Help with private OB / hospital costs

L

Lali07

Registered User
Hi,

I've looked around geobaby a little to try to get an idea of costs associated with delivering privately, but I haven't found anything which really breaks down the cost.

This is my first pregnancy and although its still early days, I'd like some info which might help me make the decision whether to go public or private. I'm not concerned about the food or 'fanciness' of a hospital, but here are the things that are very important to me:

- Having my husband there for the whole labour/delivery/post-delivery even if Caesarean section required

- Birth choices i.e. no unnecessary interventions, freedom to walk around, deliver in any position I want

- Time post-birth to bond with my baby and initiate breastfeeding (with my husband also present)

- If a Caesarean section is necessary, I don't want our baby taken away to the nursery and fed formula. If I am temporarily out of action I would like our baby to be given to Daddy for skin to skin contact instead

- To have our baby room-in with us at all times

It seems none of these are really available through the public system. So I'm hoping some other mums who have delivered privately can break the costs down for me. Including OB costs throughout pregnancy, as well as private hospital charges, and pediatrician etc. I don't feel like I need the most expensive OB/hospital, just somewhere where my birth choices will be respected. I heard Patrick Chan is good, and also very reasonable in terms of costings.

Thanks girls, any help/info is appreciated.

Lali :)
 
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I think lot of the things that you are requiring are not available on private hospital either (probably would be in Matilda).

From what I have read, some private hospital do not allow baby room-in, unless you are in a private room.

About hubby being there during delivery, skin to skin contact, and baby room-in, those are available on public hospital also. Although in public hospital, the visit hours may be very limited, and your hubby may not be able to visit you so often.
 
I gave birth at a public hospital in August and it was a failed induction which lead to emergency c-section.

My husband was not allowed in during labour or delivery.

I was not allowed to walk freely - was attached to monitor for the whole labour.

After c-section my baby was brought to recovery room to me so that I could bond and begin breast feeding (no formula was given to her).

I had the option to either have her room with me or put her in the nursery so she stayed with me and was only taken to the nursery to be bathed.

The hospital was the prince of wales and when I gave birth there was still the swine flu issue so lots of the hospitals were refusing to allow fathers to be present so I am not sure if this rule still stands.

Hope this helps you.
 
I recently spent some time talking with Hulda at Annerley just trying to get a break down of what is/isn't allowed in various hospitals along with understanding costs. I found it a very helpful conversation, because I was getting conflicting reports from just talking to people and reading geobaby. I think that people don't always know exactly why they are restricted in some way or like the previous poster said about swine flu, what other situations are causing problems. And different public hospitals have different policies, too. So I would recommend that! Even though it costs something, my husband and I left feeling much more confident that we could make a good decision for us.
 
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