doula or private midwife...what is the difference?

Hi,

I just found out that I am pregnant with number 2 and an interested in having a doula/private midwife with me and DH at this birth.

A bit of back ground. My last birth was an emergency c-section with DS ending up in the NICU for 10 days. Due to DS's health problems at birth I have been told that this pregnancy will need to be highly monitored and may end in another c-section if the bubs needs to come out early, although I would love to have a VBAC.

I would love the support of a doula/midwife with me this time around, but was wondering what they difference was between them? Also can anyone recommend any to me, I live in the Hawkesbury district but will be going through Westmead Private

Thanks,
Tracey

a doula is just a support person where as a midwife has medical knowledge.. although wouldnt (generally) be able to be YOUR m/w in hospital just another support person.

do they think what complicated your DS's first few days is hereditory?

Maternity Coalition-State Branches
try here for a M/W

Thanks for that!

They don't know, he is still undiagnosed. I have been told that there is a 1 in 4 chance of it happening again. The baby's liver and kidneys would need to ultrasounded frequently towards the end (from memory about 32 weeks onwards) if there is any enlargement it would be straight in for a c-section. DS was destroying his own red blood cells faster than he could replace them. They are concerned about jaundice levels increasing while I would still be pregnant if it was to happen again. I am still going back for visits for the hospital for DS to check his development as they are unsure of what his levels were while he was doing this to his blood while I was still pregnant.
Hope all of that made sense;)

Tracey

then i would go a midwife to help make your way through the jargon... and to help you achieve what you want with out the scare tactics

thats what I was thinking too, but I was just unsure what the differences were between the two.

Thanks for your help!

Tracey