Private vs Public ? Margo Norman or Cliff Neppe ? Help!

[Obogk]

Hi There

I am 7 weeks pregnant and trying to decide firstly whether i go private ( Joondalup or Glengarry ) or public at Joondalup. We have private cover, baby is due August but are waiting period ends April so we are fine and covered for the birth.
I had my first in the UK on the NHS and was well looked after but have noticed a large number opt down the private route here.
I'd apreciate any feedback on the pros and cons of private vs public.
Also focusing on the private route, I have finally narrowed down myob search to eith Margo Norman at Joondalup or Cliffe Neppe at Gelngarry. I know there are always pros and cons to everything/everyone so please share your experiences with the hospitals and obs. I have checked both are available but I do need to make a decision asap.
Does anyone know also how the public route works ? Do i just see my Gp and have ultrasounds at the hospital and then turn up on Dday to delivery at the hospital ? Or is there a means of choosing a private ob for the birth ?
My head has zillions of questions flying around it in as you can see, appreciate your help
Thanks

[noopy]

Hi there, first of all, congratulations on your pregnancy!

i was private with btoh my pregnancies - 1st one with catherine harris at glengarry (sooooooo expensive!!!) and my 2nd one with Margot Norman at Joondalup. i totally recommend Margot to anyone if you can get in. i believe she usually only sees you if you are a returning client or are having fertility probs however, she did see me as i really wanted her and i didn't fit under any of them catagories! just make sure she will be around near your due date.

I had a lot of problems with my 2nd pregnancy so i had to go to margot more often that usual and she was fantastic. so informative and very sincere. she is one of the only Obs that will give you her mobile AND home number and tell you to ring her ANY TIME! even if its at 2am in the morning!!

can't say enough about her really....

as for private Vs public - i guess it all comes down to the room you want. i wanted my own room so i went private. if you do decide to go private, just make sure you dont claim anything back from medicare until you've paid for your 22 weeks Planning and Management fee. then you can get back 80% of all invoices, rather than only a little bit. it will save you lots of money.

another thing...... i'm not too sure about the doc at glengarry you're enquiring about, but i know catherine harris raises her prices every few months! from DD1 to DD2 (only 19 months apart) catherine had put her prices up by over $1000!!!! and now you get back less from the P&M fee. Margot has a set price and i believe hasn't changed it in years! (unless she has changed it in the last few months!!!)

good luck with what you decide. if you get stuck, you can always ask your GP what they think. hope this helps!

merry christmas!
:reindeer:

[ethans mummy]

hey!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I was gonna ask this question too! Im due in August with our second child. The first was had in the country so the way its done in the city seems to be a little different. We will either go Joondalup public or private, but am so unsure of what to do! Hope we get some more advice!!! :)

[Obogk]

Hi noopy thanks for the advice. I have an appointment to see Margo Norman, so all is good. Ethans mummy I'd advise you to book in with an obsterician asap whilst you still deciding as from what have heard they do get booked up very quickly.
How does it work with Medicare? Do you know the reason for the big difference in rebate ehen claiming later. I haven't claimed anything yet, had a 8 wk scan and was told I'd get a certain amount back. Oh it's so complicated.
I had a tour of joondalup private and liked it.
Any more feedback would be appreciated ?
Exciting times ahead congratulations Ethans Mum too

[Grinnyswife]

Omg Cliff Neppe!! I am in love with that man:):):) haha ( i even told my husband that last week lol)I've heard great things about margo though.

Cliff was So amazingly supportive of my vbac at kemh 3 years ago.
He was amazing all through my pregnancy and labour.
And I know when it came time he was genuinely very upset I had to go down the rd of cesarean, and it wasn't thru lack of support, I labored 45 hours with no restrictions.
He then saved my life. And followed up with me treating me like a private patient. I cannot speak highly enough of what an amazing wonderful compassionate ob he is. And I cannot recommend him highly enough. He is a brilliant dr.

Whoever you choose u will be in fantastic hands.

[dijah]

I had Margo for both my pregnacies and can't recommend her enough. She was soo wonderful. Both of my bubs were also in the special care nursery and they were also fantastic at joondalup. I would definately go private again at joondalup if I decide to go for a third baby.

[4babycinos]

I just had Cliff and I too, just love this man!! I have never met an OB who is so attentive of his patients and their concerns and goes out of his way to make sure you get the birth you want. I just wish I knew him 9yrs ago with my first!

I went to glengarry as well, and even though it is small and old - I preferred this than Mercy where I had the first 3. The midwives were just lovely and it is due for a makeover this year. Everyone there was just fantastic and I couldnt fault them in anyway.

Margo is nice and had her for a pregnancy that unfortunately resulted in a miscarriage - she gave me her home number if I needed to chat (not many OBs do that!!) But I'm not a fan of Joondalup Hospital though...

Good Luck with your decision, I think you will be in good hands either way :)

[Bellaleggos]

Hi,

Just thought I'd give you my thoughts as I went public at Joondalup (even though I had private health cover). I would've done 'shared care' with my GP up until around 32 weeks, but I ended up with gestational diabetes and had to be referred to Joondalup at 26 weeks, then had to go fortnightly and then weekly. The ante-natal clinic there was a nightmare and although they gave you an appointment time it was first come first served. BUT, my friend has just had her second and has told me that they have sorted all that out now.
I couldn't really fault the care that I had in general with the GD etc, but it turned out that it was lucky I had GD and was being scanned regularly, as DD was breech but none of the obs had worked this out (except for one appointment I went to where a trainee was in on my appointment and she said the baby was breech and the Obs said "no it's not!". It was only when I went for a scan to check the baby's size that we found out it was breech. Saying that I had an ECV (where they turn the bub) and the care I had was fantastic as was the birth etc.
My bestie is 11 weeks pregnant with her first and at 7 weeks phoned Margo Norman and got an appointment by the skin of her teeth - so I know she books up pronto.
I am still deciding what to do with my 2nd (when the time comes!).
Good luck with whatever you decided.

[narellemumof4]

Hi there ladies I know this post is old now but just thought I would add on to it in case anyone is looking for future interest. Margo was my obs. I have 4 children aged 6 months to 7 (I also had a miscarriage along the way)who were all delivered by Margo who is a wonderful doc, I had her mobile and home numbers and could call her anytime i needed, she is awseome!