Pregnancy != sick.

[serinde]

When the biological clock started its first chimes, I was delighted to find that there were not one but two highly-touted birthing centers in the area. One was in Hackensack, two towns over from us. About six months ago, I found that they'd closed down some indeterminate period of time previously. No worries, thought I, there's still the Elizabeth Seton center a mere four blocks down and one over from work.

Not no mo'. It's closing down this weekend. Not because of any problems they've had, but because medical insurance costs have gone completely bonkers and they just can't afford to pay that.

Dammit, when I finally spawn, I do NOT want to do it in a hospital: nailed to a bed, not allowed to have my loved ones around me, random unconnected others declaring when and how long I can see the sprog, etc. etc. I reckon I'm up for home birth, but as Steve pointed out, it'd be a beautiful thing to give birth in a place where someone else has to wash the sheets. (Not to mention I was sorta keen on the idea of a water birth, which the centers are set up for and our house is emphatically not.)

Yay for our litigious society once again crushing the life out of anything good and useful because everyone's paralyzingly afraid of stupid lawsuits.

Comments

[lillilah]

Joel and I were living in midwifery central. I think there were at least three or four birthing centers within two blocks of his apartment. I am sad to say that while there are some of the elements of a natural, more homeopathic lifestyle here on the east coast, they are sparce and seem very fringe. If I say that I want organic milk or if I decided to have kids and go to a midwife, my mom would give me the 'oh, aren't you silly with your ridiculous ideas' look if she was in a good mood or the 'what an inconvenience!' look if she wasn't. In Oregon, that is all much more accepted. (Note: this is just mainly me being homesick.) If I had kids, I would very much want to go someplace comforting, like a birthing center, instead of some place sterile, like a hospital.