Finance is one of the big things that comes up in discussion when I chat with pregnant mums, and their births.

For some reason... Insurance companies are prepared to fork out for the ludicrous fees obstetricians charge, and not cover the modest in comparison fee an Independent midwife charges.

I've seen IM charges ranging from $2000 - about $6000. So how do you finance your homebirth.

Firstly, many midwives will offer you a payment plan - so if both of you are working, this takes the pressure off a bit.

Prior to the baby bonus being paid in installments, financing your midwife with the handout was possible. Again, another moment of wisdom of the Australian Government.

Personal loans are obtainable, if one or two of you in the birthing relationship have good credit and a stable job.

Refinancing against the mortgage is often possible, if you have equity in your home.

Some of your homebirth costs are claimable in your tax - net medical expenses above $1500 are claimable (This is only relevant, if you're working, and earning over $6000 per year.)

An independent midwife is truly an INVESTMENT in your body and birth, and I personally would beg, borrow, and scrimp and save to afford one.

I'm working more than I'd like, and we sold Rob's 'toy' (car). Not having a HB wasn't an option for me, and we don't have gov HB in Vic (not that I'd qualify anyway). We just NEEDED to find the money some how. $3000 for the birth (2 IMs), plus around another $1500 in antenatal visits.

Extremely pissed at the changes to how the BB is paid! Not all of us use it to buy a plasma damn it!!

When we get this IM legislation changed in our favour - we'll start pressuring for more reasonable finance options.
i.e. Baby Bonus, Health Fund covered etc.


Look at it as an investment in your physical and mental health.

Medibank don't cover HB as well, before I was pregnant and getting cover I enquired about that, so for that reason didn't include pregnancy at all in my cover.

Thanks for putting forward the opitions Ki, I have looked into all those, I am just waiting for the midwife I was talking to - return from her trip in Sept.

I can't even tweak our budget, unless Klay gets a promotion, we have nothing to refinance (As we only will be in our house at the end of the year) and we have nothing to sell..LOL. Literally, with the $12,000 we will already be forking out around the time the baby is born- we are pretty stuck. But hoping if I cut out some antenatal appts that that will reduce the $ and then I can look at a payment plan.