[ozmidwifery] Transfer Times and Private Hospitals

[Justine Caines]

Title: Transfer Times and Private Hospitals

I really wanted a homebirth, but my husband is against the idea. He says
we live too far away from the hospital (30 minutes drive) and also, his
mother had a homebirth eons ago and lost the baby so he is still
affected by that. I just figured that if I have to go to the hospital, I
may as well get my health insurance worth and know exactly who I am
going to be dealing with should things go wrong (which they won't).

Hey Cas

I have to agree with Margie, you are putting yourself at the worst chance of a successful VBAC!  But I do agree with what you said about the public system.  VBAC is hard enough anywhere, except at home with a skilled independent midwife.  I do not believe ANY man has the right to deny your right to birth at home.  What we owe our men folk is to address and discuss their concerns and help them get through any issues they may have with homebirth.

Onto the 30 minutes joke.  The King Edward Memorial Hospital Inquiry (Perth) found a decision (for a C/S) to incision time of 70 minutes (these were women labouring in the hospital and it still took this time. It is accepted that many tertiary hospitals would be getting close to this figure.  Unless QLD is different private hospitals (unlike major public ones) do not have 24/7 anaesthetic cover.  So the anaesthetist would have to be called in (don’t be fooled that the epidural etc will be in arm’s reach public or private!!!)  It takes at least 30 minutes to set up a theatre!!

Your private health insurance.  Look at the stats, what Australia’s healthiest, most educated and resourced women get from private health insurance is a hell of a lot more intervention  (and morbidity no doubt).  Sally Tracy and others did a report of 171,000 births (all standardised for age health status etc, and found the difference’s staggering)

Here’s the link for your info:

Roberts, C.L, Tracy, S., Peat, B 2000. Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study, BMJ 2000; 321:137-141

http://www.birthinternational.com/articles/sally01.html




My 3 homebirths were without a doubt the best 3 days of my life.  The care from a known midwife was incredible (remember just taking a midwife will not change a whole lot in a private hosp, in fact could make it worse, if other providers react to you having this m/wife, also she will only be a support person, rather the accredited professional she should be!!)


If you really want to stay at home, help your husband confront his fears, and show him some facts on safety and transfer etc.  If you work through it together it will no doubt bring you closer together!!!


Cheers

Justine Caines

(Mum to Ruby 3, Clancy 21 months and Will 5 months)