Pregnant Pom - looking for advice

[YOLO7]

Hi there

My husband and I have been living in Sydney for 4 years, since moving from the UK in 2010.

We have just found out that we are pregnant which we're over the moon about but equally daunted and terrified at the same time. In August we were granted permanent residency and our plan is to go for Citizenship next year and move back to the UK towards the end of that ywar (2015).

With regards to the pregnancy, just wondering for those who've been in the same boat if anyone out there can offer any advice on what steps to take first - I think a visit to the doctor, of course, then what's involved in chosing whether or not to go public or private? Any recommendations on which health care to take out? - we have to take out a new policy since we got PR husband's co. no longer fund that.

Any advice on things that have worked well for you would be gratefully received.

Thanks

YOLO7

:smile:

[Paul1Perth]

My wife is a nurse, qualified midwife and a Health Visitor. She wouldn't dream of going anywhere else other than the the public system. Having been a midwife herself she thinks they are the best people to be doing deliveries, it's their job every day. We went to the family birth centre attached to the hospital and the experience couldn't have been better (apart from the youngster having a problem after he was delivered but the hospital were on the ball with that too). It was like having your own room in a first class hotel and you could have the baby delivered where you wanted (within the centre obviously:wink:) in the bath if you wanted.

 

Good luck.

[Parley]

If you are already pregnant it will be too late to take out private health cover for pregnancy outgoings anyway.

[aussiegirlbay]

Well to be honest, they are indeed the best people. I don't remember any day when I don't think of me child's birth & how beautifully it was manged by midwives...I had no one except me husband & couldn't thank enough for the job done by midwives.

 

Aussie Girl Bay

 

My wife is a nurse, qualified midwife and a Health Visitor. She wouldn't dream of going anywhere else other than the the public system. Having been a midwife herself she thinks they are the best people to be doing deliveries, it's their job every day. We went to the family birth centre attached to the hospital and the experience couldn't have been better (apart from the youngster having a problem after he was delivered but the hospital were on the ball with that too). It was like having your own room in a first class hotel and you could have the baby delivered where you wanted (within the centre obviously:wink:) in the bath if you wanted.

 

Good luck.

[aussiegirlbay]

Many Congratulations!!

 

As you have PR so all delivery (in public hospital) is covered by Medicare. First Step, visit local GP, get some test done. GP will refer you to nearest Hospital where you are again examine completely & register for delivery, midwive assign & monthly/weekly visits are scheduled. You should go for Public Hospital as they have the best service available, plus the midwives (they simply know their job very well).

 

Good Luck!!!

 

Aussie Girl Bay

 

Hi there

what steps to take first - I think a visit to the doctor, of course, then what's involved in chosing whether or not to go public or private? Any recommendations on which health care to take out? - we have to take out a new policy since we got PR husband's co. no longer fund that.

Any advice on things that have worked well for you would be gratefully received.

Thanks

YOLO7

:smile:

[fourcorners]

Firstly congratulations! It's scary going through all this just as a couple with no family support but it can be done!

 

Yes it's too late to get private care now as most policies have a 12 month wait period for pregnancies. Unless you can continue your old policy but fund it yourself?

 

Go to see the doctor, they will get a confirmation blood test done and then probably won't ask to see you again for a month or so. Here I saw my GP until my 20 week scan after which I saw an obstetrician of my choice (my doctor just asked me who I wanted to be referred to so it's worth asking around and deciding on one). Some areas do shared care where you continue seeing a GP for much longer. I had my baby in a public hospital although I have private healthcare, the only thing it got me was a private room. I only went to the hospital once before delivery day and that was for my booking in, everything else was done at the obstetrician's office (but that may just be how it's done here in Kalgoorlie, I would have no idea what happens in Sydney!).

[Guest littlesarah]

Congratulations! Exciting times!

 

I had a baby here in NSW 8 months ago, and I used the public system. The choices I had were as follows:

 

1. Private obstetrician

2. Hospital antenatal clinic - you see the midwife on duty at any given appointment (but they will of course have your notes, and your yellow card that contains all your details and a summary of your notes)

3. Group Midwifery Programme - you are allocated a named midwife who you see throughout pregnancy and who will deliver the baby, if s/he is available

4. Community Midwives - you are allocated to a group of midwives and see one of them at any visit. It is likely that one of the team will be around when you go into labour, but of course that cannot be guaranteed

5. GP shared care, in which you are managed by your GP until the end of the pregnancy, at which point care is handed over to the hospital midwifery team. Only GPs that are registered/accredited can offer shared care

 

You should be able to access information about the options available to you where you are, and you can then make a choice as to what you'd prefer. I'd advise you to get a referral fairly early if you want to be managed by the group or community midwifery teams, because they tend to be the most popular. I wanted GMP care but they were full by the time I was referred; in the end it didn't make any difference because I developed complications and had to be managed by the hospital obstetrics team anyway.

 

Personally, I'm really glad I opted for public care, because I developed gestational diabetes and needed to see 2 consultants, the midwife and 2 other health professionals! If I'd gone private, I wouldn't have been able to see all of those people at one appointment, and they wouldn't have had access to each other's notes (I saw the same ob for every appointment anyway, and she was lovely - I wouldn't have chosen any different!). Also, I needed to have a C-section and it was straightforward to have the endocrinology team available to offer advice as required. The midwives were all great, and I received better and more breastfeeding help than any of my friends who had their babies in the private hospital (and it was all free!). Baby had to go into special care twice in that first week, and the midwives went out of their way to keep us together; they managed to keep me in my own room which meant that baby & I could room in (with supervision from special care) and hubby could stay over at night. Overall, I'm really happy with how my pregnancy and delivery went - and as I type this, I'm looking at the gorgeous result of all those hard-working professionals! :wub:

[blossom]

I had my baby publicly a week ago. I can't recommend public more highly. Here your gp refers you for your first ultrasound, and many places do charge for that, but you can take that referral to any sonographer so Google bulk billing ones in your area.

I went through a midwife group practice although I ended up going through the normal part for the birth as I had to be induced. I got a private room for two nights even being public. They were all amazing.

 

Congratulations and good luck.

[Alijane]

Hi there, congratulations! Exciting times.

I went public but paid for private ultrasounds (I'm not sure why!). The private offers you pretty much the same as public. I was/still am a huge advocate for going public (as I work in private and public healthcare). I think the difference between the two (despite the financial side) is the postnatal time I got, learning to be a new mum. The public hospital I was at is renowed and have a great neo-natal unit. The birth was great and I felt so supported and everything they did was up-to-date and in line with current evidence/research. I unfortunately had a bad post-natal experience on the ward. This was due to low staffing and no one had the time to teach me much and none of the midwives had a clue about me and a few complications I'd had and didn't even ask me my babies name until I was discharged, (however I am sure that they were excellent, I just unfortunately didn't witness it as I never saw them). I was so frustrated that I self discharged which was a mistake as I was a fish out of water! MY friend went private and had a better post natal experience than me - stayed in 5 days and got to see the lactation consultants and Drs everyday. But for our next child I would still go public as I feel I know all the new mum stuff now! Having said all that, a lot of friends went public and had brilliant post natal experiences. I really think my experience was due to the hospital being very very busy and under staffed (typical in healthcare!)

 

If you go public you can have the baby at hospital or in a birth centre (for low risk pregnancies). I obviously didn't have an obstetrician going public, but I had an excellent GP who was maternity trained and affiliated with the baby hospital. So she was kind of an obstetrician but without all the cost!

Bear in mind that if you go private and do have insurance, you will still be $5000 or so out of pocket.

 

Hope that all makes sense! :-/