Where can you have Waterbirths in Melbourne?

[christyemma]

Hi!

This is my first pregnancy and I would love to have a waterbirth but so far the midwifes and hospitals I have seen only allow you to use a bath for during and not the birth!

Does anyone know where you can have a waterbirth? I dont have private health so I am on the public health system and I live in South Melbourne.

Thanks

[Amara]

Casey does but you wont be in their catchment area.

[iluvdubs]

Box hill does but it is for low risk only and in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

[Becstars]

The Birth Centre at Monash in Clayton offers a water birth, all going to plan I am booked in to use it in August for our first bubs..not sure how the catchment works though as we live in Waterways (near Aspendale) and we were on the cusp.

[NurtureBirthSupport]

Clayton Monash Birth Centre, Angliss Family Birth Centre and Box Hill would be the only ones I know of now. There are some fabulous pools in some other hospitals that dont get used now It's a fight for some women to even labour in them - let alone birth in them The problem always is that if you turn up and it's busy in the one bath available (at the Monash)- you cant use it, or if there are not any midwives rostered on who are deemed suitable to supervise waterbirth, it wont be ab option either
There's always the chance of being transferred out of a smaller birth centre as well (if both rooms are being used - each with their own pool) so it can get kinda tricky!

Sometimes if water birth is something you are really passionate about you have to consider whether homebirth may be your thing? Of course it's never a guarantee that one will want to get in the water anyhow (best laid plans can go astray wherever one births) but it's easier when the use of the bath is on the womans terms, and not a policy or an availability issue.....

There are plenty of babes born in showers

[christyemma]

Thank you for your advise unfortunatly, I don't think I fall into the catchment areas of any of those hospitals.

I am considering going to the Royal Womens as I have been very luck, and will be having one on one Midwive care and they have advised that I can use the bath for the labour!

[NurtureBirthSupport]

Fabulous idea to use the Midwifery model of care at the Womens. There are some dedicated midwives there - who really care about womens outcomes. I've noticed that sometimes there arent any plugs in the rooms with the baths....that will keep women out of them I guess! Labouring in water should be so encouraged - given how beneficial it is. Set your goals and talk them through. I've seen some great births there.

[kiki07]

Also, not every birth room at the royal women's hospital has a bath! We only found this out at the birth.

Additionally, what you will be 'allowed' to do in the birthing suite will depend on the staff on shift when you are in labour. Unfortunately, you may be told one thing in the clinic, and find out something different when you get to the labour ward.

[NurtureBirthSupport]

It's a shame isnt it Kiki07 that things dont always pan out across the board as standard for a hospital. It does very much depend on the midwife on the shift, and how she determines and works within the policies. If rooms arent all busy - it's a perfectly valid and reasonable request to ask for another room with a bath if one wants to.....or camp out in the shower with a ball and knee pads.....Not all baths have plugs either I see...but plenty of wise midwives know where to find one

[christyemma]

Thank you for your advice Based on your info I think I will pack a universal plug in my hospital bag!