Due in March/April/May 2013 Roll call!

[Cinss]

Hi Baby2 welcome

[baby2ontheway]

Hi tiff and ladies yes but my only real sway was perfect timing, did the dance 3 hours after ovulation.. Took us 6 months to conceive this time so got a good 6 months practice into tracking ovulation.. Certainly teaches you a lot about your body.. hoping for a boy but happy no matter what x

[mummypink]

Congrats Baby2 and welcome to the group!

[suregena]

Omg I did not know that!
We have the nhs here so don't have to pay at all! Well unless you want to go private!
Maybe why we have so many teen pg's over here as they get a free house too lol xx

There's still plenty of teen pregnancies everywhere, to be honest - cost is usually not the factor in that!

I'm American in the UK so I am VERY grateful for the NHS. I'm actually employed by the NHS (used to work at a hospital in the US, too... so vastly different experiences....) also, which makes me even more fiercely supportive of the work they do. I think the NHS is AMAZING.

And let's just say... some of the arguments I've gotten in with my family at home has been insane. I always love when they try to school me about Universal/Socialized healthcare, yet I'm the one who actually lives here, works for the NHS, has been a patient in the NHS, has had a baby on the NHS, etcetera.

The beauty of it all is that if you *want* to, you can go private... but MOST people choose not to, because the care you get with the NHS is just as good and if not, better...

I've had people calling me asking how soon I can book them in for an MRI and I'd tell them we have an appointment free the following week and they're like, "Oh, but that's what the private hospital was offering me!"


*stops rambling*


I LOVE THE NHS!
And I'm American. Woohooooooooooo.

[mummypink]

Wow it sounds so expensive to get medical care in the US! I'm over in Norway and we have a system a bit like the NHS, normally we have to pay the first approx £15 when we go and see the doctor and the rest is covered by the state. When you are pregnant it is totally free and everything is covered regardless of how many appointments you make or even if your appointment is pregnancy related. The midwife is free too, as is hospital care when you deliver the baby and with my previous pregnancies I've had my own room and bathroom during my hospital stay. You're encouraged to stay in hospital about 4 days to make sure you are fully rested and baby is feeding well.
Children get free healthcare up to the age of about 18 I think too.

What happens in the US if you can't afford medical care and don't have insurance?

[mummypink]

Yes ma'am. Still waiting to see the dr but we only saw one, measuring about 6 weeks. And a heartbeat!

Congrats! That is great news.

[NCBeachyGrl]

Wow it sounds so expensive to get medical care in the US! I'm over in Norway and we have a system a bit like the NHS, normally we have to pay the first approx £15 when we go and see the doctor and the rest is covered by the state. When you are pregnant it is totally free and everything is covered regardless of how many appointments you make or even if your appointment is pregnancy related. The midwife is free too, as is hospital care when you deliver the baby and with my previous pregnancies I've had my own room and bathroom during my hospital stay. You're encouraged to stay in hospital about 4 days to make sure you are fully rested and baby is feeding well.
Children get free healthcare up to the age of about 18 I think too.

What happens in the US if you can't afford medical care and don't have insurance?

People who can't afford insurance can get government assistance that pays for everything pretty much. Not everyone qualifies though. Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of ppl out there that just rack up medical bills and can never afford to pay it back.

[Butterfly Spirit]

I had my first Dr appointment yesterday and it was a bit strange, my Dr told me that the way she likes to do things with antinatal care is see me once a month for the first 28 weeks, is this the schedule you guys are all on? Last time i think i only had to go see her about 3 or 4 times through the whole pregnancy. I wonder why she would want me back there every month? I looked a bit confused when she was explaining it to me, mostly because of the cost it is going to add up to and she said i don't have to stay with her, there are other doctors that will put me on share care with the hospital for free, but she likes to be thorough and charges full price. I dont know if i should stay with her, i feel like maybe she is just trying to make a lot of money, but then i think she must be passionate and caring, i am confused. I have to make a decision soon because she wouldn't give me a referal to the ultrasound place until i commit to her care.

Wow Cinss, over here it's standard practice. You start going in at 10-12 weeks prego and once a month until the final month then it's once a week!!! YOU ARE LUCKY you don't have to go in, I hate it and think it's pointless and costly.. I have my own doppler.. i'll just go in for tests! lol

[Butterfly Spirit]

People who can't afford insurance can get government assistance that pays for everything pretty much. Not everyone qualifies though. Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of ppl out there that just rack up medical bills and can never afford to pay it back.

It's true. Medicaid will pay for anything your insurance won't from pregnancy to delivery.. and some people that don't have insurance just rely primarily on medicaid..
But you have to have a low income to qualify.

[mummypink]

I guess that's not so bad then, I had an image of people having to get their dh to deliver their babies because they couldn't afford to go to hospital!