homebirth general discussion #9

[e_p]

oh! Also, I booked my ticket to the homebirth conference in July - is anyone else coming?

[Jennifer13]

Eutra - I would love to, but we have a holiday just before it. My m/w is presenting this year.

Got my Spiritual Midwifery and Rediscovering Birth books in the mail yesterday. Made me feel all sentimental! I have two of the children's books to give to my m/w to replace the ones that have disappeared in DD1's room. Abebooks came to the rescue. I'm posting them to my sister next week.

Welcome to the newbies! So happy to see so many planning HBs.

[*Ash*]

Hi all!
Eutra- I can't believe C is already 4 months old! My little guy is 5 weeks today. I get all sentimental each Tuesday as he gets a week older, lol!
Hi Em, I'm not surprised you're exhausted hun. A 14 month old is exhausting enough without adding pregnancy to the equation.
I have my last MW appointment next week. I feel a little sad about it. I don't think we will see each other regularly either. She lives an hour away. And we are fairly sure we aren't having another baby. DH offered to get the snip- and I actually feel ok about it. I will live vicariously through the rest of you as you go on to have more glorious HB's and more beautiful children.

Welcome Ambersky!

I have uploaded some photos to my BB profile page. I have set it to 'private'. I just have to work out how to allow access to those who want it. Jenn you should be able to see the album. Could you let me know if you can? Thanks.

[phynna]

Hello HotI I'm here, said I'd turn up )


And hello all the rest of you, not much of an intro for me, not even a birth story written yet (2 years on, better get off my butt), but my Elly is a waterbaby born at home, born en-caul, and placenta delivered naturally too (and still in the freezer as I have no idea what to do with it yet lol). Have bubba2 due in early Sept/Late Aug who'll be another home baby too!

[Jennifer13]

Looking forward to getting to know our newbies!

Phynna, I'd love to read your birth story!

Ambersky, a springtime baby, how wonderful. We've had a couple of members go through that program.

Has anyone else noticed that the number of hospitals offering home birth is growing?

There's an online survey called Patient Opinion that collects feedback on users of health services. I filled it in for my home birth. You won't get much negative feedback on that particular health service!

I also submitted a campaign to GetUp about the end of indemnity insurance for IMs next year and the rights of Indigenous women removed from their community to give birth (thanks to Face of Birth for highlighting that) and they've asked me if I'd like to get involved in a new campaigning tool they're launching. I think I might do it, any publicity right?

[onthefly]

Ambersky, do you know who your midwife is?

[Cricket]

Welcome Phynna!

Saw my midwife on Monday. Things seem to be going well - baby nice and active, weight gain slowing down a little, thank goodness! Starting probiotics to lessen the chance of GBS, although I won't be testing. By the way, I saw a study which said that GBS was about 3x less likely to be transmitted to baby in a waterbirth. Good to know.
Midwife said "yes, you're just at that nice stage of pregnancy, where you're not too big yet, and everything's moving along nicely...." I was like "right, tell that to my aching back and hips! I've been ready to be done since about 20 weeks!" Oh well. We're getting there. One day at a time.

[Ambersky]

Ambersky, do you know who your midwife is?

Sorry missed your post.. Not yet, they said she should call me by 16w which is 10days away..

[Cassius2]

ooohh i wish i could go to the FOB screening in Kensington. it looks like i will be going there for some yoga classes when i get back. has anyone been there yet for other stuff?

i wish BB would do a screening...just like they did with BOBB. it was such a cool way for new members like myself to 'see' the face(s) of BB without the pressure of intimacy that dinners have ITMS.

[e_p]

welcome phynna! I'd love to read your birth story!

DH's cousin's wife is due to have her first baby any day now. I am so proud of DH...he got an SMS from his aunty last night saying 'no baby yet so they're going to induce her next Wednesday.' When DH read the text out, he started with 'oh no' and a concerned face...then afterwards said 'they just need to leave her alone and let that baby be born when it's ready!' hehehe...reminded me of homebirth Ryan Gosling

I went out to a big shopping centre yesterday with C and actually started crying (in Myer!!) after seeing a beautiful, glowing heavily pregnant woman and then a woman with a newborn bub with the softest little cry. My belly feels so empty!!

[HotI]

Is anyone going to either of the Face of Birth sessions in Melbourne or Kilmore this week?

My SIL was labouring at home with her IM and everything was going well (planned hospital birth). things were going really well and the IM asked if she wanted to stay home , but they choose to go to hospital! crazyness. thankfully things went ok at the hospital.

[e_p]

Is anyone going to either of the Face of Birth sessions in Melbourne or Kilmore this week?

I'm going to the screening at MAMA in Kensington this Thursday - really looking forward to it

[ladybirdflies]

hi everyone, I just thought I would pop in and say hello!!! I saw the face of birth last week, loved it, and I got very excited that we get the chance to birth again this year! My DH is going to see it on Tuesday night.

I have my first appointment with HB midwife this week, can't wait, we will be 12 weeks by then. Sadly she has to go away for 6 months but will be back a month before we are due, so she can catch the baby, but we have to talk about care in the meantime. I have a few options but I guess we will know more on Wednesday.

I just bought a stack of Birthings magazines from the homebirth website, I love reading these, the birth stories, the articles and even the ads... Even though I have had three children already I still love reading these mags!

I have to read through all the above replies properly... I hope you are all well xx

[HotI]

I'm going to the screening at MAMA in Kensington this Thursday - really looking forward to it

ooh didn't know there was a kensington one. my mum was disappointed cos she is working wed night but might be able to do thurs- and that is closer to her too! will let you know if i accompany her!

[Jennifer13]

Ladybirdflies - my birth story is in the new issue of Birthings that got mailed out on Friday. I can't wait to see it in print! Def going to put it away in her time capsule. And I might see if I can get some copies for my Mum, doula and sisters.

I've finished watching the meet the experts DVD from the Face of Birth. Loved the interviews with Dr Richard Porter and Sally Tracey especially. Robbie Davis-Floyd was interesting too.

I put in my feedback on my home birth, IM, hospital and GP on patientopinion (org au). It's a non profit org that gathers patient feedback on health services. You don't need to give the names of your care providers, but they do want suburbs and hospitals named. Good way to generate positive feedback on home birth!

[e_p]

ooh didn't know there was a kensington one. my mum was disappointed cos she is working wed night but might be able to do thurs- and that is closer to her too! will let you know if i accompany her!

oooh yes please do!! I'd love to meet you!! The screening I'm going to is at 10:30 and a mums & bubs session x

[e_p]

ooohh i wish i could go to the FOB screening in Kensington. it looks like i will be going there for some yoga classes when i get back. has anyone been there yet for other stuff?.

I haven't been Cass but am thinking of going to one of their Mothers Group meetings - the one MG I sent to that my MCHN organises was awful so I won't be going back but I also don't really have any local friends so feel a bit isolated at times. Hoping it's a bit more homebirthing/babywearing/BFing friendly

[BellyBelly]

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