Ballarat or Bendigo experiences?

[Harriet]

Hi I am new to Central Victoria and am half an hour from Bendigo and an hour from Ballarat. I am unable to give birth in the town I am living in due to my age (advanced:D) and hypertension. Anyways, the GP I saw today, suggested Ballarat may be a better option for me than Bendigo. I am an alternative kind of girl and it sounds like Ballarat is a bit more midwife run than Bendigo.....but I know nothing. Any experiences from either? I am booked into a clinic in Bendigo next week, but would love some feedback before I go.

Thanks!:wave:

[blondelizzard]

Hi :wave:

I don't know of any Birthing centres (I live in Bendigo), but would be interested if there are! I had my DD in the private hospital, and I know that there's a 'birthing room' there, where you are pretty much left to your own devices, just checked on by the midwives every now and then.

Not much help to you really!! Sorry. Hope you can find what you want though! :)

[*Amethyst*]

sorry I didnt see this..
I had my dd in ballarat base. There are some lovely midwives there, and as with any place some really nasty ones. Mostly midwife run yes. Didnt acctually see many doctors, only midwives and trainee midwives/doulas.
Overall apart from one or 2 midwives being nasty and the labour ward being thrown into chaos just after I had my dd as everyone else went into labour at the same time, it was an okay experience. But I hate hospitals anyway and left a day early.
They have a birthing suite there, with a double bed for your partner if they want to stay etc., and its very cosy, but you can only get it if nobody else is using it at the time you go in there so its just a matter of luck..
are you going public or private? The private wards are very nice, I was only public so was chucked in with everyone else on the normal wards.

[♥PurpleStar♥]

Hi :wave:
Im in Bendigo and had all three of my children at the Bendigo Base.
I did shared care with all three seeing my doctor for most appointments and going to to womens health at the hospital for midwife/ob apoinments.
During my births most of it was done with midwifes only really seeing the docs when actually giving birth, apart from my last he came very quickly and the Doc didn't even make it:laughing:
I loved the care I was given at the Bendigo Base but like all places it has good and bad doc/midwifes I was lucky enought to not encounter any of them.

Good luck with you decision.:hugs: