Have you had a baby in Australia?

[JuliaH]

Hi,

I'd love to hear from you if you have had a baby in Australia! I'm putting together an internet resource on having a baby abroad but don't have anything on Australia yet.

The type of information I'm looking for can be as general or personal as you'd like it to be, eg about your pregnancy care, antenatal classes, delivery at home/ hospital/ birth centre?, what's the attitude towards pain killers? is an active birth encouraged? are there any particular customs or traditions associated with having a baby in Australia? what was the follow-up care like?

You can be as open or anonymous as you'd like to be!

looking forward to hearing from you

Julia

[oddball]

Originally Posted by JuliaH

Hi,

I'd love to hear from you if you have had a baby in Australia! I'm putting together an internet resource on having a baby abroad but don't have anything on Australia yet.

The type of information I'm looking for can be as general or personal as you'd like it to be, eg about your pregnancy care, antenatal classes, delivery at home/ hospital/ birth centre?, what's the attitude towards pain killers? is an active birth encouraged? are there any particular customs or traditions associated with having a baby in Australia? what was the follow-up care like?

You can be as open or anonymous as you'd like to be!

looking forward to hearing from you

Julia

Actually , i have never given birth in any country , What i did have however , was all of the symptomatic problems associated with pregnancy , i took the medication for back ache , morning sickness etc , whilst she just smiled . When she miscaraiged in the first pregnancy , she slept like a babe until the ambulance was at the door , wondering what all the fuss was about . This is fact not fiction , i am probably as aware as many ladies about pregnancy and its associated problems , pains and parameters . colin

[Birchy]

I have had three babies in Queensland, Australia, All hospital births and all no problem. you are assigned a midwife on arrival and may go through a shift change. Most hospitals here encourage an active birth with little intervention. We have a low caecearian rate compared to alot of western countries. It is good to hire a Doula here to have the best chance of an uncomplicated birth and the best hope for uncomplicated breatfeeding. And the best pain relief with out drugs. We have share care with a GP and a hospital. Basicly you are in charge of how you want to birth, you do have to ask alot of questions to find the best place for it to happen though. When you leave the hospital you are given home visits by a midwife till baby is 7 days. Vit K is protocol here and hep B with a choice of not if the parent is informed. You are admitted to hospital when contractions are a maximum of 5 mins and last 60 secs.
Hope this helps, anything else more specific I can help with?
Sam (Doula)

[ellisa]

Originally Posted by Birchy

I have had three babies in Queensland, Australia, All hospital births and all no problem. you are assigned a midwife on arrival and may go through a shift change. Most hospitals here encourage an active birth with little intervention. We have a low caecearian rate compared to alot of western countries. It is good to hire a Doula here to have the best chance of an uncomplicated birth and the best hope for uncomplicated breatfeeding. And the best pain relief with out drugs. We have share care with a GP and a hospital. Basicly you are in charge of how you want to birth, you do have to ask alot of questions to find the best place for it to happen though. When you leave the hospital you are given home visits by a midwife till baby is 7 days. Vit K is protocol here and hep B with a choice of not if the parent is informed. You are admitted to hospital when contractions are a maximum of 5 mins and last 60 secs.
Hope this helps, anything else more specific I can help with?
Sam (Doula)

Hi Sam, I found this an interesting post as i am a midwife and am heading for Brisbane in January!! I have just heard today that i have a job at the Mater and i am over the moon!!

I just need to clarify a few things with you, as i had heard that that the c/s and instrumental delivery rate in Australia was actually higher than that of the UK and that midwives are less autonomous than here and have to ask the dr's before they are able to do anything?? Here midwifery is normality unless it deviates from it, of course and this is when the registrars etc are required. Also correct me if i am wrong, but i was also informed that ARM's are also very everyday in Oz? I suppose i am still hoping to be an autonomous practitioner, but who knows until i get there hey. Just one more thing can you tell me why a doula is needed for a higher prospect of a normal birth/breastfeeding success..is it because the midwives are too busy? Don't mean to be so negative but these are things others have told me and i just want to know a little more before i arrive!! There are alot of other aspects that are much more appealing than here but just one more thing (sorry!!) I presume you can choose your care if your pregnancy is normal of course? cheers ellisa

[Birchy]

Hi, and congratulations on the job. I had my first son at the Mater. It is a very big hospital. I had 12 women in my room! I got out of there as soon as they let me. Be prepared for the Brisbane weather, we are expecting a very hot dry summer.
Our national C/s rate is aprox 253 per 1000births. We sit about 5th highest of all OECD countries. QLD is higher than our other states in the private sector at 4.52% and 2.18 % in the public sector. and overall at 29.5 %. Most common reason is previous c/s. Our instumental rate is due to women given a time limit! Not good I have had some that just need the presure taken away to progress but the hospital is working on time and bed availability. Generly though it isn't too bad. We have huge issues with home birth at the moment. You can help us lobby for the rights for women to birth at home with midwifes. The doctors are the ones that do all of the instumental, stiching, and make most of the decisions as far as i know for the hospitals I have been to. Each hospital is a little different. We have little support for the woman who is often left alone for alot of the labour with her husband to figure out what may work for them their selves. Doulas help with pain and are with the woman for the entire labour with the exception of short toilet or food breaks where the husband stays at her side and everything is going well. We have spent time with the couple prior to labour and have prepared them for what may happen. And know how the couple feel about everything. We offer them information to make informed choices about drugs and offer different methods to have labour progress steadily. We are her support and instil confidence in her ability to get through labour the way she has chosen to. We alleviate fears of both parents, offer relaxation techniques, visualisation, breathing etc. WE help the woman focus and help make the midwifes job go smoothly. We don't replace partners but support them too. So they get the most out of the special event and be the support his partner needs. We support the family what ever their decsions are. With breast feeding we simply have more time and can be there when the woman needs us to be. We work for her. It is better than going private in some ways as you will have one on one care and it will cost you less with more options in alternative care, and we can go home with the family and have visits at the home for as long as they need.We do have choices of care with very medical to a little medical with birth centres becoming more common. I am currently loooking at studying my bacholor at Uni as I would love to both Doula and Midwife, offering the ultimate in birthing support.
I am quite in love with my job as you can probably tell. there are alot of wonderful people in this area over here and we welcome more. I think I answered your questions but feel free to come back with some more. Any thing I can find out for you will only help me.
Sam

Originally Posted by ellisa

Hi Sam, I found this an interesting post as i am a midwife and am heading for Brisbane in January!! I have just heard today that i have a job at the Mater and i am over the moon!!

I just need to clarify a few things with you, as i had heard that that the c/s and instrumental delivery rate in Australia was actually higher than that of the UK and that midwives are less autonomous than here and have to ask the dr's before they are able to do anything?? Here midwifery is normality unless it deviates from it, of course and this is when the registrars etc are required. Also correct me if i am wrong, but i was also informed that ARM's are also very everyday in Oz? I suppose i am still hoping to be an autonomous practitioner, but who knows until i get there hey. Just one more thing can you tell me why a doula is needed for a higher prospect of a normal birth/breastfeeding success..is it because the midwives are too busy? Don't mean to be so negative but these are things others have told me and i just want to know a little more before i arrive!! There are alot of other aspects that are much more appealing than here but just one more thing (sorry!!) I presume you can choose your care if your pregnancy is normal of course? cheers ellisa