Childbirth In My Life and Around the World

I would like to reflect on my own birthing experience with the birth of my beautiful son on May 18, 2011 at 8:08am.  I had a challenging pregnancy due to the fact that I was considered high risk.  Being 37 and pregnant with my first baby automatically catergorized me as high risk.  I also suffered from high blood pressure and developed gestational diabetes during my pregnancy.  I had to go to two different doctors twice a week and then I had to start to go three times a week.  My original due date was June 7, 2011 but I had a dr.'s visit on May 17th and my blood pressure was elevated, so my high risk doctor decided that we were gonna have a baby the next next day!  THREE WEEKS EARLY!! I had a C-Section and everything went perfectly! My baby boy was 6lbs, 12oz., 19inches long. The prep work for my delivery was very intimidating!  From the needles to the bright lights, to the million people that are in the delivery room at the same time, all this was a brand new experience for me and I don't think anyone can ever get you prepared for childbirth! The hospital experience did make me feel totally safe and the doctors took very good care of me.

I researched childbirth in Austraila and homebirths are an option for low risk pregancies.  There are several other other options involving midwives and and midwife-managed birthing centre.  There are private hospital facilities and public hospital facilities also.Your main antenatal and childbirth care provider will work as a team with others - even doctors and midwives are allowed to sleep and have days off. For example, if you choose a private obstetrician, you're likely to have all your antenatal appointments in their private rooms. During labour you will be seen by the midwives at the hospital until delivery is imminent, when your obstetrician will be called to attend. If your obstetrician is not available, it's likely another member of their practice group will attend in his/her place. If you attend a midwives clinic in a public hospital and have an uncomplicated pregnancy, you are likely to have each antenatal appointment with any one of the team of midwives or obstetricians available on your clinic day. Your birth will be attended by whichever team of midwives and obstetricians is on duty at the time. A number of hospitals are also now offering Caseload Midwifery or Midwifery Group Practice. This is where the pregnant woman is cared for by the same midwife, supported by a small team of other midwives, during their pregnancy, birth and early weeks at home.

After comparing these two options.. I see that Austrailia deals often with midwives.  In the United States you hear of them but not as often as in Austrailia.