The fact that I have my appointments at home and don't have to arrange babysitting or drag my kids to the hosp for every appointment (and have to endure the big wait) is such a hugething.
Oh I hear you! I have had two birth centre appointments so far. Both about 40mins late by which time I was dealing with a tantruming toddler while getting through the appointment- not to mention paying for expensive hospital parking. My home midwife appointment was about an hour late but she had called to check that was okay as she was running late that day and then she got lost (everyone does first time they come to our place) and it was no big deal- just hung out with my son And then when he did get cranky during our LONG chat ( ) I coudl get him more toys and food etc while still chatting.

so when asked about pain relief (cause obviously that's what EVERYONE first asks about ) i told her that my MW can do water injections if we want, and she just laughed out loud and goes, 'oh that's a good placebo...ha ha ha...oohh a bit of saline (and insert drumroll for emphasis on how ignorant she is) IN THE LEG. i didnt even smile back and went, yeah, not really and left it at that lol. THEN she tried to talk DH out of it cause he didnt want to be in the room when i got the blood drawn (he has a thing about those blood vials lol). and she's like, you know, birth is gory...you're not going to handle it. i was furious. i will make a complaint to my regular GP as i found it really offensive. never had trouble before at that clinic, so was pretty bummed.

do you have to keep the booking at the BC? i cant imagine how they would class you as high risk?? surely it would all be conjecture on how 'big' your next beautiful bub is going to be??
That doctor sounds like a nightmare!!!! You don't even NEED pain relief and if she hasn't heard of sterile water injections then she needs to just butt out!! Do tell your regular doctor about her.

I don't have to stay booked into the birth centre and I'm dropping out after the 20 week scan (so close now I figure I'll get my freebie) so I wont even need to see the ob. It's just really annoyed me that this is how they treat the women that birth there. So mad. I think he would say I would need "close monitoring" for measurements and possibly an extra ultrasound if I measure large, and must have the GD test. So cranky- there is no reason to think I can't birth this next baby even if they are bigger than the last one.

Have you seen the trailer for the documentary Face of Birth.... there was an interesting bit where they say there are 3 types of women that choose homebirth. The 1st have had a bad experience in the hospital system, the 2nd are the fringe hippy type and the 3rd are really educated about birth. I fall mainly into the 3rd category with a little bit of the 1st too. Which leads me to think that women who say that "it's not for me" don't fit into any of these categories! I think a lot of the time women may not have a great experience in the hospital but don't actually realise that birth can be better than that. In a way ignorance is bliss for them but it's so sad that they are short changing themselves.

I'm really looking forward to my homebirth too (end August). I'm in a public program so fingers crossed there... I have a pretty supportive team though which is good. I must admit I haven't shared this news around much in my social circles because I know that a lot of people wouldn't be supportive. I'm kind of just quietly doing it my way.
Thanks so much for that! Haven't seen that trailer but it sounds really good- really helped me "place" myself too. I'm like you- more of the 3rd with a little of the 1st. And I think in someone else's eyes my birth would ahve been greta but being educated I know it could have been better without the unnecessary hospital rules.

I've been telling everyone I'm having a HB though I'm a little tired of hearing "Well good luck with it going to plan". I think people think I'm being unrealistic and I'll have to transfer. It's annoying arguing against "but this could go wrong" with people who are uninformed too. One friend asked me for tips on the best place in Melb for a natural waterbirth though- I told her, at home

Is anyone else in a belly buddies group on here? How do you find it? I'm getting a little tired of the lack of understanding about homebirth and birth in general. I mentioned my trauma from stitches last time too and not one person commented on it. I find the response to birth trauma is much better with homebirthers.