Re: Woman's Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Title: Re: Woman's Health and Wellbeing Strategy Hi again all, ooops! Found the final WHWB discussion paper...you can find it at: http://hnb.dhs.vic.gov.au/acmh/phkb.nsf and print off an electronic version. This is the final draft document on the consultations undertaken in the first round in 2001 that targeted the five key populations for action as identified by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Women's Health and Wellbeing - designated as high needs in women's health policy development on the basis of their 'poor health outcomes'. The groups targeted by the WHWB Strategy are Koori women, lesbians, women in prison and those who have been in prison, women with disabilities and working women. It was interesting to note that on the Vic' Ministerial Advisory Committee on Women's Health and Wellbeing that membership does not include formal midwifery representation..eg: ACMI. Perhaps that's where we need to begin to get birthing issues on such agendas for policy and program development??? While I agree its important that we respond to these consultationswomen's access to birthing services doesn't seem to rate highly in the scheme of things from these reportsIts difficult to have credibility in advocating for midwife-led care and its immense benefits to the health and wellbeing of women, when it doesn't rate a mention in documents setting out the govt's plans and priorities for policy and program development...its seems to me that we are starting behind the ball all the time?? Tina I agree entirely, strategically where the hell will we get if there is no representation in policy making forums. It can happen without it as it is in the ACT but that is only with considerable political will. I am sorry to say those blokey blokesin Victoria need a real education. I think a nice to the point letter outlining the importance of birth etc and midwife led care as international best practice and obstetric care lacking evidence etc is the key. I also think a group such as MC with a consumer author will pull a lot more weight, we all know consumers will win the war. In Birthing solidarity Justine Caines Maternity Coalition ACT Branch
Re: Life matters...
Hi Denise, I have waded through the Radio National web site and found that if we go about it the right way, you can actually listen to previous programs over the net anyway. I have emailed them to find out whether or not is it possible to find out ahead of time what they are talking about for the day, and hope they respond... In the meantime, it appears that the only way to do it is to go to the programming schedule for eadh and every single day... (time consuming.) Smile! Kirsty Fogarty (aka ?) - Original Message - From: Denise Hynd [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Phillip Fogarty [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 7:13 PM Subject: Re: Life matters... Dear ? You could go to the ABC RN web page and email Life Matters and ask them your question about advance notice and let us all know if it is possible? Denise - Original Message - From: Phillip Fogarty [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Denise Hynd [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 2:31 PM Subject: Life matters... Oh!!! I try to listen to Life Matters every day and NEVER manage to hear when they talk about 'pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum' issues. Is there any way to find this out ahead of time? - Original Message - From: Denise Hynd [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Jan Robinson [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Ozmidwifery [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 2:49 PM Subject: Re: Re cost of C/S Dear Jan and others Life matters was talking about the backgroung to the HIH fiasco and with that and Sept 11 I feel sure there never will be PI again for midwives and this is only part of the ongoing consequences insurance costs fo so many things will be unaffordable!! The govt is going to have to look at the NZ example of universal no fault cover for all health professionals !! Meanwhile women and midwives are going to have to demand that Medibank and any others not use this as an excuse not to give midwifery rebates!! It is not part of their position and it is discriminatory! Do they check that all doctors physios etc whom they rebate have current paid insurance cover?? No HBF the largest fund in WA is rebating midwifery care irrelevant of the PI situation as it is not relevant to their service!! So demand that Medibank stop this excuse, I suspect that like MBF Medibank have vested interests in not supporting midwifery rebates and this is just a Furphy!! Check it out with ACC it may constitute a Restriction on Practice if they do not listen to reason?? Denise - Original Message - From: Jan Robinson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Ozmidwifery [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 12:16 PM Subject: Re cost of C/S Dear Justine, Barb, Tina, Jo et al Well done wonderful women ... if the ACT goes with your proposal it will lead the way for other states to follow. You are correct in saying your costing of C/S is an under- estimate. Their are all the on-going costs that, according to medibank private, are difficult to calculate accurately. The private health insurers have so many additional bills presented after most C/S undergone by their members - bills from anaesthetists. Paediatricians, GPs (wound infection) Pschyciatrists (post-partaldeptression) etc - they just keep on coming in to Medibank Private long after the woman is discharged from hospital! This humungus C/S cost is the reason why medibank private is anxious to begin offering a NATURAL BIRTH package with a MIDWIFE to its members once the midwives have their own PI insurance. (Those midwives who are currently employed in hospitals and who say they don't want their own PI insurance obviously can't see the potential for undertaking additional private births to supplement their wages.) Once the private health insurance companies start offering natural birth packages it will increase the number of natural births in the private sector tremendously and decrease the number of surgical births as more Obs return to their lucrative gynae practices Until more women read Man-made woman maybe. Cheers Jan -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
FW: Clarification of Recommendation (long)
Hi Kirsty Do you know of any independent midwives near you?? They may know of someone, otherwise midwives who work at a birth centre near you, they usually know who is essentially 'user friendly'. Tis a shame Brian Peat is moving from Sydney to Adelaide (rather than Brisbane). A great loss to us here. He believed his role was overseeing the 'norm' and negotiating women with potential problems through 'the system' with as little intervention as possible (also helps breech birth with the woman in an 'all fours position'). He backed many of the independent midwives here and was a joy to work with. good luck with your search Cath Price Midwife For all the latest information on pregnancy, birth and early parenting, subscribe to www.birth.com.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Phillip Fogarty Sent: Monday, 4 February 2002 11:01 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Firstly, I apologise to everybody for failing to mention my living area. I thought I sent another email following that one when I got the first Where do you live? email response, but I mustn't have sent it. I actually live in Ipswich, which is near (?!) Brisbane. I would be seeking someone in Brisbane City. Ah Joy. Where do I start? With my previous pregnancy, I had 'problems' with high blood pressure, though it never got so high that it required attention. I began going to the ante-natal clinic at the Royal Women's Hospital in Brisbane at 12 weeks and seemed fine until approx 16 weeks when my blood pressure began to rise. I think from memory that the highest it ever got was 155/95, which I have heard isn't great, but isn't a horrid case. I began the ritual of fortnightly appointments, where I had to see both an Obstetrician AND a Physician (a little old man who never failed to say, I don't know why we keep seeing you - I'm not particularly worried about your BP... better make another appointment for two weeks time... The Obstetrician that was assigned to me (or was I assigned to him?) seemed to think that the baby was a bit on the small side (he was, but not anything unusual) and sent me for regular ultrasounds. I think I ended up having 6 including my routine 18 week scan. While this was fascinating to watch the baby grow, I couldn't kick the feeling that I was being 'overwatched.'In the end, the OB changed his tune to I think there isn't enough fluid... better send you for a scan... And of course, there was plenty of fluid. But, said the radiologist, the baby is a bit on the small side... How ironic. To cut a HUGE story (and such a wonderful one) short, Joshua James was induced when I was one week overdue. I was 100% sure of my due date, however, the registrar OB booked me in for the induction as soon as I hit my due date.Fortunately for me, the induction worked first time and as I said in my previous email (I think...) labour and delivery went without a hitch. I was so happy with the way things turned out. I have to admit, I do not feel intimidated by a hospital environment, and I suppose my previous experience draws me back to the place I went before. Blindly hoping for a repeat performance, I suppose. Only this time I don't want to feel so... public. I suppose that I feel that as a private patient, I would have more courage to be more demanding if I wasn't happy with anything. I wanted the choice to see the same person every single time instead of rotating between the OB and his registrar's. Why an OB instead of a midwife? The impression that I have received through reading and from conversation is that if I were to choose a Midwife to assist at home, I would not be able to claim money back from my health insurance company. Is this correct, or am I mistaken? I currently have private health insurance with Medibank Private. Psychologically, I see the insurance as giving me a demandable choice that I would not feel confident I could make in the public system. I know what I want and I am quite scared about it all, to tell you the truth. I know that things don't always go as planned, and I think I try to plan too much. There are so many thing that I want to say, but I don't want to bore you all (this is already long enough). Oh well... Thanks to you all, Kirsty. AND PS... I cheat - this email address is my husband's - he attends University of Queensland to study p/t commerce! I think that it's more my email address now than his - I just end up forwarding his emails to him at his work!! -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
recommendation?
Kristy, if you want to be private, how about swapping to a fund like australian unity, IOR, NIB, NRMA who cover midwifery care? then you could have the fantastic midwifery care with some of the hospital care paid for. as for NRMA they have advertised recently they will cover all the costs of having a baby even the doctor and all the gap. at work (large private hospital) we would have about 2-3 women a day swapping over to them. they are part of care link too so free follow up/services too.i'm sure midwifery care would be cheaper for them than docs, and it would fall into their costs of having a baby category. a lot of the women i look after complain they are thousands out of pocket even with top traditional health cover - something to consider. Louise The cure foranything is salt water - Sweat, tears, or the sea. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Consumer Rights info
Hi everyone, Just looking for info on consumer rights in relation to maternity services. I'm wanting to direct a discussion on these in my local area and need your help in accessing government policies. Many thanks, Sue Cookson -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: twins
Looking over some old emails I thought worthy of keeping and found this. Has anyone any idea how things are going and what model of care she was able to access? Thanks, Mary Murphy - Original Message - From: Marian Bullard To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2001 4:33 PM Subject: twins Hi Jan Your comments in regard to twins is a dilema I am faced with in a very personal way. My very precious niece had just joined our local team midwifery program and her excitement was great. Much to her delight she now finds she is having twins, unfortunately I practice in a low risk unit that excludes her from midwifery care. I am so loath to advise her to attend the mainstream clinic for fear of the fear that seems to be generated from various medical officers. I purchased a video from the multiple birth association at the acmi conference in brisbane, imagine my horror that the first birth is a c/section and the so called "normal' birth is a ventouse delivery in a private hospital with midwifery care being alluded to in a very minor way. Can you suggest any reading material or videos related to twins, to support this beautiful young couple in deciding what the best options are for them. I am really trying to give them a realistic picture of what is possible with each option. I have floated the home birth idea but would also like to think the "system' could meet their needs if they chose that option. Does anyone else have an ideas? Thanks Marian
consumer rights
HI Sue, I am not sure how old this is and it is not specific to maternity but gives a good indication as to consumer rights: Consumer Health Rights A summary of your health rights and responsibilities - consumers' Health Forum of Aust. PO Box 278 Curtin ACT 2065 phone: 062 810811 Must be old going by the phone number but it might be of some help? cheers Jo Bainbridgefounding member CARES SAemail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]phone: 08 8365 7059birth with trust, faith love...
Re: RE B MID
Dear All Change is always frightening for most people Nostalgia and glorifying the past is so common it is marketed in our culture!As one who trained firstly as a hospital nurse then a hospital midwife a university mature age nurse (educator) the recertifying LC and homebirth midwife with several senior preceptors mentors I see that no way is perfect we are after all human not gods!!Also we need to recognise that we can learn from all situations, including how to help others next time (if the situation repeats itself?) and ourselves to learn and help others. That includes improving on the learning pathways we offer to sutdent nurses and midwives. I remember when I had doubts about my becoming a nurse, midwife I looked at those who had the qualification and saw some I did not think worthy of it and others who I wanted to follow. So every place and path has it's good points and bad and there is things to be learnt! One of the things I appreciate and love (value) about the homebirth midwives I know and work with here in Perth is thier openess to each pregnancy,birth and individual to have it's own path and being an opportunity to learn something from it! Denise - Original Message - From: Nikki Macfarlane To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 4:23 PM Subject: Re: RE B MID While direct entry Midwifery has been in existence for a lot longer in the UK than in Australia, I do remember several years whien i was still living there talking to midwives about how they felt towards direct entry Midwives. In the group I had spokent o there was a general feeling that without the nursing background they would not be any good since they lacked a fundamental understanding of pathophysiology. However, that attitude has slowly been changing and the profession is now much more readily accepted. I am doing my Bachelor of Nursing Science at the moment (finally more than half way through!) and there is the same concerns there. Doing the degree in University is perceived by many as not being as good as doing hospital based training since we do not learn as much "on the job" stuff - however, we learn other aspects that were more difficult to learn in the hospital envirnment. One of the things I particularly like is we work with a wide variety of clinicians in a wide variety of settings. There is a lot of focus on questioning why we do what we do and using reflective practice. There is also a lot of focus on research. Each method of learning has its own advantages and disadvantages. On top of doing a degree nursing course I am doing it part time by correspondence/distance learning. There are a large number of nurses trained through the more traditional systems who are horrified. "How on earth can you learn enough by distance?" However, i do exactly the same number of clinical placement weeks as a nurse studying on campus. Whenever there is change in a profession, especially in the way that profession is taught, there are alwaysgoing to be some who find that change frightening or threatening. Does it really matter what other midwives think of Direct Entry Midwifery? What is important is that you feel you are doing the job you want to do, feel appropriately trained and qualified for it and confident in the skills you develop. Those midwives who feel uncomfortable with this new system will gradually become more accepting - it is just because it is still new. Nikki Macfarlane Singapore www.parentlink.org - Original Message - From: barbara glare chris bright To: Ozmidwifery Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 1:51 AM Subject: Re: RE B MID Dear Macha and Tina, I was shocked when a friend of mine who is a midwife reacted vehemently and negatively to the idea of B Mid. I think her words were "It will undermine everything we have worked for - I would never agree to work with a direct entry midwife in a hospital" When I picked myself up off the floor and asked her about it, it turned out that she really had no idea at all about what it was. After I explained, she was a bit calmer about it. Love
Inaugural meeting for Maternity Coalition - NSW Branch
Exciting news - Maternity Coalition NSW Branch is about to be born A lot of work is going on behind the scenes preparing for this momentous event. Maternity Coalition, as most of you know, is a national group working for positive changes in maternity services. Birthing service consumers, mothers, fathers, midwives childbirth educators, activists and any other interested parties please join with us to help implement change. After the election of office bearers, the number one item on the agenda will be putting together a plan for securing Professional Indemnity insurance to help ensure that the option of having a midwife in private practice care for women through pregnancy, birth and beyond remains a viable possibility. Private midwifery care is on the verge of ceasing to exist. Other items on the agenda (so far) include: The Australian Midwifery Campaign (to achieve for all women the right to choose a midwife as their primary caregiver during pregnancy and birth within the health system [public and private] whether in the community or hospital) and establishing Choices for Childbirth evenings. The inaugural meeting is planned for the 21st February 2002. Venue is: 27 Hart Street Dundas NSW 2117. Time 7.30pm Can you please RSVP to Jane Palmer on (02) 9873 1750. An agenda will be emailed to members and interested parties prior to the 21st of February. If you wish for anything to be placed on the agenda - can you let Jane know. Jane Palmer For Maternity Coalition - NSW Branch ABN 82 691 324 728 -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: Recommendation
Dear Kirsty I have a dear friend in Brisbane who also could not get in the Royal FBC and sadly ended her pregnancy with C/S. Contact the Support group and join the list of wpmen who object to the limited acces!! Please be very careful to whom you go ask about thier rates of interventions and what they see as natural birth. I have heard women say an epiduralised vaginal birth is natural and they see no relationship between that and their breastfeeding problems etc. Also in my expereince just seeing or expereincing childbirth as needing a medical expert rather than a supportive partnering midwife who works to help you understand and work with your body in pregnancy and birth can be the basis of ongoing disempowerment? Sure you can not consider private midwifery care??Most midwives negotiate payment as well as other things in their repertoire!Denise - Original Message - From: Phillip Fogarty To: Denise Hynd Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 7:15 PM Subject: Re: Recommendation Hi Denise, There is a Birth Centre at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. From all reports, it's a wonderful place to birth a baby. However, they have only 4 suites available and therefore had to severely limit the 'living' area to the surrounding suburbs. Unfortunately I am a little too out of those 'suburbs' to use it. It would have been perfect for what I was after... Kirsty. - Original Message - From: Denise Hynd To: Phillip Fogarty Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 7:14 PM Subject: Re: Recommendation Dear Kirsty Where are you is there a birth centre near you?Denise - Original Message - From: Phillip Fogarty To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2002 2:28 PM Subject: Recommendation Hi All, I was wondering if anybody could recommend a Doctor who ishighly considerate of a mothers wishes. (I know what is going through your minds after that one... hee hee.) I have spent much time considering my available options (unfortunately home birth is not financially one of them... maybe by the time we have our third they will allow HB Midwives to be covered by insurance...) I don't really want to leave everything to 'pot luck' and hope that I manage to visit the right Doctor who will work WITH me instead of for me. I was quite fortunate that the hospital (public) was so busy on the day I delivered our first child - I had NO intervention, and was told to 'listen to my body' when I was suddenly pushing... When I mentioned to my GP that we would be trying and I wanted to know if she knew anybody who had ideals aligned with my own, she said that she could only go by her own experience and could only therefore recommend her own OB so I would probably be better off talking to friends. I decided this wouldn't help much as I only know two people who have recently had babies and neither of them were happy with their OB's. So any help would be much appreciated! Thanks and keep smiling! Kirsty.
Re: Clarification of Recommendation (long)
Dear Kirsty I think your feeling were right I think most people's blood pressure would be elevated (including the obs) If we were in the same situation! Which reminds me I have not seen any continuos elevated BP in private practice/homebirth (another discussion). Are you sure there is not a health fund in Qld which does not rebate midwifery care the ones who do here also accept transfers from funds like Medibank which do not!! Have you at least checked out/spoken with a local MIPP?? Please do it should help and she probably knows all your local options! Denise - Original Message - From: Phillip Fogarty [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 8:01 PM Subject: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Firstly, I apologise to everybody for failing to mention my living area. I thought I sent another email following that one when I got the first Where do you live? email response, but I mustn't have sent it. I actually live in Ipswich, which is near (?!) Brisbane. I would be seeking someone in Brisbane City. Ah Joy. Where do I start? With my previous pregnancy, I had 'problems' with high blood pressure, though it never got so high that it required attention. I began going to the ante-natal clinic at the Royal Women's Hospital in Brisbane at 12 weeks and seemed fine until approx 16 weeks when my blood pressure began to rise. I think from memory that the highest it ever got was 155/95, which I have heard isn't great, but isn't a horrid case. I began the ritual of fortnightly appointments, where I had to see both an Obstetrician AND a Physician (a little old man who never failed to say, I don't know why we keep seeing you - I'm not particularly worried about your BP... better make another appointment for two weeks time... The Obstetrician that was assigned to me (or was I assigned to him?) seemed to think that the baby was a bit on the small side (he was, but not anything unusual) and sent me for regular ultrasounds. I think I ended up having 6 including my routine 18 week scan. While this was fascinating to watch the baby grow, I couldn't kick the feeling that I was being 'overwatched.' In the end, the OB changed his tune to I think there isn't enough fluid... better send you for a scan... And of course, there was plenty of fluid. But, said the radiologist, the baby is a bit on the small side... How ironic. To cut a HUGE story (and such a wonderful one) short, Joshua James was induced when I was one week overdue. I was 100% sure of my due date, however, the registrar OB booked me in for the induction as soon as I hit my due date.Fortunately for me, the induction worked first time and as I said in my previous email (I think...) labour and delivery went without a hitch. I was so happy with the way things turned out. I have to admit, I do not feel intimidated by a hospital environment, and I suppose my previous experience draws me back to the place I went before. Blindly hoping for a repeat performance, I suppose. Only this time I don't want to feel so... public. I suppose that I feel that as a private patient, I would have more courage to be more demanding if I wasn't happy with anything. I wanted the choice to see the same person every single time instead of rotating between the OB and his registrar's. Why an OB instead of a midwife? The impression that I have received through reading and from conversation is that if I were to choose a Midwife to assist at home, I would not be able to claim money back from my health insurance company. Is this correct, or am I mistaken? I currently have private health insurance with Medibank Private. Psychologically, I see the insurance as giving me a demandable choice that I would not feel confident I could make in the public system. I know what I want and I am quite scared about it all, to tell you the truth. I know that things don't always go as planned, and I think I try to plan too much. There are so many thing that I want to say, but I don't want to bore you all (this is already long enough). Oh well... Thanks to you all, Kirsty. AND PS... I cheat - this email address is my husband's - he attends University of Queensland to study p/t commerce! I think that it's more my email address now than his - I just end up forwarding his emails to him at his work!! -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: Clarification of Recommendation (long)
How fortunate for Adelaide They have also got a Dutch obs with the same philosophy at the QE2 he is the new ?director. Denise - Original Message - From: birth.com.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ozmidwifery [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 4:10 AM Subject: FW: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Hi Kirsty Do you know of any independent midwives near you?? They may know of someone, otherwise midwives who work at a birth centre near you, they usually know who is essentially 'user friendly'. Tis a shame Brian Peat is moving from Sydney to Adelaide (rather than Brisbane). A great loss to us here. He believed his role was overseeing the 'norm' and negotiating women with potential problems through 'the system' with as little intervention as possible (also helps breech birth with the woman in an 'all fours position'). He backed many of the independent midwives here and was a joy to work with. good luck with your search Cath Price Midwife For all the latest information on pregnancy, birth and early parenting, subscribe to www.birth.com.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Phillip Fogarty Sent: Monday, 4 February 2002 11:01 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Firstly, I apologise to everybody for failing to mention my living area. I thought I sent another email following that one when I got the first Where do you live? email response, but I mustn't have sent it. I actually live in Ipswich, which is near (?!) Brisbane. I would be seeking someone in Brisbane City. Ah Joy. Where do I start? With my previous pregnancy, I had 'problems' with high blood pressure, though it never got so high that it required attention. I began going to the ante-natal clinic at the Royal Women's Hospital in Brisbane at 12 weeks and seemed fine until approx 16 weeks when my blood pressure began to rise. I think from memory that the highest it ever got was 155/95, which I have heard isn't great, but isn't a horrid case. I began the ritual of fortnightly appointments, where I had to see both an Obstetrician AND a Physician (a little old man who never failed to say, I don't know why we keep seeing you - I'm not particularly worried about your BP... better make another appointment for two weeks time... The Obstetrician that was assigned to me (or was I assigned to him?) seemed to think that the baby was a bit on the small side (he was, but not anything unusual) and sent me for regular ultrasounds. I think I ended up having 6 including my routine 18 week scan. While this was fascinating to watch the baby grow, I couldn't kick the feeling that I was being 'overwatched.' In the end, the OB changed his tune to I think there isn't enough fluid... better send you for a scan... And of course, there was plenty of fluid. But, said the radiologist, the baby is a bit on the small side... How ironic. To cut a HUGE story (and such a wonderful one) short, Joshua James was induced when I was one week overdue. I was 100% sure of my due date, however, the registrar OB booked me in for the induction as soon as I hit my due date.Fortunately for me, the induction worked first time and as I said in my previous email (I think...) labour and delivery went without a hitch. I was so happy with the way things turned out. I have to admit, I do not feel intimidated by a hospital environment, and I suppose my previous experience draws me back to the place I went before. Blindly hoping for a repeat performance, I suppose. Only this time I don't want to feel so... public. I suppose that I feel that as a private patient, I would have more courage to be more demanding if I wasn't happy with anything. I wanted the choice to see the same person every single time instead of rotating between the OB and his registrar's. Why an OB instead of a midwife? The impression that I have received through reading and from conversation is that if I were to choose a Midwife to assist at home, I would not be able to claim money back from my health insurance company. Is this correct, or am I mistaken? I currently have private health insurance with Medibank Private. Psychologically, I see the insurance as giving me a demandable choice that I would not feel confident I could make in the public system. I know what I want and I am quite scared about it all, to tell you the truth. I know that things don't always go as planned, and I think I try to plan too much. There are so many thing that I want to say, but I don't want to bore you all (this is already long enough). Oh well... Thanks to you all, Kirsty. AND PS... I cheat - this email address is my husband's - he attends University of Queensland to study p/t commerce! I think that it's more my email address now than his - I just end up forwarding his emails to him at his work!!
FW: Clarification of Recommendation (long)
Well from looking at SA's intervention rates, they probably need them!!! Cath -Original Message- From: Denise Hynd [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, 4 February 2002 11:47 AM To: birth.com.au; ozmidwifery Subject: Re: Clarification of Recommendation (long) How fortunate for Adelaide They have also got a Dutch obs with the same philosophy at the QE2 he is the new ?director. Denise - Original Message - From: birth.com.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ozmidwifery [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 4:10 AM Subject: FW: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Hi Kirsty Do you know of any independent midwives near you?? They may know of someone, otherwise midwives who work at a birth centre near you, they usually know who is essentially 'user friendly'. Tis a shame Brian Peat is moving from Sydney to Adelaide (rather than Brisbane). A great loss to us here. He believed his role was overseeing the 'norm' and negotiating women with potential problems through 'the system' with as little intervention as possible (also helps breech birth with the woman in an 'all fours position'). He backed many of the independent midwives here and was a joy to work with. good luck with your search Cath Price Midwife For all the latest information on pregnancy, birth and early parenting, subscribe to www.birth.com.au [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Phillip Fogarty Sent: Monday, 4 February 2002 11:01 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Clarification of Recommendation (long) Firstly, I apologise to everybody for failing to mention my living area. I thought I sent another email following that one when I got the first Where do you live? email response, but I mustn't have sent it. I actually live in Ipswich, which is near (?!) Brisbane. I would be seeking someone in Brisbane City. Ah Joy. Where do I start? With my previous pregnancy, I had 'problems' with high blood pressure, though it never got so high that it required attention. I began going to the ante-natal clinic at the Royal Women's Hospital in Brisbane at 12 weeks and seemed fine until approx 16 weeks when my blood pressure began to rise. I think from memory that the highest it ever got was 155/95, which I have heard isn't great, but isn't a horrid case. I began the ritual of fortnightly appointments, where I had to see both an Obstetrician AND a Physician (a little old man who never failed to say, I don't know why we keep seeing you - I'm not particularly worried about your BP... better make another appointment for two weeks time... The Obstetrician that was assigned to me (or was I assigned to him?) seemed to think that the baby was a bit on the small side (he was, but not anything unusual) and sent me for regular ultrasounds. I think I ended up having 6 including my routine 18 week scan. While this was fascinating to watch the baby grow, I couldn't kick the feeling that I was being 'overwatched.' In the end, the OB changed his tune to I think there isn't enough fluid... better send you for a scan... And of course, there was plenty of fluid. But, said the radiologist, the baby is a bit on the small side... How ironic. To cut a HUGE story (and such a wonderful one) short, Joshua James was induced when I was one week overdue. I was 100% sure of my due date, however, the registrar OB booked me in for the induction as soon as I hit my due date.Fortunately for me, the induction worked first time and as I said in my previous email (I think...) labour and delivery went without a hitch. I was so happy with the way things turned out. I have to admit, I do not feel intimidated by a hospital environment, and I suppose my previous experience draws me back to the place I went before. Blindly hoping for a repeat performance, I suppose. Only this time I don't want to feel so... public. I suppose that I feel that as a private patient, I would have more courage to be more demanding if I wasn't happy with anything. I wanted the choice to see the same person every single time instead of rotating between the OB and his registrar's. Why an OB instead of a midwife? The impression that I have received through reading and from conversation is that if I were to choose a Midwife to assist at home, I would not be able to claim money back from my health insurance company. Is this correct, or am I mistaken? I currently have private health insurance with Medibank Private. Psychologically, I see the insurance as giving me a demandable choice that I would not feel confident I could make in the public system. I know what I want and I am quite scared about it all, to tell you the truth. I know that things don't always go as planned, and I think I try to plan too much. There are so many thing that I want to say, but I don't want to bore you all (this is already long enough).
Re: Alternative birth options in Brisbane
Isn't there a birth centre attached to the Royal Women's in Brisbane? Julie Lawson used to be the manager of the unit - don't know if she still is.The Friends of the Birth Centre have a website: http://www.fbc.org.au/main.htm There is also the Home Midwifery Association in Brisbane who may have more info on choices available. Their telephone number is 07 3839 5883 Another source of info may be Childbirth Education Brisbane - tel. 3359 9724. I think also the Boothville Maternity Hospital is staffed by midwives and offers an alternative to the typical obstetrics model. Nikki Macfarlane Singapore -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
threatened by bmid? want to change the world? long of course!
Dear ozmidders I applaud Denise's sentiments here and wish to express a few thoughts of my own having watched this thread for some time now. There will be midwives out there threatened by the advent of Bachelor of Midwifery, just as they have been by Graduate preparation. It is similar to the anxiety felt by many with the credential creep in nursing. People value their own pathway to their level of expertise, because it is too painful not to value it. And indeed, these people are the ones who have taught many of us so much and their pathway is therefore demonstrably of value. But it is human nature to be sceptical of what we don't know and to worry about change. That caution is what stops many of us making huge mistakes. Tempered risk taking is good. And with the world so uncertain many midwives from all settings will be feeling perhaps a little undermined and fearful about what the 'new' midwife is all about. That is a fair and valid emotion and we should respect their best motives in questioning the direction we have set out on. We should also respect that they, too, have much to teach us. Many of them have been life-long participants in education, have attempted change from all directions for the betterment of women's experience, and will cautiously accept changes to their profession but will attempt to retain the best of the 'old' system. In the end, it is all a big experiment, and BMid will not be perfect first up (if ever), just as other pathways have had their detractors but struggled on and proved their worth. It will only work if students and midwives and educators work together with respect. I get worried when I see the discourse of students coming out and shaking up what are characterised as unreflective stick in the mud midwives, or worse, showing 'obstetric nurses' how it should be done. There are those of us who have had the same education as these people yet are fighting and working for progressive change. Therefore it is not necessarily the preparation of the midwife that is the issue, but the person of the midwife that is important. And not all BMid midwives will be reflexive and open to change and 100% women-centered all the time, either. A fact of nature. So I urge all prospective BMid students out there to maintain respect for midwives of all sorts and in all settings. They are women (99.5%) of them, anyway. They are for the most part pure of motive (insofar as they are human). They try hard to do what is right for women, themselves and their loved ones, just as you do. And they will all know a lot about something you need to learn. Just because they learned it from a different path doesn't mean it is lacking in value. But they might be constrained by systems, and it is up to you to sort out the difference between a midwife who is unwilling to pick apart her own part in poor practice and attitude, and one who is unable to do anything about it. And midwives out there, remember when you started midwifery or nursing? The old wise women of the wards always had something to say about their training and how things have got worse for students, etc? There was always someone who undermined your confidence in your course, your learning and your practice? But you were too scared to speak up to them? Well, these students might not be scared, they are already empowered and active in political struggles for change, many of them. And this is what they have to teach. That you can change things, or empower yourself through collective activity and common purpose. Nurture that in them and try not to feel threatened. But don't stand too much crap either, you are worthwhile and knowledgable and these women will not be able to learn without you. Respect each other's knowledge, know that none of us has all the answers, we are all entitled to several mistakes per day so long as we learn from a percentage of them, and we all have the capacity to walk a mile in the others homypeds! I look forward with some degree of trepidation to teaching BMid. It has been an arduous, fascinating, thankless, difficult, inspiring and nerve-wracking three years leading to this point. As part of the BMid Taskforce (developing guidelines for accreditation of courses) and Werna Naloo Consortium (Victoria University, Australian Catholic University, and Monash University "We Us Together, Women Midwives and Universities" for bachelor of midwifery education) developing curricula for BMid, I have had the privelege of working with wonderful midwives of all sorts of pathways. I have come to respect the merging and commonality of vision as being more important than the path to that point. All of the academics involved in Werna Naloo were hospital trained nurses then midwives, then did further study. But we manage somehow to see the need for another path. Others like us haven't, and they have good reasons for not agreeing with us. That's ok, we will show them in a few years that BMid is one great way to prepare midwives. But please,
Hello from Julie Clarke
Hello all ozmidders I have just re-subscribed to ozmid after a bit of an absence. Although we have virus protection over the last 12 months we copped 2 viruses and 2 worms, we have managed to be rid of them at great expense and were back online again when in the big December storms a bolt of lightening struck within 200 metres and blew out our modem and hub and network cards - bit of bad luck - it's been a bit lonely too. Fortunately it was covered by our household insurance but with the insurance company dealing with claims from the bushfires we simply had to wait a month and a helf for the cheque to arrive so we could go ahead with repairs. Now done :-) As of last weekend we have returned to the world of internet and email. So Hello from Julie Clarke - I'm glad to be back :-) hug to all
Re: Clarification of Recommendation (long)
Hi Kirsty I am a consumer and have had two magnificent homebirths with an independent midwife. It is true what they say that when you have a midwife you not only get a baby but also a friend. I urge you to at least explore this option. Obstetrician sent me for regular ultrasounds. I think I ended up having 6 including my routine 18 week scan. In the end, the OB changed his tune to I think there isn't enough fluid... better send you for a scan... And of course, there was plenty of fluid.But, said the radiologist, the baby is a bit on the small side... How ironic. Six scans with no real reason and even if your bub had IUGR what could have they done! This is a disgrace! I have to admit, I do not feel intimidated by a hospital environment, and I suppose my previous experience draws me back to the place I went before. Blindly hoping for a repeat performance, I suppose. Only this time I don't want to feel so... public. I suppose that I feel that as a private patient, I would have more courage to be more demanding if I wasn't happy with anything. I wanted the choice to see the same person every single time instead of rotating between the OB and his registrar's. I'm glad you were lucky and had a straightforward delivery, the stats were not on your side. Are you aware of a study done by Sally Tracy and others (British Medical Journal (vol.321, 15 July 2000) Roberts et. Al) that looked at 171,000 births took out complications age anomolies etc and still found wome were far more likely to have interventions (without reason) as private patients! About half of all women choosing either private or public care were low risk. That is they had no medical or obstetric complication, and carried a single baby of normal size and head down presentation to term. Yet the private low risk patients were significantly more likely to have interventions before birth (epidural, induction or augmentation) as well as increased interventions at birth (especially forceps, vacuum extraction and episiotomy). The study also finds that of all first time mothers at low risk only 18% of private women achieved a vaginal birth without any intervention compared with 39% of public women. It concludes: there are no obvious clinical reasons for intervention rates to be higher in private than in public patients. It also notes that international comparisons show Australia to have among the highest rates for obstetric intervention. A private obstetrician as you well know will pop in and out and you will largely be supported by unknown midwives. With an Independent Midwife you form a relationship over the pregnancy and they are there for you and you alone, believe me there is no better care. Why an OB instead of a midwife? The impression that I have received through reading and from conversation is that if I were to choose a Midwife to assist at home, I would not be able to claim money back from my health insurance company. Is this correct, or am I mistaken? I currently have private health insurance with Medibank Private. Psychologically, I see the insurance as giving me a demandable choice that I would not feel confident I could make in the public system. I understand your logic, I'm paying therefore I can make a fuss. Well the thing is you are aligning yourself with far greater intervention and generally Obstetricians that do not practice evidence based medicine and I think you found some with your first bub. So I am unsure how you will ensure a better outcome in a system that has up to double the intervention rates. I know of a woman who was paid her entire Midwives bill (and a birth support doula!) by MBF so if you want to approach Medibank Private you could be a good test case. If you want I can provide you with further info off-list. I know what I want and I am quite scared about it all, to tell you the truth. I know that things don't always go as planned, and I think I try to plan too much. Maybe you need to let go a bit and believe it yourself, Hey you did it before against the odds (ie stats re inductions leading to a cascade of intervention.) I learnt that in birth one is most foolish to be a control freak Yours in better birthEvidence based Justine Caines Mum to Ruby 2, (HB) Clancy 10 months (HB) and a bump due July (definitely HB!) -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
