Australia has many different options available to the expectant mother and although some of these differ from state to state, most options are readily available no matter the state you live in. Before you start to lose sight of your feet, you need to decide which childbirth option is right for you.
There are two major decisions you will need to make: where and who. Where you want to give birth and who you want to care for you during the pregnancy and birthing experience.
Where
Private facilities - You can check out the major maternity hospitals in your region to find out which ones cater to private patients. Some of them deal exclusively with private patients others provide care for both. Make sure you know whether or not your insurance covers it, and if you can afford to pay the costs yourself.
Public facilities - These are readily available, covered by Medicare and only require a referral from your family doctor. If you decide this is the route for you, you need to understand that if your pregnancy is deemed high risk, you will attend the hospital for your prenatal care and not your chosen doctor.
Birthing centres - These are set up in a home birthing style, and may be the best choice for someone wanting the home birthing experience but in a more sterile hospital setting.
Home birth – Home birthing is the last option and is only plausible in low risk pregnancies and as a private patient, so again it is vital to know what your insurance covers in this matter.
Who
Who you choose to care for you during your pregnancy and birth will depend in part on where you choose to deliver. Your caregiver options are an obstetrician, a midwife or a GP. An obstetrician is someone who is trained specifically as a doctor to deliver children. They cater to all degrees of pregnancies, from high risks to low risks. Private patients must first know where their obstetrician operates to determine where they can deliver. It is likely, if you choose public care, that you will be seeing a different member of staff every time you have a prenatal check-up.
The other option is a midwife and this is mostly in the case of birthing centres and home births. It is important to note that most states do not allow midwives to practice in the case of private basis unless it is a home birth.