Parter not supporting HBAC-I can't find Water VBAC friendly Ob on Gold Coas :(

[Chels]

Today my partner and I went to visit a Midwife (we are on the Gold Coast) to try and educate him and dispell some of his fears about HBAC. He stands his ground
The midwife was very informative and encouraging but, because noone will insure homebirth midwives, she advises us to delay conceiving until June so that it will have been 2 years since my c-section. We have tried once and were planning on trying this month, but now not sure because I desperately want a waterbirth Vbac and preferably a Hbac!
There was another couple present who advised of a friend who had recently birthed waterbirth Vbac at a gold coast hosp with Dr Truss, but I can't find his details anywhere. Reason I am looking is because my partner will not support me with a HBAC
Can anyone point me in the direction of this Dr Truss please or a Midwife who will do HBAC after less than 2 years (it will be 21 rather than 24 mths if we conceive this month)
Thankyou!

[~mamaspice~]

Chels,

I am on the Gold Coast too and desperately hoping for a VBAC with my next pregnancy. I'd be interrested to know who the midwife was that you spoke to today?
Sorry to hear that DP isn't coming to the party with your desire to have a HBAC.

As for the waterbirth VBAC. I can tell you that John Flynn Private Hospital at Tugan encourages waterbirths. There is a Dr Trueman who works at John Flynn and I believe he does VBAC's.

I hope this helps

[~mamaspice~]

Chels, I just wanted to add that I've just had a peek at your family album And I noticed you had Sophie Lee at Pindara. I had Charli at Pindara too. Did your OB tell you that if you wanted to have the next bub at Pindara you have to have another caesar?

There are 2 Ob's that work at Pindara that actually Do allow VBAC's there. Dr Penny Isherwood and Dr Alwyn Dunn. Although you can't have a waterbirth there

My Ob was Dr Isherwood. She has already told me that she thinks I'll need another caesar though so I feel she's already made up her mind , therefore I won't be going to Pindara for the next bub. I ended up having to have a general anaesthetic because they couldn't get the epidural in so as you can imagine I'm doing everything I possibly can to ensure I have a VBAC next time. I'm not quite brave enough for a home birth so I'm going to have my next bub at the Gold Coast Hospital and I'm going to hire a private midwife or doula. GC Hosp are very Pro-vbac.

I take it your DP is quite happy with the idea of VBAC but just doesn't want a home birth?

Check out John Flynn anyway. If you ring the hospital and speak to a midwife they should be able to tell you which Ob's there will do VBAC.

Oh yeah, 21 months between pregnancies if just fine in my opinion - the chance of uterine rupture is something like 0.9%. So if ou are keen to have the next bub on the way I sa go for it!

We will be TTC #2 when Charli is 10-12 months old

Hope this helps

Tamara

[Chels]

Hi Tamara,

How sweet of you to think of me!
I can't actually remember getting an email to notify me of your post. No matter.
hmmm, where to start?!
First a question for you: why may you 'need a c-section again'? What reason has the ob given you? (curious)
With my journey and what I have learnt since last post is that I called GCH today finding out that they are 'not allowed' to deliver VBACs in their birthing centre. The head midwife is currently working on a proposal, getting policies together for agreements, guidelines and commitment to enable the birth centre midwives to be able to assist VBACs. I was advised that I can birth in the maternity suite in the hospital. (I would choose to be) as a private 'intermediate' patient that allocates a private room 'on availability' which is the same thing Pindara says about private rooms. However, being an 'intermediate' patient does not mean same ob or midwife.
So, then there is John Flynn. On investigation the Dr Truss I was on about is , I think, Dr Truemann. I've heard a very negative account about Dr Doolabh from a woman I met at a homebirth group I am a member of. This Dr simply 'forgot' about this woman amongst other things including that he said he would allow Vbac water and then changed his mind for no apparent reason. Dr Dutt is very highly recommened to me by a close friend of mine, but both her deliveries were vaginal waterbirths. Of course I cannot get past these Obs receptionists to ask if they would see me and they relay messages saying that I would need to be individually assessed, which of course I need to be pregnant to see them! How frustrating!!!
I feel so let down and frustrated by 'the sytem' that I'm ready to Freebirth at home and put it on UTube!
Finally, no, my ob did not tell me I would have to have another c-section, but he is known to 'not allow' them. I did not like my experience at Pindara so would prefer to avoid that hosp all together.
Oh, and yes, DP is happy for VBAC (with a lot of convincing), but not for HBAC. No one in my family or friends is supportive of HBAC

[~mamaspice~]

Hi Chels

Well, to give you a quick rundown my BP rose and I started to develope PE at 35 weeks and my OB decided it was best to get bub out at 38 weeks. I wanted to be induced but bubs head wasn't engaged so my OB told me that an induction would not work, therefore I had a caesar. The anaesthetist tried 5 times to get the epidural in and on the fifth go he got it in but I only started to go numb in one leg, hence I had to go under . I woke up in recovery when bubs was 1.5 hours old. Luckily enough for me I was a follow-through for a student midwife and she made sure bubs was waiting in recovery when I woke up and she put Charli on my chest straight away, then wheeled us down to one of the delivery suits to attempt a first b/feed while we were waiting for my room to be ready - If it wasn't for the student mid I prob would'nt have even seen bub til I was out of recovery and in my room.
Because my caesar was elective as such, I experienced no labour and becasue I was knocked out for the caesar I felt like I'd been completely robbed of a birth experience. When Charli was 3 months old I was diagnosed with PND and I believe that my feelings about the birth had a lot to do with it.

As for my experience while I was in hospital, well, my recovery was excellent. I was up and about within 24 hours and on the whole physically felt pretty good except for the bladder infection I developed on day 3 and the night midwife wouldnt believe me she said it was probably just how my bladder felp post caesarean but I knew I had an infection. Luckily I got hold of a nicer midwife and she listened to me.
Also they didn't help me much with b/feeding. I thought we really had the hang of it then on the night before we came home the midwife said she wanted to supervise a feed as Charli had lost more than 10% of her birthweight. Turned out that bubs wasn't latching on quite right and my milk had not even come in properly. No wonder my baby was so unsettled in the hospital - the poor thing was starving!
I actually wrote to Pindara about my experience and I got a phonecall from them apologising and saying that they would do everything they could to help me better next time round.

My OB thinks I may need another caesar becasue she said that the fact that Charli's head wasn't engaged at 38 weeks indicates I might have CPD. Reading all the stuff on BB though has made me realise that CPD is very rare and she prob was just one of those bubs who was never going to engage until the last minute. I do have a 10-20% risk of developing PE again though

I am really torn as to what to do as I just want a more positive birth experience next time. My Ob told me that she is open to the idea of VBAC (but she doubts I'll be able to have one) and she did say that if I need to have another caesar she is willing to let me have a maternal-assisted caesarean (which would be wonderful), but if I have another caesar there is always the small risk that the anaesthetist won't get the epidural in properly again though.
So I don't know whether to stick with my Ob and Pindara and hope for a better experience next time or go to GC Hosp and see what happens.

I spoke to GC Hosp too. The midwife did say to me that it is hard to get your own room even if you go intermediate because they are based on clinical need. She said that if I waited til 2012 when the new hospital opens everyone will get their own room there. I said I don't think I'll wait that long

I like the thought of John Flynn too but it is down the other end of the coast and it just wouldn't be convenient to travel down to Tugun for all my antenatal appts etc, especially seeing as I work at Southport.

Do you mind if I ask why you had a caesar and who your OB was? Why did you have such a negative experience at Pindara? That is good that your DP supports VBAC though. I think mine is comming around to the idea but he still fears that my uterus will burst open! I should have never mentioned that part to him!

I don't live far from you, I'm at Merrimac so if you are ever interrested in meeting up for a coffee let me know.

Now I've just typed all of this and realised I probably should have just sent you a PM, oh well!

Better fly as I'm on my lunchbreak at work (I work 3 days a week )

Speak to you soon

Tamara

[Chels]

This thread will give you some idea of the reasons surrounding why I had a c-section https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...dvt-birth.html
My ob was Andrew Carey

I really feel for you as I too suffered PND as a result of my stressful pregnancy and birth experience (feeling like I was a spectator in my daughter's birth and with 'no control'). With the help of a couple of sessions with Pindara's pyschologist, sessions with the Depression support group in Nerang, a lot of exercise therapy, Birth and Beyond support group (unfortunately no longer runs, but the lady does do one on one sessions) which was specifically for women who needed to heal after a 'difficult/negative birth experience' and self talk and education (through birthrites website, etc) I have healed a lot and brought myself out of the depths of depression.

Have you healed?

Seems like we are both looking for a more positive experience next time around. I'm happy to meet up for a chat if you like. PM me the days you are free and we'll sort something out.

My plan right now is that I am not going to fall pregnant before June because that makes it the 2 year period that makes it more likely for me to be assisted with VBAC. I really want to go with a private midwife who I talked with (would prefer another one I've met, but she is not taking new clients atm ). This midwife is prepared to assist me (as long as I wait until June to conceive) in preparation for a homebirth. I will still need to book into GCH and attend the appointments (so it will be like shared care) and then hopefully everything will go smoothly and I won't have to go to hosp at all! I will also look into Dr Trueman to see if he would do shared care with private midwife.
Got to go pick up Sophie from day care!

bye!

[Trish]

Chels, sorry to hear that your DH doesn't support your wishes of a HB. Neither did mine but I did it anyway Twice. Mine were also VBAC's. My 3rd birth was a c section. TBH I don't see why the midwife wants you to wait the extra time. I know the whole story of your scar being stronger etc. However are a few months really going to make that much of a difference ??

I found my midwives by contacting Homebirth Australia. If you send someone an email on there I am sure they will be able to point you in the right direction to find an IM that is willing to support you.

Goodluck, and you are doing the right thing by searching for a midwife now, before you get preg.

As for your DH, maybe sit down with him, show him some HB clips, and stories, there are a few here on BB. Tell him some stat's and how you really do not want to birth in a hosp environment if at all possible. The most common arguement you will get is the what if's ? Well it takes approx 20 to 30 mins to set up a theatre. In that time you are travelling to the hosp. with medical care the whole time

[~mamaspice~]

Hi Chels, I would be interrested in getting the details of the lady from Birth & beyond who does one on one sessions.
A lot of mine has been self healing. Lots of reading on websites such as this and Birth Rites. I have written my birth story. One is a de-brief on bellybelly and the other was published in the current issue of Pregnancy & Birth magazine. I have talked a little with a child health nurse also. I got to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore on Xmas eve. I felt like I was from the outside looking in, was always feeling down and overwhelmed and didn't have the feelings for my daughter that I should have. I really wasn't me. So I went to my GP and just sobbed in his surgery. he put me on an anti-depressant called Effexor and I have to say that within a few days of starting the meds I felt like myself again for the very first time since I had my daughter. It was just amazing to have ME back again and it was amazing to finally feel like a new mum should.
The birth was definately a contributing factor as was my failure to breastfeed (I really beat myself up about that). But I also have an auto-immune disease that controls the thyroid which really played up post pregnancy which was also a contributing factor to getting PND.

I don't know about you but I found that so many of my family and friends (including DH to a degree) don't really understand the grief I feel over how Charli's birth went.

I read your other thread. You certainly did have a bit of a rough trot with the pregnancy didn't you. Will you have to be carefully monitored again next time for DVT?

That sounds like a great plan for a homebirth! You are braver than me! But I've got my Graves disease and the possibility of PE to worry about I guess.

Oh I don't see why Dr Trueman wouldn't do share care with a private midwife as I know that he does share care with a GP.

Would love to catch up with you. We are off to perth on friday to visit the inlaws so I will PM you to organise a time to catch up when I get back.

Tamara

[Chels]

Trish-thank you! Your experienced words of wisdom have further encouraged me. It is difficult to keep focused on what I really want without the support of any family and friends. I do occasionally make it to Hombirth Support Group (of homemidwifry association qld) where there is great support, but lately I have been unable to attend as it falls on the same time as a college class I have .
I love your words esp 'it takes approx 20 to 30 mins to set up a theatre. In that time you are travelling to the hosp. with medical care the whole time' as up until now I have been without a logical response to my partner's 'what ifs'.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. And thank you for this site, Kelly, otherwise I would never have heard it!

Homebirth Australia's site don't list any midwives and only show categories for ACT, NSW and Vic, however, as you suggested, I have emailed them. I have contacted the 4 midwives who are listed on the homebirth.org.au site (homemidwifry association of Qld) who are avial on Gold Coast. Unfortunately the one who HMA support group recommends is on maternity leave and not taking new clients atm. 2 won't do HBAC and the 4th, Elizabeth Moen, has advised to wait until there is a 2 year gap between births.

So, that is some of why I am feeling let down by the system (the rest is to do with the obs).

Tamara, I have emailed the lady who does the 121 sessions and asked her if I can give you her details. I can give her yours if you pm to me.

I'd like to read your birth story. I really should write mine. I never seem to make the time. It's been a year so a lot will be hazy already and loosing the emotion of the time.

I've just finished reading your post and so many of your expressions are familar to me from my experience with PND I can't wait to meet you so I can give you a hug!

I hope you have a great time in Perth.

[Trish]

Chels, you are more than welcome huni. If there is anything more I can do for you please let me know. My midwife lives in Port Macquaire, so even though she is 6 hours drive away from me she is further than that for you. And I know she doesn't mind doing VBAC's at home at all. It's just another birth really.

Good on you for emailing HBA. Sometimes there are other midwives who aren't actually listed no the sites. This was emailing them, or even phoning them, they will know that there is a need for more and that you are out there waiting for someone to assist you.

With my DP too, now I know this sounds bad, but when he expressed that he wasn't happy about me birthing at home I said that I would just stay at home until it was too late, then he could call the ambo and I would refuse to go. LOL. Yes, he chose the midwife over that. Be strong, do your research, know what you are going to come up against. Every man and his dog has an opinion on homebirths, and they aren't afraid to pull out the scare tactic's or the words"dead baby". Sorry, but just letting you know up front. People thought I was negligent wanting to birth at home. Now what mother would seriously put her child at risk if that was so.

Here are the links to both of my girl's homebirths. Not sure if you have watched them yet. Just another way to make you all warm and fuzzy about homebirths

Tehya's Birth

Abbey's Birth

[~mamaspice~]

Hi Chels,

here is the link to my birth story
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...rl-charli.html

Thanks so much for emailing that lady for me

I had actually emailed Elizabeth Moen too. Did youget a nice vibe from her?

Look forward to catching up with you when we get back from Perth.

take care

Tamara