Three Reasons Giving Birth at an Army Hospital Is Actually Pretty Great

Our oldest daughter, Psalm, was born three days before Michael left for Basic Training, and about three weeks before she and I were officially enrolled in DEERS (the database that tracks service members’ and their dependents’ benefits). Because of this, she was born in a civilian hospital. But our second and third babies were both born at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) here at Fort Campbell, KY. I’ve been seen at civilian women’s health clinics in Utah, Kansas, and California while pregnant, as well as at Blanchfield. So it’s fairly safe to say that I’ve got a good feel for the differences between how civilian and Army hospitals handle pregnancy, labor, and delivery. And what I’ve realized after experiencing both versions of pre- and postnatal health care is that going to an Army hospital is actually pretty great. Here are just three reasons why.

1. Army hospital = free baby

You heard me right. FREE! Having a baby at a civilian hospital can cost tens of thousands of dollars when you add up all the bills for prenatal care, labor and delivery, the hospital stay, and postnatal care. Even with Tricare Select health insurance, which keeps costs at a minimum compared to private insurance, you still end up paying a few thousand dollars when all is said and done. But health care for you and your baby throughout the pregnancy and beyond is completely free if you are seen at and deliver your baby at your local Army hospital with Tricare Prime insurance. That includes everything from your monthly prenatal visits to the food you eat during your hospital stay. Some women still find that they’d rather have the freedom to give birth at a hospital of their choice or at a birthing clinic, despite the price tag. If you have the financial means to do so, go for it! But if the cost of copays and premiums is too overwhelming, knowing that you can have your baby without dealing with any of that thanks to Uncle Sam is pretty relieving.

2. OBs at Army hospitals tend to be younger

The civilian OB who delivered Psalm was nearing retirement and had been birthing babies for 40 years! While his experience made him extremely laid back and unphased by pretty much anything, it also meant that he was more likely to rely on his own experience and less likely to rely on the most current medical practices. For example: Psalm had a big head and my doctor wanted to get pushing over with faster. So he gave me an episiotomy. I did not need one, but episiotomies had been standard procedure when this doctor went to medical school. He’d been performing them for 40 years, so why hesitate with me when he’d done it so many times without any severe consequences? When I was in labor the second time—at an Army hospital—my OB was a resident. He asked if I’d torn with my first delivery and I told him I’d had an episiotomy. Surprised, he asked if there had been a medical reason for the procedure. “The doctor told me the baby’s head was too big,” I replied lamely. The resident stared at me for a second before responding with, “Well, that’s not how we do things anymore.” No episiotomy the second time around, and I healed so much faster!

The civilian doctor I saw during the first half of my pregnancy with Oliver had also been practicing for several decades.  That isn’t to say that there aren’t young civilian OBs in the world, because obviously there are. Nor am I implying that doctors who have been practicing for 20 years or more can’t be up-to-date on all the latest medical procedures and best practices. But many of the doctors and midwives at Army hospitals are service members and spouses themselves, which means they’re freshly out of medical school within the last decade. Some of the doctors I’ve seen had kids the same age as mine. Unlike my four previous middle aged civilian doctors who sort of went through the motions of checking on me and my baby, the doctors and midwives at Blanchfield would really listen to and connect with me.

It’s also interesting to note that our labor and delivery nurse during Eden’s birth was a civilian (GS employee) who had been practicing for almost two decades. She had worked in hospitals in the area for several years before moving to BACH, and told us that she stayed at the military hospital because the focus on patient care was much higher than in the civilian hospitals she’d worked at before. Her experience in civilian hospitals was competitive and stressful and focused on meeting quotas rather than providing excellent care.

If you prefer having an OB with lots of real-life experience, then maybe having a younger doctor isn’t necessarily a plus for you. But I have really enjoyed having doctors and midwives who understand the phase of life I’m in and take the time to keep me informed about every procedure, test, and exam that they’re doing and why it’s the most up-to-date, best practice. I’ve felt much more connected to and understood by the medical teams at BACH than I did to any of the civilian OBs I’ve seen.

3. These doctors aren’t interested in your money

All Army doctors (including the civilians) are government employees and are paid a salary based on their rank or GS level. They don’t make any extra money if you get additional testing. They don’t get paid more because you have this or that insurance. They don’t charge you for every ultrasound or for the snacks your husband eats out of the fridge in the nourishment room of the Mother/Baby ward. They’re getting paid the same amount to see every patient, every day, no matter what. The motivation to provide excellent care comes through promotion, additional funding for the hospital, and their own work ethic.

When we were in California and I was pregnant with Oliver, I was pressured to receive every possible test, ultrasound, scan, and procedure. When I pushed back against a test or procedure because it was inconvenient or unnecessary or even invasive, I was treated as though I was crazy for having a dissenting opinion.  It was actually really stressful for me. I had to stand up for my own mental and physical health every time I went to an appointment, and it was exhausting. By the time we arrived at Fort Campbell, the relief at being able to pick and choose which tests to take during the final three and a half months of my pregnancy was extreme. There was no reason for the Army doctors to pressure me about exams or testing. If there was no medical necessity for it, and they weren’t benefiting financially from it, it could be left entirely up to me.

If you’ve read my post about Eden’s birth story, then you know that my delivery this last time was pretty traumatic and dangerous. The staff at Blanchfield, from the midwife who delivered Eden to the Pediatrician who revived her to the nurse who kept us laughing through the pain and stress, were honestly incredible. They acted quickly to save both me and my baby, and they took every precaution necessary to make sure we both recovered fully. Someone was always available to keep us informed on what was going on, and everyone was both honest and hopeful. Many women are concerned that the care at an Army hospital will be somehow subpar. In my experience the opposite has been true.

Obviously Army hospitals aren’t perfect. No hospital is. There will always be doctors and nurses and staff members who rub you wrong. And there will always be that cranky receptionist or that rude pharmacist. There will be scheduling difficulties, long wait times, and inconvenient appointments. And you will always know a few people with horror stories. Those things happen at civilian and Army hospitals alike. But in my experience, while Army hospitals may have many of the same downsides as all other hospitals, they have some unique upsides. So when deciding if you want to deliver your baby at a civilian or military hospital, remember that your local Army hospital probably isn’t your worst option. It may even be your best one.