Controversial Pregnancy & Birth Documentary

[BellyBelly]

Another perspective on the fees - they are that much because the government is not subsidising midwifery choices for birth AT ALL. In NZ you can get midwifery care through medicare. Not here! But you can get claim a podiatrist and other things like that. The govt will not give provider numbers to midwives and until enough people kick up a stink about it not much will change. Private health is pretty bad too, some will cover small amounts, some like Medibank Private not at all - so I cancelled my PHC with them. Midwives do not do as many births as an Ob would, private midwifery is not in huge demand so that 3000$ may be their gross income for the month, ex-tax etc. I am yet to meet a filthy rich midwife driving around in a BMW. Its not a job you do for the $$.

Doulas - Anything up to $900 (completely depends on the package +/- visits) in Melbourne for VERY experienced attendants. More in some states. But they serve purposes different to an Ob you cannot compare. They spend around 2 hours at a visit with you. They specifically de-brief with you for about the same time. You wont get an Ob who will sit down with you and ask you how the birth was for you and to share your feelings and talk about it over a cuppa, and help with feeding, settling, light cleaning if needed etc. I see much value in that. A doula will also spend more time with you than anyone. I spend 6 hours in pre/post natal visits and have been with a woman in labour for up to three days. Yes, two nights with no sleep. Another birth was two days and most are 1-2 days. No-one else gives you that except your partner, so we physically work for every cent. Not that we do it for money! Who would work three days straight with no sleep? A doula would LOL. And she would do it at the drop of a hat, usually arranging childcare and no matter what day and time, there is no sick leave, annual leave or super.

I also see much value in an Ob being present during times of complications which a midwife cannot help with. Watching shows like saving babies where there ae premature, sick babies, we are so lucky. But as I always say, I would not go straight to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist every time I had a bad cold. I'd go to my GP first.

But again, this is not about choices of carer or place of birth, its having those choices in the first place, equally affordable and balanced info. As much as this doco may look unbalanced to you, if you go to a GP, they will not give you brochures on homebirth or midwives along with your private hospital recommendations. In fact some will give you a serve! Equal info for all I say.