Bob

So a few more bills have rolled in.

The sleep apnoea monitor, apparently we haven't reached a particular deductible so owe $170 for the rental on top off our monthly portion of $17.

The doctor has sent a bill for OB care and routine delivery, bit cheeky as the doctor was on holiday and anyway, the nurse delivered the baby without any doctors around.

Bill was a flat $5000, which the insurance paid $1411 and then there was a commercial insurance adjustment of a little over $2300 meaning we have a balance of $657 to pay.

Aetna, we've had a case worker nurse call us to see how we're doing and to see if we've been having problems with the monitor, she helped kick them in the arse to get us more leads and also to answer some questions. A little more worrying than not with some things to look out for, but anyway, also found out that they won't cover the premie formula on prescription because it's available over the counter, even if hard to find, but she said she'd investigate any other alternatives that they would cover. Not heard back from that.

Oh and we got a pack of monitor leads, quite a few in fact, luckily we dont' have to pay for the leads but they were charging the insurance $17 for a set of leads, which is quite the racket, can't cost more than a couple of pennies to stick the leads on and bag up.

Wintersong

Congrats on your new arrival, Bob!!!

Bob

Ouch...we just got our per day intensive care bill...thank god for insurance I say, again...

The hospital charged $1220 a day on average, but knocked about $500 off per day as an insurance adjustment rate and after the insurance paid out, we're expected to pay around $30-90 per day, depending on what happened that day.

We also got charged $350 for discharge final check up, to cover car seat test etc.

Our insurance paid out around $10K and saved themselves just over $9K with adjustments and we're due to pay $670 on that portion of the bill.

So that's another one tossed on to the pile of bills

Sally Redux

Ouch but glad everything's going well

Rete

I have to ask. Did you use a hospital that accepts your hospital plan? If so, they are suppose to accept the hospital plans payment as payment in full. This is the same for the doctor.

I have had several ops the last ten years and never once was billed by the hospital or the doctor for the difference in the payment by the plan to what was charged.

Bob

Our doctor is linked to the hospital and the hospital is a "preferred" insurance hospital.

The hospital is giving the insurance an adjusted rate on bulk custom, the insurance is paying their percentage and we're left with the 10% remaining on the bill that's the adjusted rate.

We're just seeing the full itemised bill from the hospital, rather than what we've seen in the past as a statement from the insurance company, which was what happened with the first kid, but as the insurance then paid the whole thing off, they didn't show the figures, just what they were paying for.

NatashaB

I am still following this thread with interest - thanks Bob!

What options are there in hospital for trying out different formulas/bottles? Just wondering if we should buy before birth (I'm hoping to breastfeed but don't want to have no bottles available if it doesn't work out) or wait and try equipment in the hospital to see what works best.

Sally Redux

Think positive and you'll be fine with the breastfeeding.

NatashaB

I hope so! everything is going really smoothly so far so hopefully the birth and afterwards will be no different. I will be going back to work at some point though so I guess I will have to switch at least some of the feeds over to bottles at some point. Although I was pleasantly surprised that we have a 'lactation room' at work where women can express.

Bob

Formula, whatever they give you, but there isn't much choice in premie formula. Bottles, the hospital used disposable tubes and nipples, unless you brought your own in.

You'll probably use a bottle the first couple nights anyway because you're really knackered and baby might not be kept in your room, depending on the hospital, well over night at least.

We're using breast milk for the most part with formula as a calorie top up. Hospital will most likely have a breast pump while you are there.

You'll want bottles, even if you plan to breast pump, because sometimes you'll just want a rest at night and the OH can feed, plus it'll be really nice bonding for him as being a first time dad is a really weird disconnect because you are so felt to be uninvolved with the bonding experience other wise, well I think anyway.

Bottles we're got, used and thoughts -

Tommy Tippy, the new ones, really like them, took a while to get used to and baby leaks a bit with them as she's so small, but they feel good, wide opening makes them easy to wash and pour formula into, also no extra parts, easy to travel with, and pretty good about low gas issues. Wide base is a possible problem with car/pushchair cupholders not being wide enough though.

Adiri - Natural breast feel bottle, awesome, works a treat, utterly shit if you're travelling though as the lid doesn't really trap the liquid securely, also a arse to wash the nipple, but no gas issues and not many parts.

Dr Browns - Awesome, works a treat, no gas issues...but small opening means a mare to wash and pour formula into, also lots of parts to wash which is a hassle and more hassle to use if travelling as they have a disc you slip in to stop it leaking, which is a pain in the arse when your hands are full and baby is mental.

First Years, Smoothie - Works a treat, not many parts, main issue is very wide so hard to slide into average insulated bottle holders for travelling. One plus, the lid clips onto the base so it's one less thing to carry around and/or lose when out and about.

Avent - The bendy ones with the vent on the bottom. Shit. They leak like a sonna-ho-bag. Doesn't matter that they work, you'll have milk pouring up your arm and where ever you put the bugger in your bag, plus when full, they tend to fall over all the time.

Green Sprouts - Greeny/organic hippy bottle...but awesome, works well, easy to clean, very safe...bit pricey, so buy online for better deals, but you can use other bottle nipples with this one such as Dr Browns as they're the same size.

The Glass Baby - Haven't tried, but friends have, lovely bottle, weighs a ton, who can be arsed to lug that thing around, especially when baby can't hold it for themselves.

Boon products are great, their staggered bottle holding tray works a treat, comes apart easily for washing and holds a lot of stuff without falling over and fits into dishwasher, also collapses if you need the space. The Boon Garden is great too, rubber looking grass patch that you dump bottle, dummy, whatever onto and dries easily. They also have the Spoon, for first feedings, pour food into handle and squeeze onto tip, also seals up well, so great for travel and convenience, best thing ever.

Bob

Since Jan of this year, every employer over x number, 50 I think, has to provide a sealed private room that isn't the bathroom for nursing mothers and allow them "all reasonable time" to pump, which works out at about 10 mins for every hour as a rule of thumb for any baby under 12 months.

NatashaB

Thanks Bob - you are obviously the bottle expert!

Bob

We're had a good run of trying them all out

It helped that when we were having the first kid, a local small maternity/baby store was closing down, so we got a bit of everything for really cheap

Anian

I had some success with the classic Avent bottles (plain, squat shape). All the tops and bottom parts are interchangeable with their other kids range, so you can swap them, although we found we didn't do it much. Very freaky thing happened with the breast pump, but that is of a supernatural nature (special valve went missing in the dishwasher, went to get the only spare and there were two in the package - it only came with one spare, so what the hell happened there?!)

TracyTN

I was going to say - our Avent bottles are not 'bendy', nor do they leak - so Bob's post surprised me on that a little. Ours must be the 'classic' too. Didn't even know they had bendy ones!! Then again, I didn't breast feed. Is that the difference maybe?