Nashville is equipped with a wide variety of birth professionals including those trained to assist families with the loss of a child. I'm so thankful for these professionals and the resources they can provide to families who have experienced the loss of their baby either in utero or at term. Here's a current list of what's available to our Middle TN families. 

1-844-4-BABYLOSS
If you or someone you know experiences a loss, please contact the number above to reach a Baby Loss Family Advisor. They will help you find the resources you need. They can even meet with a family at home or in the hospital to discuss options and help you in this journey. They also have a Cuddle Cot available that can be used to provide additional time with the baby before saying goodbye. This is a free service that is provided on a volunteer basis. 

SUPPORT GROUPS
Sharing Middle TN meets once per month at Centennial Women's Center. Please view their support schedule or email them at info@sharingmiddletn.org. The group is open to anyone and is free to attend. 
 
LACTATION SERVICES
Kate Cropp provides lactation support free of charge to loss mamas. You can contact her at Kate@nashvillebirthandbabies.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep offers the gift of remembrance through photography. We have several photographers available in Middle TN. Please call the dispatch line at 931-452-9859 to be matched with a volunteer photographer.  

LOSS DOULAS
These women provide birth support as well as loss services. If you are still pregnant and have experienced a  loss, please contact 1-844-4-LOSS and they can help connect you to a birth doula with this area of expertise. 

If you know of other professionals who offer loss services, please contact me and let me know so that I can add them to this list. 

As the cost of insurance and maternity riders continues to sky-rocket, many are looking for alternative solutions to save on healthcare costs. 

Enter healthcare sharing plans. 

Did you know that the cost for cash-paying patients is often up to 90% less expensive than those with insurance? I learned this the hard way last year after being stuck with a $13K insurance bill that would have been $2K without insurance. Cash-pay really is the way to go! 

I have since dropped my insurance plan and switched to Christian Healthcare Ministries. 

They also have maternity plans that will cover both midwife expenses and hospital charges. A story in their most recent newsletter is from a family who was charged $15K for their first child's delivery in a hospital, compared to only $3K for the delivery of their 2nd child using CHM. Plus, the $3K was reimbursed through the health-sharing plan! You can check out more maternity sharing stories on their website (click on each picture to expand the details).

Here's a snapshot of what the CHM maternity coverage looks like on their 3 different plan levels. 

For maternity care, this is excellent coverage. You can also see below that their monthly plan costs are also quite affordable. I'm currently on the Silver Plan. 

One key thing to remember when purchasing maternity coverage with CHM is that you must have an estimated delivery date of 300 days after you sign up, so you would not be eligible for benefits if you registered after becoming pregnant. There are a few other guidelines for signing up for the plan that you can learn about here. 

If you decide that Christian Healthcare Ministries is right for you, please mention my Member ID at signup #234256, as referring new members helps me to save on my healthcare costs. 

**UPDATE: Many have asked about home birth. I received a newsletter today, which confirms that that home birth charges can be shared under the Gold Plan. You can also share up to $2,500 in midwife charges under the Silver plan. 

​View the complete CHM Maternity Guide