Insurance & Med-free Birth

With all of the crazy fun going on with Obamacare, I felt like this would be the appropriate time to share my fun insurance story from this morning!

I have BCBS of Louisiana.  It's a high deductible plan, which means that pretty much every single thing you can go to the doctor for is subject to that deductible first.  BCSB won't pay for anything until the deductible is met.  So, I decided to call them with a couple of questions this morning.  I realize that my policy could change for 1/1, but it might also stay the same.  As a former Girl Scout, I try to always be prepared.

So, my questions were regarding coverage/reimbursement for doula services and a breast pump.  Now, I still have my breast pump from Ethan, but on the chance that it craps out on me, I'd like to know that I won't have to come out of pocket another $250-300.  I even had a CPT code ready for them.  The lady was nice enough, although she had obviously never even heard of a doula before.  I explained that I knew this would be something I would pay for and then submit a claim, but I didn't want to waste any one's time if it wasn't going to at least be applied towards my deductible.  She comes back and tells me that the doula services are not covered at all, and that breast pumps are covered under the following:
- maximum $40 reimbursement for a manual pump that can be purchased at your local drugstore
- electric breast pumps must be purchased at a DME facility and will be subject to your deductible
- hospital-grade pumps will only be reimbursed if your physician has called ahead and obtained an authorization

Meh.  I get the breast pump part and can deal with it.  But, the denial of the doula service really annoys me.  The whole point of having a doula is to manage your pain through labor and delivery.  What I am trying to accomplish would save at least a thousand dollars for BCBS.  I had an epidural for Ethan.  The epidural and anesthetist fee that my insurance paid was around $1500-2000.  I'm asking for them to give me credit or pay a portion of $700.  Sounds like a bargain to me!  Yes, I could still end up with an epi, or even a C-section.  But, the doula services are designed to help avoid that.

So, why do I want to (try to) go natural?  A few reasons...
- When I had Ethan, I made it to 8 cm before I got the epidural.  Had I known how far I was (they checked me after), I might have changed my mind.  I was right there.
- The pure euphoria that (according to women who have been there) washes over you immediately following is something I want to experience.  Yes, it was amazing with Ethan; and no, I wouldn't give anything back.  But, I would like to try to experience this birth in a different way.
- The recovery (again, according to women who have been there) is MUCH smoother than with an epi or section.
- I DO NOT want to have another catheter.  I think that was a large part of the reason I felt like my bladder was going to fall out of my urethra for months.

There are downfalls as well.  If I were to be cut this time, there would be no anesthesia down there.  I've heard that is excruciating.  Thankfully, I did not need to be with Ethan, but that doesn't mean jack for this pregnancy.  One thing I am doing to assist in that area is squatting.  That is one of the best ways to prepare your body for childbirth.  Many women who go med-free even give birth in that position.  It opens your hips up and gives the baby plenty of space to squeeze through.  Studies have shown that women are more likely to tear or need to be cut when giving birth on their back.

But, enough of all that.  I am still educating myself and trying to use my time wisely to make sure know all of my options.  Having been through this before is super helpful, though.  I feel like my expectations are set at a more "real" standard because I know how my body acted for the last go 'round.  However, when it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, always expect the unexpected. ;)

It's a SLAB!

We have a slab!  Woohoo!

Is it just me, or does it look kinda small?

We are so excited!  Unfortunately, we didn't make it out there in time to do our hand prints on the back patio.  I dug our names out the best I could.

CHEESE!

 

And, now we're waiting on the framing materials to drop this week.  After that, they have 8 days to finish framing.  Then, it will really start to look like a house!

That brings me back to my previous bitching about the rain.  Seriously dude?  GFY.  But, we're still on track to be in the house before Christmas.  Even if we don't get the keys until the night before.  We will sleep on air mattresses, but we will be in our house for Christmas.  It will be glorious.

I was thinking about it last night.  Every time we came across something in our old house that we weren't happy with, the standard response was, "In the next house, we will [insert corrected annoyance/awesome updated item from old house here]."  Now, everything we want, we'll be doing to this house.  I'm sure that once we're in, we'll find things we want to change at some point.  But, there won't be this waiting game attached to it.  THIS is the house we want to raise our family in, that we want to STAY in for many, many years if not the rest of our lives.  So, if I say I want to plant fruit trees, Michael can't tell me that we'll do it in the next house because he doesn't want to waste the time or money on the house we're not staying in. ;)  CANNOT.WAIT!

And, I've started looking into digging the pool at the same time or right after the house is finished.  Crazy much?  It's a stretch, but we'll see.

So, ready for some baby talk?  I'm 15 weeks and still feel like my energy is gone.  I'm going to blame it on the rain.  Seems like a sound reason since the rain is interfering with the house, which means it's interfering with my happiness on some level.  I feel like I'm in a funk.  I am super overwhelmed with work, the HR class, the PHR test in December, working the weekends....I need to get away for a few days and recoup.  But, we're getting into the holidays, and there is SO MUCH going on right now.  Typically, October and November are my absolute favorite months.  The weather is gorgeous and I have so many great memories during those months.  I did request off for our anniversary weekend, so I am praying that MAYBE we can go somewhere for a couple of days.  Seriously, I might lose my shit soon if I don't catch a solid break.

Remind me again why the hell I took on so much at one time?  Oh yeah, because I am the dumbz.

Rain, rain stay away!

Seriously.  You're pissing me off.

Tuesday, they started to dig the footings for our slab since Monday was still too wet to do shit.  Then, yesterday, they laid the moisture barrier and starting with the metal wires.  I think that might continue through today.  If the rain stays away for the next several days, we should be able to pour the slab TOMORROW!!  Yippee!!!  Then it can sit over the weekend with HOPEFULLY no rain as well!  So far, weather.com is telling me that we are clear.  However, weather.com is also an overly anxious bitch, so we'll see.  I think as long as we get everything done before it rains, and then cover it, we'll be alright - especially if the rain will hold off until Sunday.

Oh, and, yesterday morning I almost poured coffee creamer into my Diet Dr. Pepper.  I might be losing it.

Yes, please, judge my caffeine intake.  I have significantly cut back since I learned I was pregnant.  I allow myself one or two servings of a caffeinated beverage per day, at most.  Honestly, it's almost laughable the difference in this pregnancy and Ethan.  I wouldn't even smell fresh deli meat with Ethan.  With this kid, I have a turkey sandwich about two or three times a week.  This pregnancy has been different in so many ways.  The fact that I was so nauseous during the first trimester was fairly different.  With Ethan, I was super tired and then I caught the flu, so that's not quite the same.  My hair, skin and nails look like shit.  I do not feel glowing and gorgeous like I did with Ethan.  I will be semi-shocked if this baby doesn't turn out to be a girl.  And, when it does turn out to be a girl, I'll be sure to remind her of the hell she put me through before she even graced the world with her presence. ;)

But, seriously...  I am super excited for this new kid.  I thought I would wonder how I could love this one the same or as much as I love Ethan, but that feeling has not crossed me yet.  Ethan loves to hug and kiss my belly and say "baby!".  He loves to see pictures of other babies and give his little cousin, Aly, kisses.  I think he's going to be a great big brother.  That, more than my reactions to this upgrade to our family, has been on my mind.  I just want Ethan to understand that we love him just as much, if not more, than we ever have with this new addition.  This baby isn't taking away from the love we have for him - it's making our family more complete.

Shifting from sappy to weird...  I had a vivid dream last night.  I was playing softball with some friends (one from high school that I haven't seen since my wedding) in a field that was set up behind my aunt's house.  All of a sudden, we had multiple tornadoes hitting.  I watched one pick up an SUV and slam it into the ground in a burst of flames and debris.  I remember going inside my parents' house and Michael telling me that Ethan was sleeping just before he woke up screaming.  I remember his scream being more like a newborn baby than a toddler.  After that, I woke up.  Dreaming about tornadoes (supposedly) means that you are feeling overwhelmed and out of control, this also includes general stress and huge changes in your life.  I'd say that's pretty accurate.  Between working two jobs with very few days off, building a house, living with my parents, renting our first home together out, being pregnant, starting a night class every Tuesday to pass my PHR certification, Ethan starting school, etc. etc. etc.... Yeah, I'm starting to feel it.  The problem is there is only one of those that I could possibly let go of right now.  I don't really want to quit my second job, though.  It's rough to get motivated to drive out there for each shift, but I do have fun while I'm there.  But, then I come home and see what I've been missing out on my only possible two days off and it makes me really sad...  I want to be that person that can handle it all, but it is starting to shift away from that.  It's not about "doing it all", but more about just drinking in this short amount of time I have with my babies still being babies.  I'm not sure what my next move is or when it will be.  I just pray that I make the right decisions before I hit a breaking point.

Am I annoying yet?

'Cause I'm starting to feel like I am!

Yes, I am very excited about our house.  And, yes, I am very excited about this beautiful little life we are adding to our family.  I also understand how incredibly annoying that can be for some people - which is why I'm blogging about it rather than turning my Facebook page into a smorgasbord of "OMGHOUSE!!" and "AHHHBABEH!!".

So, anyway.  OMGHOUSE!  I went by there yesterday, as is becoming my daily ritual... And, we had the rough-in plumbing!!!

So, next will be electrical, the grating and moisture barrier.  Then we can pour the slab!  I am praying this rain stays away or is just light this weekend.  Obviously, they can't install anything if it's raining on them.  Even if it just rained this afternoon or tomorrow, that would be better for a dry Monday.  Can you tell that I am anxious to get this slab poured?

Ethan had picture day yesterday.  I sent him in a white polo and prayed that pictures were the first item of the day.  As I expected, that white shirt was almost tan when I picked him up. :)  I love that he gets so much outside play time there.  That child would live outside if he could.  He is a boy through and through.

Speaking of boys... I had a dream last night that I could feel the baby move, and even Michael could feel it.  I remember at some point in the dream that I was told it was boy, but I don't remember who told me.  In the dream, I had mixed feelings about it because I was positive it was a girl at that point.  It's funny to think about it because I would be thrilled to have another little boy.  Ethan is awesome and super easy.  Not that another boy would automatically be easy, but they don't need the matching bows and shoes to go with their outfit.  I can be in a hurry and throw Ethan into whatever is clean. Haha!  But, I would also love a little girl.  As corny as some people think it sounds, I just want a healthy baby.

Until next time, which is hopefully soon (the more I blog, the more shit is getting done!)!! ;)

House, Ultrasound & CLASS?!

I feel like I'm in this weird time "twilight zone".  Tomorrow marks three weeks since we closed on our loan and purchased our lot.  While I feel like we're moving at a snail's pace, driving by the lot paints a different picture.



More than just a big dirt pile now!

The forming of the slab has been set and everything will be ready for pouring next week.  I never realized what all goes into a slab before you actually haul the concrete out there.  There's the termite treatment, plumbing, some electrical, inspections, etc. etc.  It's a much more involved process than I previously thought.  That being said, I've been very anxious to get the slab poured, because that will signal the first draw on our loan!  Woohoo!  We've come out of pocket roughly $8k, and it would be nice to pay our savings back.  That is one thing that we never really looked into before we changed gears to building our own house - how much money we needed in our back pockets to get started.  I am SO GLAD that we were just blindly and madly saving as much as we could because it has really helped.  The bank needs to know that you can afford the project that you are starting.  They do so much paperwork to prove that, but then, it takes even more money to get the project off the ground before the bank hands over a dime.  I've been keeping detailed spreadsheets of our house budget and the money we've pulled out of savings that will need to be paid back to us.  These items include:

- elevation certificates (proposed & actual)
- General Liability/Builder's Risk insurance & temporary flood insurance
- building permit
- slab survey (for the first draw to be completed), property markers
- dirt/clay for the slab to be built on

There are also closing costs associated with how much the bank decides you will come out of pocket based on the budget to build the house that you sent them versus 80% of the appraised value that they find.  We also elected to make some last minute plan changes, which cost some money.  And, we found our front door, and put a deposit on that.  Oh, and we had to set up a rental service for a port-o-potty for the workers. :)

Once the slab is poured and the framing goes up, we'll do a walk for our stained concrete designs.  We are also getting ready to take a trip to decide on our tub and plumbing fixtures.  Of course we selected a tub size that needs to be special ordered.  Go figure!  The turn around is only two weeks, so that won't be terrible - but, I'd rather get that out of the way.  Then, we'll need to schedule a time to check out paint and make those decisions.  Obviously, the easiest thing to do would be select one color for the entire house - not going to happen.  I'm sure that will take up the better part of a Saturday morning!
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Moving on to the babeh!  Baby Hathcox #2 is growing quite nicely and we have finally entered the second trimester.  I am praying that the nausea and fatigue finally start to subside.  It has been exhausting!  My skin and hair have not been as healthy as they were when I was pregnant for Ethan.  I've been craving fruit and sweets like mad.  Red meat as the main part of a meal has been a big turn-off.  Smells really get to me - and, I can smell EVERYTHING.  I've definitely been more stressed this time around because of the new house, working weekends at Lush and living with the folks.  Otherwise, it's been a pretty nice pregnancy. ;)

Last week, we had an ultrasound!  Baby was a serious wiggle worm!

It's a babeh!

I'm pretty upset that I can't find my doppler to listen to the heartbeat.  I know it's around, but just not sure if it's around the storage facility or the house apartment.  I went ahead and ordered another one.  I used to listen to Ethan almost every night - especially if it was a rough day.  Plus, when the other one turns up, I'm sure there will be another pregnant friend who would love to use it.

I was also informed that BRCC has an ultrasound program and they do free ultrasounds.  I wouldn't be too terribly interested, but I would like to have one at 16 or 17 weeks if I didn't have to pay for it.  They grow so much during this time, and the next time we'll be scheduled to see him or her is at 20 weeks.

Speaking of BRCC, I started my PHR certification course this week.  It's once a week for 12 weeks.  ZOMJesus, it's a lot of information.  Six thick workbooks that will take us 2 weeks at a time to get through, plus the reading material, plus the online modules and e-flashcards on our phones.  Yeah.  I better pass this freaking test. Lol  After I got home at 9:20, I realized how draining Tuesdays are going to be.  I will go straight from work to class for three hours.  This old lady is used to a 9:30-10pm bedtime.  It took me about an hour to unwind after I got home.  I was dragging ASS the next morning.  I just keep reminding myself that it is totally worth it to be PHR certified. :)

So, that's pretty much it for now.  I should probably blog more often since I tend to have A LOT to say when I do get around to it!  And, hopefully some of this house jabber can or will be helpful to someone out there now or in the future.

All the things!

That pretty much sums up the last few days!

We are FINALLY going to closing on our construction loan and purchasing our lot today!  This has been a long two months in the making, and everything has finally settled into place (knock on wood!).  We have patiently waited for my company to take ownership of the lot (part of a larger trade) and now we get to buy it from them!  Woohoo!

We have been getting everything prepared that we could in advance for this build.  We already have the building permits, our GC has ordered for Demco to set up the pole, the property markers are being placed today, and.....yesterday, we put the deposit down for our front door!  We had a good idea of what we wanted and were fortunate enough to find it.  They will deliver the door once we get to that point in the building process.  Monday, we picked out our brick and granite.  Yesterday, I sat down the guy who drew the plans originally and we made some (last minute) changes to the house:

- Changed the front elevation from stucco to all brick
- Adjusted the master bath to get six more inches of length for the tub (we're bath people)
- Added a place for a refrigerator in the outdoor kitchen
- Added a drop table to the island in the kitchen
- Replaced the microwave with an ice maker (it was below the counter on the island - easy placement for little fingers to press buttons)
- Added outlets in the floor in the living room
- Added a pot filler at the stove
- Added a gas drop to the outdoor kitchen (it was set up for propane tanks)

Next week, we are meeting up with a guy who specializes in stained concrete.  We have some ideas on what we would like to see in person - including the following:



Faux wood stained concrete in the living room

A design in the entrance

 

There are SO many things you can do with stained concrete.  And, the maintenance is so much lower than with wood or even carpet.

On a "sad mommy" note... We went to Ethan's open house last night - he starts MDO next week.  I was so amazed at how organized it is.  They have everything set up like a classroom.  Of course with two year olds, there is more flexibility since most are coming from a "stay at home" environment and not a daycare.  I am so excited to see how Ethan is going to flourish!  They have picture day in a few weeks, and have a field trip of sorts every month.  Plus, they go to chapel once a month - which I really like.  It makes me sad to see him grow up, but it is very exciting at the same time.

All of this going on really makes me excited for March.  I am anxious to be in our new home with our two beautiful babies.  I dream about those magical 12 weeks where I get to play "Stay-at-Home Mommy" and just enjoy the two of them.  I can't wait! :)

Prenatal Yoga

Why didn't I do this with Ethan?!  Who knows.

So, about a month ago, I researched prenatal yoga in the area.  I found two studios in Denham Springs that offer classes.  One was in the middle of a transition of owners and the other was right down the road from work.  They offer a class on Wednesday at noon, so I decided to sneak away from my desk and go try it out at lunch that week.  I absolutely fell in love.  It gave me an hour away everything and focus on me and baby.  I immediately grabbed the STEAL they had on Groupon and have been going regularly for the past four weeks.

What I love is that it's a small class - usually me and one other girl, but last week another two ladies tried it out (and, it was still an intimate class).  We start each class with a little recap of something good and bad that happened with us and baby over the last week.  Then, we move into the stretching.  We do some strengthening moves, including kegals, and then use the last 5 minutes or so of class to meditate.  After class, I grab a soup and salad from the DeAngelo's across the street and then come back to work feeling balanced and happy.  With the regular stresses of work and the bigger stresses of building a house, I need this time away (albeit brief).

I'm super excited to be able to FINALLY go to their Saturday class this week.  I have a video at home somewhere that I could use, but I don't really have a nice quiet place to do it at the house.  I wish I did because I would do it every.single.day.  When we finally get to move into the new house, I'll have that space for the final months of this pregnancy - which will probably be when I need it the most!