Don’t go private *just* because you have private health insurance

[Lolpigs]

On a positive note. I went private and my dr and midwives were 100% natural all the way. Even when I had an urge to push and my middie wanted to check I was fully dilate before I did actually push (I had progress alot faster than expected) I asked for gas (to help me hold the push) she encouraged me to wait and that I could do it without it and showed me how to pant.
My dr even stood back while my midwives delivered our baby

So glad to read this. I'm going to the SAN and have made a point to go to classes and spend time with the widwives and the hospitals practises to ensure I feel comfortable. The midwives made a point of saying unless you want something we won't be asking you, which was reassuring for me who wants to avoid Epidural etc and wants at most Gas. They even gave me ideas of sitting in with the jets in the bath for contractions, moving around whatever. Which is really great.

I too am concerned about Induction etc, and how one intervention leads to another and in the Prenatal classes the SAN lead they seemed keen to point this out, to be sure you want something done and are keen to point out that I am in control. There was also comments made about older OB's who are more set in their ways Vs younger OB's who are more inclined to be less invasive.

With all aspects of medical things, while I'm happy to have them providing there is actually a need. My greatest concern is having things done just because its "standard" as I've always believed this is rubbish.

I agree that attitudes within hospitals needs to change about birth, when I think of the horrific experience my mother went through 30 years ago, I shudder to think that this would be my only option.

I think so long as women go into this with eyes open, I think this is half the battle. So many women I know don't know they have any options at all which is still very surprising.

I agree with the continuity of care, this seems like a big issue.

[Epacris]

Hey Lolpigs, it was actually the SAN where I birthed my first two babies and it was *that* model of care (private obstetrician/private hospital) that I was comparing to my most recent birth experience. For my private births my ob only turned up right at the end, in fact, he missed the birth of my DD (she was very quick). As I said in my letter, I had built a relationship with my ob throughout my pregnancy (and I liked him, he was great) but almost all of my care during labour and in the days afterwards was provided by the hospital midwives. I had never met any of them before and I would never see any of them again. Some of them were absolutely lovely, some of them were not so great. But the most important point for me, comparing my first two births to my most recent birth experience, is just that I didn’t *know* them, I laboured and birthed with strangers.

When I was in labour I found myself doing things that I didn’t really want to do, being directed into an uncomfortable position, being directed to push, managed third stage, things like that. I just did what the midwives said. My experiences weren’t bad or traumatic but I know I just did what they said because I didn’t feel comfortable talking to them and telling them what *I* wanted because I didn’t know them. I only know this now and I only know this because I have experienced a labour and birth where I did know my midwife, I trusted him completely and he knew exactly what I wanted and what was best for me during my labour.

I’m really sorry if this is not what you wanted to hear right now. I have thought very deeply and really hesitated in posting this. I just really didn’t want to say “Yeah it was great”, when the whole purpose of this thread for me was to say, “Well actually, there is a whole lot of room for improvement”.

As for offering drugs, with my first baby, as soon as I walked in the door (I had a contraction on the floor in the foyer) the very first thing they said to me was “Do you want an epidural?” and I said “umm, errr, why, do you think I need one?” and they said “Well you seem to be in a lot of pain” I still **** myself laughing about that. “I’m pushing a baby out of my vagina, I’ve heard it can be mildly unpleasant, I thought YOU being a midwife would have seen this sort of thing before.” I didn’t actually say that, I just thought it, and I never did have an epidural with either of my births there, just gas (and managed third stage).

Lolgpis I really do wish you all the very, very, best for a beautiful birth.