considering C section - Very long!

Hey everyone...

Just needed to let some stuff out here. I am with the public health system dont have the money for private health.

First of all, I rang the hospital here regarding my 20 week check up with the OB when I was about 12 weeks. The midwife said "oh nooo your much too early I cant book you in yet, you will have to ring when you are closer to 20 weeks to get in." So I rang at 18 weeks hoping I would have enough time to still get in and another midwife said "you should of rang months ago to get in on time, we cant get you in for another month and a bit now". So first of all I am ****ty with the public system because I didnt get in for my 1st OB appointment until 26 weeks. Which means I barely have any records of anything in my share care booklet.

When I went to the appointment, I do understand they are very busy, they had 2 births up there that morning and around 20-30 pregnant women to get through and only 1 OB on. I waited 2 hrs to get in, when I got in, it was 10 mins in and out in no time and sent on my way. Nothing was recorded in my share care book.

The OB I spoke to barely discussed the option of VBAC with me, but said we would need a 34 week scan to determine the size of the baby. I had to bring this topic up with him.

Next I rang Nambour to get a little more info on it all because I knew nothing of it and they do VBAC births there, the midwife I spoke to was very helpful and told me they would want to see me before 34 weeks, to discuss it all with me and to take over my ante-natal care if I were to be birthing my baby there, (the hospital here wont do VBAC births). She said I would need a referral from the hospital here, and I said I would not be able to get back int o see the OB they are so busy here, so she said to go to my GP and get a referral, it wouldnt matter.

I went back to my GP got him to fax through 2 weeks ago a referral for me to get an appointment there. The midwife said if I hadnt heard anything within the next week and if I was getting worried with how far along I was geting to give them a call and they would chase it up.

So.... I rang the next week they had not received it, they said to re-fax the copy I had and call back again later. So I faxed the copy I had myself, and rang the next day (being 33 weeks), and they said they have had fax problems and bla bla bla and to call the next day. So I called this morning, and the midwife said to me on the phone "Why do you need to come to nambour for? whats wrong with Gympie?" And I was like arrrrgh! "They dont do VBAC births in gympie" shouldnt she of known that, with all of the VBAC prospective mothers being tranferred to Nambour???? And she basically said to me I would need to get a referral from the hospital, and I was like I wont be able to get in before I am due thats why the other midwife told me to get one from my GP, and she was like "yes, but thats not going to be eough we need all your info from the gympie hospital, and it could take weeks to find the referral to just be able to book you in. And I was like "oh great, so I could go into labour beforehand without a birthplan, being waiting on the public health system for months, going for a VBAC and not being properly checked by an OB qualified in that area. Whats to happen then - rush me off to emergency theartre???"

I dont think I am going to get into nambour hospital befor I am due, so I am seriously considering booking a c section here in gympie. what else am I meant to do? I am so upset, and so disappointed I dont have the money to afford the proper care I need, and I am tired of being treated so rotten by the staff in these hospitals. They just dont care if I go to my due date and weather or not I get in in time. Vbac meant so much to me, but now I think its all going to crumble and fall apart, because the public system is letting me down!

Sorry this is so long, I am so upset and so fed up witht he waay I have been treated throughout this pregnancy, It wasnt like this with my 1st but I dont think the hospitals were as busy either. I am sure Im not the only one going through it. But I think my hopes for a natural birth might all be over, because I cant get into the hospital I am meant to be birthing at, and they dont care one little bit.

Awww Danielle.. you poor thing, you've really had the run around. No wonder you are so upset, that's really tough what they have put you through.

I haven't had any experience in what your going through, but I'm sure someone else can offer you some advice on what next to do. Later on though, I'd definitely be writing some very honest letters to the appropriate people to highlight the problems with incorrect information given out, and the unhelpful responses that you recieved from hospital staff etc etc..That's really terrible..

Hope everything sorts out for you very soon and you get a brilliant birthing experience..

:hugs:

Oh Danielle, sounds very stressful for you, I really feel for you :hugs:

Could you go back to the GP and ask them to help you out? Maybe with a phone call to either or both hospitals and see if that will do anything?

Can't offer any other suggestions, seems you have been getting stuffed around a bit. I hope something will be sorted out for you and you can have your VBAC :)

Nic

Ok I don't know much about distances here.. Well in a way I do.. theres about 2-3 hours )or less) between gympie and nambour is that right?

How about you "turn up" at nambour hospital when you go into labour. Say you were on a holiday in the area.. They can't turn you away?

Sorry you have to deal with that..

and what hospital doesn't allow VBAC? I didn't think they could..

I am so sorry you are going through this! Its just rotten. It is a perfect example of the sorry state of the public health system in this hospital, and the pressure that the staff at those hospitals are under, and why so many of them are leaving the profession because patients like you are not getting teh care that they need or deserve.

I have no advice whatsoever, so i am not much help there. My only thoughts are that if vbac means so much to you, then get right on to that telephone and make a lot of goddamn noise till you get results. They obviously need a great big fat push, and I know you probably don't feel up to it because you might be feeling pretty big and fat and tired and over it all yourself, but maybe, just maybe, something will come of a day spent on the phone giving them what for.

It must just be so frustrating that they are all in the same job, for the same health system, and all telling you different things. This isn't an ingrown toenail for goodness sakes!

Big hugs to you...I am sorry I don't have any advice or anything better to say. Stick to your guns...this obviously means a lot to you, don't let them get away with it if you possibly can.

Dan I would say the same thing as nic - Gympie isn't that far away from Nambour, just leave when you get into labour and turn up at Nambour Hospy. They won't turn you away, say you were holidaying and then just go along trying for a VBAC.
I don't know too much about the public system as I go through private and have mine at Selangor, but I do know that they won't turn you away. Its a shame that you haven't gotten continuity of care though, and will have to give birth with a total stranger, so I wish you all the best.
And if you get stuck, come stay with me for a bit cos i live about 700m away from Nambour General Hospital.. :D

Given the current "forum" on the Health System I think it could be worth also contacting your local Member.

I do hope you get your VBAC and actually have some annotations on your record!

*hugs*

I have just given myself a little time to calm down again, and I have called Gympie hospital asking if they could do a referral for me, and get all my records from the ante-natal clinic there together, so they could give themt o me to take down personally so I can hand them in over the counter myself. (and knock someone over the head with my pregnancy record folder!) nyah Im not that mean but sheesh they are hard to put up with! I dont know if this will make a difference in getting me booked in or not, but at least I know myself they arent going to be searching for weeks to find my referral. It probably will make no difference its what Im expecting. And thats even if Gympie hospital calls me back regarding this referral and info I need too, which Im half not expecting that either.

If I get too close I am considering booking ina C section because I am concerned about my last pregnancy and this one could be much the same and I need to be checked properly by a doctor experienced in VBAC - I want to know if I have a fair chance at it or not given my last pregnancy and birth.

So I just have to sit around and wait now to see if anythings going to come of it. I hope theres no more headaches along the way!

Dan - good luck with your VBAC. I'm going for one as well, so I know what you are going through!!!! If you need someone to chat to, feel free to pm me :D

If you don't get anywhere when you drop your paperwork in why don't you fake a few labour symptoms ( I know it sounds bad, but you could confuse strong braxton hicks with labour pain - right?) . They might take a look at you there and then. When they have seen you once they will book you in straight away. I think it's rotten what you've been through. I also agree with kasbah, you should be contacting your local mp on the phone and anyone else who will listen.

Ok, Can I ask what happened with your first bubba and why you needed a csection? Also, are you definite that you want to be checked out by and OB? Whats he really going to do? (they dont really do much :lol:) I say plan your vbac as best you can. Write your birth plan and just rock up to your chosen hospital when you are in labour and give them your birth plan and tell them its what you want. Legally they cant force you to have a csection...your body, your choice hun. Go to your GP for the rest of your antenatal check ups. Get him to check your BP etc and make sure you are doing fine in that way...I mean really, how much do they do at the antenatal clinic? You said yourself it was only 10 mins in and out...its not worth the hassle or the stress. I totally gave up with my 3rd baby. I think I went to the antenatal clinic once and it was just a complete waste of time. Dont worry about them not writing stuff down. As long as YOU know that you are YOUR baby are doing well, then thats all that should matter ;) Im a Doula, so if you want to chat im more than happy to help :)

Can you get a Doula where you are? There may be a trainee that can help??

Danielle, I would ring the hospital you want to go to, and ask to speak to the nurse who's the Director of Midwifery/Maternity ward. Explain to her/him the run around you have had and why you want a VBAC...ask to go in and speak to her/him in order to get the process started. It's usually a lot more straightforward than the phone/counter admin staff make out. If it takes them weeks to find the referral paperwork that tells you there are admin inefficiencies to start with, you just need to find your way in around that. Good luck!

HTH