Learn from my mistakes, so you don't have to make them.
1) Save Money Ahead of Time or Keep Up With Payments
The biggest mistake my husband and I made for our small, one income budget was that we did not save the money ahead of time or keep up with payments at every appointment for our home birth. I know how much the midwife ($2,000) and doula ($400) cost, since before I was pregnant. Also that both have to be paid out of pocket because neither accepts insurance. However, every time I put money aside for the birth as we were trying to conceive and the beginning of my third pregnancy 4-10 weeks, there was always a greater need dipping into the money leaving less money than I intended and a few financial emergencies that deducted from the amount, such as monthly payments: mortgage, HOA, car payment, utilities, our first child's preschool, weekly: groceries, gas). Side note we spend a lot of money on gas because my husband commutes to work 5-6 days a week.
To help the cost, I had tried to sell some used baby items we no longer needed. That wasn't very successful. I only made $33 dollars. Our backup plan was to use our tax return to help, but it did not arrive in time, and to use some money from my husband's school loan, but that ended up covering other financial needs. This really caused stress on if we were going to have the full amount all paid by 36 weeks, the further behind we fell on payments. We truly felt like we could not afford our home birth. There were several times, I was sure I was going to have to sacrifice it and just say financially we can not afford to pay that kind of money in addition to our bills and other living expenses.
Our contract stated at 36 weeks we would have everything paid, and if the midwives are not paid in full then they will not attend the birth. There is a different energy when you are stressed about whether you will be able to pay your midwife (in full $2,000 or $150 per appointment from 10-36 weeks of pregnancy) to have her attend the birth and when she is paid and there is no more financial stress of if you can afford this out of pocket homebirth. If you are on a tight budget like us, I suggest you find out what midwife you want to use, how much it will cost and to start saving that money ahead of time and then pay it in full, half, or whatever amount you have saved to reduce the bill. The saddest thing that can happen is a couple / woman doesn't have a homebirth because they can't afford to.
2) Prepare Postpartum Products & Birth Supplies Early
or Have An Estimated Amount of Money Set Aside for it
I had done my homework on how much the midwife and doula cost. However, I was not aware of how much all the postpartum items and birth supplies would cost. And they do add up quickly. $20 on Vitamin K injection for the baby, $92 for birth kit, $5 medicated wipes, $4 dollars disposable liners, $10 dollars for 2 packs of disposable pads, $3 disposable baby wipes, $6 Dermaplast pain relieving spray, $1 Depends Sample underwear pack, $3 dollars paper towels, $25 for 12 receiving blankets... That already costs $169 extra dollars, and that isn't everything we needed or got. We still needed large zip logs for the placenta, 3 bottles of hydrogen peroxide, a plastic mattress protector for the birth and so forth.
3) Pack a hospital bag or small emergency bag
Before you skip this step or think it is unnecessary, keep reading. I'll explain why this step is sometimes necessary. Throughout my third pregnancy, I had done tons of reading and talking to other women who have had home births, discussing things with my midwives, for how to get ready and so forth. I wanted to know if a hospital bag was necessary, based on everything my conclusion was no. I am considered a great candidate for a home birth with low-risk pregnancies, and 1 unmedicated birth / 2 vaginal deliveries under my belt. I even thought packing a "what if" hospital bag was unnecessary (even though I am a planner / organizer) until my attempt at a home birth became a hospital transfer due to unexplained abdominal pain on my left side (There were no infections and the cause of the pain remains unknown). I went to the hospital with nothing but my underwear, a robe, and shoes. My husband and I left my purse, insurance, wallet, identification and even cell phone. Because we left the cell phone, I did not get a chance to call the doula I was going to use. We didn't know if she would be in town for sure since she had a family event to go to that was already planned. She did end up getting back into town the day before I went into labor, but with how everything happened I didn't have her number to call once I left home and I was in too much pain to think about it until after the fact.
So here is why a hospital or small emergency bag would have been helpful, I came to the hospital missing important info for hospital registration which would have ironically been done and not mattered if I had been planning a hospital birth. I also had nothing when I was transferred to the mom and baby floor for myself or baby, so my husband had to go home rushing to gather some PJs and a going home outfit for me, a couple of outfits for the baby and my newborn cloth diapers. He also forgot to pack deodorant and toothbrush and toothpaste for me. The hospital was able to provide me with a sample size toothpaste and a toothbrush. Because I was planning a home birth all my postpartum products that I had purchased remained at home. The hospital no longer used heating pads and provided an alternative heating type pad. The nurse suggested using my own heating pad if I had one because a regular one was better. I had one at home sitting in my postpartum basket that has seen me through labor pain when applied on my back and the worst periods due to Endometriosis. This time I had to go without.
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