giving birth at home
 

Is it common place for child birth to take place at home (referring to cities not just the back of beyond) or is it frowned upon by doctors and that it should take place in hospital?

Would you get a midwife throughout the pregnancy, that would also attend the birth at home, like in the UK (from my understanding)?

(btw - no little sheilas or bruces on the way, just a little forward thinking):)

Re: giving birth at home
 

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by walaj
Is it common place for child birth to take place at home (referring to cities not just the back of beyond) or is it frowned upon by doctors and that it should take place in hospital?

Would you get a midwife throughout the pregnancy, that would also attend the birth at home, like in the UK (from my understanding)?

Dont want to put you off but after having our first child at a hospital in Brisbane in 94, the missus absolutely refused to have our second in a hospital. They were patronising & very clinical and induced the baby unnecessarily. Worst of all they asked her to sign a disclaimer form late into the Labour (before administering an epidural).
Perhaps the other hospitals are fine but I DONT recommend the Mater Hospital in Brisbane!!.

We had our second at home in England and all went perfect with the help of the midwife plus assistant all the way through - good ole' NHS.

Re: giving birth at home
 

[QUOTE][SIZE=1]Originally posted by rajj
thanks for the reply rajj

just to clarify I was referrring to Australia, and the city is very likely to be Sydney

Australia is a bit behind the times when it comes to homebirths. We checked it out and it was going to be extremely expensive so we stuck with a hospital birth.

Re: giving birth at home
 

Yes it can be done if you hire an independent midwife, but it's not as common as in the UK and may become even less common due to the current health insurance crisis here.

I suggest to get an idea of Australian birthing practices going to the following website www.essentialbaby.com.au Some of the ladies on it have done homebirth. Our little Sheila is due next week!

Re: giving birth at home
 

Congratulations and good luck!

Colin

I was born at home and it never did me any harm Apart from the triangular head for my first 3 months (I was a forceps delivery.)

Back in the old days (I won't reveal my ancientness but let's just say Cliff Richard was still to become the UK's Elvis Presley) home births were much more common and the first 4 of us were born at home. Nearly 2 decades later, my tailender sister came along and despite the GP's advice (in view of her age), my mother inisted on another home birth. Sure enough, complications set in and we nearly lost the best one of us all. Luckily the good old UK ambulance service sorted out the problem but now that I'm a father myself with another on the way, I sometimes wonder what peculiar kind of selfishness and stupidity makes a lot of people want a home birth. You can forget all the claptrap about peaceful surroundings etc - a modern hospital has vital equipment that saves babies' lives. Homes don't have that equipment. A baby being born could get brain damage within a few minutes of complications setting in. Being born is a very dangerous time. Full stop, use your brain.

As a midwife for the last 23yrs and a mother of two I couldn`t agree more!
Susan

thanks guys for your various comments. I take on board your views re added risk susmac & Pfamily, just that I have a dislike (or could call it a fear) of hospitals. This may change given that I have had to spend time in hospital this year (first time since I was born), and may require more treatment.

Thanks Mumbo for the web link - all the best for you & Mrs Mumbo

The other thought on birth would be in a birthing pool - seems an ideal way for a diver to give birth - as a friend earlier this year in the UK gave birth by this method and recommends it. But I suppose given onlyme comments of being behind the times, that it will be expensive or not available??

In terms of what really matters - a live, healthy infant - Australia's maternity services do perform better than the UK's. Both neonatal (first four weeks) and infant (first year) death rates are lower in Australia than in the UK.

That's not to say, of course, that a mother's experience might not vary significantly from place to place, or from hospital to hospital, or even from GP practice to GP practice. It would be very important to ask other mothers locally - perhaps try to contact a couple of mother and child groups? But, at least on the medical front, there is no general reason for concern.