This Utah hospital made a couple pay $40 to hold their newborn baby after delivery

Only in America.
(Image credit: iStock)

Hugging your children apparently costs a pretty penny: A Utah couple was billed about $40 by a hospital for the privilege of holding their newborn baby. After giving birth to little Samuel, parents Ryan and Lidia Grassley were asked by nurses if they wanted "skin-to-skin contact," ABC News reports. Later when they received an itemized bill for the hospital trip, they were shocked to find a charge of $39.35 for "skin-to-skin after C-sec." The Utah Valley Hospital later defended the bill, saying the cost went toward covering the "additional staff" needed to put the baby securely in the mother's arms. "It seemed ridiculous," Ryan said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More