I have having a read of the past homebirth general discussion threads, and found some references to tax offset of homebirth expenses. i then checked out the ATO website and found this

http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/co...tm&page=12

We submitted tax a few weeks ago, but i just rang my tax dude and he is going to put an ammendment in for us. He said that the threshold is $2000. So, i am adding up our medical expenses now.

Just thought i'd mention it cos i hadn't heard of it until i went back to the homebirth general discussion #2 thread, and the info might help others having homebirths.

i'm working on something pretty cool too
Yep, we did this with our tax too. I'm getting a nice return this year.

Thanks for that wonderful list! Maybe we should make a sticky in the HB area so you don't have to keep it within the thread? I'll ask. Might be handy for those looking for HB stories too.

Ambersky, not long now. Hope the looming date is not putting you out of your groove too much. I saw a great phrase on FB the other day: it's an estimated due date, not an expiration date. Made me giggle!

We live in a big house, but the dining room was my birth space. I just moved everything out of it, dining table just outside with everything we needed.

I finished my birth video! Just need to drop off a copy to my doula and m/w and get DP to okay before it goes live. It'll be on my m/w's blog, so public, but not identifying us ITMS. Gave it to Mum the other day, along with the story in Birthings (which she loved). I feel like such a dag, but I've watched it several times for no reason and it still makes me cry.

Dolly - I love the idea of being tended to for three days, like you might get in hospital. But if my memory serves me correctly, there was nothing I got there that I didn't get at home (except for those nasty germs!). My Mum was here to do all our washing, DP took over the cooking, the midwives cleaned up after the birth, my cleaner came the next day for the house cleaning and my doula brought around yummy snacks and activities for DD1. I wasn't woken up by unfamiliar noises or for unnecessary checks. The menu at home was broader and adjusted to my taste and my m/w came to me in my own bed. We were so well prepared there was nothing to do for a week or so anyway. And I didn't have to worry about what to wear lol.

Best of all, our new DD2 was never handled by anyone unfamiliar, or poked, or prodded, or taken out of my sight. The only sounds she heard were those she knew from inside me. The only faces she saw were those who loved her. The voices that spoke to her were welcoming her. Both of us were cocooned by love and our normal family life.

I love looking at her birth certificate and seeing our home address next to place of birth. And I love that our midwives are special to us and we to them.

My second m/w gave birth to a baby girl at home on the weekend - can't wait to meet her!