American Mums - giving birth US style - what can I expect??

[AnnieLaurie]

I am shortly moving to Seattle and will be giving birth there to my second child.

I have spoken to a few American Mums over here and it seems that midwives do not feature in the States as they do here.

Can anyone tell me a bit about what the care is like in the States/any advice on what choices I may have etc regarding childbirth. Would love to hear some people's experiences.

Have visions of self strapped to a bed with feet in stirrups and lots of men in white coats...!! Do they let you move around as you wish? Do they leave you alone, or examine you all the time? Are they into natural childbirth??

Had quite a bad experience 1st time round with unsympathetic male midwife so am anxious to have nurturing, supportive female environment 2nd time round if poss.

Thanks!

I don't think very many people who get laid off can afford Cobra, can they?

Cobra fora family of three (depending on the coverage) is about $800/ month. That's why we went uninsured for a long time.

"Why anyone who is uninsured would decide to have a baby is beyond me."

Good heavens, this statement is depressing and wrong on so many levels.

Vian have you read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth? the last 3rd of the book is a very interesting discourse on the ob/gym model of maternity care. One very interesting portion is how the mother and infant mortality rates are accounted for in the US, the lack of a comprehensive and standardised analysis by the CDC, etc.

In effect a lot of the preventable mortality and morbidity in mothers and babies remain well hidden. And she is not just talking about those of poor people with limited or no insurance either.

I think anyone interested in maternity care would find the last 3rd of this book eye-opening.

Yes, those poor, dirty uninsured, wanting to have babies. How dare they! We should just sterilise them instead.