Maternity advice

[ben.karen]

Hello,
I've just found out that I'll be approx 20 weeks pregnant when we get to Aus and I'm unsure how I'm covered with Medicare for this. I know you pay a levy each month but do you pay additional costs and do you pay as you go or do you have to pay upfront?
I won't be working but my OH will.
I have had home births in the past and want to do this again - is this possible?
Any help will be gratefully received as it might mean I'll stay in the UK till baby's born.
Thanks

[Libby1971]

There are other threads on this so have a search especially for ones done by Foxychick who moved here and found she was pregnant quite soon afterwards. My friend moved here and was 10 weeks pregnant. Essential medical expenses are met by medicare which includes scans, etc. Not sure about the home birth thing, but someone else will be able to help.

[foxychick]

medicare will cover you, however, you may have to pay for a private midwife for a home birth, not sure on that as I am a hospital birth kind of a girl. As libby says, a bit of a search should bring up a few threads as it is a frequent question. Medical care is of a similar standard to UK. Only thing I would suggest is getting booked into the system somehow before you arrive - I was pretty relaxed about 'booking in' as it was my third, only to find I had a long wait for some things as they were busy (nothing essential). someone I met whils ypregnant was going the home birth route and had a private midwife, she might have mentioned a figure of around $5000, but it was a year ago, so my memory is not great. It might be of interest to you that there is a birthing unit at Flinders Medical Centre - home from home environment, midwife only, gas and air only - but any complications, they moveyou to labour and delivery.

[xhaylesx]

Hi there. Congratulations on the pregnancy.

As mentioned above Flinders have a fantastic birthing centre, but the waiting list can be horrendous!

If you are wanting to go down the homebirth route, it is well worth looking here - www.homebirthsa.org.au/ fantastic bunch of helpful, passionate women. Like the UK you sometimes have a bit of a battle on your hands for a homebirth, but that shouldnt stop you pursuing it, being short of staff and all the other lame excuses are not your problem. Unless of course you can afford a Independant Midwife or a Doula to help you fight your battles. (pm me if you need any help with this as I am a birth and postnatal Doula and can point you in the right direction).

Like I said the homebirth network will be able to answer any questions that you have.

Best wishes

[ben.karen]

Thanks for your help on this one. I will definately check out all the other threads on maternity stuff (the last thing i expected to be was pregnant again!)
Karen

[Trakki]

I have hired an independent midwife through the homebirth network and she is lovely, this however is costing us $2500 which we can pay before,during or after. This is purely because I come under flinders and because I had no3 by c-section, flinders won't allow a natural delivery, despite having had nos 1,2 and 4 naturally and I don't want a section. It is all to do with insurance. If you live in an area that comes under the Women and Childrens Hospital they now do a homebirth service that is fully covered by medicare as you are on a 175.
They are quite behind here on the maternity side of things, ie homebirths are still quite a taboo but things are improving.

HTH

[Rachiegarlo]

sfunny really cos when my mum had my older sibs it was the norm to have all others apart from maybe your 1st at home. She even had twins at home, would be very frowned upon now. Know someone who had a homebirth $3000, payable after the birth. You can get the same effect in the midwife birthing suites in WCH and Flinders for free.