Homebirth- early arrival question

[champatlife]

I've had a lot of bizarre delivery dreams the last 2 nights which have got my mind spinning.

If you're delivering at home is there a certain point where it's considered too soon to birth at home? or a standard most midwives use. "you have to be X weeks"

if 36/37 is the most widely accepted as full term. If you go into labor between 32 weeks and 35 do you have to deliver at the hospital? IF that happens and you were paying out of pocket do you lose all the money paid upfront (or is payment still expected) should you go into labor early and have to deliver at the hospital?

[marliah]

Most midwives will tell you to go to the hospital if the baby comes before 37 weeks. Just because there can be issues with preemies that require special attention.
Our first dd was born at 36.5 and the midwife said go in, she did a partial refund on our payment, she charged us her dual fee in place of the full mind wife fee so I think we ended up paying like $1400 instead of the $2000 we had paid up front.

[mommycass]

My midwife does 36 weeks and on. If the baby is less than 5 lbs she will recommend getting checked out at the hospital. Haven't experienced it personally but if I were to deliver at a hospital I'm sure she would refund partial payment.

[Leah52]

My midwife will assist at 37 weeks. Her paperwork says no refunds if you have to transfer but I don't know if that applies to early delivery or not.

[bigmamakelsey]

Each midwife usually has their own rules and it should be in their contract. I had DS1 at home at 36+2. Her "cut off" so to speak was 36 1/2 weeks so I was right on the brink. Things went very well.
With both my midwives they did not expect full payment if you went into labor early, and 1 of them said she would accompany you at the hospital and charge a doula fee. They both didn't knock off that much $, though. A lot of what you pay is for prenatal, postnatal and blood work so if they do take anything I wouldn't expect it to be much.

[1healthylady]

My midwives' cut off is 37 weeks. Not sure if it's just them or state of Florida law. Up until Monday night, if I had gone into labor early then I would have gone to the hospital. I don't know about the fees because our insurance is covering everything.

[an_aurora]

My MW only delivered after 37 weeks. If I went into labor before 38-39 I'd probably be really nervous as all of my kids were late and small.

[Hitchkids]

I had 2 planned homebirths that arrived at 35 weeks, 6 days. In our state, they can't attend you before 36 weeks and often prefer not before 37. In both cases, the midwife was paid for all prenatal care but I"m pretty sure not for the birth (insurance covered it all with those two). With the next child, she arrived at 38 weeks but the midwives did not show up until almost 2 hrs after she was born. They still billed for all services including delivery.

[yellowitchgrl]

My last live birth was 36w4d and he was close to 7lbs and perfect and I am positive on my dates, so my midwife said she's be happy to deliver me at home at 36weeks (that and we're less than 10 minutes from 2 different NICUs) Another midwife said 37 weeks was her minimum.

I don't know about the refund, but I imagine it would be a partial refund.

[MacMama]

Mine will deliver at home at 36 weeks. Oregon has the most lax midwifery laws, I think midwives are actually allowed to deliver at home at 35, but mine won't. I'm not sure how strict they are (like if I went into labor at 35w6d would they really refuse me?) but I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday so I won't have to worry about that anymore.