Support safe birth options during Covid-19 crisis

Local pregnant women, particularly those in the last weeks of their pregnancies, are being affected in a profound and unique way by the spread of Coronavirus.  We are asking for your financial support in helping several families in the New Orleans area as they navigate this unprecedented situation.  

Our friends Cody and Mary Reed are among those who determined that switching to homebirth with a licensed midwife for the birth of their daughter, Therese, was the best option under the current circumstances.  (And we are very excited to announce that they had a peaceful and healthy homebirth on 3/23/2020.  Everyone is great!)


This decision is presenting families with an unanticipated financial burden, as homebirths cost approximately $5,500 and are currently not covered by most insurance plans.  However, women switching to homebirth will:

- lessen the pressure on a hospital system that is being stretched to
   capacity.

- avoid having a mother who has just given birth and a newborn in the 
   hospital setting, as both are considered "high risk" for Coronavirus.

- avoid the tremendous uncertainty currently surrounding in-hospital
   labor care, particularly the ability of a partner/spouse to be present
   for labor support under evolving no-visitor policies.  That is, it is 
   unclear whether there will only be strangers present for support 
   while these women are in labor.

This is why Blue Cross just announced on 3/23/2020 that because of the Covid-19 crisis they will be covering homebirth, but unfortunately only for federal employees.  We hope they and other insurances will recognize that all pregnant women deserve this option, now more than ever, but in the meantime, we can help.

We are asking you to please consider assisting these families as they face the current crisis and strive to put their mothers and babies in the healthiest situation that they can.  Any funds we raise up to $3500 will go towards lessening these unexpected expenses for Cody and Mary, and any further funds we raise will be used for other families in the same need.  We know of five other women who have transferred to homebirth care in the New Orleans area.  If you or someone you know is in this situation, or if finances are preventing someone from switching to homebirth, please message us here.   We'd like to help.

Thank you for your support of these mothers, babies, and families!