Homebirth General Discussion #5

[e_p]

Cassius2 - DP and I are going on Tuesday - really looking forward to it!

I'm feeling so strong and confident at the moment about this birth and just want to explode and tell everyone about it...but my friends/family/workmates only have negative things to say about birth/pregnancy and it makes me so sad and angry that I know I'll be shot down if I say how good I'm feeling...'oh just you wait until labour'....'wait until you hit 36 weeks..you wont be feeling good then..'...'you'll want the drugs, trust me'...all that stuff. Why isn't this something women can celebrate?!

[Tegam]

I have no idea eutra_phalia, my DH and i could only count 5 positive comments on pregnancy/birth/kids when we were expecting our 1st! And the truth is that there isnt one bad part!

Come in here and sprout on and on about how beautiful you are feeling cause the rest of us understand and love hearing about it!

[HotI]

So, who's going on tuesday????

I will be there. leaving DH and DD home.

[PumpkinZulu]

Ah I would have loved to come! But I rely on PT and it's a bit far for me (I'll be in Windsor by then)

As for people and their negative comments, ignore them. Or shoot them down, that's what I did Don't be disheartened by people telling you this or that; they're projecting their own negative experiences and feelings onto you!

[Smoke Jaguar]

Hi all,
Just popping my head back in because we intend to TTC in about a year's time (my choice, DP and DS would have me pregnant by now if they had a say!) and I've just gone to my local GP clinic for the first time since moving here. I asked about collaboration with IM's and my GP said she won't because she doesn't know where she stands with insurance and what she's allowed to endorse or not. In her personal opinion, though, IM's should be allowed to just do their jobs. Doesn't help me for next year, though...told her I may have to go it alone at the farm, only half-jokingly!
So, that's where we are at with our next homebirth plans - freebirthing.

[HotI]

I am happier that my midwife does not have a collaboration agreement with anyone. Largely because the way it is currently, it is not actual collaboration.

[Jennifer13]

My GP is supportive, but my m/w is not collaborating with her, she's in an independent practice. I have no idea how it works for them, but atm they have pre and post natal insurance and Medicare covers those visits. Just nothing for the birth. But if there are problems we'd be up at the hospital anyway, where we would be covered. TBH insurance is not something we're concerned about, we're just wanting to plan the best possible birth.

[Bella29]

I wouldn't actually go with a MW who had a collaborative agreement either. I don't want an insurance company deciding what is and isn't safe for me. I prefer ro keep decisions about my birth safely in my hands and consult with my midwife not my midwife and her insurance company.

[HotI]

if your midwife is able to claim medicare, doesn't that mean that she is in a collaboration agreement? I didn't think they were able to get a claim number unless they had an agreement in place.

[Bella29]

Not quite. They can get Medicare numbers if they are 'eligible'. Only a handful of midwives have been deemed eligible. No MW after July 2012 may practice hb without both a collaborative agreement and insurance. At the moment they can still practice without either.

None of the mw's near me have collaborative agreements although some have loose arrangements with drs. We do have a local MW who is eligible and can claim for pre and post like Jen is talking about but when/if you go to hospital she is treated like a doula and her ability to care for you restricted.

For me personally, I am lucky to be blessed to afford our MW without the rebate. I feel for mums who are stuck making choices based on finances and unable to get the best care of just a simple ordinary MW at home with them.

My reasons for not wanting a MW with an agreement is because I want an autonomous practitioner not a puppet for a dr or an insurance company. Does that make sense?

[Smoke Jaguar]

My issue is related to the post July 2012 issue that Nicola Poxon has inflicted on women in this country. And the fact that this time round, once July next year hits, that legislation directly impacts on the availability of IM's in my area. As in, the very few that would have been willing to service my area will not be able to afford their insurance AND the GPs around here won't collaborate. An IM from another area will not make it in time for my next birth. I live 1.5hrs from Melbourne where my previous preferred midwives practice.
So, even if we sold a few steers to pay for an IM, we wouldn't have one for the birth for love OR money. Politics and money conspire against logic. But we DO still have ambulance membership, and I can go and book in with the Royal Womens when I'm pg again to get me there by air, if I need After two undisturbed births (one in the FBC, but completely left alone by everyone except DP), I hold no fears for a third.

[Bella29]

I can't help but believe that there has to be some change before next July mayaness. I just have to believe that sanity will prevail. Plus loads of MW's are going underground already. More are practicing unregistered in my area than aren't. I am glad that they will care for women regardless of laws made by pollies, but I wish it didn't have to be that way.

[HotI]

Not quite. They can get Medicare numbers if they are 'eligible'. Only a handful of midwives have been deemed eligible. No MW after July 2012 may practice hb without both a collaborative agreement and insurance. At the moment they can still practice without either.

Thanks for clearing that up.

My issue is related to the post July 2012 issue that Nicola Poxon has inflicted on women in this country.

I was wondering if it was the timing issue that you were worried about.

I can't help but believe that there has to be some change before next July mayaness. I just have to believe that sanity will prevail. Plus loads of MW's are going underground already. More are practicing unregistered in my area than aren't. I am glad that they will care for women regardless of laws made by pollies, but I wish it didn't have to be that way.

I also am hoping that changes will happen, i find it hard to believe that there won't be. Freebirthing is definitely an option i would consider, but i hope women get to make this decision because they want to, not because it is the only alternative to hospital.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Yeah, I really need to finish my uni course and don't want to be pregnant at all until later next year, so as it stands we're looking at planning a freebirth. We do live in a farming area, though, and there are women around here experienced in calving

[Jennifer13]

The pre and post natal visits are a fraction of the cost of an IM's services, because the birth is the expensive part, and I'm actually paying a little out of pocket to have mine come to me throughout the pg. It costs around the same as for a private ob in our case.

From what mine have said, they will continue to practice, atm they have no insurance anyway for what is essentially the most important part of the service - the birth - so taking it away for before and after poses little risk for them. The issue is that instead of improving the situation by giving m/ws access to insurance for all services, it's taking away the little they have. A hospital transfer does mean our IMs become doulas, even now.

I wonder what will happen with those health funds that offer HB coverage (like mine)?

[HotI]

Have/Did you tell people you were planning a homebirth? Did you tell everyone or choose who you told? I have talked about it before i was pregnant, but now i'm not sure i want to tell people. However, i really don't want to lie about it yet know people often ask 'which hospital are you going to?'. For now, i could say i am checking out the birth centre (which i am, but i already know i am not going there).

i just dont think it's really anybody's business, and don't want to deal with their issues with it.

what did you do?

[Cassius2]

when people asked which hospital I replied: "we are having baby at home". no aggression, or fear in the sentence (even if i were feeling both lol). i made a conscious decision about how i said it as i wanted those around me to have to take the information as it was intended: ie as a valid place of birth for our baby, so that meant no bells and whistles in its declaration ITMS. it took some people aback as it was such a casual reference and I never offered any reasons why or the logistics (unless asked) as i simply saw that i didnt feel the need to ask others why they chose a hossy IYKWIM.

HTH.

and a few of these thrown in

[Artechim]

Far out we are so lucky here in NZ with our birth choices! It is all up to the woman if she choses to go through the hospital or an Independent Midwife. IM's visit you at home and attend the birth at the local hospital, or birth centre, or home depending on what service she offers. And it is all free! For such similar countries I don't know how our systems ended up so different.

So because of the system here, no one around town bats an eyelid if you say homebirth. Since we are rural the only other option is the health centre which is just one room with a bed and spa and the same midwife you would have at home anyway. The only downside is that if we are transferred to hospital (1.5 hours away) it is sans the midwife because the IM's here aren't in the catchment area for the hospital so have no rights there.

But in saying that, there is still a perception around (mostly older people or city folk) that it is dangerous even though it is exactly the same risk as you would get at the birth center. I won't be telling my mum the plan until it is all over and done with lol, just can't be bothered with her disapproving.