Oh well, more biscuits for me if they say no :p
I ended up going in the opposite direction with my nap conundrum - Amelia and I are having a dance party in the loungeroom while waiting :D
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Oh well, more biscuits for me if they say no :p
I ended up going in the opposite direction with my nap conundrum - Amelia and I are having a dance party in the loungeroom while waiting :D
I just did some more poking around and it seems pre-natal care is all office visits. I think I'd be hard pushed to find anyone who does home visits :(
Meow- In SA the program run through my local hospital is all home visits if thats what you want and its free as well. I was lucky to have this option, that I qualified for it and that I found the program itself amazing and it suited my needs.
I go see my midwife still - I'm not overly uncomfortable, but if I was, I have no doubt she would come to me. However, because I live 45 minutes away from her, it costs me $75 to see her for each appointment if I go to her - and $100 if she comes to me. So I don't mind travelling LOL
Well, you were all right, they came in and straightaway said no to bikkies :rofl: It was just Jan, with a student who was lovely :)
Ahhh, that was nice and calm - aside from Amelia being predictable and trying to take over. She was shoving paper and crayons into everyone's hands, insisting we draw her something :lol: I'm going to be going into the offices to have my GCT, which is good, and apparently there's a midwife who *might* be closer to me than J & K, so I *might* be transferring to her care if we hit it off. I'm not sure how I feel about that prospect, but I'll take it if needs be :) Jan's concerned I might have a fast labour and birth before anyone gets to me, so I understand her wanting to check if this other MW can take me. I should've reminded her my doula's about two hours away so I'm okay with people being far away :p
With DS, my midwife was an hour away, and my student was 10 mins away. It was really nice when things moved a bit fast to have someone close by. Do you have the name of the other midwife? you don't have to share, but a search here or via google might give you some reviews on her.
happy your appt went well.
On the "Meet the team" page on their website, there's one with the same first name who sort of fits the description I got - maybe she got married? Her name is very familiar, I think I might have met her before somewhere. Apparently she used to work at the Women's, so it's possible I had an appointment with her there with Amelia... And there was a midwife with the same first name who was with me when Ianto was born. It'd be amazing if it turns out all these things are true and I've unknowingly seen the same midwife through all my pregnancies!
I saw Kate at MAMA and loved her! She is a great midwife and I clicked with her immediately. In fact I feel confident that any of the MAMA midwives would suit me.
It's funny how the little kids feel like the midwife visit is all about them. Dd was always taking over lol.
Ok serious question. When did people start getting people come around when they were in labour? I've got SIL coming for support and to babysit ds. She's an hour away. Mw will make the decision I guess based on our contact. And then I have a student, who is 1.5-2 hours away. I can also call on my brothers girlfriend who is 1.5hrs away. Should I get SIL here early for support for me and dh. And when did people set up their birthing space if it was in a living area, and get birth pool ready???
I had DH there when he decided to come. I told him to go back to work though but he wouldn't so he was home for 3 days lol!:
Birth pool we blew up around 37weeks and just had it in another room. It was filled when I was in labour and basically when MW told DH to fill it up. First time it was as soon as MW arrived as things were intense and I wanted to get in now. Second time was after MW said probably should fill it up now. I never gave birth in my space that was organised haha both times were in bathroom under bright heat lamps rather than the shuttle candlelight in every other room!! But hey that's how things turned out. And basically space/candles were set up whilst I was in labour.
Williams mummy- what was your previous labour like? i cant really give you time frames sorry as my people were all meant to jump in the car when i thought i was in labour but none made it, my midwife did jump straight in car but she lived 35 min away and well my mum (lives 20 min away, rang about 15 min before dd arrived) decided to have a shower and student was told same time as my mum but lived about 20 min away.
edit- as for setting up... we had a mattress with plastic covering stuffed behind the couch, i didnt even really consider a pool as I knew it wasnt going to happen in time and i brought all the supplies in and down to the lounge at 40 weeks, went into labour the next morning.
I called people a when I was certain I was in labour. Partially so they had time to organize child care and also because I then could call them back and say, "actually it has kicked up a gear, can you come now?" And they would be ready. One got a flat tire and was way later than she had anticipated. So in the end it turned out well that I had called early, cos she was an hr away, and she decided she would come closer and just wait in a cafe and do some work on her computer.
I got all my supplies organized into a basket for the birth. Then I knew that everything was ready for whomever had to set up. Because we set up in the bedroom, I had black plastic to protect the carpet and then a blanket to go over and the birth pool. I didn't have any sorted out until I went into labour. Hubby I called home from work when I realized I was in labour and he set that up for me. Hope that helps.
My waters broke at midnight, contractions started 10mins later. I would say real labour started around 8-9am, ds born at 1.10pm.
I called doula and midwife when I could tell labour started. My doula was only 15 mins and my midwife around 45 mins. DD2 was born about 2 1/2 hrs after my m/w arrived. She's a bit further away this time and I am quite happy that my second m/w will be on call for this bub. I think it will happen within two hours this time and I know my m/w might need to bf or drop her bub off before coming here.
I had the pool and attachments and all supplies blown up and ready to go for about a week. My doula bought over some extra stuff the day before, when I had some early labour.
My m/w always stayed/stays for at least an hour and often had/will have lunch. When I go to her she does the tea and either of us provide the yummy treats. But I've entertained several m/ws and their PhD students as well, tea and at least biscuits are always involved. ;)
Ohh on the topic of students Jen, I have been asked if I would consider a student this time. I have said yes. She asked me what kind I want, young old, etc, so I have told her to bring a couple and I will decide. They arnt allowed to come to a birth because of insurance, but they will come and ask me about it afterwards apparently. So there you go. This time feels right for a student. Neither other time did tho.
I had the birth pool blown up and sitting on a blanket in the shed. everything else I had ready on the change table, and the plan was to carry it out into the front room when labour began.
I messaged my midwife and student saying I thought things were happening, but I wasn't sure. this allowed them to get ready, and the midwife was about an hour away. I think I got dh to call a bit later to ask them to come.
the student arrived first, and it was she that got dh to start organising things. I don't think he realised how things were moving quickly, and that I meant now when I said can you start to get ready. I am going to have an explicit list on the fridge this time, so I can just point to it - or throw it at dh.
my midwife only made it a few minutes before bbaby arrived, so I will probably ask her to come bit earlier this time.
I had the idea that I would be able to do all these things in early labour, move the change table, put up some lights, bake a slice LOL. I got DD Rio sleep in early labour, and then it just ramped up and all I could do was go with it. so, my advice would be to have important things done beforehand and have written instructions for support people, as well as explaining before what you want done.
I usually have my birth stuff sitting in a box ready to go from about 37 weeks or so. When contractions start, I give my midwife a call just to say hey, something's going on, but not sure if this is the real deal yet. When it gets "real" DH usually calls (generally I'm a little irrational at that point ;) ) and says "COME NOW!" and it has worked out fine. The midwives have arrived in good time and were ready because they had the heads up earlier in the day.
We usually make the bed up with a plastic sheet over one set of sheets, and then an old sheet over top of that when labour is well established. I've delivered in the bath, but we use the bed for post partum checks, baby exam, etc., so when that's all done, we can take off the old sheet and the plastic sheet and have a clean bed ready to go underneath.
Beatrix- I'm living in the states and things are a little different here.
From what I can gather insurance will only cover office appointments but most home visits cost around $300 so it would be crazy to choose home visits. I found one place that does the early pregnancy visits "clinic" style where you go Saturday morning from 10am-12pm every 3 weeks and hang out with the other homebirthing families and have a quick 'vitals' check and chat about stuff. Apart from not getting personal relationship building time with your MW it kind of seems nice nad I could go by myself without any kids which would be nice 'pregnancy baby bonding' time. And I guess once you kick into the later one-on-one appointments you get more of the relationship stuff. I've never actually been that fussed about pregnancy care but I do need that time to be able to talk about my concerns, history, transfer etc.
I think in any case I would hire a post-natal doula. That's the time when I've needed intense support in the past and I don't think I'd get what I need from a MW. Most are saying 2 visits in the first 5 days or something then a 2 and 6 week office visit. No way.
Williams Mummy- I texted my H and MW when had my show. MW called back and asked about labour which there was none. Then within an hour I realised I was having mild contractions that were getting closer together and more intense so I called her back to let her know. I called my H and arranged for him to come home after a meeting he was just about go into. So I sort of set everyone on notice in early labour. Then when my H got home things were getting serious and I said "fill the pool and call the MWs!" then went to focus on the contractions. They arrived about 30 and 40 mins after that and my son was born about 3 hours later.