Dierdre, Jo, Justine: Coming from another state I am a little confused by a few things:
When would women who are having a planned home birth within these models of midwifery care have to go to the hospital? Do they have to attend an antenatal clinic at the hospital? If so how often? Why do you consider this model of care obstetrics based rather than midwifery/woman centred care? Also, why would you consider having a high transfer rate (hypothetically) from home to hospital birth being a reason for government funders to knock back NMAP? Surely cost could not be the answer. Internationally and historically homebirthing actually gets into trouble when the transfer rate is too low. Having trained in a homebirth midwifery school the mantra of our senior preceptors to new grads was "better too many transfers than too few". These were very wise words from wise women. The evidence does not say that homebirth is safer than hospital birth it simply says it is as safe as hospital birth for low risk, healthy women (all under the caveat of care with a known midwife). marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "jo hunter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 5:25 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] New models of midwifery care > I have to agree Deirdre. One of the huge advantages of homebirth with an > independent midwife is that the woman has chosen and employed this > particular midwife as her caregiver. The midwife is a guest in the woman's > home and is being paid directly from the woman, which in turn places the > woman much more in control of what occurs during her birth. > Whilst I think it is wonderful that these homebirth models are in the > pipeline and it opens the homebirth option up to many more women, it does > concern me, as women shouldn't need to go to hospital (ever during > pregnancy) to have a homebirth. > The midwives who will be working in the model may have little experience of > the unique work of a homebirth midwife and I worry that there will be a huge > transfer rate the minute something appears slightly out of the ordinary and > when we lobby Govts some more for the NMAP, they'll look at the stats of the > hospital run homebirth service and say no way, look at their transfer rate. > It doesn't mean this is necessarily going to happen, however it is food for > thought. > Deirdre, if their is a hospital run homebirth service I know for a fact that > the majority of (current) homebirthers in NSW will still want to employ an > independent midwife, regardless of the cost, to be with them during labour > and birth because many believe that they don't want it attached to a > hospital system and certainly don't want their births overseen by > Obstetricians. As well as those women who are seen as 'high risk' - VBAC, > breech etc I assume they wouldn't be permitted to birth at home through a > hospital run homebirth service. > I believe there needs to be strong consumer input to any model that is set > up - lets listen to the women and find out what it is that they want. > Jo Hunter > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dierdre Bowman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 5:02 AM > Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] New models of midwifery care > > > > While I think that it is TERRIFIC that homebirth will finally be offered > as > > a choice. I think that the way midwives are compensated for this work is > > important to look at. The system in NZ is somewhat dodgy where payment is > > concerned. I would like to see funds made directly available to parent so > > that they may choose and fund their own midwife, not one assigned to them > or > > where couples only have the choice of recieving paid homebirth if they > > choose the few midwives set up through these schemes. This has the > > potential to damage the livelihood of midwives currently working > > independently of the system. > > > > Any thoughts???????? > > > > Dierdre B. > > > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
