Mater Mothers PUBLIC - questions!

[seriouslyconfused]

Hi,
I'm not pregnant yet, or event trying. However, I'm conscious that I need to make a decision about private health insurance. I'm finding it really difficult because we live overseas and have done for several years.

We plan to have a baby in late 2011, back in Brisbane where we own a house about 2km from the Mater.

I really don't know if it's worth going private though. I've read some great things about the Mater, and about giving birth within the public system. The thing is, we could afford to go private, but I don't see the point in shelling out extra cash if I just don't need to.

I don't care about not being able to choose an obstetrician etc. These are the things that are important to me, and I'd really value someone's input as to whether these things are definitely achievable at the Mater Mother's Public Hosp:

- Husband staying overnight with me after the birth
- Top quality care for me and the baby
- Any emergencies (e.g. a birth complication, trouble with the newborn etc) dealt with, without extortionate charges

Essentially, I just don't want to scrimp on the initial outlay for private cover, if it means I could be stung with a massive charge if my baby comes out less healthy than it should - or if I get into trouble during labour.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks so much.

[~Bec~]

I have no idea on costs if you were to go private but I have been through the mater public for DS and am doing so again with this pregnancy (although this time I am going through the mater midwifery group).

Unfortunately husbands cannot stay with you if you go public. There is a new mothers' hospital now and I believe you share a room with 1 other woman and have a shared bathroom between you (in the old hospital you could be sharing up to 4 or 5 other women). Although husbands are not permitted to stay overnight the visiting hours are very much relaxed for them (DF was with me up until about 10pm from vague memory when I had DS)

I was in hospital for 5 days with DS (2 days before and 3 afterwards) as it wasn't the easiest of births. The only thing it cost me was for the TV usage which was about $12. I would imagine this would be the same regardless if your baby was in ICU etc if you were public.

Best of luck :)

[seriouslyconfused]

Thanks so much for the reply, Bec. I really appreciate it. So many of the threads on this site refer to just 'The Mater' or 'Mater Mothers' and it was always so hard to tell if they were referring to public or private.

Anyway, I think you've more or less confirmed my decision to go public. It's a tough decision and I think it can be easy to shell out loads of cash because you feel like that's the done thing when it comes to having a baby. I really don't want to be paying for things I don't need though, so hopefully I'm making the right choice.

If anyone else has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks again and take care.