I have a neuro condition that is similar to parkinson's disease, but is controlled with medication. It is quite rare (1 in 2 million prevalence) and so the drs get a bit scared because they don't understand it. My symptoms improved with pregnancy last time. It is another reason why staying home would be better because stress/anxiety can make symptoms worse. I don't see this as making me any more 'high risk' than any other woman, but getting the medicos to understand this might be difficult.

With DD, i was told (and went along with) that for your first birth, especially with your medical condition, it is really important that you are monitored and go to hospital and blah blah blah. Next time you can go along with your crazy hippy ideas. Now, i am here for the second time (and understand that the first time it was all bull), i 'proved' myself by having a vaginal birth with a posterior bub and only using gas , and people seem to be backtracking on their support for me to do it my way 2nd time around. I think i need to make a decision and start demanding support, or looking elsewhere if it's not going to be given willingly.

Post birth it took me a few weeks to recover, but going to hospital didn't help at all with that last time. The lack of sleep due to PTSD (due to going to hospital) probably made the recovery slower.

I did a tour at the Birth Centre and the midwifes were awesome, but they have to work within the system. I spoke to one of them later, and she encouraged me to stay home ('Good on ya, F*** the hospital' were her words). I liked what i saw, but i don't want to be worried about toeing the line the whole time.