I should have added my first birth was 9 years ago.
I should have added my first birth was 9 years ago.
My MW charges hourly so for DS birth it cost heaps more than DDs as things didn't go quite so smoothly so had MW there longer. Had a second midwife as well. DH likes the second MW just from the cleaning up perspective lol. Still my MW wass cheaper than a lot of other MW charge. Having MW though has been invaluable, wouldn't have it any other way. Unless of course I couldn't get a MW then I'd be stuck at why to do! DH feels the same way he's prepared to help pay because he knows having MW support and homebirth is very important to me although he didn't always think that!
We're paying $3400 for the midwives (2), and then $110 for each ante and postnatal visit. One of my midwives is Medicare eligible so we get a little back from the appointments, but not the birth. Our midwife wants us to have fortnightly appointments from 30 weeks, which I don't remember having with DD in the hospital program.
My m/w was not Medicare eligible for DD2's birth, but is now. So if I have any more, there'll be an additional amount we get back for pre and post natal visits that we didn't get this time.
I've just heard back from the Birth Centre and they won't take me
They consider the PPH I had with Colby to be too large. Despite it being a mismanaged 3rd stage where they snapped the cord. Grrrr!!
One less option
Would you consider the new All Risk MGP Sara?
I don't know
I'm feeling very disheartened now and think I might just forget about it all now as enjoy the pregnancy.
I don't have to make a decision on birth care until I move back up there which is in December. Even then I can still get antenatal care at the hut and make a decision about birth when I'm ready.
I had the same MW as HotI - $4k for everything. We started care from 13wks and had our last one 8wks post-partum. She was with us for 21hrs at the birth, and we had a second MW for the last 6hrs or so. If I went and added up the time she spent with us, I don't reckon the hourly rate would be that high. I was lucky in that we were able to afford it without any major changes to our lifestyle but it really was worth every cent and if her care was several thousand more, I'd pay it. Next time around we'll likely have zero savings and I'll be working part time so it will be harder - I'd beg and borrow to be able to afford another HB.
ETA: Sara, how disappointing
It is very interesting and quite timely for me that you are all discussing this now... I had my hbs with the cmp but honestly don't want to go back on it this time. Don't get me wrong I think its great women can hb with gov support here but for me personally it has become way to 'legalized' for want of a better word. So ill have to look more closely into what IMs are around here now and what services/prices they have. I'm hoping to be able to have mw from last birth but not certain what she charges now.
that's my reservation too HomeStyleMumma - as much as I'd love to see govt funding of HB I am absolutely not ok with how heavily regulated the existing hospital programs, nor the restrictions on Medicare eligible IMs. My preference will be for a non-eligible independent midwife (even if that means they have handed in their registration) unless the current climate changes significantly.
I regret using the govt HB program. I had a great experience but was left feeling like a lot was lacking in terms of the end of the birth and immediate after care. Very medical and clinical. For people like Beatrix I think it's a much better option (birthed 3 times already, very short labour, likely to not need much assistance), but for a first time birthed I wish we had not given the program the benefit of the doubt.
Personally, I will always choose an independent private midwife, preferably the one I had for my last birth. He who pays the piper and all that. But I still think there should be more publicly accessible HBs in our health system. I think we can enable both at the same time.
Hmmm see I have found that the midwife program I have used in the past, gov based program have not been clinical at all. I used the same program for all 4 pg now and this time am using the home birth option.
My midwifes have never pushed any tests, checks or scans. I never felt pressured to do anything. The only internals that were done were by the ob when high bp was diagnosed and I wasn't given the choice. My midwife stuck by me when they tried to push for more intervention to speed things up telling the dr to bugger off. They have always trusted me and my body.
I guess each program is different.
I was never pushed for any testing, it was great. But DD had mec stained waters. Instead of actually looking at my pad and treating it as it was, it was treated as a full on meconium situation. Was told of have constant monitoring (refused), wasn't allowed to use the bath, almost immediate cord clamping and DD was suctioned. I was also pressured to have a blood transfusion after the birth (refused). So maybe more of an indicator of the hospital rather than the program, as all the midwives I had were great and were happy for me to refuse testing etc.
ETA by suctioned, I mean her lungs, not out of me!
Last edited by PumpkinZulu; September 6th, 2012 at 07:09 AM.
Yeah I should add that MY MWs (especially last primary who was also backup at 1st hb) were great and totally trusted & listened to me and didn't want me to have anything unnecessary done, but for a few things they kind of had hands tied! The reason we used the program wad quite bluntly coz it was free but ill be pushing for an I'M for sure this time... May have a fight on my hands with dh if I can't get a reasonable price though- he would want to just freebirth but I'd rather have another pair of hands etc iykwim, even tho there's no reason to think a mw will be needed (if there was a known need of course we would )
As this is my first birth, and knowing the rolling cascade of interventions that are likely to arise from that simple fact, I am happy to pay the $5k (inc appointments) that our home birth will cost.
Can we afford it? Probably not. Is it a priority? Absolutely. We will sacrifice whatever we need to to ensure that we are birthing in the absolute best place possible for me and baby.
I adore my midwife and think she's worth every cent
Babies Arrived
Jennifer13- Baby GIRL born at home 4th January 2012
Bella29- Baby GIRL born at home 10th January
HotI - Baby BOY born at home 21st January
*Ash*- Baby BOY born at home 14th February
loulabelle - Baby BOY born at home 24th February
Cricket - Baby GIRL born at home 15th May
chocorama - May
...Em - Baby BOY born at home 7th June
BellyBelly - Baby GIRL born 11th August
Tanya - Baby BOY born at home 16th August
phynna - Baby GIRL born at home 8th September
Babies On Their Way
Ambersky - September
Ice cream - September
lady_neon - September
Cassius - November
mirriumu - November
pumpkinzulu - December
turtlejane - January
Sara - February
Ree*Ree - March
Aimz - March
Bellany - March
Beatrix - April
HomeStyleMumma - May
Congratulations Phynna!