Private health insurance, private midwife, private hospital?

[MelissafromSyd]

Hi all,

just putting some feelers out there.

This option is not currently available (as far as I know), but I'm wondering how many women would be interested in having:

Private health insurance which they could use to pay for a private midwife (with referral to an obstetrician if needed), and birth in a private hospital (or public, but as a private patient)?

It seems sad to me that this option is not available - the only option, if you want to use your private insurance - is to birth with an obstetrician.

[MilkOnTap]

This has kind of come up in topic over here...

http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=188076

Personally, I feel that a private midwife should be covered by private health insurance. A midwife is a health care professional, who is medically trained and qualified. I dont understand how this could possibly exempt this particular profession from private health coverage.

I'm not sure about birthing in a private hospital though - most of the women who I know who book an IM do so because they desire a homebirth.

[~Emmylou~]

I think that there would definitely be a lot of women who are interested in this option.

The number of times I've heard women say they have chosen to go with an obstetrician because they have spent so much money on health insurance, or because they want to birth at a certain private hospital and the only way they can is to have an OB....well alot of times :laughing:

I'm not sure about birthing in a private hospital though - most of the women who I know who book an IM do so because they desire a homebirth.

I think this is true to a degree, but I think there's also the reverse at work - women who want an IM for the unique and exceptional model of care they provide, but the only way they can have one is to homebirth...since an IM can't be anything other than a doula in a hospital setting. So this option might appeal to them.

[twotrunks]

For this baby we are going through a midwifery program where you have one allocated mid who sees you through the pregnancy, delivers the baby, then visits you at home. She has a back up in case she can't make the birth of course, who we will apparently meet beforehand too. So I guess it is comparable to a private mid. We will have the baby at a public hospital but use our private insurance, so I get a private room ("if available"!), a special menu, free phone calls and a $100 gift voucher, plus they waive our excess. To me it is a pretty good deal, and probably as close as you can currently get to what you were describing. My only change in an ideal world would be to do it at the private hospital, just cause it is nicer :)
TT

[Sammilee]

I definitely think this is something that a lot of women would choose if it was indeed an option... well, I know for sure that I would have been one when I had my DS last year! As I was a 'first-timer' I just felt more comfortable with the thought of giving birth in a hospital, and with that I also wanted to choose the hospital. As it was a private one I had no other option but to employ a private obs, which IMO was way over the top. If I could have, I would have rather employed a middy (with some sort of 'back-up' plan/ referral system with an obs should anything go pear shape) but still give birth in the hospital of my choice. But of course that was not possible.

I'm even open to the option of employing a midwifery team, where there are 2 or possibly 3 midwives that work together, whom I meet throughout my pg for my antenatal appointments, in which I'm guaranteed that at least 1 of them will be there for my labour and birth. I understand that it would be a demanding job working as an IM on your own, living your life on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. So a midwife team is another option that I think is very viable.

[PunkyDiva]

Obstetrician's are a dieing breed anyways, seriously the majority are getting close to retirement so...I think along with not so gentle shoves from activists like MC and by real woman like us on BH doing submissions to Gov Maternity Review we will see the return of Midwifery Care as the norm anyways. :smiliedance: I want "real" choice for my DD's and their DD's etc etc.

[Sammilee]

Obstetrician's are a dieing breed anyways, seriously the majority are getting close to retirement so...

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Here's hoping, but unfortunately my obs was quite young (would say early 40's) so there may be still some obs out there that will be around for a few years yet :D


I think along with not so gentle shoves from activists like MC and by real woman like us on BH doing submissions to Gov Maternity Review we will see the return of Midwifery Care as the norm anyways. :smiliedance: I want "real" choice for my DD's and their DD's etc etc.

Hear hear!!! :yelclap:

[PunkyDiva]

I think the figure of Specialists, across the board, retiring in next decade was around 70%, bit scary when you consider all the specialist fields in medicine. A lot already only work part-time, hence some waiting lists.

[~Emmylou~]

I want "real" choice for my DD's and their DD's etc etc.

You know what, that's what really drives me as well. I look at my daughter, and I remember the experience of birthing her, and it kills me that if something doesn't change that opportunity may be denied her. Sure, she may not choose to birth the same way I did...but I want her to have a choice. That's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about what I do.

[Sammilee]

You know what, that's what really drives me as well. I look at my daughter, and I remember the experience of birthing her, and it kills me that if something doesn't change that opportunity may be denied her. Sure, she may not choose to birth the same way I did...but I want her to have a choice. That's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about what I do.

Exactly, it's all about choice!!! :yes:

[Sammilee]

I think the figure of Specialists, across the board, retiring in next decade was around 70%, bit scary when you consider all the specialist fields in medicine. A lot already only work part-time, hence some waiting lists.

WOW!!! I didn't know that :no: ... interesting...

[emmysmummy]

I would love to see this option available - I loved the midwives at the private hospital where I had DD, they gave so much support around the clock getting breastfeeding started, making sure I ate well and looked after me fantastically. Unfortunately, you have to choose an Ob as your main care provider in order to go there - I didn't like that aspect at all. If at all possible, I would love to go with shared care b/t a midwife and an Ob (as a back up in the unlikely event that something happened). I am MUCH more comfotable with midwives than with an Ob.