Sorry, I thought health insurance was something that each individual shopped around for and paid individually for (or for the family)... like car insurance.

Okay.... sorry this is going way off topic.... I just have no idea how the system works in the US.

Can't you purchase supplemental insurance if your insurance at work sucks?

Right. That makes sense. That really sucks!!!!

Even if you have decent insurance you have to worry about copayment and deductibles, etc. which could be very costly.

(Making a mental note never to vote for a politician wanting to privatize the Canadian health care system)

My sister is a Labor and Delivery nurse. I asked her if the hospital she works at has the birthing tub, and they do, but the nurses refuse to use it because it's a pain in the butt to clean/sanitize before and after. She says "would you want to get into a tub with another human's bodily fluids?" which is exactly what happens. Someone has to get in to assist the mother when she's laboring and delivering. UGH gross

Well, in the case of homebirth I'd be purchasing a tub (or using my bathtub). My husband might get in with me, but probably not.

I'm confused... if it's been cleaned then you're not getting in a tub with another person's fluids. Also, there's no reason for anyone else to need to be in the tub with the birthing mother.

I had a simple hand injury recently and ended up paying about $400 for two visits....

and that was when I had good insurance!! Why did my husband quit that job......??

ok we can stop talking about this now, I'll just get more upset.

Oh! Thanks Eiri - that's not how I read it.

Anytime I've seen a hospital or birthing center birth tub (on tv), the OB/midwife wears giant gloves that go all the way up to her armpit (like the ones a veterinarian wears to put their arm inside a cow). They sit/stand beside the tub and reach in with their gloved arm.

Any L&D worker who doesn't like something (such as a waterbirth) because of the inconvenience to them isn't thinking about mom & baby as a priority.

Don't bodily fluids kind've get everywhere when you're having any kind of birth?

I don't think she was saying it was an inconvienence, but more so that nobody is really comfortable with immersing their body parts in water that has amniotic fluid, blood, placenta, feces, etc in it. Would you be?

Really???

Ewww!!! I don't want that to happen to me!!

Yeah, your pushing and if it's in there, it's not in there for long. Even the docs that work in that hospital don't want to use it, so it isn't just the L&D nurses who hate it, it's everyone.
I gag at the sheer thought of it, but then that would be the #1 reason I didn't follow in my mother and sister's footsteps of being a nurse. Bodily fluids=gross for me

Yes, women defecate during labor. It is very very common.... your body is pushing hard (even if you're not).

If you're able to move around during labor because you're not hooked up to machines/IVs (yay homebirth) you can keep going to the toilet whenever you feel the need.

If it happens in the tub, a little fish net is handy. Whatever.

Delivery attendents are so accustomed to it, it doesn't even phase them. One friend of mine had a hospital birth. She pooped on the bed during a contraction and the nurse had it cleaned away so quickly that she barely even realized it happened - and her husband didn't even notice it at all!

Again.... there's no reason for a birth attendant to get into the tub with you so it shouldn't be an issue.