Having a Baby in Oz

[Guest Carkyde]

Hi just wondered what are the differences in the maternity services, has anyone gone to Oz expecting a baby. OH and me are trying, I just wondered what the quality of care is like there compared to the good ole NHS.

 

Do u have to have separate health insurance to cover hospital care? What are the after care services like?

 

Any info appreciated.Ta

[Guest Roo1]

You may like to PM Rachel on here as she is expecting (me too but its early yet) and if you go on adbrits there's a whole section devoted to this in the reading room, written by FoxyChick.

 

You can go private. I have private health insurance with Medibank but found I still have to pay up to $2000 for my Obstetrician. I'm now going to use the shared care option where my GP looks after me for most of my check ups, with appointments at Flinders Hospital for Ultra sounds etc.

 

I been told there's nothing wrong with the maternity units here and people's experiences have been positive, infact better than with the U.K NHS.

 

The best of luck with your plans

 

Judi x

[foxychick]

I just wondered what the quality of care is like there compared to the good ole NHS.

 

Depends what your local NHS is like I suppose, but I found it pretty similar to our local NHS (which was good). Seems to be a lot less midwife driven, but only in my experience.

 

Do u have to have separate health insurance to cover hospital care?

 

No- you will be covered on medicare, apart from initial doctor visit and some scans

 

What are the after care services like?

 

Not like the UK, you may get 1 or 2 midwife visits, then you access help via CAYHS

 

Any info appreciated.Ta

 

 

hope that helps

[Guest Carkyde]

Hi Roo

 

Can I ask another question, sorry if this is dumb ..... with the shared care option you mentioned does this come out of Medicare or your private insurance?

What are the antenatal services like? Is it GP who arranges scans, or do you do it yourself?

 

Also how far into your pregnancy are you .... congrats!!

 

Thanks C

[Guest lewnimatt]

Hi All,

 

Does anyone know if you can do the shared care option on a provisional sponsered visa 475? I was hoping to have my next child when we get to Adelaide next year but have read stuff about not being covered on medicare if we have a temporary visa and that the private health insurance is very expensive.

 

thanks,

 

N

[Guest norah battie]

yes you will be covered on the reciprocal agreement on temp visa

[Guest lewnimatt]

Thanks for confirming. Do you know where i can get any info about this reciprocal agreement? I've looked on medicare's website but it just states that the medical cover given to temp resisdants is for medical emergencys only?

 

thanks

[Guest norah battie]

we went to medicare or phoned them and they explained it to us.....just like U.K.....the emergency thing is a confusing statement......I think thats why think we should get private but its no so necessary

[Sallyh]

Its well worth investigating all your options. The obstetric system here is fear based and insurance led, meaning that the c-section rate is extremely high - no hospital in the UK would get away with figures as high as those without questions being asked.

 

Would encourage anyone pg to look into midwifery led care - the public system is not only free but you stand a chance of actually giving birth rather than having a c-section delivery. Of course there's a time and a place for that but quite seriously I know 3 people now who have had c-sections booked by obstetricians - prior to, or only 5 days over their due date (first time mothers) - because the obstetrician had a holiday booked. (They managed to find a spurious medical reason to 'justify' it but it was transparent.) That's not an exaggeration its absolute truth.

 

The Group Practice Scheme at Women's and Childrens is a good alternative -and now they are actually starting a home birth service, bringing it up to being more like Community Midwifery Practice in the UK. There are also birth centre options (less medical, less interventive in spirit).

 

Anyone who wants a home birth though (or is just curious about the alternative) should also consider an independent midwife - not a fortune and we have just chosen an amazing one. That's an option that wasn't available to me in the UK and of course the main benefit is a relationship with a caregiver you trust and know will be with you in labour. The Group Practice Scheme also aims to have a 'one mother one midwife' arrangement so in that sense I think it may be better than UK.

 

There is a birth festival coming up in Adelaide in the next few months, and I will post more details.

 

DH and I went to the Homebirth Network coffee morning yesterday with our youngest 2, at Goodwood Community Centre. It was lovely and they have some good talks etc coming up. You don't have to be a die hard homebirth fanatic to go, but its a really friendly environment (with morning tea and lots of toys) in which to discover alternative choices, meet doulas and independent midwives, and hear from other people about their experiences. I think someone new to Adelaide who wanted an idea of what really goes on should go and have a chat with peeps there (you tend to know the score in your own territory, so here I needed to meet people to see what Adelaide's system is like tho I had a pretty good idea).

 

What was so nice was actually meeting a few first time mums who'd had lovely births at home (I'd have liked to) and so that's really encouraging and a testimony to the v experienced independent midwives.

 

Here are some links for info:

 

http://sabirthmatters.org.au/ [The Birth Matters group is a not-for-profit birth information and support group established ten years ago in Adelaide (1999). It aims to provide good information to prospective parents and new parents to enable them to make genuinely informed choices regarding their pregnancy and birth care and choices]

 

and

 

http://www.homebirthsa.org.au/

 

and Beautiful Birth Festival http://www.homebirthsa.org.au/BBF_index.htm

[Guest jen&ian]

Thanks for that info, I've been absolutely horrified by some of the stories I've heard about the goings on at some private hospitals re obstetrics, so it's good to hear that home births are becoming a bit more available.

 

Jen:cute:

[ShaunWilson]

We found out my wife was pregnant the week before we came here. Contacted local doc when we got here, and they helped and explained everything we needed to do. 7 months later, the baby was born at Flinders Hospital, and the staff and hospital were terrific. Only difference we noticed from our other 2 in the Uk was that you had to a lot of the appointment making etc yourself, and the after care when you come out of hospital is a lot different, with no mid-wife visit etc. You have to do that all yourself by going to the Child and Youth services.

[Guest katieb]

Hi,

 

I came over to Adelaide last May and was 5 months pregnant. When I first arrived the lady at the Medicare Office recommended that I go to the Womens and Childrens hospital in North Adelaide as "if you have any complications that's where you end up anyway".

 

I have to say that I was very pleased with the service that I received from them. I attended a mid-wife appointment every 4 weeks and then every 2 weeks nearer the date and they were excellent. During the birth a mid-wife stayed by my side through the whole experience and was very reassuring.

 

I believe that the care I received was better than I would have got in the UK but am only going on other peoples experiences as this was my first.

 

The hospital also hold maternity classes and run a maternity yoga class which I really enjoyed (and now miss!).

 

All in all a great experience (apart from the pain obviously!)

 

Katie

[Sallyh]

that's really great to hear Katie!!! The setup at Womens and Childrens sounds good, and I think if someone is hospital minded that would be a very good choice. There are some other midwife led schemes (at least I know of one in the North suburbs anyway) and also birth centres well worth considering - you're right, that would end up transferring to Womens and Childrens if a prob, but IME there is less likely to be a prob if someone is relaxed in a friendly environment.

 

The other thing to consider is not only the birth but what happens after. I cant believe there is still a culture of 'take the baby away to the nursery just after they have been born here...' again more likely in the obstetric led private system - and of course that brings with it feeding and attachment issues. They are also more likely to bottle feed the baby without your knowledge or much say in the matter - may not worry some but anyone hoping to breastfeed needs to be extremely wary and very forthright about that one. Wherever anyone has a baby, there is a lot to be said for "thanks for my baby, we're off home now..."

[Guest Allybinoz42]

I had my baby at the WCH, whilst my sister in Manchester had her's at the same time on the NHS. They were comparable I think.

 

I went public, a number of my Australian friends went private, there is some snob factor attached there I think!!

My care was good, everything free against fees for scans/obs etc on top of health insurance if private.

Cons I think the only down sides were that you will be lucky to get into midwives clinic as very popular, therefore can end up waiting a long time for your appt at WCH.

You share a room with one other, my sister shared with four on NHS. Private here is mostly guaranteed own room.

 

Pros - public - anethestist always present, doctor always present. Privately - on call after certain time.

Mid wife care in public hospital very good.

Specialist care for baby on hand if needed publicly.

Likelyhood of c-sec higher privately.