Birth Story: A Natural Home Birth
This is the story of 31-year-old Jenna's natural home birth. She chronicles everything in a detailed timeline from the start of her contractions to the arrival of her brand new baby.
facebook share icon
pin
twitter share icon
email share icon
Print page icon
Pregnant woman leaning forward on couch
Jenna is a 31-year-old mom and this is her second labor. She had a straightforward birth with her daughter, now three. This pregnancy was uneventful, so she decided to have a home birth this time.
Jenna's story:
When I was eight days overdue, my midwife did a "stretch and strip" of my cervix to encourage labor. I then had a couple of bloody shows (see The "bloody show") and irregular contractions. In the night I woke with contractions 20 minutes apart. I couldn't get back to sleep, so I had a warm bath, took a couple of acetaminophens, and went back to bed. My daughter woke at 6:45 am and we had breakfast. My contractions were every 10 minutes and getting stronger, so my husband stayed home.
More: Natural Childbirth: A Real-Life Experience
8:00 AM
My contractions were every 5 minutes, stronger, and lasting 50-60 seconds. My husband called the midwife. She said she was on her way and advised me to stay active. I started to use the TENS machine on a low setting, which helped me focus. I found standing and rocking my pelvis back and forth and from side to side helpful and I used a birthing ball. My husband was supportive, massaging my shoulders and under my abdomen where it hurt most; I found the heat from his hands soothing. My daughter held my hand.
pregnant woman having contraction on couch
8:40 AM
The midwife arrived. She checked my blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, felt my belly, listened to the baby's heart, and took a urine sample, which relieved some pressure in my pubic area. She confirmed that I was in established labor since my cervix was 5 cm dilated. My cervix was thinning, the head was pressing down, and my membranes were intact. I remained active, using TENS, and leaning forward. My husband put on a relaxing CD.
9:50 AM
My contractions were every two minutes, very strong, and lasting 60 seconds. I tried walking and marching on the spot. My mom arrived and took my daughter to the park. I felt hot and so I had a cool drink and my midwife dabbed my face with a cool, wet cloth. I found kneeling on all fours, rocking and arching my back, helpful.
10:30 AM
My contractions were very painful. My midwife listened to the heartbeat intermittently.
More: Laboring at Home
11:00 AM
I felt an urge to push. My water broke and my contractions were very strong and each minute. I felt panicky, but my midwife encouraged me, saying she thought the baby would be born soon; my husband helped me focus by breathing slowly. My midwife confirmed that I was fully dilated and ready to push. I somehow found the energy to bear down and felt the head emerge. I took a breath, concentrated, and pushed my baby out. My baby boy was born at 11:14 am, 8 lb 2 oz, and my husband cut the cord once it had stopped pulsating. I delivered my placenta without drugs. My midwife advised me to put my baby to my breast to stimulate the hormone oxytocin, which causes contractions and helps the placenta to come away.
11:40 AM
My placenta was delivered.
The Midwife's Comments:
Jenna and her husband prepared well and worked as a team. Jenna was active for most of labor, and stayed focused. Her feelings of panic in the transition period were normal, but her husband and I gave her extra support. By working with her instincts she found inner strength and had a normal birth. Her labor was nine hours, about average for a second-time mom.
No matter what type of birth you are planning for, you will want to be prepared. Check out our Labor and Delivery homepage for helpful resources and guides.
Report Ad
What’s the True Cost of Having a Baby in America?
L. Elizabeth Forry headshot
L. Elizabeth Forry
Updated: July 1, 2022
The average cost to have a baby in America and the rising childcare costs to raise kids can be difficult for families and women to manage.
facebook share icon
pin
twitter share icon
email share icon
Print page icon
Expecting couple worried about financial costs of having a baby
In light of the uncertainty surrounding the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we thought it prudent to examine the actual cost of having a baby in the United States. It is an unequivocal fact that raising and caring for a child is expensive. Parents must pay for clothing, toys, child care, extracurricular activities, diapers, formula, food, baby gear, school supplies, etc. But the cost of raising a child in America begins long before birth, and the initial costs depend on a pregnant woman’s access to prenatal healthcare, postpartum medical care, and well-baby visits.
In addition to the costs for appointments and baby supplies, most parents pay hefty monthly premiums to maintain their health insurance coverage.
To showcase how drastically costs can change based on where you live and what insurance you have, I will share my own experiences. My first child was born in Washington, D.C., where I worked at a private preschool for a government agency. As a result, I had one of the best insurance policies available in the country. My total costs for giving birth, including prenatal appointments, labor, and delivery, was $300.
Report Ad
Compare that to my second child, born in Chicago, where I worked for a non-profit preschool and had decent insurance. I paid $30 for each prenatal visit; labor and delivery charges were approximately $2,000. So overall, my cost was around $2,600.
My two kids were born via vaginal delivery, with an epidural and inducement, almost three years apart, but resulted in two very different costs.
The costs mentioned above were only the medical costs for me. The figures don't include co-pays for well-baby visits or baby gear like strollers, car seats, cribs, diapers, wipes, clothing, bottles, or a breast pump. The numbers also exclude child care costs, copays for sick visits, and money lost due to time off for maternity leave and sick days.
Related: Can You Afford Another Child?
The USDA estimates that a child born in 2015 will cost parents $233,610 between birth and age 18. Now multiple that by two, three, or even four children. New parents are often shocked by the sticker price a baby costs, and even middle-income families struggle at times to afford items.
Approximate Costs:
Housing $3,750 annually
Food $2,794 annually
Childcare/Education $37,400 total
Transportation $1,947
Other (Healthcare, extracurricular, clothing, misc.) $2,856
The cost of raising a child is one reason the US has seen a steady decline in its birthrate since 2008. In addition, the COVID pandemic has lowered that rate further. However, financial experts predict with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the U.S. will see an increase of over 150,000 births a year, including a significant increase in births that require a high level of care (18,400-19,600) and pre-term births (17,300-18,400).
Prenatal Costs
nurse providing prenatal care
As my personal example above shows, having health insurance is no guarantee that having a baby will be inexpensive, although in most cases, it will drastically reduce the cost from those uninsured. Unfortunately, the United States does not consider healthcare a right and therefore has no universal healthcare system. As a result, insurance coverage and premiums vary significantly from company to company and plan to plan.
Proper prenatal care is essential for both the health of the mother and the baby. However, women who become pregnant unexpectedly or who don’t have health insurance often miss or skip vital doctor appointments.
Report Ad
The average, low-risk pregnancy will have approximately 15-20 prenatal visits; expect a few more if you’re expecting multiples or a potential problem is discovered. Depending on your health insurance plan, your coinsurance could range from free to $25, $40, or even $50 per visit. Some plans also have deductibles that members must meet before paying anything, so you could pay out of pocket for your first several check-ups.
In addition to prenatal checkups, you will need prenatal vitamins and access to healthy food, and you must have a car seat installed correctly in your car before leaving the hospital with your new baby.
If you are returning to work post-birth, securing a spot at a daycare or childcare facility must happen nearly the moment you discover your pregnancy. To secure a spot, parents are often asked to deposit hundreds if not thousands of dollars, sometimes prepaying for the first month or two.
The Cost of Giving Birth
woman giving birth in a hospital
The actual cost of childbirth in the united states depends on the type of delivery, where you live, the length of your hospital stay, and how much your insurance covers if you have it.
The average hospital bill for giving birth with health insurance in the United States is around $2,000 to $4,000, with a total cost between $5,000 -$10,000 for the entire pregnancy. Cesareans, especially emergency procedures, cost even more.
The cost without insurance is drastically steeper, with the average vaginal delivery costing $11,000 and a C-section birth $13,000. However, uninsured costs could be much higher depending on where you live. For example, vaginal birth in New York without insurance costs over $13,600, and C-sections begin at $17,000.
Add in the cost of doctor’s visits for routine maternity care and postnatal appointments, unexpected medical costs, and well-baby visits for the first year, and the cost of having a baby can easily reach $30,000 or more if uninsured.
Most insurance policies that cover pregnancy also cover your baby and their medical needs for the first few days and sometimes weeks of life. It is essential to read your policy carefully and see how soon you need to add your baby to it to ensure their care is covered.
Average Costs Around Nation Without Insurance
Report Ad
Below are a few of the average costs to give birth in different states. To see your state's average, click here.
Alabama - $15,162
Alaska - $18,748.
Arkansas - $15,005
California - $26,380
Delaware - $11,391
Hawaii - $12,139
Maryland - $8,934
Maine - $9,623
Michigan - $12,711
Nebraska - $8,805
New Jersey - $29,048
Ohio - $15,149
Pennsylvania - $19,764
Tennessee - $13,261
Washington D.C. - $21,243
Cost of Vaginal Delivery Around the World with Health Insurance
All countries below have universal healthcare, so while the cost of birth may be comparable to the United States, many individuals are paying costly premiums in addition to the cost of labor and delivery. The U.S. is the only developed nation without universal healthcare, leaving more than 27.5 million people uninsured annually.
Argentina - $2,237
Australia - $5,312
Canada - $3,195
France - $2,500
Germany - $2,500
Hong Kong - $12,000
Mexico - $600
Spain - $1,950
Switzerland - $7,751
Thailand - $2,000
United Kingdom - $2,300
Finding Affordable Healthcare
If you are planning on becoming pregnant, read your health care policy closely to see what is covered. If you or your partner recently started a new job, check when the health insurance becomes active. Some employers don’t cover you until you’ve worked there for three months or more. If the policy is under your partner and you are not married, make sure they cover domestic partnerships.
Depending on your financial status, you may be eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid covers the cost of your prenatal checkups and labor and delivery if covered. If your income is too high for Medicaid, your children may still be eligible for CHIP. CHIP covers your child’s healthcare costs until their 19th birthday as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
WIC is another social program for pregnant, postpartum, and nursing mothers and children from birth to age five. WIC helps low-income mothers access healthy food for themselves and their children as well as breastfeeding support.
The Impact of Unexpected Babies on the Economy
mother worried about money
It doesn’t matter how you feel about the recent Roe vs. Wade decision; the recent changes to the law are going to affect the economy and have drastic financial consequences for mothers; especially young, unwed, lower-income mothers who are no longer able to make a decision about their bodies and what is best for their family.
With less safe, affordable, and reliable access to abortion, the workforce will be depleted by mothers who choose or need to stay home to care for babies and cannot afford childcare. Women who did not have access to abortion are three times as likely to leave the workforce. It is also much harder for a woman to find a job if she is visibly pregnant.
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy, an estimated 505,000 women annually will be depleted from the workforce resulting in a loss of over $3 billion in revenue that could be going back into the economy.
Report Ad
As a result of the loss in work, mothers and families will have less to spend on clothing, food, and household goods, not to mention luxury expenditures like vacations and new cars, which slows down the economy.
Even if these women can return to work, they lose an average of 37% of their earning power when they take three or more years off.
Women who lose their job due to pregnancy are also more likely to become victims of domestic violence and are stuck being financially dependent on their abusive partners.
Social Impact of Having More Children
young girl getting food at a soup kitchen
An economic impact is not the only struggle the country will face with an uptick in unexpected pregnancies. Social systems like foster care, SNAP, WIC, and schools will all be faced with an increased demand for services as more and more low-cost families become eligible for benefits when a woman loses or is forced to leave her job. Experts agree that having access to abortion lowers poverty rates and reduces neglect and abuse.
Many of these unplanned pregnancies will occur in poverty-stricken communities, and more struggling children will put a strain on low-income school districts. In addition, 76% of the teaching workforce is female. So the overturning of Roe vs. Wade could significantly impact the already struggling schools' teaching staff available. But unfortunately, it is also likely to lead to an uptick in teen pregnancies.
Gillian Sealey, the chief of staff at Power to Decide, formerly the National Campaign to Prevent Teenage and Unplanned Pregnancy, said in response to the ruling, “We do know that if a student, whether in high school or even at the college level, has an unplanned pregnancy, that definitely impacts them furthering their education and then can have devastating consequences for their economic upward mobility.”
Whether or not you agree with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the evidence is clear. An increase fo unplanned pregnancies will strain the economy, low-income families, the school system, and our social services. Having a child is a major decision and one that should be thought through, planned, and prepared for whenever possible.
That’s not to say an unexpected pregnancy cannot bring joy to your life because it certainly can, but having a baby in America is indeed an expensive investment.
L. Elizabeth Forry headshot
About the author
L. Elizabeth Forry
L. Elizabeth Forry is an Early Childhood Educator with 15 years of classroom experience and is the mom of two creative and crazy boys.
View more articles from this author
natural home birth?
