Sheree,

It sounds like you are advocating hospital births...with all these horrible things that could occur in childbirth for mother and baby.

I think you said that you had trouble birthing your baby and I am sorry for your experience. I believe not all women have these complications while birthing, just the same as not all women go through the nightmare that many go through in the public hospital system, I know women that have had great births in the hospital.

However Sheree, I don't think that I am cutting my nose off to spite my face!!!
If it is not a public hospital birth then what is it, a birth centre that you have to sign up for at the hosp but will never possibly get into (experienced it), a midwife through the hospital system (again) that will come to your home for visits (I haven't heard back from the hospital regarding that...it's been almost 7 months...gee I only have 3 weeks to go). Hmmm changing hospital, been there. So I have birthed in 2 Brisbane hospitals within good proximity to me. Should I travel down the Bruce Highway or Logan Motorway while in labour to birth just in the vain hope that the next hospital an hour away won't treat my body and baby like it means nothing to them.

Birthing with a Doula and my partner in a medically unassisted birth, I understand this and have said before, I can not afford the LUXURY of a midwife, but won't go to hospital (unless I have to) because of my experiences. And by no means am I being vehemant when I say this. I am upset that I don't have many options. Hospital would be great if I could trust them to support me during my labour and birth, the way I want to be supported.

I am rather quite mentally tired thinking about whether I should or I shouldn't go to the hospital because of the back and forth "what ifs" and "do I truly need the hospital to birth my baby, other women do and they come through it unscathed and at least the baby is healthy and alive and that is the main thing"

It doesn't help when other women, who may not have been faced with similar experiences, say so blindly that you are being irresponsible or that you are cutting your nose of to spite your face because of a choice not to birth in a hospital setting and even unassisted.

Women should be supporting other womens birthing choices because the medical model doesn't support a women in making her own choices, rather they are made for her.