Would you give birth in a midwifery led unit?

[meow]

Who did they poll??? I would prefer midwifery care hands down!

[Smoke Jaguar]

Wow, parking considerations over empirically safer birthing! Never heard that one before LOL! Each to their own

[BekZ]

Midwives over Obs anyday!!

I had both my girls in a public hospital. I loved the care I received from the midwives and I barely saw an Ob. The only time I saw an Ob was at 20 wks and 36wks (I was not happy with either) and post labour. I had 2 fantatic midwives for both my labours and I trusted them completely.

I also had a midwife visit me at home everyday for 5 days post birth.

Now my SIL paid private and had the very best of everything. Her Ob was there for the birth but after going home she had no back up support. All she got was a huge bill.

I Know which option I prefer.

[Visitor7]

Like I said in my previous post, I had excellent care from the midwives at the hospital here. But to explain further just how much they do:
~ pre-natal - we see the midwives for our routine checks at the hospital. When I was pg with Emily, I was fortunate enough to see the same midwife.
~ labour/birth - like I said, I had the same midwife with me from the time I initially got there, until I was transferred to the maternity ward after having bub.
~ post-natal - A midwife/trained lactation consultant came out to visit me once I went home. This is offered to all patients for up to one month postnatal.

So in both my labours, I never even met an Ob. The midwives were able to deal with everything they were faced with. Yes, it was a straight forward birth both times, however the ob's on duty weren't too far away if there were complications.
I'm not sure what other hospitals/birth centres are like, but I would like to think they are all like this, and offer this great service from midwives.
There is also talk of building a birth centre next to the hospital here in Cairns.

[EmnM]

I was lucky enough to have the best of both - I had an ob who believed that women are more than capable of birthing babies (as long as everything is going normally) and had total trust in the midwives at the private hospital I went through for both my beautiful girls. I mostly had midwife care for my first child and due to complications of diabetes my wonderful ob was very reasuring and followed a 'wait and see' approach to managing it rather than going in guns blazing with blood tests, extra scans etc. In the end he wasn't there, just my midwife, husband, dd1 and doula. It was awesome. My lovely ob then came in about 1hr later to put in some stitches and greet dd2. I can't believe how lucky I am to have had such an empowering experience with my ob and midwives. It seems that not many in here have had fantastic experiences with ob care which is sad.

[MUMMY4LIFE]

My OB from my 1st pregnancy, wins it over a midwife (sorry).

[Chels]

Sounds like a load of bias bull**** to me. I'd love to know where that got their demograhic from for that so-called 10%.
I went private Ob for my first largely due complications during pregnancy (DVT), but in a 'normal' pregnancy like the one I am currently having I am choosing to see a private midwife and am planning a homebirth partly because the Gold Coast Birth Centre doesn't support VBAC. There is no way I want to go through another c-section. I certainly would not pay for a private Ob when, in my opinion it is the Midwives who have most of the birth experince. Obs simply arrive at the 'last minute' to 'deliver' and are useful in 'an emergent' situation only.

[Chels]

Wow, parking considerations over empirically safer birthing! Never heard that one before LOL! Each to their own

LOL. I'll second that amazement, Mayaness!

Kurazia, NSW Teachers and I think Unity Health both cover part of (about half with Teachers, which is what I'm with) homebirth. I don't know if it would be too late for you to change funds?

[Tobily]

Yeah I would!

And I'd love to know where he got his stats from.

Study after study shows that women have very high levels of satisfaction with midwifery care.

[kat13]

I birthed with midwife only care throughout both my pg's. With DS2 I birthed in the birth centre at Monash, was home within 24 hrs and loved it. I recovered very well both emotionally and physically...no stitches no drugs.

[Naxi]

I have had the best OB in the world for both my sons and can't imagine going through pregnancy without him.

The first time round I would have decked the midwife if I had have had the energy.

The second time round I had the most wonderful midwife, who delivered DS2 on her own (the OB hadn't been able to get there in time - Sydney traffic)

However, both times I had complications with the placenta, so needed a doctor on hand - it was so important to me to have someone that I could trust. (Also, with the speed of my labours I need to go to the nearest hospital, so I don't have a choice!)

[SunnyRain]

Kurazia, NSW Teachers and I think Unity Health both cover part of (about half with Teachers, which is what I'm with) homebirth. I don't know if it would be too late for you to change funds?

I'll check it out, but not changing horses at this point. Actually, I'm really happy with my Ob. He teams with a great midwife who I meet with when he's on school hols with his kids. This time round I am only paying for hospital cover, because I am always healthy and I don't need extras, so I found the fund that was most cost effective for obstetrics hospital services alone.

However, I would consider a homebirth or something similar next time, now that I have experienced an uncomplicated pregnancy and I feel more confident. I'll see how the hospital and birth experience goes. I've never been to hospital for anything in my life.

I am choosing to see a private midwife and am planning a homebirth partly because the Gold Coast Birth Centre doesn't support VBAC.

I thought the Birth Centre did support VBAC. How do you go about organising a private midwife for a homebirth? I thought this was almost impossible in Australia.

[marchmellow]

I am very surprised to hear that only 10% of women would chose midwifery led care. i would have thought a woman would only chose an obstetrician if they wanted intervention. i think perhaps the midwife option is not as well known as it should be. with my first pregnancy i went ot a doctor to have her confirm that i was in fact pregnant and she straight away tried to find me an obstetrician. luckily i went to another doctor who told me of midwife led birth units. i never saw another doctor for that pregnancy. this time once again i am going with midwives (i have two independant midwives.).
i have been asked several times "who is your obstetrician?" by other women. it just seems to be a part of our culture to go straight to an ob. i do hope that this will change.

[Chels]

Kurazia,

I thought the Birth Centre did support VBAC. How do you go about organising a private midwife for a homebirth? I thought this was almost impossible in Australia.[/QUOTE]

Sadly no, GC Birth Centre are not presently able to support VBACs. As far as I know (current about 3 months ago when I spoke with the head midwife at GC Birth Centre) there is a proposal being put together to be presented to Qld Health(?) to enable the midwifes of the birth centre to assist with VBACs.
There is a list of private midwives who will assist homebirths. This information is available through the HMA (Homemidwife Association). I'm not sure I can post the address (?) so PM me if you (or anyone) is interested.

[Chels]

with my first pregnancy i went ot a doctor to have her confirm that i was in fact pregnant and she straight away tried to find me an obstetrician.

I felt unsupported by my GP when I went to her for a referral for 12 weeks ultrasound for my current preg. She too asked me who my ob is and when I told her I'm having an independant midwife she told me, "You're very brave." while shaking her head in (I assume) astonishment or wonder.
Needless to say I won't be returning to that GP!

[BellyBelly]

In Melbourne, VBAC's are classed as 'high risk' by the forces above and not allowed in birth centres, even though the main ward is usually just a very short stroll through double doors. Know women who have had great HBACs though

[marchmellow]

i think you'd be more brave to have an obstetrician in control of your pregnancy!

[Karina]

I wonder where they got their data from?

Personally, I would prefer a birth centre over an Ob. I wouldnt ever have an ob for my pregnancy. Midwife care all the way for me. I wouldnt consider a hospital labour ward. I would like to have the continuity of care a midwife led centre can offer.

I was talking to the Family Day Carer today who has an almost 2 year olf son. She came over here from America and told me that her friends back home were amazed that she gave birth with midwives in a birth centre and not an ob. Apparently over there no one has a midwife for their first birth - they pretty much all go to a hospital and have an ob.