Today Is...International Day of the Midwife

The word Midwife originates from the old English word mid (with) wife (Women) while the term 'HOW FECKIN' MUCH???' originates in US Maternity wards on receipt of the bill.
The differences between pregnancy and childbirth in the UK and in the USA are amazing and it starts with the baby Shower which are still relatively rare in the UK, not even so much as a KFC Bargain Bucket between friends to congratulate the new soon-to-be Mum and the popular gender-reveal parties are rarer still over here, one of those things we have heard about but nobody has ever been to one.
The next difference is at the actual delivery with UK Mum's almost exclusively being dealt with by the brilliant Midwives while in the States it is almost always a doctor who attends to the business of the delivery.
After the little bundle of joy is bought home there is the issue of maternity leave with the US being the only country in the developed world not to offer nationwide paid maternity leave entitlement, instead US mothers are entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave whereas in the UK, women are entitled to 39 weeks paid statutory maternity leave, and fathers two weeks.
When it comes to feeding, breast is certainly best in US where 50% exclusively breastfeed their babies after birth, a figure which is at 25% in the UK but there is one huge, breath-taking difference to giving birth in the UK and in the US, the cost.
The vast majority of UK women opt for free care under the tax funded NHS so all the above costs nothing, the premis being that the mother would have paid for the cost by the tax they have paid, and will pay, into the system.
In America, the bill is between £2,501 and £28,254 for an uncomplicated, natural birth, the cost rising to between £6,315 to £53,817 for a Cesarean section according to the British Medical Journal.
Americans are far more likely to rely on private insurance to fund their health care. However, many millions don't have health insurance, according to the US Census Bureau and for those who have, insurance companies shell out for only a third of the charges so they still have a massive bill to take home along with their baby.
I would guess the thought of the rapidly dwindling bank balance before you even leave the hospital is an effective contraceptive to many American families and just makes you appreciate the National Health Service and our midwives even more.