[MsJaeBoykin]

Yay or nay?

I have heard mixed reports about Casey. Its the closest to me, so I want to know what experience you or people you know have had there??
Their emergency room, i wasnt pleased with a few months back but I am hoping the maternity part is better.

Looking forward to hearing your stories..

Thanks

Jae

[Phascogale]

Maternity is very different from ED and a completely different set of staff!

I had an absolutely brilliant experience there a few years ago with midwifery led care.

I friend of mine had a baby there about 9 months ago under their caseload model (midwifery led care with one main midwife and a small team of others you may come across) and also had a brilliant experience.

They also have a homebirth model (another friend had a really good experience under this model too - although birthed too fast for the midwife to get to her place to catch the baby)

You also have the option of GP shared care (that I supposed you could do via an OB if you wanted to - but he/she wouldn't be at your birth). I have had two friends give birth at Casey under this model in the last 18 months and both of them raved about their birth experience. So doctor does all the antenatal care and midwife looks after you during your birth (and catches your baby).

I too have heard mixed stories but I wasn't there when things happened to give these mums the stories to tell so I can't really comment and it's been friends of friends of friends rather than people I know well. Things can also be clouded by hormones and also it only takes one bad (or percieved bad) midwife to ruin your experience.

It is a low risk hospital.

And a definite yes from me.

[MsJaeBoykin]

Thank you for your opinion.. I think its the way to go

[Fossy]

Look into their emergency procedures. My friend had to have an emergency c/s due to foetal distress, it was 2am and she had to be rushed by ambulance to monash as it was after hours and they didn't have the staff. Not sure if this is routine, but she said she'll never go back there.

[TopsyTurvy]

I overall was mixed in my feeling regarding my experience.

I loved my midwife, I was in the caseload program, however towards the end it became a bit difficult as I had developed PUPPS was miserable and felt as though the system was not capable of dealing with my unusual circumstances.

In the end I was induced at 38 weeks due to high blood pressure.

In the end I ended up with a caesar under general (after 18 hours) as DS's heart rate started dropping with the contractions while the drip was high enough to keep me contracting, when the drip was turned down my contractions would pretty much stop.

The decision was made for the caesar at about 11.30pm and staff were bought in to perform it, no question the staff were all very pleasant and kind.

Afterwards my biggest issue was a couple of the midwives who just were a bit too brusque and OTT IMO regarding breastfeeding. I was in for 6 days and my milk still had not come in, my DS was screaming and would not settle at one point and I wanted to try him with some formula. One midwife practically refused (telling me my son could not be hungry) and it wasn't until the next shift change when a much nicer midwife who listened to me, that I was given formula for my DS. At which point he guzzled every last bit abs promptly fell asleep for the first time in almost 24 hours.

If not for the over the top pro breastfeeding midwives, it would have been nothing but a pleasant stay afterwards.

[Phascogale]

Look into their emergency procedures. My friend had to have an emergency c/s due to foetal distress, it was 2am and she had to be rushed by ambulance to monash as it was after hours and they didn't have the staff. Not sure if this is routine, but she said she'll never go back there.

Unless you are at large tertiary hospital that does code green C/S's and has theatre staff onsite 24 hours a day that you will find that most hospitals will need to get staff in to do the emergency C/S. My understanding is that Casey has these facilities now. They didn't when they first started (7 years ago) and you did need to transfer to Dandenong or Monash but it's less of an issue now.

Also, short of an abruption or other medical emergency needing to get baby out now, that most staff will have an idea that a C/S might be needed and start planning for it ie they wil decide to do a C/S at 9pm before theatre staff leave rather than leaving it for 2 hours to see what happens (you can refuse but whether it's in your baby's best interest is something to be determined). I can't comment on the PP's friends experience at 2am. Also how long ago did it happen?

Emergency C/S's generally take a bit of time from the decision to actually having the operation ie can be 60-90mins regardless of where you are and does depend on the situation - you may have to wait for a theatre too and not just staff (clearly at night it will probably be empty but during the day you will have priority but generally they don't stop an operation half way and then come back to it to do your C/S).

however towards the end it became a bit difficult as I had developed PUPPS was miserable and felt as though the system was not capable of dealing with my unusual circumstances.

I think you are generally miserable with PUPPS regardless of which hospital you are at.