thread: Has anyone gone through the Community Midwifery Program (Perth)?

  1. #1
    BellyBelly Member

    Jul 2006
    1,069

    Question Has anyone gone through the Community Midwifery Program (Perth)?

    Hey guys

    Just wondering if anyone has been through the Community Midwifery Program in Perth to have their hb? Could you please share any experiences?

    I am so torn atm to either go back to my lovely ob (and great hospital) or apply for the CMP and have a hb . It's just that by the time bub is born we will have moved to our new house in the hills and I think staying home would be a better option. Sooooo confused!

    Thanks if you can help

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Melbourne
    72

    I went with them (and know of a few other ladies who have too) and they were great. I didnt end up having my HB coz i transfered to hospital with some complications. but my midwife was the best, i loved her so much. i loved my backup midwife too.

    if you do end up going with them, i would suggest you choose either Linda or Marilyn as your midwife (cant remember their surnames, im terrible).

  3. #3
    BellyBelly Member

    Feb 2007
    1,029

    Oh I wondered if you were going to have a HB this time! Good luck whatever you decide. Have you booked in with Simon JIC?

  4. #4
    BellyBelly Member

    Jul 2006
    1,069

    Thanks for the reply ummAadam!

    Hey Sequoia! Yes, booked in to see Simon in a couple of weeks and thought I would talk to him about it (eeekk!!). He is actually going on holidays pretty close to when I'm due. So if I was late I might have Chris delivering me anyway! I'm so confused. I'd just love to stay home (assuming that our house is finished being built by then), but at the same time I'm worried about being transferred to Swans or Armadale if there was problems as I guess they would be closest.
    Simon will probably laugh at the idea!

  5. #5
    BellyBelly Member

    Mar 2009
    1,385

    Hi Lee!

    I had my baby at home with CMP Perth two weeks ago and it was great. I would highly recommend it to anyone! The relationship i developed with my midwife was amazing, She was the only one who could touch or speak to me during labour as i had so much trust in her (poor DH!)!! I had a hospital birth with DD, and while i didn't have a "bad" experience then, i would definately choose homebirth over hospital birth any day. I found with the homebirth i didn't "need" drugs because i knew they weren't an option, and this labour was no more painful than my first (with a patchy epidural and gas).
    The reason i chose to have a homebirth was mainly because DD was afraid of me going to hospital (she is quite attached to me and probably just didn't want to have to be away from me for any length of time!).. I was quite worried about the safety of homebirths (due to ignorance about the subject!) so i got talking to a few local women who had recently had homebirths and found this really alleviated my fears and i decided to contact CMP to talk to a midwife to decide whether it was going to be the right option for me. We discussed all possible problems and solutions and i was satisfied that if something did go wrong transfer to Swans by ambulance would only take about 25 mins (i'm in the hills too).
    In the end Archie was born in water after a 5.5 hour labour with no complications except a PPH afterwards which did not require any treatment. I got to have a shower in my own shower then get into my own bed with DH, DD and our beautiful new baby. I didn't have to deal with being on a ward with a heap of other screaming babies and other patients visitors coming and disturbing me and my rest. DH and i were not separated from eachother at any time, which was great. I had two midwives and a trainee midwife who all knew me and my history and my wishes for the birth. It was a really great experience and i am sad to think of the time when my main midwife will make her final visit to me!!

    I recommend you read Ina May Gaskin's books as these were my bibles during pregnancy and really helped me through the birth.
    I am hoping to have a chance to write my birthstory one of these days and hopefully encourage more women to have homebirths as, after mine, i feel it is actually safer to do it at home!

    Hope that helps!! Sorry it is a bit all over the place, a bit distracted by a little squawking bubba!

    Kym x

  6. #6

    Dec 2007
    Australia
    1,095

    I'm at the end of my pregnancy and am having a homebirth through CMP. Having not given birth yet I can't say too much but the continuity of care is wonderful and I've found both my primary midwife and backup midwife to be just wonderful!

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Perth
    23

    I had a homebirth through CMWA in June 2008, and i managed to decide i wanted a homebirth 4 days before my due date and all the stars aligned or something as i was accepted and DD was born on her due date...

    Im pregnant again... I found out i was pregnant on a sunday and on monday morning I was at CMWA putting in my application... LOL...

    I could never give birth in a hospital again... lol

  8. #8
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jan 2006
    11,633

    Congratulations Alina!

    can't wait to hear how your birth goes Neenee. all the best~

  9. #9

    Dec 2007
    Australia
    1,095

    This program is just THE BEST! Couldn't recommend it highly enough. The birth was so wonderful, my midwife was there making sure bubs and I were both well and organizing the birth pool etc. discreetly so I could relax. While DD2 was being born, she watched with a mirror and torch and only touched DD2 to push her between my legs so I could lift her out of the water. Afterwards she helped me shower, hop into bed and cleaned up so I didn't have to do anything. It was wonderful! I've never had an independent midwife but I imagine the service is exactly the same, I don't think you'd lose out at all going through the public system. Having had both a hospital and home birth, I found home to be far superior but I didn't have a personal relationship with the ob or any of the hospital staff.