Guaranteed Healthcare

In reply to Danielle and for others information, homebirth statistics have, for at least the 30 years I've been following them, been incredibly safer in terms of mortality and morbidity than hospital birth. The fact that a woman is comfortable and secure in her own environment, supported by her trusted practitioner and loved ones and without medical intervention, allows for the course of labor to take place without the stresses that cause prolonged labor and fetal distress. This leads to a much lower C-section rate and healthier (higher Apgar scores) babies.

When you see the rare homebirth mother come to the hospital for medical intervention it is because the labor has taken a course that requires that intervention, based on the education and experience of her attendant. There is no pressure to "push that kid out vaginally or else". The "hospital, if necessary" has been discussed since the first prenatal care visit. No doubt, the case of 3 hours of pushing was extreme and included the 2 hours maximum usually allowed by most midwives and the one hour drive which many practitioners consider too far from the hospital, all unfortunate and, thank goodness for the positive outcome. What YOU don't see are the 98%+ of safe, carefully monitored, normal births that occur at home without medical intervention; the same interventions that contribute to the USA's ranking as one of the most dangerous countries in which to give birth.

The point this mother is contesting is that homebirth is a safe (safer!) alternative to a hospital birth and recognized by her state laws yet the insurance would not allow for reimbursement for her homebirth fees. I can assure you those fees are lower than hospital charges and include prenatal care, birth and postnatal visits including well-baby checks, breastfeeding support and the 6 week after-birth checkup and all allow for a healthier mother and baby. This is the travesty that we as nurses need to raise our voices against and demand the end of the insurances dictating our healthcare choices.

I've been a nurse in antenatal, nursery, postpartum, and also attend deliveries to stabilize the baby for 20 years and believe me, I have seen my share of what have should have been "normal" deliveries turn into c-sections, forceps and vacuum assisted deliveries. I believe that MORE woman should deliver at home or in birth centers than do now. With the proper support and care of an experienced midwife most deliveries are normal.
Midwives are not going to take unnecessary risks with the lives of babies or mothers, or for that matter, their licenses just to have a vaginal delivery. No matter what hardened L&D or NICU nurses think. Yes problems happen, but many more happen in the hospital from fluid overload, immobility, pulling on umbilical cords, epidurals, induction, elective c-section, exposure to hospital germs, etc. Plus there is so much interference with recovery, sleep and breastfeeding.
Any family who makes the choice to deliver in an alternate setting should have the coverage for that to happen. They are also informed of the possibilty of transfer.