No money, but want natural or close

• 04-08-2009 9:04 PM

  Dbn_89 Joined on 04-09-2009 Posts 9

  No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I am 19 years old and a fulltime student, so the pregnancy was unplanned, I am doing so much research because I had no idea what to expect. I really would like to go with no epidural or try my hardest to go with out. My problem is that I am on state insurance, so they choose my doctor, there is only one hospital in this town, and I am under the impression my insurance will be in charge because I have no money to spare. Will I get a choice, or in my case is doctor in charge because of insurance reasons? I ask this because I read that doctors will push the epidural and are not into natural births, I'm at a lost because its not like I can geta midwife or doula or anything. oh I am 26 weeks. I need advice, because all the women I know are so against natural..they push the epidural

• 04-09-2009 6:57 AM

  In reply to

  Chamelyan Joined on 10-30-2007 Midwest Posts 119

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact  Sometimes you can locate a doula who is willing to take a birth for free or for a very reduced price while they are working on certification.  You may want to go that route so you have someone who is willing to support you.  Double check with your insurance as to which doctors you are able to use, and if there is a CNM available in your coverage.  Sometimes you can find a good doctor in family practice who also delivers babies, and usually they are more supportive of mom's wishes.  Even if you are unable to find another doctor, you STILL HAVE A CHOICE in your care.  You don't have to get an epidural if you don't want one.  You don't have to get an episiotomy if you don't want one.  You don't have to stay in bed and labor on your back if you don't want to.  You don't have to get Pitocen or other augmentation if you don't want to.  Educate yourself as much as you possibly can between now and your birth so you can go into the hospital prepared.  Wait as long as you can before you show up to the hospital, so you can labor naturally in your own familiar environment.  Good luck with everything.

• 04-09-2009 11:36 AM

  In reply to

  NoLongerDesolate Joined on 02-23-2005 North LA Posts 527

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact Yes, you may have a limited choice because of insurance but ultimately the doc is hired to work FOR YOU. You don't work for him. No matter how limited your choices for a doc or hospital your right to say NO cannot be taken away. You can say NO to any intervention you don't want. The doc can try to force an induction on you and even go as far to set up the induction date. Does that mean you have to do it? NO. Don't want an IV or epidural? No matter how much they try to push it on you...NO. What are they going to do? Tie you down and force you? I don't think so. Sick of being tied up the electronic fetal monitoring? Unhook that puppy and get out of the bed. If they try to force you back in the bed? NO. You may have to be very very stubborn about what you want but you can do it. Also, like Chamelyan said, the longer you labor at home the less you'll be at the hospital. Which means less time for the hospital staff to force you into something you don't want to do. Keep this in mind too: Natural birth is actually cheaper. No cost of the pitocin (or any other labor inducing drug they may use), no cost of pain meds (epis aren't cheap), and having a natural birth is alot less likely to lead to c-section. C-secs are much more costly than a vaginal birth.

• 04-09-2009 11:56 AM

  In reply to

  NoLongerDesolate Joined on 02-23-2005 North LA Posts 527

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact The more I think on this the more fired up I get. You may have limitations on WHO your doc is, and WHERE you deliver. But HOW you deliver is your decision. No one elses. This is your body and your baby. A woman is able to abort her baby if that's her choice. Isn't that what the Pro-choicers scream? It's the woman's choice decide to terminate a pregancy. Well, so it should be for the woman who decides to have her baby. Your choice to deliver. Your choice on HOW to deliver. Don't be fooled into thinking you have no choice. I'll quit ranting now!!

• 04-09-2009 3:00 PM

  In reply to

  Dbn_89 Joined on 04-09-2009 Posts 9	Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact Thank you, that makes me feel better, I am one who would be walked all over, but that has really given me courage. Doctors push things because they get paid more for it, so I will stand my ground

• 04-13-2009 6:06 PM

  In reply to

  angela~2DS Joined on 04-05-2005 VA Posts 1,794

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I agree with NoLongerDesolate, you have whatever choice you want but you also have to fight for it sometimes. And I also agree with PP because drs will push things on you to get paid more. They want the kickbacks. My thoughts would be to make sure you are very very sure of what you were doing and want to do. Make a birthplan. Keep it as simple as possible, but have what you really want in it. The hospitals kept trying to get me to use drugs also, but I stood my ground and told them no. You can also tell them not to offer, that you know that they have them and YOU will ask if you want them. When you have the birthplan, make a few copies. One for the drs you always see, have them sign it, one for the dr you see in the hospital, and one for the nurses. It seems to help that way so they all know what you are about. Good luck and read up.

• 04-14-2009 11:58 AM

  In reply to

  starnikki57 Joined on 09-22-2008 Brooklyn, NY Posts 64

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I totally agree with the ladies above, labor at home as long as possible and STAND YOUR GROUND when you do get to the hospital. I would also suggest you check out www.dona.org.  Dona International is a training programs most doulas go through in order to become certified. It is not only nationwide but international as well. Check out some doulas in your area and see if you can find a low or no cost doula, I live in NYC and doulas here can run from about $800-$3000 easily but I found my doula through dona and she told my husband and I to name our own price and we were able to get an EXCELLENT doula for a price we can afford.  THe keyword when you contact them is you are looking for a new doula or a doula in training, good luck!

• 04-14-2009 1:01 PM

  In reply to

  Dbn_89 Joined on 04-09-2009 Posts 9

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I am so happy I asked, Lately I have been just reading all about labor just to prepare myself, I am also putting together a birthing plan, not on paper yet but in my mind, I want to be fully aware or as much as I can. I checked out the www.dona.org, and there are none in my town! Do you think They may be willing to travel, probably not for cheap. I may have to go without one! I will just have to be stubborn! lol

• 04-14-2009 4:27 PM

  In reply to

  Chamelyan Joined on 10-30-2007 Midwest Posts 119

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact  Definitely get your birth plan on paper.  In the midst of labor it's easy to get caught up in something you may not have wanted, and having something in writing to show others is a way to demonstrate that you've prepared yourself in some ways to birth your baby.  What town are you in?  Perhaps I can find something for you.  You can email me at zenbirth@gmail.com if you don't want to post on the forum...  I can't find a PM option...

• 04-24-2009 7:10 PM

  In reply to

  angela~2DS Joined on 04-05-2005 VA Posts 1,794

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I don't have the money for one either, but I'm very stubborn so it didn't matter much to me. I just told them not to talk to me about drugs and that I'd ask if I wanted them. Once you get in there and they know you are serious they pretty much will leave you alone. At least that's what they did for me. At least for the most part. DH didn't have to say anything to them. Good luck and know there are a lot of us that do it with out professional help, even if we want it. :)

• 05-28-2009 12:12 PM

  In reply to

  TawniAline Joined on 03-25-2004 Camby, Indiana Posts 699

  Re: No money, but want natural or close Reply Contact I have state insurance (and did with my son) they do not have any bearing on the actual labor process (and I think I remember at one point in my research that if I had chosen to hire a midwife at home they would have covered it- but I was too high risk so I didnt try- but that aside) I know as far as epi versus no epi it's actually cheaper for them to not have to pay the anesthesiologist.. dr's do push the epis (and so do some nurses) and I had to fight a lot of medical personel.. and because of where I chose to go and the fact that it was based out of a free clinic I wound up having a resident dr I had never met deliver me... it was very rough.. but very possible... this time i'm trying a different hospital where i'm supposed to have at least one of the 3 dr's at the practice i'm going to for prenatals show up for delivery.. but then again the contract i signed with them says if state insurance falls through that i'll owe 3k (versus the 750 that the free clinic said they would have charged us with my son) my best advice is to research and be prepared and have a partner (the father if possible or desirable- or a good friend who is supportive otherwise) research and practice relaxation techniques with you ahead of time.. let them train to be your coach.. so they know you know you in pain, know your wishes etc.. you may not be able to hire a doula.. but you can train one ;)  find that one person in your life that supports you and cling for dear life :) good luck