What’s wrong with this picture? The Washington Post reported that the royal birth only cost $15,000 and the average American birth is billed at $30,000.

United States childbirth cost is one of the most expensive in the western world. Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the royal baby boy at St. Mary’s Hospital for less than you and I if we were to give birth in many of the hospitals in America. What’s worse is our own prince or princess will not be treated like royalty and could just be a number in the newborn unit.

To top off the differences, the Duchess received royalty treatment in a private suite with gourmet food and comprehensive wine list including champagne for three days. Did your pregnancy and childbirth cost more than $15,000? Even if it cost $10,000 did you get royalty treatment or gourmet meals with wine selections in an average American hospital?

Recently I gave birth to my baby girl at home and not at the hospital. My own home birth with 2 RN midwives present and all my pregnancy care and follow up was $4000. Many would have second thoughts because in the last 30 years the popularity of hospital birth has taken over home birth because of many fears and myths. I chose home birth instead of the conventional hospital birth with excellent care from two qualified RN midwives. You have to do your own research and know your health conditions when making decisions about your type of childbirth.

It isn’t always expensive to give birth in America. The cost has increased rapidly in the last 30 years in hospital births. Many of my readers have voiced their opinions about the cost of childbirth in America.

Here are a few of them:

Childbirth about 30 years ago
Cheryl M:
In 1979 and 1980 mine was like $600 with a lay midwife. What is wrong? There is a book The Immaculate Deception. I read it and of course Ina May’s when I was pregnant.

Donna H:
28 years ago my daughter’s birth cost us $150.

Maryellen L.
In 1972 ours was $3000, and the doctor was not even there. We were in the labor room and called him in to cut the cord.

Home birth
Melissa B.
My birth at a birthing center with a certified midwife was around $2,800 and my oily (Young Living essential oils) birth kit should have cost around $340+ but because of my essential rewards points, I paid $11

Courtney S.
$4,000 was the most we ever paid out of all 5 home births and last time we got a 2 (twins) for 1 deal! Frugal & fertile insurance helped with 3 of our 5 back in the early days too. When I was 21 I wrote them a cost comparison letter and miraculously they approved it!

Sandra W.
When i had my home births-I had some of the best care that I’d ever had! Everything was preventative. They watched my growth, my ph balances, my keytones, my blood sugar, my hemoglobin, my diet. When I went the medical route, I would ask about all those things & they wouldn’t know anything because they wouldn’t check it!

AND there are going to be bad births anywhere. The hospital or home. I loved my home births. AND it was about a 1/3 of the cost to us.

In the United Kingdom’s hospitals most uncomplicated births and non high risk  births are being led by midwives with doctors on call. They manage all prenatal, birth and after birth care.

Some of my readers have this to say about the cost of childbirth and my opinion on the differences between royal birth and average American childbirth:

Ray L.
I just don’t understand the royals anyway. The Brits have a higher rate of homeless yet they are willing to spend multi-millions on supporting the royal family…DUH!!!! I can be royal, now and then.

Christin H.
15,000 or £15,000 (pounds)? The healthcare in England is free so how is the delivery cost calculated?

Jihan T.
Don’t get me started, Mary. Christin, I believe they used a private, non-covered wing of the hospital.

Jane R.
Where did you get your numbers from? I do not think that 30,000 is what CNY is. I don’t believe it is “greed” as much as it is our sue happy culture. As a neonatal NP, I only see the bad side of home births…when something goes wrong. Not everyone should have a home birth.

Dawn H
US spends more than ten other countries combined on healthcare but thanks second lowest in live expectancy!

I love how we all can have different opinions and view points and still honor each other. An astounding figure I found out was C Section births cost is around $50,000 billed out. The insurance companies in America are being billed ridiculous amounts by hospitals and doctors. Average Americans may have to pay the differences of what is not being paid by insurance even if they pay hefty sums monthly to insurance companies.

It all adds up!

Jamie P who is one of our readers said “which is exactly why i harassed our insurance company for a year and a half to shell out for a cheap homebirth!!!! and they did!”

AND Diana D. said “I had to have an emergency c-section and my preemie had a 5 week hospital NICU stay. Thank goodness our health insurance covered 100%.”

But for some who has pre-existing conditions like Candyce P
“There is NO way they would ever let me have a home birth. I am a type 1 diabetic with high blood pressure. Wish it could happen…BUT its just not possible for everyone during pregnancy.”

We can argue about the cost and types of childbirth all day long and would not get anywhere because we have choices and we are all different. We have to know our health conditions and our total wellness. Some of the most active and healthiest women I know had c-section hospital birth because of the size of the baby and their body type.

Childbirth is a personal thing. You have to know your body type and watch your diet and total wellness. The old adage ‘you are what you eat’ still holds true today. Are you investing into your health and total wellness (body, mind and spirit)?

Are you giving your body a royalty treatment?

Don’t abuse your body with bad diets, junk food and synthetic nutritional supplements.

Ashleigh G. said:
Our short life span is due to our diets, not the health care system. Monsanto, artificial food dyes, processed crap foods, McDonald’s, etc. You are what you eat.

The Duchess’ birthing room may have included a birthing pool, WiFi, newspapers, private staff and gourmet meals and paid less than average American childbirth, however you and I can do our own research, educate ourselves and prepare our body for our own ‘royalty’ childbirth.

Watch out for a series of my blog posts with Dr. Leanne Deardeuff on how to use essential oils and Young Living’s nutritional supplements for pre-natal care, childbirth and a healthy baby.

What is your opinion of the cost of childbirth in America? Let us know. Please comment below.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.

My son can’t say his T’s, P’s and S’s. At first we just thought it was normal until they discovered a tongue tie on his baby sister at 1 month old. I had a horrific time breast feeding both him and his sister in the beginning.

I spent weeks in agony thinking oh this is normal. Both children got underweight their first week and it really scared us. I thought ‘I’ wasn’t producing the milk when really they weren’t able to latch and suck like they should.

This video was taken at Natural Family Chiropractic with Pediatric specialist Dr. Meghan Van Loon. Dr. Van Loon was my instructor and is a world renowned expert in Pediatrics. She has helped thousands understands and evaluates these common infant issues.

Watch the video below to understand more about Tongue Ties also called Anklyoglossia:

If you are in the Central NY area I highly recommend the following practitioners.

Dr. Meghan Van Loon

and Pediatric Dentist Dr. Lawrence Kutlow

We made the trip to see Dr. Kutlow a week after we were diagnosed. He evaluated her and performed the surgery the same day. Here is a picture of Sarah Grace before the surgery and after she looked the same.

The actual procedure takes about 10 minutes. The after care is more in depth and I found it a little difficult, but something you have to do.

Did it make a difference? Yes.  I was able to nurse with more ease although it still took about 4 more weeks to get really comfortable with it. I choose not to solely nurse but that was my choice for my life and health.

I am very grateful for my friends on Facebook who suggested this might be the case. My midwife felt awful that she didn’t catch it, but I wasn’t upset about that. I do suggest if you are really struggling with nursing that you get a second opinion if your doctor or midwife doesn’t feel there is a problem. Go on Dr. Kutlow’s page and look at the video for diagnosing a tongue tie.

Sarah actually had both a tongue tie and a upper lip adhesion. After the surgery she was able to get her mouth fully around the breast instead of just biting. I also recommend you get a lactation consultation and help afterwards where someone comes into your home and helps you and the baby improve your breast feeding groove. Because like Sarah, your baby might be used to biting to get the milk which can continue to hurt.

I hope this helps you. Please share with all the mommas and going to be mommas you know.

For your Total Wellness,

Dr. Mary Starr Carter

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.

Well things are moving right along in our home. Baby girl Sarah Grace is gaining weight, Joshua is learning to be a good big brother, and my husband and I are learning to be parents of 2 kids. I don’t think those lessons will ever end but it is extremely rewarding and amazing.

I have had many requests about how I was able to ‘get things moving’ since I was 2-3 weeks overdue with Sarah. And yes it was an essential oil remedy and lots of God that came to my rescue and got this baby out GRACEFULLY.

In today’s article I share about what I did to GET THINGS MOVING. Enjoy and pass on the information to those you know are pregnant. It may help them avoid a C-Section or worse.

For your Total Wellness,

Dr. Mary Starr
The Total Wellness Doc and Mom

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Moving Right Along

Many of you have asked and now I will answer your questions about how I got my labor moving along. I was overdue with my little girl at least 2 weeks, possibly 3 weeks. I asked your advice on my Facebook page about tips to help my labor get started. Here were some of your suggestions and I actually did most of them.

Eat spicy food, a hotdog with relish, hot fudge sundae, Mexican food, drink Castor oil, get a massage, reflexology, acupuncture, chiropractic, go for a bumpy ride, walk a long distance, have sex.

But after 3 weeks of doing most all of these suggestions it was an essential oil remedy that made things get moving. It’s called the Jump Start Technique developed by Dr. LeAnne Deardeuff. And basically for less than $50 I was able to use Young Living’s Sclaressence essential oil to help my body go into labor.

On Sunday April 14th I saw the cutest new baby in church and my heart knew it was close but my body not so much. So after a big meal at Five Guys restaurant we went for a scenic bumpy drive and I started my Sclaressence regimen. On Monday I did the regimen again and went walking on a beautiful spring night followed by a hot fudge sundae. Tuesday morning I took another dose, started feeling small contractions around 7:30 am and went for a slow walk on my treadmill for 10 minutes. I had lunch, talked to my girlfriend at noon and finished up some loose ends and by 3pm I knew this was it.

Sarah was born at 8:22pm on Tuesday April 16th. I also have some great stories to share about the actual labor but I will share that in my next blog.

If you would like to know more about the Jump Start Technique please visit Dr. Leanne’s site at http://doctorleanne.com/pregnancy-course/. This program was a great investment and the tips I learned have been a total blessing to my clients and I. God Bless.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. It’s strictly for informational, educational, or entertainment purposes ONLY. The products I talk about are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any illness or disease. Any information I give you about them is for informational or entertainment purposes only. They have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Please seek the qualified health professional of your choice when making health decisions for yourself, your family and your pets.