especially since labor was only 52 minutes, the midwife had all the emergency gear out and ready to if needbe, and is highly unlikely event we have a 5th we'd do it that way again.  Except for the en-route delivery all our kids were water births.

[Northwoods]

BTW, MillCreek, did you get the PM I sent you a week or two ago?

[MillCreek]

BTW, MillCreek, did you get the PM I sent you a week or two ago?

I just checked and read it.  Email inbound.