Public Vs Private

[childondaway]

Good Afternoon All,

I would just like to get a general consensus on what people's views are on having their baby in a public vs private hospital. I know a few woman who have had babies and their seems to be various opinions around about having baby in a public or private hospital. The woman I know who have gone public have been really happy with the service they received and also really happy with the amount of money they saved and where able to spend on their child, and the woman who have gone private have looked down at the ones who went public.
My health insurance wasn't updated in time before I fell pregnant, therefore I am going to a public hospital as a private patient (I have my own obgyn), its just that I will save money on the expense of the hospital and can spend that o my baby...

Will people look down at me b/c of this?

[~Kim~]

Well if they do, they need something else more exciting to think about hun


With Darcy I went private. Had an Ob, and went to a private hossy. Paid a fortune for antenatal classes, never met a single midwife until I went into labour. Yep I got my private room, but the food was still hospital food and I had to pay extra for a paediatrician - even though I didn't think I really needed one - that was the policy. I love my Ob and would probably have done the same this time but situations were forced.

We moved to the country - there is no Ob here, let alone a private hossy for 200kms. So I'm in the middy program. It has met all my needs. They are proactive and caring about active birth and gentle parenting. True most of the girls here I trained with or was trained by, but I've met them, before I go into labour and am anxious. I don't have to worry about a rapport being built when I am at my most vulnerable. I still get my single room - yes it has a shared bathroom - but who cares?? I haven't got a private Ob but the locums here are fantastic.

I wish I'd done it this way last time. It lets me spend my money where I should/prefer and as a private patient, I am still supporting my local hossy rather than relying on medicare

[Pandora]

If they do, they arent worth your time. That goes for people who go public thinking things about those who go private.
Its a very individual choice.

I went public with my son and again this time, different hospitals though.

Both times I saw the same carer throughout my pregnancy, and this time its acaseload/one midwife program so she or her backup will be on call when I go in to labour/for birth.

If I wasnt low risk and needed to see an OB then I would probably consider going private, as the OB I was with my first bub is less available now, and I dont like his backup OB.

It all depends on your circumstances, but other peoples opinions of you shouldnt come in to it.

[penguin]

Hey Childondaway,

At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter whether people look down on you for having your baby in a public hospital. For starters, such attitudes say far more about the people that would look down on you, than they do about you. The most important thing, is that you come away from the delivery as a healthy mum with a healthy bubby.

Continued media attention to the state of our public health system does very little to instill much faith for many people. The coverage of the recent miscarriage(s) in the toilet issue, Dr Death, waiting lists, ED waiting times, etc, etc, paint a picture of an aparantly sub-standard health system that appears incapable of doing anything right. Public hospitals, in general don't look as fancy; the food is generally worse than in a private hospital; and there's a good chance that you'll be sharing a room.

The flip side is a private system with nicer rooms and food, and because you're paying for a service, the potential misperception that you may be receiving superior care.

In the end, though, the quality of the care that you receive does not come down to a question of public vs private. It's far more complex than that, and is more a question of which hospital you are in, which ward, and the staff that are looking after you.

I - and this is my personal opinion only - have more faith in the public system's ability to deal with emergency situations that many arise. My wife gave birth to our little girl at IGH in what turned out to be a middle-of-the-night Caesarian. I can not speak highly enough of the care provided to Ali and Emy while they were in hospital. That being said though, I've heard of many people having very, very unsatisfactory experiences in public hospitals. But then again, I've heard just as many good and bad tales from Privates as well...

As rayray said, it's all an individual choice. As long as you're comfortable, and you and your bub are well-looked after, it really doesn't matter where you choose to give birth.

Good luck with it all.

[Aphrael]

IMO if your having a trouble free pregnancy and no past history behind you of complications then I'd be thinking a public hospital is your best option. Higher chance of sucessful vaginal birth, patient to nurse ratio is lower in a public hospital (I guess it also depends on the private hospital itself but by law they dont have to have a certain amt of staff per patient as public hospitals do as far as I've been told), and why would you want to hire a surgeon to 'deliver' your baby?

I certainly dont believe I look down on anyone as in the end its your opinion that really matters, its your body and your baby, so long as you and your partner (or not) agree with your decision then who cares what other ppl think???

I'm happy to say I'm going public for the third time, I was going to go private (added the Obstetric's to my insurance and everything) for a long time but then I realised after thinking about it when I fell pg (and the hospital I would LOVE to use is too far away) that I dont need an Ob to 'deliver' my baby, I will be giving birth MY WAY with midwives, womyn (and 1 male midwife I know) who's job has been around heaps longer than any Ob!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and to top it all off, next month I will be giving birth naturally after having 2 caesareans!!!!

All the best,

Beck

[Snacks]

Hiya, in addition to reading these great comments here, you may be interested in this thread: Public, Private or Birth Centre?
As others have said before me, it is such an individual choice.
As you kind of haven't been given a choice (what with the HI not covering you) then there's no need to agonise over the decision IMO
I wouldn't be concerned what others think of your decision to go public. This is just the first thing in a long line of decisions you will make in regard to your baby that others will have an opinion on Learn to be confident in your decisions and to hell with everyone else - this is your baby, you're the mum and it is always going to be your call.
FWIW, I have private health insurance and I still chose to go public, and had such a great experience that this time I have chosen to go public again. Haven't come across anyone who has criticised my choice, but perhaps I am lucky there.
All the very best for your birth!

[satya]

Public is the way to go. Public hospitals have the capability to deal with all eventualities, not all private ones do.

I went public & I was allowed to labour far longer than any woman I know IRL who's given birth in a private hossy. I also got way more help with breastfeeding than they did too.

Anyone who thinks they are somehow better because they paid for their doctor & delivery & hossy stay is a snob. I paid my medicare levy through my tax ever since it was introduced & I was very glad that I could finally get to use the services I'd been paying for for so many years.

[mbear]

Sayta i couldnt have written a better post myself.....DITTO to what Sayta said. Im about to have my 4th child in a public hossi as a public patient. I have a fairly 'boring' pregnancy and labour (i.e all fairly text book types, no complications, breastfed no probs etc) thats why public works for us.

[childondaway]

Thanks to everyone who replied!I feel much better now... I guess i was never really concerned about what ppl would think about me, however, it does seem to be a popular topic amongst many ppl and everyones views are different. Thank you for making me understand just how little importance this has, especially when there are so many other more exciting things to concentrate on over the next upcoming months.

Regards,

Childondaway

xoxox

[Toomanytoomany]

I've had five children in public hospitals, with some mixed experiences. My first was at a large teaching hospital, they were overcrowded, overrun, and the consulting obstetrician I was given was horrible. I was very young and treated like an idiot, but nevertheless, given very little assistance in looking after the baby after she was born.

The other experiences have been largely positive, although the staffing shortages have been notable once or twice. The cleanliness or lack of on the wards has been a feature of more than one hospital, and the pressure to get you out the door as quickly as possible is not conducive to a good recuperation, imo.

What I like most of all is that public hospitals emphasise midwife care and their vested interest as far as cost goes is in *not* medicalising your birth experience. I'd be dubious about going into a system where the caesarean section rate is so much higher, as it is in the private system.

What I don't like with the public hospital is your lack of choice. I am stuck with the hospital I am at, and I don't like it at all, but the other public hospitals won't take me because I'm not in their "catchment area". After my loca made mistakes early in this pregnancy I get a tight feeling in my chest every time I walk in the door. If I could afford a midwife for a homebirth, I'd have one.

[Pandora]

I must be lucky in that I have 3 public hospitals that I can go to with maternity facilities. I didnt know, other than the RWH in Melbourne, that they were zoned/had catchment areas? Is that for low risk only - I would have thought somewhere like the Mercy or the Womens would have to atke high risk patients regardless of where they lived, becuase of the NICU facilities that they have available.

[Shanti]

We chose public because we like the Midwifery view of birth over the Obstetrics views of birth that you find in most private hospitals. We also couldn't see the point in paying $3K or whatever for an OB when we could go with the public system and have just as much care given to us.

Less chance of medical interventions in public hospitals as opposed to private hospitals.(as a general overview)Many private hospitals are on time schedules iykwim.... Also many public hospitals have better equipment or newer equipment than private hospitals because government funded. (not always the case tho).

My DH is an R.N (registered nurse) so he's worked in both public and private hospitals so it was easy for us to make an informed decision on what we felt was best for me and the baby.

There are many brilliant private hospitals and many brilliant public hospitals around. It is the staff caring for you and their views on birth that will really help make your birth experience I believe.

* I'm attending a small public hospital...

[*Infinity*]

When I first found out I was pregnant (and this is my first bubba) I automatically thought private as i had health insurance, so booked in with an OB that I was recommended. However tomorrow I have an appt to get into the local midwife-led birth centre program at my local large public hospital. I found myself thinking, why do I need a doctor to manage this? - I'm a perfectly healthy, low risk candidate who wants a natural birth, supported by care providers that specialise in that - i.e. midwives.
Don't get me wrong, the OB is lovely - i even quizzed her on her approach to birth and she is very relaxed, and encourages labour to progress normally and naturally, drug free. Which is re-assuring. But i decided that i didn't need to pay someone thousands over and above my insurance when I can get the same, probably better and more appropriate care for me and my bub at no cost in the public system. I pay my taxes, and that is what these services are there for, so the argument that we shouldn't place any extra burden on the system is ridiculous.
The other thing about public is vastly better post natal follow up care - my midwife during pregnancy is available to me up to 6 weeks after birth, for ANYTHING i need, whenever I need. That rates much higher than a single post natal check up at 6 wks with an OB for me. I want to go home as soon as possible, and public appears to be better at facilitating that.
Good luck!
Lolly

[Arimeh]

I don't think it revolves so much about being public vs private so much - more like hospital vs hospital.

For example. I have two hospitals near me. The closest one (1km down the road) is a huge public hospital - biggest one on the coast. The closest private hospital is 2km down the road. Best one on the coast.

Private hospital offers waterbirths - public does not.
Private hospital gets a single room with your own bathroom - Public hospital have to share PLUS you are not allowed to BF in that room - you have to walk down to a public sitting room and do it there.

For those two reasons right there - I will continue going to my private hospital. Not being I'm a snob, not because I want my baby delivered by a surgeon, but because that care suits me. I personally care whether or not I am allowed to experiment with BFing in private or a public situation.

But some public hospitals are like my private hospital. If the public one here wasn't so damn crappy and all they want is the bed empty - I would probably consider going there.

I say make your decision about the level of care that suits you from the actual hospitals that are near you - and don't let it enter your mind whether they are public or private.

[kawazuki]

well for me i haev no choice but to go private. as teh publid hospital here is going through soem major issues with ist maternity unit and they are very under staffed and very over worked, so i feel i am in a position to go private again, so when i fall pregnant i will go private again.
yes i have to drive 1 hour to get to the hospital but i will deal with that sooner to the time lol.

[me83]

I have chosen to go public also, I am near a hospital that offers care by midwives. I get the same midwife throughout my pregnancy, birth, and can contact for up to 6 weeksafter teh birth if I have any questions. I wanted that sort of consistency of care and was really happy that the local hospital offered the service. I think the issue is not public or private, but the type of care you are looking for. I don't think there is anythng wrong with one or the other, it just depends what care and accommodation you want from the hospital. 'I am hoping to go home ASAPafter the birth so hopefully wont be admitted to a hospital ward.

Good luck with everything.

[Snacks]

... PLUS you are not allowed to BF in that room - you have to walk down to a public sitting room and do it there.

Mel, that is fricking ridiculous! That has made me so incredibly cross to read! Have they given an explanation for such an outlandish rule? Grrr, how shocking.

[Arimeh]

Amy - dunno man... my friend went for orientation there when considering whether or not to drop her private cover - she decided to stick with it and continue going to selangor.