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How Big is a Placenta Bowl?: And Other Weird Questions You’ll Ask When Planning a Home Birth
"How Big is a Placenta Bowl? And Other Weird Questions You'll Ask When Planning a Home Birth" tackles your most outrageous and irreverent home birth questions and delivers practical advice for couples preparing to give birth at home. From cord blood banking and circumcision to newborn immunizations and insurance coverage, "How Big is a Placenta Bowl?" answers all your home birth questions, •How messy is home birth? •How much will it cost? •How do I get the gunk out of the birth tub? •How do I choose a midwife? •How can I convince others I’m not crazy? •What should I wear? •Why the heck do I need olive oil? •Should I have my other kids at the birth? One of the only guides to home birth written specifically for a United States audience, the book also includes a special section for husbands and partners on what they need to know, and it contains detailed state-by-state information about midwifery regulations, insurance coverage, and newborn testing procedures. Also included is a birth kit checklist and a sample birth plan for home birthers.
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2012
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July 9, 2021
This is a bare bones practical guide for parents-to-be who are considering a home birth.
Although it is very brief, it provides an excellent starting point for home birth planning. The author also gives lots of good advice such as:
* Having a supportive partner is a must.
* How to choose a midwife.
* The benefits of hiring a doula.
* Advice for the birth partner.
* Who should attend your birth, and it's okay to tell people no.
* What will happen at a home birth.
* How to handle different types of nay-sayers.
The author provides a great summary of the different types of midwives and what to expect at prenatal appointments. She gives an overview of what you'll need at a home birth: items included in a typical birth kit, other things you'll need such as the placenta bowl mentioned in the title, types of food to have on-hand, and extra supplies necessary for a water birth.
The author also discusses natural childbirth and briefly touches upon non-medicated pain management options. For more in-depth information on that topic, check out Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions.
There are couple places where the information presented is either out of date or doesn't apply to all areas of the United States.
Because it was published in 2012, the information on health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs for midwifery care is out of date. So, take the price quotes with some salt. I had to laugh when the author said that a home birth will probably cost more out-of-pocket than a hospital birth. This is probably only true for Medicaid patients. Deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums have increased astronomically since this book was published. The author also cites midwife fees as $2,500 to $4,500. If you live in a rural area, you may still be able to find a midwife charging $4,500, but for urban areas expect $10,000 and up.
The author also makes submitting your midwife's bill to your insurance company sound easy. If your midwife refuses to deal with insurance companies because of the difficulty and expense, you're probably going to be out of luck getting any money back from your insurance company, so just plan on paying her global fee entirely out-of-pocket, which still might be less than your in-network deductible. The member claimant forms for insurance companies often have a section that must be completed by the healthcare provider and require medical services codes as well a National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Tax Identification Number (TIN). And even if you jump through all the hoops and are able to submit all necessary paperwork, your insurance can simply deny your claim because you could have received services from one of their in-network providers but chose not to. You're allowed to appeal twice, but that doesn't mean they won't deny your appeals. Be forewarned.
As the legal status of direct entry midwives has changed in a few states since the book's publication, the handy table showing midwife licensing and prescription authority by state is slightly out of date. Direct-entry midwives and home birth are becoming more widely accepted, and the laws are changing to accommodate this. Even if home birth is still illegal in your home state, you may still be able to access a midwifery model of care as more large hospital systems are employing nurse-midwives to corner the natural childbirth market. Some hospitals are even offering water births.
Depending upon the legal status of midwives in your particular geographic region, you may need to receive congruent care from an MD, OB-GYN, or DNP if you want lab work or ultrasounds. In the author's particular area, midwives are allowed to prescribe things like bloodwork, STI screens, and ultrasounds, but this isn't standard across the US. You should also be aware that due to the legal liability, most OB-GYN practices will refuse to offer a la carte services or even see a pregnant woman who has not agreed to deliver with them. This is because if a doctor's name is anywhere in a patient's chart, s/he can be named in a lawsuit if there is a bad outcome. This is true even if the doctor only saw the patient once for a consultation and to prescribe a simple blood test. Also, the official stance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is against home birth -- even planned home births with licensed midwives, which is a source of hostility towards patients desiring home births.
The author's breezy advice to find an OB as a backup in case of a hospital transfer isn't very practical. While some midwives have a working relationship with doctor(s) who will act as a backup, many do not, so be aware that if you commit to a home birth, there is a good chance that you will get whoever is on call in the event of a hospital transfer. (Of course, if you receive OB care, you will also be at the mercy of the on-call unless you schedule an induction when your provider is scheduled as the on-call.) If this is a deal breaker for you, consider a birth center affiliated with a hospital. At one of your prenatal visits, you will be meet a member (or members) of the OB hospital staff who will assume your care in the event of a hospital transfer. You will also tour the labor and delivery unit, so you know what to expect if serious complications arise.
Even if you are planning a home birth, it's a good idea to tour the labor and delivery unit of the nearest hospital, so you know what to expect in case of an emergency transfer. Anyone can request a tour although it's better to say that you're an expectant mother looking at different hospitals than a home birther preparing for the worst.
The description of how to register your child's birth may or may not be applicable in your particular area. The author lives in California, which is one of the most difficult states in which to register a home birth. Other states, particularly ones with large Amish populations, have less stringent rules. But generally this is done at the vital statistics department in county in which your child was born, and both parents as well as the baby must be present to register the birth. Both parents will need copies of their birth certificates as well as a photo ID and possibly their social security cards. If you and your partner aren't married, you may be required to file a paternity affidavit prior to registering the birth. If you kept your maiden name, you will probably want to bring a copy of your wedding license to prove that you are, indeed, married. If possible, download a copy of the certificate of live birth worksheet from your state's official website and fill it out prior to your registration appointment as you will be required answer all sorts of detailed medical questions and may need your midwife's help to answer some of them. If you don't register your child's birth within the first 6 weeks, you may face major legal hurdles to get your child a birth certificate, so it's crucial not to dawdle.
Some states also allow you to request a Social Security number for your child on the form you fill out for the vital statistics department in your county. This will spare you a hellish trip to your local Social Security office. If you must request a card directly at the SS office, take the author's advice and call beforehand to make sure you take all necessary documentation with you.
Another regional oddity is that the author recommends tracking down a Jewish mohel if you wished to have your son circumcised. If you live somewhere without a large Jewish community, or even if you do, asking your child's pediatrician for a referral would probably be a better way to go. And a pediatrician is much more likely to recommend someone who can bill your health insurance for this procedure.
Overall, this is an excellent starting point for anyone considering a home birth. For more information on non-medical labor coping strategies, try The Birth Partner and Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation. For a more detailed guide to home birth, try The Essential Homebirth Guide: For Families Planning or Considering Birthing at Home and the home birth chapters of The Complete Illustrated Birthing Companion.
Although it is very brief, it provides an excellent starting point for home birth planning. The author also gives lots of good advice such as:
* Having a supportive partner is a must.
* How to choose a midwife.
* The benefits of hiring a doula.
* Advice for the birth partner.
* Who should attend your birth, and it's okay to tell people no.
* What will happen at a home birth.
* How to handle different types of nay-sayers.
The author provides a great summary of the different types of midwives and what to expect at prenatal appointments. She gives an overview of what you'll need at a home birth: items included in a typical birth kit, other things you'll need such as the placenta bowl mentioned in the title, types of food to have on-hand, and extra supplies necessary for a water birth.
The author also discusses natural childbirth and briefly touches upon non-medicated pain management options. For more in-depth information on that topic, check out Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions.
There are couple places where the information presented is either out of date or doesn't apply to all areas of the United States.
Because it was published in 2012, the information on health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs for midwifery care is out of date. So, take the price quotes with some salt. I had to laugh when the author said that a home birth will probably cost more out-of-pocket than a hospital birth. This is probably only true for Medicaid patients. Deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums have increased astronomically since this book was published. The author also cites midwife fees as $2,500 to $4,500. If you live in a rural area, you may still be able to find a midwife charging $4,500, but for urban areas expect $10,000 and up.
The author also makes submitting your midwife's bill to your insurance company sound easy. If your midwife refuses to deal with insurance companies because of the difficulty and expense, you're probably going to be out of luck getting any money back from your insurance company, so just plan on paying her global fee entirely out-of-pocket, which still might be less than your in-network deductible. The member claimant forms for insurance companies often have a section that must be completed by the healthcare provider and require medical services codes as well a National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Tax Identification Number (TIN). And even if you jump through all the hoops and are able to submit all necessary paperwork, your insurance can simply deny your claim because you could have received services from one of their in-network providers but chose not to. You're allowed to appeal twice, but that doesn't mean they won't deny your appeals. Be forewarned.
As the legal status of direct entry midwives has changed in a few states since the book's publication, the handy table showing midwife licensing and prescription authority by state is slightly out of date. Direct-entry midwives and home birth are becoming more widely accepted, and the laws are changing to accommodate this. Even if home birth is still illegal in your home state, you may still be able to access a midwifery model of care as more large hospital systems are employing nurse-midwives to corner the natural childbirth market. Some hospitals are even offering water births.
Depending upon the legal status of midwives in your particular geographic region, you may need to receive congruent care from an MD, OB-GYN, or DNP if you want lab work or ultrasounds. In the author's particular area, midwives are allowed to prescribe things like bloodwork, STI screens, and ultrasounds, but this isn't standard across the US. You should also be aware that due to the legal liability, most OB-GYN practices will refuse to offer a la carte services or even see a pregnant woman who has not agreed to deliver with them. This is because if a doctor's name is anywhere in a patient's chart, s/he can be named in a lawsuit if there is a bad outcome. This is true even if the doctor only saw the patient once for a consultation and to prescribe a simple blood test. Also, the official stance of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is against home birth -- even planned home births with licensed midwives, which is a source of hostility towards patients desiring home births.
The author's breezy advice to find an OB as a backup in case of a hospital transfer isn't very practical. While some midwives have a working relationship with doctor(s) who will act as a backup, many do not, so be aware that if you commit to a home birth, there is a good chance that you will get whoever is on call in the event of a hospital transfer. (Of course, if you receive OB care, you will also be at the mercy of the on-call unless you schedule an induction when your provider is scheduled as the on-call.) If this is a deal breaker for you, consider a birth center affiliated with a hospital. At one of your prenatal visits, you will be meet a member (or members) of the OB hospital staff who will assume your care in the event of a hospital transfer. You will also tour the labor and delivery unit, so you know what to expect if serious complications arise.
Even if you are planning a home birth, it's a good idea to tour the labor and delivery unit of the nearest hospital, so you know what to expect in case of an emergency transfer. Anyone can request a tour although it's better to say that you're an expectant mother looking at different hospitals than a home birther preparing for the worst.
The description of how to register your child's birth may or may not be applicable in your particular area. The author lives in California, which is one of the most difficult states in which to register a home birth. Other states, particularly ones with large Amish populations, have less stringent rules. But generally this is done at the vital statistics department in county in which your child was born, and both parents as well as the baby must be present to register the birth. Both parents will need copies of their birth certificates as well as a photo ID and possibly their social security cards. If you and your partner aren't married, you may be required to file a paternity affidavit prior to registering the birth. If you kept your maiden name, you will probably want to bring a copy of your wedding license to prove that you are, indeed, married. If possible, download a copy of the certificate of live birth worksheet from your state's official website and fill it out prior to your registration appointment as you will be required answer all sorts of detailed medical questions and may need your midwife's help to answer some of them. If you don't register your child's birth within the first 6 weeks, you may face major legal hurdles to get your child a birth certificate, so it's crucial not to dawdle.
Some states also allow you to request a Social Security number for your child on the form you fill out for the vital statistics department in your county. This will spare you a hellish trip to your local Social Security office. If you must request a card directly at the SS office, take the author's advice and call beforehand to make sure you take all necessary documentation with you.
Another regional oddity is that the author recommends tracking down a Jewish mohel if you wished to have your son circumcised. If you live somewhere without a large Jewish community, or even if you do, asking your child's pediatrician for a referral would probably be a better way to go. And a pediatrician is much more likely to recommend someone who can bill your health insurance for this procedure.
Overall, this is an excellent starting point for anyone considering a home birth. For more information on non-medical labor coping strategies, try The Birth Partner and Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation. For a more detailed guide to home birth, try The Essential Homebirth Guide: For Families Planning or Considering Birthing at Home and the home birth chapters of The Complete Illustrated Birthing Companion.
August 11, 2014
Read this book to learn more about a friend's upcoming home birth. Easy and engaging, and packed with a ton of information presented in a clear, easily digestible manner. Most of the book is set up as a Q&A. The author goes all the way through the home birth process from deciding to do it and telling your friends and family, to what supplies you will need and why, to what men think about it, to how to get the baby a birth certificate and SSN. I read it in one day and learned a ton. Really interesting, regardless of where you plan to deliver.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews