West Virgina *miff*... slight rant.

[Libdisney]

I'm down in the Chas WV area, but I feel your pain. As I have considered this birth I keep coming back to, "I wish I lived somewhere with better options." I've been reminded that change is consumer driven...so ask for what you want.

I hope that you are able to work things out in a way that you can be at peace with and feel good about.

[Sageac]

UPDATE: I saw a local CNM that accepts Medicaid and works with my old hospital. She was pretty reasonable, tho I did not offer any more information that she requested, she did ask me outright if I was still nursing *at all* which I said yes to. (She did not respond or make a note at that time, but her expression said "oh, that's bad.) *sigh* She was ok with skipping the Glucose test, and said she wants to run a Titer/immunity blood test. She didn't bring up vaccinating, but I expressed an interest in the results of the test, stating that I have shown little immunity in the past even after receiving shots, and I don't think she'll have a problem with me not getting shots if I can show I have had them in the last 5 years.

Originally Posted by Melmonkey and could you possibly have an oops delivery at home....baby came so fast that you could not make it to the hospital

I mentioned my very quick labors (4.5 and 2.5 hours) as a pre-cursor in case of this. She did ask "are you planning to have a homebirth?" and I said "that will depend on being able to afford it." to which she replied "midwives will usually work with you." so she doesn't seem bothered by the idea that she would not be delivering my baby.

Originally Posted by MomdeIsla Many people don't realize that providers of medicaid that see children are audited and get penalized if they are not exceeding a certain % of children fully vaccinated.....so they are doing what they must to protect their jobs and families.....I'm one of those providers....and my kids were vaccinated on a delayed type schedule (we had private ins.) I hope you find a local CNM that can help you. Good Luck!

THanks! I hope so too. and I know Dr's are not bad people, they are usually doing what they think is best for both you and their livelihood. I just wish more of them had the ability to buck the system without losing thier jobs...

Originally Posted by zaeaton I would recommend bringing a letter to the hospital stating you don't want any vaccines for your newborn at the hospital. There are websites online that can give you sample letters. I did this with my daughter as FL is a VERY vaccine happy state, and all went well and we avoided that Hep B and Vit K shot.

Having mentioned my employment at said hospital in the past, I will just state that this particular place has a history of calling in CPS if a mother refuses medical treatment. Tho, from what the CNM said, she has been working to change policy for the last few years and has it moving in a better direction.

Originally Posted by Libdisney I'm down in the Chas WV area, but I feel your pain. As I have considered this birth I keep coming back to, "I wish I lived somewhere with better options." I've been reminded that change is consumer driven...so ask for what you want.

*very* good point. I am balancing asking for what I want with keeping my cards close to my chest. IT's interesting that you are in a similar place. So sad that we live in the US and have to choose between possibly hazardous hospital birth, or possibly hazardous unnasissted homebirth due to lack of good / lisenced midviwes. Tell me more about what your choices look like?

[dannic]

WOW.
I cannot believe those policies actually exist to that extent! I am so sorry you are dealing withthis!
I can, however, understand your pain in some respects. My first preg ended in miscarriage and they wouldn't allow my DH in to the ultrasound at the hospital and it was a male practitioner and I was nervous and didn't know what to expect...which led me to choose BC for my next birth, but we transferred after birth and had a lot of pressure to do things the "routine" way in the hospital! Second was born en route to BC and DH called 911 in panic. (in retrospect, we were 4 minutes from the BC--we should have just driven over, lol) The ambulance HAD to take us to the nearest hospital, and would not let us go. The hospital "tsk, tsked" us and whispered about us because I had not gotten the GB test and when we tried to leave (having a healthy baby and mama), they told us I could leave, but if we attempted to take baby, they would call CPS on us! AFter 9 hours, we FINALLY got a ped. to sign off that we were good to go. AND THEN THEY TRIED TO BILL US FOR A COMPLETE BIRTH AND 48 HOUR STAY.
It's one thing to have policies, routines, ect. and a whole "nuther thing to be compelled under duress--under threat.
So now we HB, lol.
All that in a pretty liberal state. So sorry for your stress, OP

[chloecat]

hey mama, i'm totally not in your ddc, but i wanted to offer some assistance to you. i live just up the road from you in PA. not far from the Chambersburg area. i know of several homebirth midwives who will allow birth in thier homes. also, they may travel to you. I personally had my last 2 babies here at home with a local midwife and was extremely satisfied. i dont' have any problems with the state and the paperwork on them came to me right away. i'm not sure how much worse WV is vs PA. but i'd love to pass on the phone numbers for you. perhaps if they can't help, they may know who can!! pm me okay!! and keep your head up