Process

[Zan]

Hi not sure if this is the best place to post this (have also posted on the March 07 birth forum) but was wondering if anyone can enlighten me on the process involved during pg/birth in Sydney. I am due late Feb/early March and have recently moved over from the UK and really dont' know where to start. I am most probably going to have a homebirth so understand about contacting an independent m/w which I have started but was wondering about scans/tests/gps etc and how everyone goes about these things. (I know the processes will probably be different from area to area and type of birth wanted but would love to hear everyones scenarios).
Thanks
Zan

[meeper]

Hi Zan

I arrived from the UK in October, and had bub (yes, getting good at 'aussie speak' already!) at RNSH in Sydney.

I'm not sure how homebirths work, but for me I phoned the hospital, and you can get a booking in apoointment - even though i did it at 32 weeks! - and you can get different types of care like midwifes or doctors and natural birth options. So you could discuss options with them. I never saw an external GP.

we didnt obviously have any private cover, just medicare, and went through the public hopsital, and they were great (apart from the wait sometimes at doctors appointments - but thats not unusual!).

RNSH have a website with contact info. I was going to go to the one near Broadway, cant remember it now - Prince something (sorry!), but we moved to the north shore, and i wanted to be close.

..which was a good thing as ds2 was born less than 15 minutes after we got to hospital!

hope it all goes well, if you need any more info let me know!

[Beany]

Hi Zan,

I suggest you go an see a GP as soon as possible, who will be able to book you in for the various scans and tests (as necessary). They will also be able to help you locate all the facilities and services you want, refer you to the hospitals or get you in touch with reputable independent midwives.

You can find GPs in your local area in the White Pages or by asking around. I'm not in Hornsby and have no idea about decent GPs in that area - sorry

Best of luck

[shed]

Homebirth costs about four grand.

good luck with the move. Hornsby is a nice area.

[Beany]

Btw, have you considered using a birth centre? I'm not sure if such a thing exists in the UK (all of my baby-dropping relatives and friends just used the regular NHS hospital services). They are "homey" feeling places that are usually located right next to the regular hospital birthing suites. They are geared towards comfort and natural labour so have lots of cushions and big baths that you can elect to give birth in and so forth. I think they are at least partially covered by Medicare, too.

[Zan]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses.
Meeper, my dd1 is also a Dec 01 little one!
I did contact Hornsby hospital but they don't book you in until around 14 weeks so a bit late if I am considering antenatal tests.
So looks like RNS for the tests though don't want to book in there as it's a bit far away.

Beany, thanks, have got a local gp, who does seem quite alternative so will make an appointment for next week to see if they can book me in for the scans or at least enlighten me.

Shed, yes, I've been quoted $3,700. We do have birth centres in the UK either located within hospitals or separately but it's not really an option for me as it's not just the clinical aspect of hospitals that puts me off, it's the travelling whilst in labour and care of my other two.

will let you know how I get on.

Zan

PS When are scans usually here??

[AM]

Scans generally around 19 weeks, and perhaps one at a later stage say 32 weeks if something needs to be checked.
Then again, it does vary with health care providers, you don't NEED any at all.

All the best planning your HB!!

[kadownie]

Don't know anything about this midwife but I just found this site today- hope it's helpful

http://www.ourmidwife.com.au/index.html

also joyous birth is an australian site dedicated to homebirth

http://www.joyousbirth.info/

[becca74]

Hi Zan, just poking in my 2cents....

I see you are in the Hornsby area.....I moved to Hornsby from the UK when I was pregnant with #3 (now living in perth though) - and unfortunately because the baby bonus didnt exist at the huge amount it is now, I couldnt afford the homebirth I dreamed of and I ended up going to Hornsby hospital which has a scandalous c/sec rate (something in the range of 70%) - and lo and behold ended up with an unnecessary c/sec (as you can see in my sig, I recently had a HBA2C, so I KNOW the c/sec was totally unnecessary).

So, go with your desire for a homebirth , steer clear of that hospital! I wish you all the best, and keep us posted on your progress

[HappyMumsy]

Hi there,

I had my first at home on Dec 2005, it cost $3500, but this depends on your midwife.

I contacted the Homebirth Sydney group (google them) and they gave me a list of independant midwives that do homebirths.

I booked into a hospital just so i could be a patient and get the 20 week ultra sound scan for free, it meant I had to pretend to be a patient and just let the midwife take my details when I was around 14 weeks . Admittedly it was the most stressful time of my pregnancy, I hated the hospitals attitude, I was considered "high risk" and I was so NOT high risk.
You could also pay for a ultrasound scan, not sure how much , maybe $200.

otherwise there aren't really any tests that need to be had. unless you want to check you r blood type or things like that, but I'm pretty sure your independant midwife won't want the info.

Good luck with the birth,