Ryan Grassley was overjoyed when his new son, Samuel, came into the world on September 23.
The proud dad posed for photos with his wife, Lidia, and Samuel, not knowing that the hospital was about to present him with a big surprise on the delivery bill. When Grassley looked at the itemized document, he was shocked to see a $40 charge for “skin-to-skin” contact.
Outraged that he had been charged for holding his own child, Grassley contacted the hospital and demanded an explanation. He was told the charge was added to cover the cost of having a second nurse come in the room during the contact to make sure nothing goes wrong.
Skin-to-skin contact with the mother right after birth is done to help a baby regulate its temperature, heartbeat and mood. It is also beneficial for starting the breastfeeding process.
Grassley posted a photo of the hospital bill on Reddit, where it quickly gained traction.
Several commenters were amazed by the cost of Lidia’s C-section and by the hospital charges in general. Grassley started a GoFundMe page to raise the $40 fee.
He said any amount over the $40 would go toward a vasectomy procedure to avoid future pregnancies.
