Homebirth General Discussion #13

Yay Teni SOOO super excited for you! Hoping you have a truely lovely h & h pg :D

Congrats again Beatrix such wonderful news.

Afm feeling a little sad again today at the prospect of not having another hb this time. I know I cant complain as it was my choice but well I'm pg and tired and hormonal so I'm going to anyway... Waaah :(
I'm just getting really impatient to meet bubby and trying not to stress about how everything is going to work out re someone to watch children and me getting to hospital in time and dh being here etc. Ok vent over I guess *sigh*

Just some questions so I can get planning :) Our biggest roadblock is the cost, so I'm trying to focus on that right now. I know a lot of midwives do payment plans and the like, but I'm so scared whoever we choose is going to say we can't do that for whatever reason! Plus we're the types to want to have a large chunk paid off early so we don't have to worry about it later on.

- What should I expect in terms of frequency for the antenatal visits? One of the midwife groups I'm looking at charge per visit, where the other does a set fee for all care. Do I get to choose how often I see them? I assume at least a couple of them are non-negotiable, but I don't want to do just the bare minimum either. I'd like to develop some kind of relationship with my midwife/ves... Would it work if the visits were monthly until 32 weeks, then fortnightly? It still seems like a lot, especially if we pay per visit. And when do I start seeing the midwife?

- On a similar note, those who paid per visit - when/how did you pay? On the day? As part of your overall fee?

- I have some stupid anxiety issues around calling people :wall: From what I've read in past threads, I'm not likely to get a response via email, even though I've already sent a few off. So do you think it'd be okay to get DH to do the initial ringing around for me? He's used to making phone calls for me but I don't want them to get the wrong impression of us.

I'm getting a weird sense of déjà vu, I'm sure I asked all these questions a while ago. But I can't remember the answers and, quite frankly, don't want to go digging back through all the previous posts. Especially if I'm wrong about having asked earlier :lol:

Thanks in advance for any help!

Teni- good luck finding someone you gel with and you can afford. I can't help you at all because I used a hospital service which was free for us and was lucky enough to gel with my awesome midwife.

Hi teni. So far I've only seen my mw once, for meeting/booking in appt. My next appt is at 20w. This works fine, coz not much happens generally in the first half of pg. And she's only a phone call away if I have any issues or questions.

They generally have a schedule of when they do appt. And if they are registered those appt are funded by Medicare too, as long as you have a gp referral. I received a bill in the mail, and paid it off at my own leisure.

My mw returned my emails originally, then I think she rang me to have a talk and make out first appt.

I sent emails, even though the advice was to call, because of the time of year I was looking. I though they might be on holidays or something. A lot of them replied with info, but they all wanted to speak on the phone before meeting. They all offered an obligation free 'get to know you' appointment. I see my midwife monthly, I think our first official appointment after the meeting one was at about 14 weeks and they've been monthly ever since. She charges a flat fee for all care, she doesn't charge per visit. All of the midwives we spoke to were like that. She takes $500 off her fee if we hire a doula. She's not Medicare registered which means we can't get any rebates or the small amount my phi would pay towards a midwife - so if that parts important to you make sure you ask if they're registered with Medicare :)

Teni I met mine first at around 12 weeks, then I had the booking in appointment at 15 weeks - both of these I didn't pay for.

I have to call them after my morphology scan. Then I'll start paying - they charge per appointment but you get some back with Medicare.

I think I have appointments roughly the same time as you would if you went public - 20, 24, 28, 32, 34 and then weekly from 36 weeks. However since I go over I have negotiated for my weekly appointments to begin at 38 weeks.

Double post

I went with the mob that PZ went through and you can be pretty flexible with appts (consider that I only arrived back in OZ at 26 weeks pregnant lol).
With MN (the group i went through) all visits are monthly until they become fortnightly from about the 28-32 week mark (can't really remember...might even be later than that). being that this is not your first pregnancy there is also a bit more room for spacing out appts (ie. instead of doing weekly from 36 weeks i opted to have fortnightly until 38 ITMS).
they are super happy to discuss plans and how many appts and when. you dont have to pay on day. we used to do bank transfer that night...we would save up for the appts through that month ($110 from memory).

do you have anything to ebay?? i seriously started dumping stuff on there to take some of the pressure off lol.

I was super happy with MN and dont have experience with the others (some with MAMA...but not for HB stuff, just other pregnant related stuff: yoga etc. they seem nice BUT apparently super popular and can be hit and miss with who you get...apparently...not sure how true this is...HB gossip and all that hahaha).

Totally AOK with Scott ringing up for you. they generally dont answer and let it go to voicemail anyway. (this was/is the only way that i have been able to call myself...also feel very anxious about calling and 'annoying' people...especially handy anxiety to have when in labour PMSL).

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Totally AOK with Scott ringing up for you. they generally dont answer and let it go to voicemail anyway. (this was/is the only way that i have been able to call myself...also feel very anxious about calling and 'annoying' people...especially handy anxiety to have when in labour PMSL).

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Oh! That makes me a lot less nervous, I can talk to voicemail no worries :lol: And you happened to mention both I'm tossing up between - MN and MAMA :p MAMA are a lot closer than I thought they were, so it's good to have more choice than I originally thought!

Thanks for the help everyone :) I get so worked up about things, I'm glad I have you all :)

they are both super lovely...rare moment indeed to be spoilt for choice lol. I love Jan Ireland...never had her as an IM but she is a superb, caring human being.

Kelly from MAMA emailed me today :leap: She said if I don't mind travelling to them for the more important appointments, they can definitely take me on. There's a different midwife local to me who can do the other appointments and postnatal visits :)

I just need to call to make an appointment :lol:

Kelly is awesome and caught my ds. She was my secondary midwife but my primary midwife (jan) got caught in roadworks.

Mama offer Medicare rebates for antenatal visits too but the birth you have to pay for.

You'll love Kelly. She's very calm and a great listener. She doesn't have the experience of jan, but they generally work as a team, so you'll have loads of professional knowledge at the birth.

Kelly is no fuss but also very warm and loving. I have other recommendations if you need too.

I'm guessing MAMA do postnatal rebates too? It is important to ask that if Kelly has medicare rebates (i am sure she does!). in my case my primary one did but my second one didnt (so had to pay full for her appts with no rebate...but i chose that because she is awesome and eats jellybeans with me over a cup of tea...yanno, the important stuff lol).

Same as Cassius, I chose my primary who was Medicare eligible, but the second wasn't. But she was wonderful and worth it. She didn't make the birth but the gorgeous intern midwife stepped up to second (also not Medicare eligible) and she was amazing. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure whichever option you go with you're going to spend about $4-5k for private midwifery care in Melbourne. At least, all the options we explored were that, and ours was around about $5k. We paid per visit, but didn't book our midwives until 17-20 weeks. It was $110 fee visit with a $45 rebate (which we still haven't cashed in lol!) and the antenatal were $110 with I think $75 rebate? My primary IM was so amazing though, because we ended up having a lot of extra visits with the PND and RPOC, she charged antenatal at the rebate price, so basically free once we cash those in. That's what's so worth it with IM's, they genuinely care. They're a special kind of person, that's for sure.

My non-medicare registered midwife charged $4000 which included 2nd midwife if I wanted (I didn't). What's the point if the medicare eligible ones just up their prices so you are still paying same amount?

I had the same MW as HotI - $4k everything included (2nd midwife and birth pool). From memory we booked at 13wks and had monthly visits that I think became fortnightly at 32wks and weekly from 36wks? No Medicare rebate but I did claim back net medical expenses over $2000 on my tax return :)

Oh yeah, forgot about the medical expenses tax thingy. Teni, keep records of prescriptions, ultrasounds etc. you might be better off if you get billed after July 1 for all of your appts (even if they occur before then) so all the big expenses will be in the one financial year.

Well, I'll be 16w on the 4th of July, so it's not too unreasonable to start midwife appointments after then. We worked out last night that we should be able to use DH's tax return on appointments/birth expenses, so that'll come in handy :)

Actually, you've just reminded me - I have a "dating scan" on Monday. I hope they don't expect us to pay for it OOP, we don't have the funds this week. I went about $100 over budget on food shopping :redface:

Do you have a health care card Teni? I've never paid for a scan in either pregnancy lol

*sigh* I'm not sure I'm supposed to have one, they never sent a replacement for the one that expired in November. Nothing changed, so I'm not sure why. I've asked DH what we'd do if we have to pay, he says he's got a little to spare in his savings account. So no worries :)

Doesn't necessarily mean you're not eligible, they might just want proof that you still meet the requirements.

My birth story is posted (can't link - on my phone sorry)!

Aimz - have just read and commented on your thread. It's a beautiful story, thanks for sharing and congratulations again!!!

totally awesome birth story Aimz :dance: LOVE LOVE reading people's birth stories...especially from our wee thread!

Teni I've got no idea about health care card sorry, but hope you can work something out. Are you just getting the dating scan so you can see bubby?

Aimz haven't had a chance to read your birth story but I'm looking forward to when I do :)

Well after I posted about being upset/annoyed at the prospect of not having a hb this time I was talking to dh (about something unrelated) and he had the nerve to say he thinks I've been losing faith a little lately! I questioned what he was talking about and he says 'well you're going to hospital instead of just staying at home' (meaning he thinks im scared of something going wrong which I'm definitely not) at which point I pretty much went off at him! I was so annoyed that he could be thinking anything like that when I specifically asked him this time where he thought I should birth and HE was the one tat said hospital!! Now its really to late to change plans back AGAIN coz given my past experiences baby could arrive any day. Plus he is going away again towards the end of this week when I said last week really needed to be the last time until babys born. 4hrs on driving time alone is way to far when all my labours have been between 1 1/2hr and about 6 from first sign to babe in arms!

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Are you just getting the dating scan so you can see bubby?

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Right in one ;) Plus the doctor either didn't believe me when I said I knew my O date, or she sends all her pregnant patients for dating scans. I don't mind, I like ultrasounds. Not very hippyish of me :p but I like checking in on baby now and then, I like sharing "photos" of them... And should the worst happen again, I'll have a photo of baby alive.

haha, i do think they book the dating scan as par for the course as i remember with my last two babies that they were weirded out that i didnt want them :lol:

I always had to argue to get dating scans. I think they assume young mothers will be healthy and happy not to have one, don't know. For me they're necessary for peace of mind. Even though we didn't have the downs screening both times, I've still had the scan to see bubba :redface:

I always end up having a couple of dating scans, not intentional having more than one but it is always too early or I have bleeding. I have u/s just to check all is going ok for peace of mind, once Bub is up to kicking though that is enough reassurance that and I have been known to use my stethoscope numerous times, it is hard to pick up heartbeat but I can get it but only in 3rd tri.

Well, I've now got to go back to the doctor, get another referral, and have another "dating" scan, since the radiologist wasn't all that bright and didn't have as much of a look as she should have. She tried to argue with me over how far along I should be. She came out with"but that would mean you ovulated when you were already pregnant!" when I told her I knew my O date was March 28 and my LMP was at the beginning of February. She even had an option on the screen to input the conception date rather than LMP! I have no idea what her problem was...

I had two dating scans this time, because my midwife thought that the first one was too early to be most accurate. She says the ones between 10 and 12 weeks give the best numbers...? I didn't mind having another peek at baby, but the ultrasound tech seemed to think I must have ordered the second scan myself. (You've already had a dating scan? Why are you having another scan? Was there a problem? Well your dates are the same as last time [actually they were a week off] so there's no reason for another scan....) Sorry! I didn't order it! :)
With midwives, I have always gotten a 12 week scan done. When I was under the care of my GP, (who is also great) I only had a 20 week scan.

Speaking of which, I have my "big" scan tomorrow! :) I'll be 19 weeks, and I can't wait to see how this little one is growing, and hopefully to find out what he/she is! I would be totally happy either way, but I REALLY want to know!

Aimz - I read and commented on your birth story. You did a great job of writing it, and a great job of bringing your baby into the world. I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling more at peace with the whole situation.

Double post...

Scan went beautifully! :) Baby was looking great, healthy and active. Measuring 19 +3, so on schedule or a little ahead. And it looks like DS is going to get a BROTHER!!! :D

Oh Cricket, Congratulations!!!!! Glad to hear everything is healthy and baby bonus of having a brother!!!!

Aimz, loved your birth story (did I say that already??)


I have been away I will pop back in later to catch up. Have a midwife apt this morning, gee they seem to be coming up quickly now!!

Congrats Cricket!!!

Well Little Miss Z is doing well. The only downfall we had to the rapid birth was it burst blood vessels in both her eyes so they are pretty blood shoot and will take a few weeks to go down. Luckily they dont hurt her.
She is feeding like a champ and at day 8 was only 80g off her birth weight so the midwives are pretty happy with her. She had gained 190g in 4 days!!

Cricket: congratulations on baking another little baby boy! so happy that things looked good and baby is on track :dance: and a brother for DS...that is very special xx

Beatrix: oh wow...didnt think of that kind of impact of a fast birth! and a BIG woo hoo on those weight gains! that is some champion feeding :D

Teni: ooh bah humbug on the crappy radiologist. they can be so stuck in their ways it is unbelievable how much 'out of the box' stumps them lol.

Beatrix - I've had a couple babies with broken blood vessels in their eyes too. It does look a little nasty, doesn't it? And some people look at them and are afraid something is drastically wrong.... They did eventually disappear completely though - no worries! And what a terrific eater that little one is! Great job mama!

We are pretty excited about a new little boy in the family. A girl would have been just fine too, and we would have been very happy, but it is special for DS to have a brother, I think. DH never had a brother, so he's pretty thrilled for DS too. :) Now we just have to come up with a name....

That happened to DS eyeball too.

Congrats cricket - my scan is on Friday - eep! This pregnancy is like really getting hard to be in denial about now lol

gosh Arimeh...it is certainly cracking along!