June 2017 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 5
The miracle of birth can be experienced at home
By VIRGINIA JUSTICE
Imagine giving birth in the
comfort of your own home, with-
out the IV drip, constantly beep-
ing monitors and murmurs in the
hallways. Until 1940, almost all
births occurred outside a hospital
but by 1969 the percentage of non-
hospital births had dropped to 1
percent. According to the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC),
more women are opting
for home birth in the
21st century. Not
since 1900 have so
many U.S. wom-
en chosen to
labor and birth at
home.
Additionally,
the decision to
use a midwife for
birthing support,
rather than a doctor,
is also on the rise. Mid-
wifery as a practice has existed
for centuries; these are individu-
als trained specifically in the care
of pregnant women and newborn
infants. Though licensed by the
state, midwives cannot administer
pain medication such as epidur-
als — such relief is not available for
a home birth. A midwife can pro-
vide care throughout pregnancy,
delivery and post-partum just as
an obstetrician would. Use of a
midwife rather than a medical doc-
tor is a personal choice and typi-
cally covered by health insurance.
Midwives, though often limited to
registered nurse midwives, can be
granted hospital privileges so in
some cases women may have the
option of birth at a hospital with
their midwife.
Choosing to have your baby at
home is a personal decision, which
may not be covered by health in-
surance. Oregon is one state seeing
a rise in births outside of hospitals
and the Oregon Health Plan will
cover these births — with many
stipulations. These are intended
to ensure a safe, healthy birth
for both mom and infant. “Theo-
retically, anyone can have a home
birth, although there are certain
risk factors which make hospital
births a safer option,” says Tami
Pelles, student midwife and practic-
ing doula.
Several area moms interviewed
for this article have delivered
babies at home, each with success-
ful and healthy outcomes for both
mother and baby. Pendleton mom
Alison Moses had a midwife on the
way but ended up delivering the
baby without assistance. Her rea-
son for electing home birth was her
ability to control the environment.
“I was able to choose everything
about the environment: who was
there and what my emergency plan
was. I was comfortable, I felt safe
and strong.” For Hailey Pullen in La
Grande home birth was “…incred-
ibly intimate, no nurses coming in
and out of the room.”
Samantha Brown, herself a
doula, cited the absolute freedom
home birthing permits. Samantha
delivered with the assistance of
her husband but does not recom-
mend unassisted birthing. “I defi-
nitely wish at times I would
have had the extra
set of hands.” All
of the moms
interviewed
received pre-
natal care
and had
low-risk
pregnan-
cies.
Some
opt for home
birth due to the
cost of labor and
delivery at a hospital.
According to Providence
Health & Services of Oregon and
Southwest Washington, labor and
delivery at one of their hospitals
averages $4,250 to $4,700 for a
vaginal delivery, no epidural, with
a one-day stay. Not included is the
newborn care, which is $1,300-
1,650 for a one-day stay, nor does
it include the physician fees, labs
or pharmacy which are all billed
separately. This amount also does
not include prenatal care, another
cost billed separately.
Home birth with a midwife costs
considerably less. Though it varies
widely according to Tami Pelles,
the average cost of midwife care
is $4,000+, which covers prenatal
care (though not ultrasound or lab
costs) labor, delivery, newborn and
postpartum care. Additionally, an
at-home birth kit is also needed.
Young
Children
This kit includes items such as plas-
tic to cover the area and absorbent
pads for birthing plus items needed
for the baby and postpartum care
of the mother. These items are eas-
ily obtained and relatively inexpen-
sive. Most midwives will provide a
kit, either included in their fee or
for an additional cost, or will pro-
vide a list of items needed for the
home delivery.
Moms opting for water birth will
incur cost of a birthing tub, which
can be rented or purchased. The
cost to purchase a birthing pool is
between $120 and $400 depending
upon the options you select. Many
webstores offer birthing pools for
sale. Check with your health insur-
ance provider is advised, to see if
they will cover the cost of the birth
pool and supplies.
When considering a home birth
the first thing Tami suggests is find-
ing a midwife. Presently she knows
of no licensed midwives in our area,
however, there may be Oregon
licensed midwives in Walla Walla or
the Tri-Cities. A great place to start
your search is online at cfmidwifery.
org/find/#4.
The decision regarding your
birthing plan is a personal and
important one. Research all of your
options early in pregnancy so you
are prepared when delivery time
arrives.
________
Home economist Virginia Justice
holds an education degree. The
Pendleton resident and her husband
have two college-aged daughters.