Choosing your care provider with consideration is one of the most important things you can do to affect your birth outcomes. But, a lot of people don’t know what their options are. For some, having private health insurance automatically leads them to believe that birthing with a private obstetrician in a private hospital is the best option for them. For those without private health cover, they might be led to believe that their local public hospital is their only option.
But this isn’t the case.
There are a number of different models of care that you can choose from, and from there you can decide on the health care provider that is right for you and for your circumstance.
Models of care
Midwifery led
This type of care involves seeing one, or a small group of midwives throughout your pregnancy, birth and labour. This is a continuity of care model, because you will see the same person or group of people throughout and in most cases will have the same midwife for your labour and birth as well as your postnatal visits.
You can read more about the Cochrane review of midwifery led care here. Benefits of midwifery led care included less epidurals, less episiotomies and instrumental births, higher chance of spontaneous vaginal birth, less chance of preterm delivery and lower risk of losing baby.
There are a number of different midwifery led care options available in Perth:
– Midwifery Group Practice (MGP): available at Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH).
– Community Midwifery Practice (CMP): available for home births or domino births at FBC, KEMH, Kalamunda birthing rooms, Fiona Stanley, Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital and Rockingham hospital.
– Family Birthing Centre (FBC): A home-like maternity care facility attached to KEMH. Water birth facilities available.
– Independent/Private Midwife: there are a number of currently practicing private midwives in Perth. Generally they are available for home births with some having admitting rights at various hospitals.
What are the differences between the 4 options? MGP, CMP and FBC are publicly funded so there is no out of pocket cost. You will need to agree to certain ultrasounds and tests to be accepted into the programs and to birth with them. Depending on your back up hospital (if home-birthing with CMP) your midwife may not be able to come with you in the case of a transfer. Your midwife(s) may not be available when you are in labour so there is the possibility of being cared for by unfamiliar midwives in the case of a transfer.
With an independent midwife you are in control of what tests and ultrasounds you have. There is an out of pocket cost however some of the fee may be refunded by medicare – check with the midwife. It is extremely likely that you will have your midwife at your birth for a home birth.
GP shared care
This type of care depends on your GP and your local public hospital. If available, you will see your local GP up to 36 weeks for your appointments, provided there are no complications. At 36 weeks, care will be taken over by your local public hospital.
Public hospital
Your local public hospital will provide your care (intake based on postcode), with appointments usually taking place with the hospital midwives.
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HOSPITAL |
POSTCODES |
FACILITIES |
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6108 – 6112 6121 – 6126 |
Blow up birth pool (waterbirth available if trained midwives are working), showers, birth balls, throne beds |
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6100 – 6105 6107 6151 – 6152 |
Showers |
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6000 – 6001 6003 – 6016 6050 – 6053 6062 6907
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Baths available for labouring in only, birth balls, showers |
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6147 – 6150 6153 – 6160 6162 – 6164 6166 |
Waterbirth facilities depending on available midwives, showers, birth balls |
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6016 – 6019 6020 – 6022 6029 6050 6059 – 6052 6066 – 6067 6090 |
Bath available for labouring in only, showers, has snoezelen room |
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6020 6023 – 6028 6030 – 6038 6041 – 6044 6503 6507 6511 6516 6521 6064 – 6065 6077 – 6079 |
Baths for labouring in only, showers |
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6165 6167 – 6176 |
Showers |
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6054 – 6058 6068 6070 – 6074 6081 – 6085 6090 6500 6556 6558 |
Bath for labouring in only, showers, birth balls and CUBs (comfortable upright birth support) |
Private obstetric care
Antenatal appointments are with an obstetrician in their private rooms or in private hospital antenatal clinic. Currently no private hospitals in Perth offer water births, however some have baths available to labour in only.
SJOG Mt Lawley – bath available to labour in only, showers available
SJOG Murdoch – bath available to labour in only, showers available
SJOG Subiaco – bath available to labour in only, showers available
Glengarry – showers available
Joondalup Private – baths available to labour in only, showers available
Peel health campus – showers available
Choosing your care provider with thought and consideration is the best way to make sure your birth is calm and positive. Know your options, explore them thoroughly and remember that you are the birthing person. You are hiring someone to work for you and it isn’t the other way around.
If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed or unsure where to start, please contact me to talk about your needs and which model might suit you best.
“Women’s strongest feelings, positive and negative, focus on the way they were treated by their caregivers.”
Can you please guide me on finding a homebirth midwife, this is my third pregnancy and my second child was a homebirth back in ireland 2yrs ago but trying to find a midwife here in the fiona Stanley hospital area, I dont know where to begin or who to ask? Do you know how much it cost, any help would help. Thanks
Fiona
Hi Fiona, there are 2 options for homebirth here in Perth. There is the government funded CMP (follow the link above and there will be an application form to complete), or independent midwives for which there is an out of pocket cost. If you click the link for them you’ll be taken to the list of who is currently practicing. Hope this helps!