Hey everyone,

Just thought I would check in with my progress. Can't believe I am 21 weeks already, and I haven't made it to my due date before, so knowing it could only be 18-19 weeks away spins me out.

I wish I knew more about midwifery care with my other two. It truly is the gold standard and runs rings around any other care. Its so easy to see how well it can work, when your midwife can read you and know you so well, therefore spot things going on in labour before they are even a problem. My midwife is very perceptive and switched on, even when I thought I was doing a good job putting on a smile when I was having a bad day.

I have my referral so I can claim from Medicare now, ironically from a GP (who works at MAMA) who used to work at the very same country clinic I have been visiting up here. He left due to a fall out but regularly keeps in touch with the GP I was seeing here, so he's going to chat to him and tell him he should read more into this and understand it so he can take over. The GP thinks he's probably just not looked into it enough which I am sure most GPs are doing.

I'm also very excited that Rhea Dempsey is going to be my birth attendant/doula - as soon as I trained with her in 2005 I knew I would want her at my next birth. Knew it would be a while but wow its all happening, and my midwife is also excited to be doing a birth with Rhea as she loves working with her. Feel like I am going to have an amazing birth team.

Moved around the bedroom this weekend to check out the best way to put the pool in, and after all that I think I want to move it again because I feel like I will want to be in the corner of the room, away from the door. Just have to wait for the right moment to tell my partner lol. Speaking of which, its great that my partner and his family seem so at ease with the midwife too and supportive of my choice to HB. Its a great feeling knowing there is no resistance or danger talk going on.

Other than that, been really slow to do anything else, no names picked, not much purchased etc. I think I know what I am having but I am not 100%, we're just going to keep it a surprise for now.

Jen - Sounds like a great idea - lots of us do it just have to keep plugging away so they realise it is a big issue - sadly organisations don't get how big this is. But if we keep asking for it to be addressed it will happen! Keep at it xx