Question for Canberra Birthers

[FlowerHead]

Hello to everyone in this fantastic community! I am currently starting out my journey to be a doula and compiling information about birthing in Canberra, not just the options but the reality. I’m looking for personal experiences of birthing in Canberra - mainly outside the norm; breech, twins, vbac.

I know there are options but how much support for a natural birth did you actually achieve? Where did you birth and with who (please PM that info if you are comfortable sharing)? Feel free to comment so others can see or happy to chat over PM (or even a coffee if the story is long x).

Thank you 🙏🏻 ❤️

[Kalina]

Is your question re: "outside the norm" births limited to live births?

[Tainted]

I was encouraged to try for a VBAC after losing my daughter at full term. This was at The Canberra Hospital. I was also supported to attempt a second VBAC with my youngest and was induced at 38 weeks. I had the support of the Fetal Medicine Unit at TCH who I saw throughout my pregnancy.

TCH offers a VBAC information session for parents who are considering attempting a VBAC and I found them to be very supportive.

[SSecret Squirrel]

Hello to everyone in this fantastic community! I am currently starting out my journey to be a doula and compiling information about birthing in Canberra, not just the options but the reality. I’m looking for personal experiences of birthing in Canberra - mainly outside the norm; breech, twins, vbac.

I know there are options but how much support for a natural birth did you actually achieve? Where did you birth and with who (please PM that info if you are comfortable sharing)? Feel free to comment so others can see or happy to chat over PM (or even a coffee if the story is long x).

Thank you ������������ ❤️

My info would most likely be out of date, but my now 17 year old was breech and I found an obstetrician willing to deliver her breech. In the end the obstetrician successfully performed an ECV and DD stayed head down so it wasn't an issue. This particularly obstetrician told me she had a lot of success in performing ECV's (her method was slightly different to most). Let me know if you want the name of the obstetrician. I've googled and she is still practicing in the ACT.

This little tip would be out of date, because this second obstetrician has definitely left Canberra, but for my fourth child, I was registered in the birth centre at TCH but was able to hire privately an obstetrician who was staff at TCH. 100% paid for with my health insurance. It was a great arrangement because I had no out of pocket and not many people would know you could bring an obstetrician to the birth centre. I wanted the back up due to my prior obstetric history. Policy may have changed though, so it may be worth looking into. I didn't end up using the birth centre though due to pregnancy complications and was transferred to the Fetal Medicine Unit, but having my own obstetrician plus the FMU checks was brilliant for other reasons. ie at my last scan FMU ob said I was good to go and come back for my next appt in a few days, my obstetrician reviewed the results and said go home, pack a bag and come straight back. DD went into fetal distress and was delivered vie emergency c/s before my next appt. Anyway, letting you know on the offchance TCH currently have other obstetricians who provide the same service. You could phone them and ask.

[Mod-Uniquey]

I had a successful vbac at the Canberra Hospital as a public patient with midwives, they were very accommodating to my wishes/birth plan and very open to having a doula of you wished.

[FlowerHead]

Not limited at all, if you are willing to share I and willing to listen.