[~Jane05~]

Hi

Just wanted opinions on which way to go please.
Midwife or OB?
I am looking at Hawkesbury Hospital, Windsor. They are Private & Public. (I would be under Public) They have a Midwife clinic, if any complications they refer to an OB.

The OB's the hospital use would be: Geoff Moss, Dr Ginesh or Alec Gillespie.

TIA

This post has been edited by ~Jane05~: 18/02/2009, 12:35 PM

[sal151]

I went with the midwife clinic at my public hospital and found them to be very good. I am, however, now going through the ob because I am having problems with high bp and a big baby and excess fluid. But midwives were very good before I needed to be referred on to the ob!

[rodent]

Are you sure you get a choice as a public patient? At my public hospital you are placed with midwives unless you are considered higher risk, they make the call.

Given the choice I'd go midwives every time (but have been stuck in the OB clinic for all 3 pregnancies ).

--Rodent

[~Jane05~]

Yes rodent, I was given the choice Need to pay a small Gap for the OB.

May I ask why you prefer Midwives? Thanks

This post has been edited by ~Jane05~: 18/02/2009, 12:50 PM

[~gaby~]

I will only use a midwife. I think paying an OB to be there for your labour when there is no 100% guarantee he will even be there is ridiculous. Midwives are excellent at their jobs & i have full faith in their abilities

[Melissam12]

If you're healthy, there's really no reason to see an OB. OBs specialise in pregnancies that are complicated, but if everything's normal (as it is for most women), then the best care rpovider is a midwife. By having midwifery care, you're ensuring the best outcome for you and your baby. The midwife will help you stay healthy for your pregnancy and birth, and will help you to prevent complications from occurring. If you develop complications along the way, she will refer you to an OB. Countries that use this model of care have the best outcomes for mothers and babies.

The other option is to hire a midwife privately. This is not covered by medicare.

Melissa.

[~Jane05~]

Thank you for the advice guys

Melissam12 thanks again for all your help, I am swaying towards the Midwives.

[happyvegemite]

I can answer from someone who has used both

pregnancy one I used the midwife program until about 32 weeks when I was kicked off for complications! The midwives were amazing. Honestly they know there jobs... I swear by them.

pregnancy 2: Never made it to the program due to complications.

Pregnancy 3: My choice to go ob. Rather than risk being kicked off again!

Midwifes hands down would be my choice. I always felt like they had more time for my niggly questions and I knew most of them by the time I had my children!

Good luck with your choice.

This post has been edited by happyvegemite: 18/02/2009, 02:15 PM

[lucy08]

I had a midwife-assisted delivery and it was fantastic. I would do it that way again next time, if I had a choice. I was in a public hospital and there were 4 models of care available (some by choice, some by need). Some hospitals allow you to be monitored throughout your pregnancy by a small team of midwives and one of them will then be part of your delivery team (I was monitored by my GP mostly). I knew there were always OB's on standby if complications arose and I had full confidence in the midwives assisting me.

[clairek]

The care options available to me were OB, GP and Midwife (shared), Midwife Clinic and Midwife Group Practice.

I went for the group practice. 3 midwives, you will see once predominantly throughout pregnancy, she will attend your labour and you will meet the other 2 at some point during ante natal appointments incase your midwife is unavailable when you got into labour. I love having one person go through the whole thing with me, its much more personal, and when I evenutually have this baby (40+4) it will be great having someone at the labour who knows my pregnancy and that I have built a relationship with.

The group practice tends to do low risk pregnancies and encourage women to go without pain relief such as epidurals or pethadine. My midwife has been so great that I am happy not to have an epidural and feel very relaxed about the whole thing.

A bit like having a free, medically trained doula.

Good luck with whatever option you choose.