Labouring in QMH - what's it like?

H

hkaussie

Registered User
Ok, I know I have asked a similar question before about being in labour alone... but I am still confused!

1. What is the difference between the stages of normal labour (when I believe you're in a group ward and it's dubious as to whether husband can attend), and the delivery (when you're in your own room and husband is definitely there)??

2. Does QMH have showers available to use during labour?

3. Is a midwife with you the whole time?

4. Are they supportive of different labouring positions?

5. Do they have any other labouring support devices, such as birthing balls or other things?

6. Once the baby's born, can visitors see and hold the baby? How many visitors are you allowed?


Sorry for all these questions, but I am feeling completely disempowered about this whole birth experience. I wish I was in Australia!!!!!

I'm hoping that antenatal classes will help answer some of the questions.

HKAussie
 
I forgot to add...

7. Is there any way I can have a doula in QMH?

Thank you so much to anyone who can take the time to answer any of these questions!
 
HI there, i don't know answers to many of your questions, but here i go.

2. Does QMH have showers available to use during labour?
- there are showers in the wards, whether you are encouraged to use them is another thing.

3. Is a midwife with you the whole time?
- not in my experience

4. Are they supportive of different labouring positions?
- i had an emergency casearean, so i cant help you there!

5. Do they have any other labouring support devices, such as birthing balls or other things?
- i haven't heard of birthing balls in the l&D rooms

6. Once the baby's born, can visitors see and hold the baby? How many visitors are you allowed?
- visitors are allowed between 12-1 and 6-8pm. two visitors are allowed at a time. the rules say you must designate the visitors ahead of time and you cannot "exchage" visitors (ie bring in B after A leaves), but i know it is commonly done.

7.
i have never heard of a doula being allowed in the QMH birthing rooms. only the husband.

not much help at all. sorry. you might be able to get those questions answered when you tour the hospital??
 
I'll fill in the gaps from the last poster:

1. The point when you get transferred to the birthing suite (or whatever it's called) is a bit of a grey area. It depends on two things, (1) how busy they are which affects suites being available earlier or later in labour, and (2) how dilated the cervix is, which is a bit of an inexact science. They are looking for at least 3cm dilation anyway.

2. I found taking a shower in labour was fantastic, so do try to use it if you're stuck in the general ward. I went straight to the birthing suite on arrival but did take a long shower at home. There are two or three toilet & shower rooms in the ward so you won't be hogging it for everybody.

3. Monitoring is mostly done by nurses and my midwife only made an appearance when birth was imminent. But it was hard to tell who was who because different shifts came and went and nobody announced who they were or what their job title was!

4. Depends... I have a friend who gave birth in squatting position at QMH so it can be done, but some staff are more flexible than others. Make sure you make a birth plan and give this to staff at one of your later antenatal checkups at the Tsan Yuk, plus take a copy to the hospital. (Don't be put off if the staff at Tsan Yuk put red lines through most of it - they can't know what they're talking about because everything I requested ended up being permitted.) With me, I found the staff were highly respectful of my wishes stated in my birth plan. Unfortunately I was exhausted from a very long labour and had no energy for active birthing positions! Also, if you have drugs (I had pethedine) then they do want to strap monitors to you. Before I had the pethedine, they said they wanted to strap the monitor onto me just for a short while to establish a good pattern, then I was free to walk around.

5. They don't have those birthing aids, but you're free to bring them in. I brought birthing ball and TENS machine (hire from outside the hospital), aromatherapy pillow, music. Again, put your intention to bring in such items on your birthing plan, so the staff aren't taken by surprise.

7. Give Hulda a ring at Annerley Midwives (she is a doula) because if anybody has done it, she will have. What doulas usually do is support your labour at home so that you can wait until the last moment before going to hospital.

I didn't find the person leading the hospital tour very helpful at all, by the way! Just had a geographical knowledge of where things were in the hospital. You might be introduced to a midwife in which case fire your questions at her.
 
Thank you Jenny, Sarah and Seb's Dad for your replies!!

Sarah, that article was particularly helpful to read and answered a few questions of its own.

Any more responses still welcome.


HKAussie
 
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