brief (re)intro and a question

[The Shannons]

Hi gang,

My name is Grace and I was an intermittent poster/lurker when I was pregnant
with my DS about 3 years ago. I'm newly pregnant (about 5 weeks) with #2
and I'm really glad to be back.

I'm pretty interested in having a home birth this time, but am -- for some
reason -- at something of a loss about how to start looking for a midwife.
I thought you wonderful women (and men) might have some ideas. I plan on
calling my Bradley instructor, figuring she'd be a good resource. I'd also
love some pointers to website folks have found helpful. We've moved
recently and all of my pregnancy/birth web links are long gone.

Thanks a bunch,
Grace
PS I guess it's germain to mention that I live in Castro Valley, CA which is
in the San Francisco Bay Area.

[Mary]

> My name is Grace and I was an intermittent poster/lurker when I was pregnant
> with my DS about 3 years ago. I'm newly pregnant (about 5 weeks) with #2
> and I'm really glad to be back.
>
> I'm pretty interested in having a home birth this time, but am -- for some
> reason -- at something of a loss about how to start looking for a midwife.

I highly highly HIGHLY recommend the excellent birth center in
Pleasanton. Beah, one of the midwives there, also does homebirths, and
she is very nurturing and gentle. One of the doulas who used to work
there, Valerie, rents out aquadoula tubs for water labor and/or
waterbirth at home, as well. The OB is terrific, a bit shy in person
(comes off cold) but really passionately believes in helping women
achieve natural, normal birth (he's one of the only OBs left in the area
who will encourage a VBAC, now that the OB has to be present for the
entire duration of labor according to the new guidelines). We had a
great experience there.

Mary S.
mom to the Sproutkin

[The Shannons]

"Mary" > wrote in message
...
> I highly highly HIGHLY recommend the excellent birth center in
> Pleasanton. Beah, one of the midwives there, also does homebirths, and
> she is very nurturing and gentle. >
> Mary S.
> mom to the Sproutkin
>
Thanks for the recommendation, Mary. I know about the birth center in
Pleasanton, but had forgotten about it. My biggest issue is that our
insurance provider (Kaiser) covers neither the birth center nor homebirth.
I'm loathe to change insurance companies because (a) DH's employer pays 100%
of the Kaiser premiums; switching companies would cost about as much as
paying for a homebirth out of pocket, I think (though I've just started
looking and don't have a clear idea about how much we should expect to pay
if we go forward with a homebirth) and (b) we are so otherwise happy with
the care we receive at Kaiser. I really only dislike that I have no choices
about where I give birth (hospital only, though I can either go to Walnut
Creek, which has CNM's, or Alta Bates, which doesn't.) and that prenatal
care is totally separate from labor and delivery.

Thanks again,
Grace

[Laurie]

The Shannons wrote in message ...

<snip>

Welcome back Grace, I remember you!

laurie
mommy to Jessica, 29 months
and Christopher, 4 months

*This email address is now valid*


>
>"Mary" > wrote in message
...
>> I highly highly HIGHLY recommend the excellent birth center in
>> Pleasanton. Beah, one of the midwives there, also does homebirths, and
>> she is very nurturing and gentle. >
>> Mary S.
>> mom to the Sproutkin
>>
>Thanks for the recommendation, Mary. I know about the birth center in
>Pleasanton, but had forgotten about it. My biggest issue is that our
>insurance provider (Kaiser) covers neither the birth center nor homebirth.
>I'm loathe to change insurance companies because (a) DH's employer pays
100%
>of the Kaiser premiums; switching companies would cost about as much as
>paying for a homebirth out of pocket, I think (though I've just started
>looking and don't have a clear idea about how much we should expect to pay
>if we go forward with a homebirth) and (b) we are so otherwise happy with
>the care we receive at Kaiser. I really only dislike that I have no
choices
>about where I give birth (hospital only, though I can either go to Walnut
>Creek, which has CNM's, or Alta Bates, which doesn't.) and that prenatal
>care is totally separate from labor and delivery.
>
>Thanks again,
>Grace
>
>

[Mary]

> My biggest issue is that our
> insurance provider (Kaiser) covers neither the birth center nor homebirth.
> I'm loathe to change insurance companies because (a) DH's employer pays 100%
> of the Kaiser premiums; switching companies would cost about as much as
> paying for a homebirth out of pocket, I think (though I've just started
> looking and don't have a clear idea about how much we should expect to pay
> if we go forward with a homebirth)

If you do decide to go out-of-pocket (a very good choice, IMHO), the
Birth Home charges a flat fee of $2500 for everything, prenatal care and
birth and post-birth checkups. A friend who had a homebirth (in San
Mateo county) paid $2000 for her midwife; she received her prenatal care
from an OB practice so her insurance covered that.

If something comes up and you end up being risked into a hospital birth,
I have heard rumors that Kaiser will let you bring your own aquadoula
tub into the room and have a waterbirth.

Mary S.
mom to the Sproutkin

[Em]

"The Shannons" > wrote in message
> My name is Grace and I was an intermittent poster/lurker when I was
pregnant
> with my DS about 3 years ago. I'm newly pregnant (about 5 weeks) with #2
> and I'm really glad to be back.
<snip>

Welcome back to the group, Grace. Congratulations on your new pregnancy!
Good luck finding a midwife as well--I'm sure you'll be able to find one.
You might find the "find a midwife today" feature on the Midwifery Today
website helpful in your search:
http://www.findamidwifetoday.com/birthmarket/search.asp

I looked briefly and it looks like there are lots of CA listings. I'm not
familiar with where many of the towns are in relation to you though. I would
bet that if you contacted one of them though, they might be able to direct
you to someone else closer by. (or, you might find one close by, just by
looking at the listings on the site!).

Best wishes!

--
Em
edd 9/23/03
(37 weeks today!)