Michelle, Welcome to the list
I am a rat bag consumer so my perspective is from a woman accessing maternity services.
I can understand how you might feel you are not overly supported as a m/wife in the private system as there has been so much discussion of late about access to midwife led care and homebirth.
I have had two children at home with a wonderful Independent Midwife and the experience has changed my whole attitude about birthing and our ridiculous system in this country.
I am happy that you made a “choice” to utilise a private obstetrician and birth in a private hospital, I am even happier that this choice was right for you and the experience was positive. I am having my third child in July and the choice I made for my first two, homebirth (of which I fully funded with no rebate) I am now unable to make because my midwife’s PI Insurance cover runs out on May 30 2002 and she has chosen not to practice uninsured.
The difference between your and my choice is that yours is funded by me as a taxpayer, in subsidies to private health insurance and Medicare coverage on obstetric consults etc. Much of private obstetric practice is not based on evidence and it is the only specialisation whereby healthy pregnant women are able to access specialist services. Yes you should have a choice but taxpayers should not fund unnecessary specialist care, where else does this happen?
Women should be able to choose to have an epidural etc, but I do not believe the current obstetric community is focussed on providing full and frank information and showing the facts of all procedures, if this was the case we would only very seldom see episiotomies performed and there would be some clinical interest in studying the safety of ultrasound (of which there is currently none worldwide, nor any standards for operators or emission control of ultrasound).
Until every woman can access one on one midwife care noted by the World Health Organisation as the most appropriate and cost effective care for the majority of pregnant women, (and at the moment myself and many others don’t) I will focus all my energy on supporting Independent Midwives in being able to practice and homebirth be publicly funded.
Perhaps if your choice was part of this minority and you were forced to fund it yourself and were now were unable to access it you would understand why it has been the focus of attention lately.
Yours in better birth.... Evidence based.
Justine Caines
Mum to Ruby 2, Clancy 10 months and a bump July 02
Hi, as this is my first reply I will intoduce myself. My name is
Michelle
> > McKenzie and I also work in a Private hospital.I have worked in this
> > hospital for 10 years. I co-ordinate the prenatal education in our
> hospital.
> > I have two children both of whom I gave birth to at the Sydney Adventist
> > Hospital under a private obstetrician. With both of my children, I
> laboured
> > and delivered the way I wanted to and with both I had a normal delivery
> with
> > no drugs. I agree with kath in that I believe the clients who choose our
> > hospital and their own private obstetrician have made their own choice
on
> > the type of childbirth they prefer. We do not push them into having an
> > epidural rather they come to us demanding one the minute they arrive in
> > delivery suite. The clients we see are very well educated and informed
on
> > the choices available to them. I do not believe I am a 'glorified nurse'
> > because I have chosen to work in a private hospital. I love my work as a
> > midwife and respect the choice the client has made to see a private
> > obstetrician and come to a private hospital, but am alittle saddened at
> the
> > lack of support from other colleuges who work in the public system or as
- > independent practitioners.
