I was born and raised just outside of Chicago but spent most of my childhood in both my hometown and Chicago. I knew financially it was a struggle for my parents to live in Illinois but not until I became an adult did I realize the depths of that struggle. And even then, I hadn’t itemized our every day expenses in comparison to the rest of the country.

Many of us pick the state we live in due to family, friends, job, birth place, convenience or whatever other obligation we feel burdened with or committed to. However, how many of us pick a state because we’ve done the research to find out what is affordable and what will help us gain financial freedom? Sometimes we feel pulled in so many different directions that we’re often unsure of our financial priorities. If this sounds like you and you’re looking for that push in a better direction, start your search now! 😁

HOME BIRTHING WITH A CPM

One of the many reasons I mention in the video for wanting to move, are the laws for Certified Professional Midwives, also known as direct-entry midwives. They can legally practice in 31 states but not in mine. See a complete list where CPM’s can legally practice at Midwives Alliance of North America.

After not being allowed to walk around in labor, insisting I be hooked up to an IV, threatened with a C-section because my labor wasn’t progressing as fast as the doctor wanted and left with nerve damage after my last epidural, I finally decided that I was going to give birth at home with any future babies. Unfortunately my selection for professional attendees was limited due to Illinois’ refusal to allow CPM’s to practice in their state. I was undeterred and went on to have five home births.

During my years of home birthing, I traveled to the capitol with my children and joined many other families in support of a bill that would legalize the practice of CPM’s and couldn’t believe what we were up against. After advocates and supporters of legalizing midwifery in Illinois spoke, then came one, YES ONE, male obstetrician who tried countering and spoke of the dangers of having CPM’s in attendance and home birthing altogether.

That’s it. That’s all it took. One obstetrician against an ocean of supporters. So many that they filled the capitol. It was obvious what happened and we didn’t have the financial means to fight that. I mean it is Illinois after all and the hospitals want the money. Media and opposing politicians now call births attended by Certified Professional Midwives in Illinois, “black market home births.”

The Illinois Council of Certified Professional Midwives reports
the average cost of a home birth ranges between $2,500 to $3,500.

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association says the median cost
of a hospital non-cesarian birth without complications is more than $12,000.

SOURCE

Think about this, in ILLINOIS …

• EMT’s (emergency medical technicians) have MUCH less training in assisting at births than CPM’s but legally can.
• Abortion is legal at ALL stages of pregnancy, yet certified professional midwives are deemed illegal.

So before you move to another state, make sure you research all aspects of that state to see if it’s a good fit for you and your family.