Personal Experiences: Having a Baby In Denmark Vs. The United States

Emma Johnson, Contributor, Aug 31, 2015 @ 10:05 AM, Source

Earlier this month I spent three weeks in Copenhagen where I worked, rode a bike through the beautiful canal-lined streets, drinking all kinds of great wine at the city’s zillions of outdoor cafes, and making new friends.

One is Erica, an American marketing manager and mom of two school-aged kids, who — like mine — are aged 5 and 7. Erica (who asked her last name not be used) and her husband have lived in Denmark’s capitol for nine years, and I was eager to know what her experience was like having and raising kids when compared with my own.

PRENATAL CARE 

Erica in CPH: When she learned she was pregnant, Erica called her doctor, and made her first appointment. Since she has a “yellow card” — equivalent to our Social Security card,  – she was already plugged into the national health care system, which is paid for with her tax money, and costs her nothing out of pocket. “There was no paperwork,” she says. “I just swiped my yellow card and everything was taken care of.”

At her first visit, Erica was assigned a midwife, and was given an schedule of appointments, all of which were with the midwife to which she was assigned, except for one with an OBGYN. Midwives and doctors did not wear clinician garb, but rather street clothes. “The doctor was wearing shorts and hiking boots. It made me feel like there was less of a barrier between us, and that this was just a normal part of life — not a serious medical event .”

The single OBGYN appointment involved getting naked, laying on the table and getting examined. No drape involved. Erica attended free-of-charge birthing classes.

This system was not of her choosing — simply the standard order of care for a pregnancy. “I was just plugged into the system. I trusted that the level of care was high, and I trusted the situation.”

Erica ranked her top three hospital choices, and while she and her husband did not get their No. 1 pick — the facility closest to their home — “I was more than happy with where we were assigned,” she says.

Emma in NYC: During open enrollment the year before we conceived, my then-husband and I waded through the details of the various health insurance options offered by his employer. Calculations included cost of premiums, co-pays and deductibles related to prenatal care and delivery, and whether our hospital and doctor of choice were in-network. At the end of the day, we guestimated the best option, and signed up.

I also spent weeks asking friends for recommendations for OBGYNs and researching hospitals. Unsure of the route for me, I researched midwives and natural births, the pros and cons of epidurals and episiotomies, doulas and birthing centers. I was overwhelmed. My husband and I attended a two-day birthing class at a private center for $500, which insurance did not reimburse.

I was happy with my doctors for both my deliveries, though it was standard American care — white coats (though one — a beautiful woman a few years younger than me — sometimes attended my checkups wearing exquisite designer suits in Easter egg colors and significant fine jewelry, which both impressed and intimidated me). Full lower-body draping for exams, and mounds and mounds of paperwork at every turn. The doctors gave me the impression of being competent and skilled, which comforted me, but I can’t say I loved any of them. Visits were short and all-business.

DELIVERY AND POST-BIRTH

Erica in CPH When her water broke during her first pregnancy, Erica measured her contractions until it was time to deliver, then arrived at the hospital to be attended to by the midwife on call. Throughout the labor she spent time in a shower and warm bath — both standard features in the state-run birthing facility. As Erica was promised, her wishes for a natural birth were honored. Midway through labor the midwife’s shift ended and her replacement arrived. “The second was even better than the first,” she said.

During the delivery, the room was darkened, and candles lit. After, the midwife shone a flashlight on the placenta for Erica and her husband to admire. “It was so cool, at the time it seemed like the most amazing thing,” Erica says.

Her newborn son was immediately placed on his mother — goop and all — and the new parents were left with their son for a couple of hours, during which a tray of tiny cookies, juice and toast and jam were brought, adorned with a tiny Danish flag.

Since she was having trouble nursing, the midwife immediately checked both parents for five days into the hospital where they were attended to by nurses who helped with nursing, along with medical-grade breast pumps.

“They were just there to answer questions and give you comfort,” Erica says. During their stay, the couple shared a king-sized bed and were fed three meals a day. “It was delicious,” Erica says.

Out-of-pocket medical expenses: 0 Krone

Emma in NYC:

I committed to a hospital birth with an epidural and my OBGYN. Pretty standard care (including plenty of paperwork along the way), including that when dilation slowed to a halt, my doctor pressured me to have a cesarean. My husband and I pushed back, though ultimately I struck a fever and went under the knife. After, my newborn daughter was immediately taken away to be cleaned up, and (no one said anything about the placenta) an hour later delivered to me, bundled up, pink and gorgeous.

I struggled with pain and production the first couple days of nursing. A nurse wheeled in a super-powered breast pump and instructed me on placing it over my engorged breasts, and turned it on full-force. Ouch! There was one group nursing class per day with a funny smart older woman who I liked very much but other new moms hated because she was aggressive in grabbing their breasts and forcing out milk.

My husband and I paid $400 per night for a private room (the fee has since risen to $600 per night). If I had stayed in a shared room, for no extra cost, my husband could not have stayed over.

The food was for me alone, and I was not allowed to eat until I had passed gas (!). It was not delicious. No flags.

I was sent home with a free case of Enfamil formula (says Erica: “I didn’t need any formula, so I didn’t get any. I’m pretty sure you have to buy your own”.

Out-of-pocket medical expenses: about $3,500.