Those who consider homebirth: Would you go underground?

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

I think I am past childbearing....but should I be so lucky I will find a way to birth at home. It's my right. I know I will find a midwife to be with me, law or no law. I am sick at the though my daughters will have to give birth in a hospital. And sick to death for fighting for my right for a normal birthing experience.

[phynna]

skybie: i liked your ticker so much I had to get the same for myself, I hope you don't mind!

I would really prefer homebirth (and waterbirth too).

BUT, what I've read is that the midwives charge thousands to do a homebirth, and being in a rural area too, it seems out of my reach for that reason. I've heard of women using the baby bonus to pay for the midwife, but we need that money to get us through the early months as I'll have to have a few weeks off work, and once I'm back at work, reduce my hours to outside of my partner's hours till our baby is old enough for the local childcare.

I'm also a first time mother, which makes the docs say I can only birth at a bigger hospital, b/c first-timers are high-risk already without doing anything! Plus I'm positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies too, with a history of finding it difficult to fall pregnant, and one possible miscarriage as a teenager, never confirmed. So they tell me I've absolutely no chance at all of even the bigger hospital 60km away, (forget the local one) and I have to go over 100km and go to major hospital like Bendigo, Ballarat, Horsham. So there's no way in hell that I'd be able to be allowed to have a homebirth.

But.....

If birth comes on really quickly at home, and you have to accidentally birth, with ambulance called at the last minute, what would they do? Prosecute you? Some babies do not even last the ambulance trip, they arrive on the side of the road!

On the same philosophy, water birth seems still frowned upon by the hospitals, you can labour in the pool, but you must get out to birth. If you don't they pull the plug! You have to sit on the plug to prevent this! They don't like you to do it, but what do they do afterwards, ban you from having a pool anymore? Too late, baby is already here.

Yes I would go underground, providing I could afford the midwife, as things get more expensive when they become illegal due to the risk.

[tk1999]

slightly off topic for one second...

phynna, just thought I would clarify that first time mums are not automatically high risk... there many be other factors that may make a first timer high risk but it simply being her first child does not automatically mean she is high risk

Back on topic...

[phynna]

thanks TK, it's good to hear that actually, seems the local docs here are only about mis-informing me, or not-informing me, resulting in scaring me out of my wits! Once again, I learn more online than I do from my "supposed" doctor!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I was going to say the same tk... someone is spinning a web of crap there!! The other things are understandable (although I dont know what anti-cardiolipin antibodies are...) but first timer, yeah right?!!!

[Karina]

I definately want a homebirth for my next baby, but I'm not TTC so I wont be having a baby before july 2010... If its still illegal by the time my next baby is due, I would still go looking for a midwife who was willing to be be there to help me birth my baby. If I couldnt find one then maybe I could just stay at home for my whole labour and call an ambulance at the last minute, then refuse to get in the ambulance and insist I give birth at my house, lol!!!!!!

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

If birth comes on really quickly at home, and you have to accidentally birth, with ambulance called at the last minute, what would they do? Prosecute you?

It's legal for you to have a birth at home (or anywhere else!), it's just that if you have a private midwife with you, SHE is breaking the law (you're not though). So while you wouldn't get prosecuted, your middy, if you had one, would get a $30 000 fine.

[HotI]

It's legal for you to have a birth at home (or anywhere else!), it's just that if you have a private midwife with you, SHE is breaking the law (you're not though). So while you wouldn't get prosecuted, your middy, if you had one, would get a $30 000 fine.

Important point.

So, its not really the birthing mother who has to go underground, but the midwife. The midwife is the one who takes on the risks. I think it is easier to say (as a prospective birthmother) 'absolutely, i would go underground'.

If i was a midwife, i would want to be absolutely confident in the trust between myself and the client that they would protect me (if that was the agreement) for the whole time. I also think (if i was a midwife!) that it would be more difficult to remain committed to the homebirth experience when things got a bit difficult, with these laws hanging over you head. If something happened, you could be risking your house and livelihood ($30,000 fine) plus the effects on your professionally.

[Indadhanu]

One thing Shel said last night which made me think...

If you got a midwife who WOULD go underground, you would need to 110% sure that they would transfer you in case of emergency. Because they would get in trouble, so does that leave it open to the possibility of midwives taking more chances, so they don't get in trouble? You'd have to discuss that possibiliity of what if. Of course, if something DID go wrong, they'd be in trouble anyway, but would some (SOME) be more likely to leave it to the last minute.

Not that I'm saying midwives are all about themselves, but its their livelyhood and $30000, so would things that may be problems be overlooked possibley or played down ...? Of course, the answer owuld be to find a midwife you completely trust, and sure thats a great answer, but ... you'd never know?

[Alan]

Just to clarify a couple of things. If after July 2010 I attend a homebirth I can be fined up to $30,000 and face 2 years in jail. But also the woman who employed me to attend the birth can also be fined $30,000 for encouraging a health professional to practice outside the law. After saying this I will still be offering to attend homebirths for women still willing to take the chance of a very hefty fine.

[JellyBean]

If the proposed laws are passed (horrendous thought) I think we will see a lot of 'free-birthing' - which I do not think is really a desirable outcome. The Government are really being so dogmatic and arrogant in assuming that taking women's free choice away will have a positive result.
I am determined to have a midwife-led homebirth for my third child, provided all goes smooth with my second labour, so I would be sorely disappointed if this option was not available to me in the near future. I guess I would be forced into choosing my second most favourable option - birthing in a midwife-led birthing centre.

[BellyBelly]

Alan, the thing that worries me is that there are so many opportunities to get the midwife found out - what will happen with the birth certificate? I mean from the example above about the transfer, I would assume you may be able to say that the birth happened very quickly or you planned to freebirth? I dont know but I do know that I will find a way. I might be calling you Alan lol Its unlikely I will be able to make the July 2010 deadline but yeah after that time concerns me. It's my dream to have a homebirth in water after two hospital births... I am not going to finish on a bad note.

ETA: Maybe we shouldnt discuss loopholes on a public forum LOL.

[koru]

If homebirth is made illegal it's enough make us consider moving back to NZ!

[Kitt3n]

If homebirth is made illegal it's enough make us consider moving back to NZ!

lol i would consider moving there too

but if push came to shove and i couldnt have a "friend" present................ i would labour at home and call the ambos. if all was well they would have a hard time getting me to the hospital!

[~mamaspice~]

If homebirth is made illegal it's enough make us consider moving back to NZ!

Yes, we need a Govt' health system like NZ. Where the midwife follows the mother to wherever she wants to birth. Be it at a hospital of choice, a birthcentre or at home.
Hopefully we will see the range of our own maternity services broaden in the public hospital system. We've graduated to birth centres and know your midwife programs, surely it can extend to community/home midwifery models of care too.

[boomba]

This whole situation makes me so sad. Shouldnt womens rights be getting better not worse in this day and age?

what will be next they will be telling us we all need c section so it can be as clinical as possible

I hope the new regulations are not passed and women ahvea right to choose to birth where they wish!

[edaj84]

I have had one hospital birth and one homebirth, i will NOT go back for another hospital birth without a GOOD medical reason, they scared me, they terrified my mother and my husband, they interfered with me, they nearly killed my son. As far as i am concerned, hospital is more dangerous for me than freebirth. I will make sure i have good prenatal care and appropriate tests, i will book into a hospital just incase but i will birth at home with my husband and my mum, and maybe a midwife that i know who attended my last birth even though she wasn't registered, i have jumped through the hoops of not having a midwife present at my birth in regards to birth certificates and centrelink and i will do it again.

I would be more than happy to discuss this further with anyone

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

edja84, are you me with a different username?

If I'm denied any help with a homebirth, I will cancel all further appointments and freebirth without stress. Having said that, a freebirth was my preferred option with Liebling and hospital records show that when I was left alone, head round the door every hour, my labour was "perfect". So I'd be an ideal candidate for just calling in a midwife just before I want to push apparently.

Unless Alan fancies travelling halfway around the world, any future baby is going to be aiming for a freebirthed baby.