VBA2C's hsp or Homebirth?? Doula or midwife??

I am pregnant with my third child and this will be our last. I am desperate for a vaginal birth having had two C-sections. I am after other people’s experience who may have been in similar situations as I am really confused/conflicted which way to go.

I have been told that the local hsp will push me to C-sect and I will have to be very determined with what I want and be very informed on risk etc. I am more scared of another C-sect. after my 2nd one was just horrific, than of any risk in a VBA2C.

Basically I need to decide to either have a Doula and labour as long as I can at home before going to hsp OR private midwife and again labour at home before going to hsp or have a home birth. I guess my biggest issue is unfortunately the cost, it is so much greater to have a private midwife and the one I would love is not going to be medicare rebated. I like the idea that she can monitor baby while at home and if the labour is going well that I could possible stay there.

My first pregnancy I had a grade 3 placenta previa. Bleeding from 21 wks, which continued to get worse, hospitalised from 27 – 31 wks. My waters broke and Matilda was delivered by C-sect. At 31 wks. She didn’t really have any other complications and after 5wks in NICU was released. She did get Group B strep at 40 wks (9 wks after her birth). No issues with the scar and I recovered well & quickly.

My second baby was born 1 yr & 5days later. I had a great pregnancy. My water’s broke at 40wks, at 6am. I rang the hsp and was told to go up there when I could. I arrived at 8amish but was not in labour. I was given an IV with induction. From there I went into “labour” quickly, had regular contractions a couple of minutes apart. However I never got past 3cm dilated. I laboured on my back and it was horrible. I asked for an epidural after 13.5 hours however it only worked on one side. They then decided that baby was in distress (he had pooed, melicolin? I think it’s called, early on) and had to come out. They tried once again to get the epidural to work but it didn’t so I ended up having a general anasetic. Poor baby was born not breathing (they said due to the anasetic) and had to be resuscitated. He went up to NICU for about 8 hours. Apparently I had quite a bit of scaring from the first C-sect so I had two drain tubes in my c-sect, which when they were taken out a day or two later was just horrific. Poor baby was so upset as a new born and after my op all I wanted to sleep and he just cried and cried (probably had a huge headache after pushing for 13.5 hrs against an closed cervics! And I resented him and was so angry he wouldn’t sleep and I just felt that he had a horrible start to life.

Any advice/thoughts/your stories would be much appreciated :)

Could you try to find a Medicare eligible midwife? The medicare benefits are said to be very "generous". It will make private midwifery far more affordable, plus you can claim it on tax and also get the baby bonus. Good luck with whatever you decide :)

Thanks for that advice. I am def leaning towards IM now and possibly even a HB which I'd never had ever considered before now!! How do I claim it on tax?

Hi, you'd claim it with your tax. If you go to the ATO website and search for the net medical expenses tax off-set it will help you.

I had a VBA2C in a private hospital with the help of an IM. My birth story is linked in my sig at the bottom of my post if you want to have a read.

I tossed up what to do when making the decision about care porviders. In the end I went with private hospital because my OB was happy to support me, although I never would have gone private without the extra support of my IM even with a supportive OB. If my OB had of not been supportive I probably would have homebirthed.

HI

To answer you Q...

Homebirth, doula AND mw :D

Why? I had a vba2c and wen to hospital for the last 2hrs due to not being able to afford a mw or accommodate birth in my home. I hated the hospital part :shakehead:

My birth story, if you would like to read it is on few other forums (where I have the same user name) or if you pm me I can email a link.

I really wish I had tried harder to get the birth I wanted the first time, now I am struggling with my 2nd vba2c as we are in a rural area and I can't get a mw out here!?!?! :doh:

If you know this is the last baby for you then I say fight tooth and nail for whatever gives you the best chance of getting the birth you desire. NOTHING compares to the empowering feelings and strength achieving a vbac gives.

Sarah :D

Your births give no idication there should be any reason you can't birth vaginally :) Sounds like your 2nd birth was a bit screwed up by the hospital, and to be honest I would be trying to avoid that if I were you.

I wish you all the best :)

Thank you for sharing your stories & thoughts. I am going to organse to speak w a IMW and look at home birthing.

how do you find a medicare supported midwife?

Medicare payments start on Nov 1. Midwives will put it on their website if they anticipate that you can claim Medicare payments after Nov 1. I hope that the College of Midwives or Registration Board will have a pubicly-listed database of Medicare-elogible midwives so that women know which midwives they need to see to get medicare benefits.