Baby75

when we move over we are planning to have our next baby we were trying and hoping to have the baby before we left but mother nature is not being kind

any way i was wondering has any one else had a baby here and what are the hospitals like and how much is it ive heard the public hospitals are quite good

what way do they work the visits any information would be great thanks

kez81

Hi im almost 37 weeks pregnant the hostipals here and care have been very good we dont have private health cover but its hasnt been a problem medicare has been good enough.

You can do your care 2 ways 1- see you doctor till 36 weeks 2- have all appointments at the hostipal i chose option 1 as it was easier for me, you see the doctor every 4 weeks then its changes to every 2 im now going to the hostipal appointments as im getting closer to my due date.

I paid $50 dollars for each doctors appintment but got $38 back from medicare some doctors bulkbill which means they bill medicare direct so it doesnt cost anything all hostipal appointments are free 12 week scan cost me $180 no rebate but i think it depends as ive heard people getting one, 20 week scan was free at the hostipal, at my hostipal anti natal classes are free but again depends on the hostipal.

hope this helps!!

Wave the Sails

I've had two babies in the private system here in Perth. Cannot fault it at all. I am 'high risk' so wanted the comfort of knowing the same Ob that sees me each appointment would be delivering me. He's a specialist in high risk 'older' Mums.
If I could have had children without medical intervention then I would have had no qualms using the public system here. As it was I needed 8 days in hospital each time and I fancied the guarantee of a single room and double bed
Do a search under my name with keywords 'pregnancy' and/or 'maternity' and you'll be able to have a jolly good read (grab a cuppa)

framac

I had one with chips and mushy peas. Ahhhhh brilliant.

CadburysFingers

We had our second child here, everything was perfect and went like clockwork. Every member of staff we came into contact with was absolutely superb. A better experience than in England, there was nothing wrong with that experience, it was brilliant, but here was even better.

Silky Chicken

We've recently had our first bub over here (early April) and have had a great experience, fantastic doc, brilliant midwives who've been so helpful even after we went home. Didn't have to pay for the scans, although we had to travel upto Canberra to have the Nuchal Lucency scan done, but everything else was done locally including my emergency c-section! They took great care of me and my new bub and we stayed in for 6 days, Canberra chucks people out really quickly, so glad we have a good country hospital here!

The midwives gave us all the necessary paperwork to register the birth and apply for the baby bonus & childcare payments and we took the paperwork to our local Medicare office and had payment 2 days later, so really efficient!

FYI we don't have private medical although we're looking into this and I've been advised that you can take out private medical within a year of starting with Medicare as a migrant, all you need is a letter from Medicare stating your start date and this means that you won't get loaded with LHC (I've seen posts that contradict this and say you have to take our insurance within a year from validating your visa, but this is not the case).

HTH

Sara

Baby75

Thanks Sara,

congrats on your new baby too my youngest turned a year the 12 of April

it all sounds really positive medicare sounds good does that cover you straight away or do you have to be there a year. i didnt think we would be entitled to the child benefits so that is good news too.

how have you found being pregnant away from home i worry a little that i will miss home more if i was pregnant cause i did tend to ask my mam about every little thing!

Silky Chicken

Hiya,

We got signed up with Medicare within a week of moving here (migrated 31st August '06 on a PR Visa), they issue you with a number and everyone goes on the same card, they'll give you the number on a print out (you'll also find this helpful to have for getting your driving licences as you need to proof of ID/Addy, bank account is the other you can use or utlity bills), the Medicare card usually comes within a week. You're covered the minute you step into the country as the UK & Auz have a reciprocal agreement with regard to healthcare, but best to get your card sorted asap as it's something you'll need when you go to the docs, for scans etc.

With regard to the child benefits, you can call them (no. is on the form the hospital will give you) as you'll need to give them your visa numbers and it's quicker that way, even though you'll still need to give them the original paperwork.

Birth certificates - you have to pay for these, I think it was $59 and that gives you the standard one and a commemorative one, they take a while to come through, about a month or so I think.

We have a Mum's & Bub's group run by community health once a week which is great for meeting other new Mum's, you don't have to have the jabs done at the doctors, again community health can do this for you (less waiting around and they 're much better at entertaining bub - ours pull out the balloons and bubbles!).

We also had a fab antenatal group (well parenting really), they don't do the 'puff puff pant pant' thing over here as they believe you know what to do instintually, but they go through everything and it's group participation including teddies!

If you need any other info just let me know, happy to help as I'm sure it seems rather daunting, I know it did for me to start with.

HTH

Sara

themerlin

Don't assume you get better care if you go private, some of the private hospitals are shocking.
I think going private in a public hospital is the best of both worlds, get the better care of public with a private room

JAJ

A lot depends on your visa. Permanent or temporary?

BadgeIsBack

2 baby girls in a midwife-led public hospital - didn't cost a cent. Own birthing room.

Infact we billed them - and got $8k from the govt by return of post (Baby bonus)

Midwifes can lead you through hard times the way your body is designed to do naturally - doctors see it as a medical issue to solve so the incidence of ceasars are higher in private, and they can bill accordingly. There's a different slant in the thinking.

Of course, have to take into account people elect for private because they want a ceasar. Too posh to push? or they may have complications that warrant the consideration or decision.

gedge

couldn't have put it better
our experience matches yours, public midwife led all good

Weirdstone

Couldn't eat a whole one..

gedge

2 drums and a cymbal fall of the wall...
boom boom tish

Vim Fuego

On behalf of my wife I concur with that ... we had the choice of going fully private at Sunnybank or going private at the Royal Brisbane and we chose the latter because they were so good with my OHs complications in the lead-up.

Couldn't fault 'em, we even had 2 days/nights in the parenting room after the baby was born to help soften the culture-shock.

The after-care was very good too, outstanding.