(Editor’s note: Different mainstream versions have the mom or dad being charged extra for holding the newborn. Either way, it’s ridiculous!)
Did you hear about this? Check out this bill that a new Dad posted to Reddit after taking a look and seeing the hospital had charged him $39.35 for holding the baby after delivery. For real.
Hospitals Charging Parents Extra To Hold Baby After Birth
The bill, now going viral, shows a charge for “skin to skin after c sec.” The Reddit user who posted the pic explained that the hospital did a great job delivering his son but that our health care system must be a mess if this is the norm:
“During the C-section the nurse asked my wife if she would like to do skin to skin after the baby was born. Which of course anyone would say yes too. We just noticed it in the bill today.
The nurse let me hold the baby on my wife’s neck/chest. Even borrowed my camera to take a few pictures for us. Everyone involved in the process was great, and we had a positive experience. We just got a chuckle out of seeing that on the bill.”
Now, a labor and delivery nurse on Reddit attempted to explain that allowing parents to hold their OWN CHILDREN AFTER BIRTH, in the OR, requires an additional nurse to come in and watch the baby while it’s being held by the mother, but nope- that’s not acceptable! However, it does make me wonder…do they charge you every time you hold a baby in your room, too? There is absolutely NO reason for them to need an additional nurse. In fact, I spoke to my editor who had TWO children via c-section- one of whom was born 3 months early- and they were not only never charged that price (over a decade ago) but the hospital encouraged the important skin to skin bonding, which is every parents right and nothing they need help with.
So, if you were STILL wondering if our medical system was functioning properly, this should confirm it for you. To drive the point home, a writer for VOX- Johnny Harris, attempted to find out just how much a normal birth would cost BEFORE hand. See below.
It would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad and frustrating.
