birthing in illinois
So, I've decided it is a good idea to chronicle my journey of trying to set up a safe and legal homebirth.
In Illinois, one must obtain a certified nurse midwife who is has a nearby collaborating doctor. Just a certified midwife won't do, as they are open to a lawsuit by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation for practicing medicine without a licence.
The problem with this is that doctors will not collaborate with certified nurse midwives who do homebirth.
Well, even though that is the rumour, I tried to locate an ob/gyn who I could at least try to convince. So I started calling the two ob/gyn's in Danville, IL .
Ob #1 does not do interviews. In fact, you do not get to see this physician unless you are actually in the process of pushing a baby out from between your legs. So, considering my goal, I crossed her name right off my list.
Ob #2 requires registration with the facility before a message can get through to him. And then I am only able to talk to his nurse, who may or may not relay any questions to him.
Because of the complications with obtaining a collaborating doctor, there actually are only a handful (some say as few as two) certified nurse midwives in the state that practice home births, and they are in the Chicago area. But since I am on the state line all I had to do was jump the border to Indiana where they have more birth-freedom, to find a quality care provider that could legally deliver my baby in my home (that is, if she could find a nearby collaborating doctor).
So right now, that is where I am at. I am waiting for an Ob in town to say that they will allow me birth freedom by agreeing to come to the hospital in the event of a problem during my homebirth.
IF all fails and I cannot legally perform the homebirth I feel it is my right to have, then I have another dilemma: should I accept the state's "free" insurance which I qualify for? It is seriously against my principles, but not doing would cause serious financial distress and discomfort. I mean eating macoroni and cheese every night for dinner kind of discomfort.
In Illinois, one must obtain a certified nurse midwife who is has a nearby collaborating doctor. Just a certified midwife won't do, as they are open to a lawsuit by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation for practicing medicine without a licence.
The problem with this is that doctors will not collaborate with certified nurse midwives who do homebirth.
Well, even though that is the rumour, I tried to locate an ob/gyn who I could at least try to convince. So I started calling the two ob/gyn's in Danville, IL .
Ob #1 does not do interviews. In fact, you do not get to see this physician unless you are actually in the process of pushing a baby out from between your legs. So, considering my goal, I crossed her name right off my list.
Ob #2 requires registration with the facility before a message can get through to him. And then I am only able to talk to his nurse, who may or may not relay any questions to him.
Because of the complications with obtaining a collaborating doctor, there actually are only a handful (some say as few as two) certified nurse midwives in the state that practice home births, and they are in the Chicago area. But since I am on the state line all I had to do was jump the border to Indiana where they have more birth-freedom, to find a quality care provider that could legally deliver my baby in my home (that is, if she could find a nearby collaborating doctor).
So right now, that is where I am at. I am waiting for an Ob in town to say that they will allow me birth freedom by agreeing to come to the hospital in the event of a problem during my homebirth.
IF all fails and I cannot legally perform the homebirth I feel it is my right to have, then I have another dilemma: should I accept the state's "free" insurance which I qualify for? It is seriously against my principles, but not doing would cause serious financial distress and discomfort. I mean eating macoroni and cheese every night for dinner kind of discomfort.
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