4 weeks 2 days

9 July 2012, Monday

Only 4 weeks and 2 days pregnant, and I already am feeling like crap, reminding me again why it took me so long to decide to be pregnant again.

I'm nauseous all the time, utterly exhausted to the point of dozing off while feeding my son his breakfast, have a terrible headache that comes and goes, and hungry. Oh I'm sure it's only going to get worse.

Again, all a small price to pay for the precious gift I get at the end. And this time, with the gift of hindsight, I can tell myself that this too shall really pass, very quickly. And if it's to be my last, I better learn to see the brighter side of everything and appreciate every moment of this pregnancy.

We've just barely found out about this new little life growing in me, and already the stresses of care and birth options have emerged.

Long story short, I had my heart set on Casey Hospital's caseload midwifery program, which would mean that I would be assigned a primary midwife who would follow me throughout my pregnancy and who will likely be there for the birth of baby. I really wanted the continuity of care and the promise of minimal intervention, unlike my previous birth. But at the moment, we live just outside the hospital's catchment area, which automatically disqualifies me from birthing at the hospital and I would not be allowed to book-in there.

Now, we know that by end September/early October we will have to move out of our current place and we have our minds set on moving to the Cranbourne area, which is close to Casey and would put us in the catchment area. So I called the Southern Health maternity bookings line and ask the lady about my options. She flat out told me no. And even if I were to send in a GP's referral to book me in, all I'll get is an official rejection letter in the mail.

My only other option is to book into Frankston Hospital's team midwifery program. There, as the name suggests, I'd meet a team of midwives at each of my antenatal visits and get to know most of them, and I'll be guaranteed at least 1 familiar face at the birth.

I really wanted Casey Hospital because I trust the Southern Health brand and their services. And the fact that they are the hospital with the lowest intervention rates anywhere around us. And water births are an option, which is something I've wanted since before X was born. And of course the dedicated midwife that I will get. Plus point is that I've never heard a bad story about Casey before, whereas there have been a few that I've come by about Frankston. But that was a few years ago so I would be happy to give them the benefit of doubt. Frankston is also a good alternative, but it'll just be a further drive away from where we would be living by then. And they also have facilities for a water birth, although their actual water birth rates appear to be very small due to the low number of midwives who are actually trained in water births.

In case you were wondering, this time round, I'll be a public patient in a public hospital. So it's a completely different scenario to my last pregnancy and birth. Last time I chose to be private patient, went to a private OB, and booked in at a private hospital, which didn't care where I lived.

Last time round, we paid a grand total of about $4k out of pocket after private health insurance coverages and Medicare (government) rebates. That's about $2800 for the OB, $250 for hospital excess, $600 for all our ultrasounds, and odds and ends here for blood tests, doctor's appointments, etc. We were both working and could afford it. And as my first birth, Jude wanted to make sure everything was well taken care of so we chose an experienced OB.

Now, things have drastically changed. We have confidence in my birthing abilities. We have no confidence in a doctor's ability to support our low-intervention birth plans. We are down to a single income. Our OB's fees has increased to $5k. 5 freaking thousand dollars! If we add hospital excess, which is $750 now, and ultrasounds and blood tests and check ups, we would be broke. Seriously.

In contrast, going to a public hospital and choosing primary midwife care, my antenatal care will be 100% covered by the government, as will my hospital stay. All I have to pay for is any blood tests and ultrasounds I choose to do. And even that will be eligible for government rebates. In the last year, Jude paid more than 14k in income tax to the government, now we're gonna get some back! Needless to mention, I have a strong feeling that my wishes will be more adhered to, having a midwife as my primary carer.

So yes, that's the story that's unfolding. Right now, my plan is to see my GP this afternoon or tomorrow morning and get a referral for the Frankston team midwifery program. Then we'll take it from there.

Sigh... mourning the loss of my first choices for birth and antenatal care...