Calling All Kiwi Mums!! Lets discuss this.

[Sina]

Hi everyone,

My name is Sina. Have been in beautiful sunny Brisvegas for 2 years, this time round.

I had my DD, now 3 in Wellington and had my DS, 7 months. Wow, what a difference. In NZ we were struggling financially but I still had my own midwife from the start of my pregnancy and she delivered my baby. She was also the one who did every single one of my home visits even after DD was born. Over here with my DS in the public health system I had a different person every single time I had an appointment and I had to drive all the way to the hospital. Who delivered my baby? I have no idea, I can't remember her name.

Why is the system so different here? And why does NZ a smaller country have such a better set up?

[melfunction]

Beats me, but it still isn't a decent reason for us to go back there :D

[luckymama]

i would so go back to NZ to get a government funded homebirth. The system sucks so much here i am doing in on my own :yes:

[shed]

I dunno, I haven't had a baby over there, only here, but I did sort of gather from my friend who had a baby the same time as me (but over there) that it was set up differently.

Her midwife came to her house. I said "you lucky b!tch". She said it was normal.

I dunno why its different, but I used to work in the funeral industry and they treat that differently too.

I am having a homebirth next time. I didn't like the hospital process last time. I had a doula which was great, but next time I want a midwife who I know, not some stranger who changes shifts halfway. The first one was called Kelly and the second one was called Belinda. Belinda was nice, from what I remember, but I didn't take much notice of her.

Next time I want the midwife to be someone who knows me.

[SairBear]

my mum was a ind. domino middy in nz and now works in bris hosp..IMO i know which i would prefer and which my mum would prefer too. Definitly not the 'see a different middy every appt scheme' lol...

[Sina]

Melfunction: Yeah, not matter how the births went I still aint going back!! hehe! Good comment

Home births? Damn you girls a brave. My DB got so over excited at the hospital and that was in front of people, I don't know how he would be in our own home with noone to impress....

If I could do it I would have all my babies in NZ. But as far as things go as long as my baby comes out healthy I can't complain. But it was an awesome experience to have such a professional service with my first baby.

[melfunction]

I had my first baby here and will be having my second here in a few weeks. I honestly cannot find any fault with any treatment I received from the RBWH - except the middie who demanded I be put in the ward because I would be 'hours' yet :rolleyes:

I think it is what we prefer personally. For example, I couldn't care less who is present at the birth of my babies. I wasn't interested in their names or anything. I just wanted my baby out YESTERDAY :p

[allsgood]

I had my son in NZ. Knew my midwife all the way through, she delivered and then saw me after until being transferred to the wonderful care of plunket. I had my son at Nth Shore Hospital then transferred to Warkworth to stay for 3 fantastic days in what was like a new mums and bubs hotel! All free! Here I got told that when baby is born if Im lucky I get to see a midwife twice at home after .... maybe ol' howard should have put all the baby bonus's into a decent midwifery service!:mad:

[SweetAngels]

I live in NZ and love the system here, after reading how it is in Aus, I love it and am greatful for it even more. It makes a diff seeing the same midwife during and after having bubs, also i didn't have a car, so she (midwife for all 3) always came to my house, although, her once a year holiday was due when I was, so had someone take care of me while in hospital, but then she came back and came to my home (not on work hours) she was the best, so not only did I benefit from a good free system, I also had a wonderful midwife

[QTB]

yep, i LOVE the NZ maternity system...

and hate the aus one! and that is why i desided to become a Doula. i think women need some continuity of care, and there would be less intervention, less c-sec because mums are relaxed because they know the person!

I had Brayden in NZ, with an independant midwife (who is also my mum!) i had a Birth centre, waterbirth booked, this time i have to go to the hospital, and the closest i get to water is a shower...

Shame on the Aussie maternity system :thumbsdown:

[AM]

Yep, I hate the fact I had to pay $3,ooo per birth here, where it would have been free in NZ. Just different politics I think.

Australia is slowly slowly catching up, publicly funded hb offered in some states, just not backward QLD...:banghead:

[bambi79]

I too had to Pay $3000 to have my baby in Sydney, oh 8 years ago now.... So I waited till I was 7mnths preg, and flew home for 3 months, and had baby in Palmerston North Hospital. I had the same midwife as my first preg...its was awesome. Baby was born, passport sent through and we flew back to Australia when he was 2 weeks old.
I think you have to be here so many years before you pay nothing... Ive since had 2 more kids here. The fact that thousands of ppl are having kids in Australia would make it almost impossible for each person to have a one-on-one midwife.
We kiwis are sooooo spoilt when it comes to the health system, and so we should. The wages are crappy so weve gotta get a hand somewhere!