Sorry but this sound like a weird post but want some advice and I know there are lot's of Nurses reading this.
My dilema is we currently have a 1 year old and want another child but were looking to wait until we went to Oz. The problem I have however is if I have a baby in Oz then my husband will need to stay with our son whilst I go into hospital because we would have nobody to look after him. Also just found out that when I was last pregnant I had gestational diabetes and low blood platlet level. Have been told that I will need closer monitoring next time..
We also are wanting to go sooner than later (well after our fact finding trip to Melbourne in Nov) and were hoping to go about April so just don't know what to do, and medically would it be best to give birth here.. Not sure what the health system is like in Oz although wasn't great here when I had my son.. Also husband is already having nightmares about taking 1 child on a plane let alone 2 he he!!
I don;t really have answers for you, but just thought I'd let you know of my experience of having a baby in Oz.
I had my first child in Perth in 2003 and I found the health system great. I used a local hospital, rather than in the city, and the nurses and midwifes were wonderful, and plentyiful!.
I'd see the obstertrician at his surgery one week, then alternate between him and the midwives at the hospital. I must admit I don't think I saw the same midwife twice, but my obstertrician was always the same guy, and this didn't cause me any problems.
I was induced as was overdue by 15 days, and unfortunately had to have an emergency c-section (can't spell the other word, he he!). I found the care to be top class, the midwife sat and held my hand whilst in the last stages of labour and my obstertrician came to deliver the baby, before they decided it was too risky and I had to go in for an op.
It seems there that the Doctor's listen to the midwives and value their opinion, which in my view is great as they know exactly what they are doing!
I stayed in for 5 days and was looked after so well I was dreading going home! There were only 5 other mums in the hospital, so I basically had one to one care. They'd come in to look after my son the first few nights when he was crying so that I could get some sleep and were very thorough when testing to see why we'd both had a fever during labour.
Obviously I don't have anything to compare it to as I've not had a baby in the UK, but my sister-in-law had a c-section here and I was so surprised to see that they'd made her get up and go the loo 3 hours after having the op! I got told off for getting up on my own and having a shower on the 2nd day!!
Alot of people did say, however, that Doctor's there tend to give c-sections at the drop of a hat (due to money and law suits etc), but not sure how true that was. There was a justified reason for my c-section.
Sorry post so long, I can't help but ramble on and on!!!
Probly not that qualified to participate in this but my wife had our daughter by C-section in UK June 2005. She also was forced to get up to the loo every 3 hours or so the day after the op. She could hardly move. The staff spent most of the time that I was visiting gossiping around their desk at reception. Even my wife said they hardly saw the staff. New mothers and all were just left to 'get on with it'. My wife, being her 3rd, taught the new mums how to wrap the babies so they felt secure and could sleep as some didn't know this. The op itself went very well and I was impressed compared do the shoddy service of our 1st 2 15 years ago. Its was just the 'after sales' service that was rubbish. Also the toilets and showers the patients used were disgusting, so I was told, nobody seemed to be cleaning them regulary enough.
Then you've got MRSA to deal with and the general cleanliness, all due to cut-backs.
Thank-you for your replies and although I had a fairly normal birth and the care during pregnancy was good the care after the birth was so slack and my son had his hand bandaged and I asked so many times for it to be changed but nobody ever came back so I asked for a bandage (they couldn't find one in the hospital but eventually found one in the A&E dept) and changed it myself. They were so short staffed it was ridiculous and the bathrooms made me sick that I didn't even want a shower because of the fear I might catch something...
I guess however it might need to be here though because although I have a friend in Melbourne I can't expect her to be on hand for childcare duties.. Guess we will just have to put the date of move back...!!
Hi
We have two children, one of each flavour, but I to hope one day (maybe should advise husband first) to have another baby, this will most likely be in Oz as we hope to be there by the end of this year, visa application seems to be ticking along nicely and we went for our health checks yeaterday, anyway, I had two c-sections, not through choice, both emergancy, I can say first hand that I was made to get up after a few hours, with huge bruises on back after they insisted the the spinal block WOULD go in, and the after care was not all that great, I was very emotional the second time round the block and Callum was not a well little boy, but the midwifes did not tend to want to know, I think because it was my second. I can't compare to Oz, but I have heard all good about there health care so far, not that I am calling our midwifes I just feel that they are over streched so can not give the care that is always needed. Gosh and you thought you could waffle !!!!!
I am a midwife and also have midwife friends who have already started working in Australia (Perth and Gold Coast). It is a fact that maternity services in the UK are struggling to meet demand. Midwives are continually overstreched due to staff shortages and NHS cutbacks. we do the best we can but we are only human. We all entered the profession because we care and want to look after women and their babies, but many of us are now disillusioned, disheartened and exhausted. For these reasons, I am planning to live and work in Australia, the only other alternative being to give up the profession all together!
My friends in Australia say that they are enjoying their work so much now. They are able to give one to one care and feel fulfilled and satisfied that they can work to the best of their ability to provide a positive outcome for all involved. They have a limit to how many women they can be responsible for at any one time. Here, you can be expected to take responsibility for an infinite number of women/babies, unless you have the courage to say no, enough is enough! (which many don't).
Having previously had gestational diabetes, you will need to be closely monitored in your next pregnancy as you are at a higher risk of developing it again (not a foregone conclusion though). You may well feel that you'd rather stay in familiar surroundings but I am sure that you would be well looked after in Australia. After all, pregnant women have the same complications all over the world.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Jen x
__________________ No, honestly, life really IS too short....................so live it!!
I don't know if it makes a difference but as you know there isn't a national health service here and I think you have to pay for blood tests etc., (You can claim some of the cost back on medicare). I'm not 100% sure if you have to pay when pregnant though but someone may know the answer. My brother and his wife have had 3 children in Aus with no complaints
Ali
__________________ I am toopositive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated!
Babies in Oz
