How important is an obstetrician?

[~mamaspice~]

Never, ever assume private covers means you get your own room!

Okay, IMO, about the best part of going private would be the high chance you'll have your own room. Thats about the only positive thing I can think of about going private It certainly influenced my decision first time around. If your own room is important to you check with the private hospital you intend to go to and they can verify it your own room is guaranteed or not. In the hospital I went to there were only single rooms in maternity.
This time around, my own room isn't so important

[Melbournemumma]

I had a private Ob with my DS. As someone else said, I don't really use my private health insurance for hospital and DH and I felt like we wanted to make use of the private hospital in our area. Neither of the public hospitals in our area had good reps so we were happy with our choice. For me, I loved the continuity of care that we got from having an OB and my Ob was fantastic. He was so supportive and calming and I called on him whenever I was concerned. He would always return my calls and reassure me when I needed it. He was so encouraging of helping me to birth naturally, however, for reasons beyond both our control I ended up having a c-sec. Again, he was fantastic and I have not had any problems since then.

I will be going private the next time I have a baby, however will need to find another OB as we're moving at the end of the year. I'm really sad about this as I really wanted to use my Ob again. I just can't speak highly enough of him

As others have said, going private is not a guarantee of a private room, however there is a greater chance of that. Also, depending on the hospital there are additional benefits. For us, my husband was able to come and go whenever he liked and he even stayed at the hospital with me on 3 nights. I've had friends who have had babies in the public hospital next door recently and they had less freedom with visitors and their husbands presence than I had.

I also found the additional one on one support I got from the mid-wives post birth was fantastic. From the lactation consultant who came and sat with me and helped me learn how to hand express, to the nurses who came and showed us how to bath DS in our room, I couldn't fault our hospital.

Also, those costs sound about right. My ob was $3000 for labour management and $45 each visit. Also, with private don't forget to add the costs of a Paed and anesthetist if necessary.

Hope this helps and goodluck.

[~*Niadalla*~]

In my case.... NOT AT ALL. Didn't have an ob with me during either of my births, and saw one once face to face each pregnancy... AND I was 'high risk' (but that's an arguement for another thread. LOL).

[~Kim~]

Depends at which hospital you want to deliver.
If you want to go to a private hossy - you have to fork out for an Ob. If you're happy to go public, no worries - totally unnecessary.
I've had one preg with and one without and Ob. Both high risk. With #2 I was allocated the best Ob they had and he saw me all the way through. Care I got was the same in terms of continuity, except the benefit with public was that you got to know the midwives who will deliver your bub and look after you post birth. With private you won't meet them until you go to the hospital in labour.
If the private room thing concerns you, you can always pay for priorty for a private room in a public hospital (for most that I've come across), but remember sick pts always come first.

[HotI]

I went public, and had my own room with a double bed.

However, next time i'm staying home.

[Fleur]

I never had an Ob (public for all) & truthfully can't see why you need one unless it's more for convenience... a few posters have mentioned elective CS, or knowing who they will have for the delivery.. that kind of thing, I get, but apart from that, even if there are complications (as there were with my third labour) you just see the Ob who's on at the time. With my second & fourth labours I never saw a doctor of any sort, just a midwife.

JMO and of course I speak from the POV of never having had one but I don't know what pre-natal care they would give that would be any different?

[Peg]

JMO and of course I speak from the POV of never having had one but I don't know what pre-natal care they would give that would be any different?

from what i've seen so far, the visits are no different to seeing a public hosp midwife.

I guess if you have any conditions the ob, also being a dr, is able to treat you for those conditions and provide you prescription medication that a midwife could not.