I don't think anyone really understands what the baby bonus is for! Not even the government... as is proven by the latest change in policy.
_____ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jennifairy Sent: Saturday, 18 November 2006 8:42 PM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] homebirth costs [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Barb, I think it's wonderful that you had such an amazing birth and wish for all women to have such an experience. From my understanding, many Sydney midwives ask their clients to come to them not vice versa. So a lot of their care is not midwifery care at home, rather it is out of their home until the final weeks. I'm not sure about all midwives, but this seems more common place now in Sydney. And, you get paid $4000 to have a child these days. Midwifery care at home? It's a bargain. I find it very interesting that people see you get paid to have a baby. I was under the impression that the baby bonus was given to help mums to be able to afford to stay home longer from work, or upgrade their car if they need more space, or buy car seats, slings, good food for nourishment while breastfeeding etc. The only women I know that can afford to spend that whole $4000 on midwifery care are the women that didn't need that money in the first place. The women that choose to spend the whole amount even though they can't afford it, because they have no other choice in Sydney, have no benefits from the baby bonus for living expenses with a newborn. There is no bargain if you can't afford it. I understand the value of midwives and continuity of care and midwifery care at home, but why should women in Sydney and NSW be paying that much more?? Nobody has answered that question. I'm not questioning the value of midwifery care, more why Sydney midwifery care is so much more 'valuable' in the dollars and sense kind of way? Love Abby xo -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. The real question as far as Im concerned (& yes I have a 'vested interest' as a midwife, which I guess is slightly different to the vested interest I had when I was a consumer of homebirth midwifery services) is why are women being made to pay out of their own pockets at all just because they choose to birth at home? If women had to pay up-front for obstetric services, ie they were not provided 'free' by the public health system nor were rebatable by the majority of private health insurance companies, then this conversation might have some balance to it. I think some of the answers to the question of differences in charges of homebirth midwifery services is more about supply and demand, cost of living in different geographical areas, the fact as Mary has stated that midwifery service is traditionally undervalued not just within the profession but by other health professionals and consumers alike.....and we are meant to be seen as 'caring' and how caring can you be when you actually charge what your service is worth, when you want to provide care to women whether they can afford it or not, regardless of their financial situation, when the midwife in the next suburb or state charges significantly differently because she has different financial needs or different ways of practice or ..... Please just take into account that every single independently practising midwife I know has worked for no or very little pay, sometimes by choice because we dont want to turn away a woman desperate for a homebirth, or because we've had a client who either didnt pay or didnt pay the agreed amount. Please also take into account that every single homebirth a midwife attends is a major financial risk in terms of the lack of PI insurance - we can be sued by anyone at any time with no recourse to any sort of support, and yes we all want to believe this doesnt happen but it does actually, enough that a significant number of midwives stopped practicing independantly after the PII was no longer available. Rather than asking why are women in NSW paying more, the question should be why are women in other states paying less? And why are they being made to pay at all, when homebirth is provided free in some very specific areas and obstetric care is 'free' everywhere? -- Jennifairy Gillett RM Midwife in Private Practice Women's Health Teaching Associate ITShare volunteer - Santos Project Co-ordinator ITShare SA Inc - http://itshare.org.au/ ITShare SA provides computer systems to individuals & groups, created from donated hardware and opensource software
