MIDWIFE

When I was pregnant with my son I saw a midwife and loved my experience! I was hoping to be able to do it again this time around, but because I had an emergency cesarean section there was talk that I wouldn't be able to see one, instead using an obstetrician. I'm sure obstetricians are fine but I find that they can be a lot more closed minded about birthing options. I am going for a natural drug free birth as I did last time (last time the midwife told me to take pethadine so I would stop pushing as I had been for 5 hours with no progress). This time I am hoping that won't need to happen (we found out that he was stuck due to an obstruction, the whole cervix had swelled and there was 'no hope' in getting him out naturally. I would have liked to keep trying but once the doctor came in chaos came about, the midwives were much more relaxed about things happening naturally and baby's heartbeat was always strong and I was still doing well). The doctors would talk at me while I was contracting, and if you have ever been in labour before you would know how important it is to let the mother be and allow her to work through the contractions, the midwives on the other hand waited till they were over and then spoke to me, they even tried to tell the doctors to let me be but they just shut them down. I had no idea what the doctors were telling me and I would have to get my husband to tell me once I stopped contracting. They wanted me to lie on my back and that was excruciating, I was much more comfortable on my side or my hands and knees, something the midwives embraced and encouraged. 

As I am going for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) I need the attendant to be as open minded (without endangering mine or my baby's life) as possible. I was pleased to find out that my local public hospital offers midwife care even to mother's who have had one cesarean, as long as they are considered low risk (which I am). I thought I wouldn't be considered for this program as I also had gestational diabetes in my last pregnancy and that mixed with a c-section I thought I would be ruled out. 

The hospital recently closed it's family birthing center (where husbands can stay overnight with mum and bub, in their private ensuite room) This is something I really wanted for my first birth but the program was already full with a large waiting list when I booked (so I used the regular birthing suites still with their own ensuite, but they didn't have a bath, instead a communal one and if there was someone using it you just had to wait - I was lucky and was the only person birthing that day). I tried to get in again with the baby that we lost but wasn't considered because of my previous birthing experience. This time around they shut the center down but in it's place have opened a know your midwife program where you get to see the same midwife for each visit and she is at your birth delivering (friends who have birthed at this hospital and just used the regular midwife program told me they never saw the same one for each visit). Such a sensational program (and everything is free - including ultrasounds). Last time I was lucky to see the same midwife for every appointment as I had gestational diabetes and she was the diabetes educator, but she didn't birth anymore due to a workplace injury.

I am so excited about this program and think my midwife is great! She is very open minded to what I want in my pregnancy and labour. If you can, consider seeing a midwife for your birth!