i have been given the opportunity to get into a private maternity hospital (like a fancy club, really difficult to get into without being famous...or royalty) when my lil bean is to come into this world.. we had a "private" tour of the place today and it's awesome and the drs, nurses and midwives all know their stuff and a bit of extra help would never go astray but I don't know if we'll have the money to pay for it.. is it worth it or should i just go public just because I can without the monetary worries?

i'm not looking for an answer, but some ideas and strategies might be helpful..

Thanks heaps in advance

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I am not sure how good or bad the medical system or healthcare system is in New Zealand. A friend in Germany told me horror stories about public hospitals over there. In that case I would try to go with the private hospital. Here in the USA you can usually choose between hospitals. We toured several and they really did a good job in making the birth department and rooms as comfortable as possible (at least the new hospitals). The difference to a private hospital or birthing center is probably not that big. If you are looking for privacy, a private hospital might be the way to go. If you are looking for extra help, consider having a midwife or doula. They take extra care of you, they are experienced, they help you to make an informed and good decision whatever comes your way.

Of course money is important, too. If the public hospitals in your area have a bad reputation - spend the money on quality and go with the private hospital.

Barb

I'd ask them the same questions I'd ask any hospital and see if you like their answers - if they are marketing themselves as having better outcomes for moms and babies than the public hosp., they should have the numbers to prove it.

Barb is right on the money with her suggestion to have a midwife or doula. Just having a doula with you reduces your chances of needing surgery by 50%!

Here's some questions the hosp. should have good answers for:


1. Ask, "Who can be with me during labor and birth?"

Mother-friendly birth centers, hospitals, and home birth services will let a birthing mother decide whom she wants to have with her during the birth. This includes fathers, partners, children, other family members, or friends.
They will also let a birthing mother have with her a person who has special training in helping women cope with labor and birth. This person is called a doula or labor support person. She never leaves the birthing mother alone. She encourages her, comforts her, and helps her understand what's happening to her.
They will have midwives as part of their staff so that a birthing mother can have a midwife with her if she wants to.


2. Ask, "What happens during a normal labor and birth in your setting?"

If they give mother-friendly care, they will tell you how they handle every part of the birthing process. For example, how often do they give the mother a drug to speed up the birth? Or do they let labor and birth usually happen on its own timing?
They will also tell you how often they do certain procedures. For example, they will have a record of the percentage of C-sections (Cesarean births) they do every year. If the number is too high, you'll want to consider having your baby in another place or with another doctor or midwife.
Here are some numbers we recommend you ask about.

• They should not try to start labor for more than 1 in 10 women (10%).
• They should not do an episiotomy (ee-pee-zee-AH-tummy) on more than 1 in 5 women (20%). They should be trying to bring that number down. (An episiotomy is a cut in the opening to the vagina to make it larger for birth. It is not necessary most of the time.)
• They should not do C-sections on more than 1 in 10 women (10%) if it's a community hospital. The rate should be 15% or less in hospitals which care for many high-risk mothers and babies.

A C-section is a major operation in which a doctor cuts through the mother's stomach into her womb and removes the baby through the opening. Mothers who have had a C-section can often have future babies normally. Look for a birth place in which 6 out of 10 women (60%) or more of the mothers who have had C-sections go on to have their other babies through the birth canal.


3. Ask, "How do you allow for differences in culture and beliefs?"

Mother-friendly birth centers, hospitals, and home birth services are sensitive to the mother's culture. They know that mothers and families have differing beliefs, values, and customs.
For example, you may have a custom that only women may be with you during labor and birth. Or perhaps your beliefs include a religious ritual to be done after birth. There are many other examples that may be very important to you. If the place and the people are mother-friendly, they will support you in doing what you want to do. Before labor starts tell your doctor or midwife special things you want.


4. Ask, "Can I walk and move around during labor? What position do you suggest for birth?"

In mother-friendly settings, you can walk around and move about as you choose during labor. You can choose the positions that are most comfortable and work best for you during labor and birth. (There may be a medical reason for you to be in a certain position.) Mother-friendly settings almost never put a woman flat on her back with her legs up in stirrups for the birth.


5. Ask, "How do you make sure everything goes smoothly when my nurse, doctor, midwife, or agency need to work with each other?"

Ask, "Can my doctor or midwife come with me if I have to be moved to another place during labor? Can you help me find people or agencies in my community who can help me before and after the baby is born?"
Mother-friendly places and people will have a specific plan for keeping in touch with the other people who are caring for you. They will talk to others who give you birth care. They will help you find people or agencies in your
community to help you. For example, they may put you in touch with someone who can help you with breastfeeding.


6. Ask, "What things do you normally do to a woman in labor?"

Experts say some methods of care during labor and birth are better and healthier for mothers and babies. Medical research shows us which methods of care are better and healthier. Mother-friendly settings only use methods that have been proven to be best by scientific evidence.
Sometimes birth centers, hospitals, and home birth services use methods that are not proven to be best for the mother or the baby. For example, research has shown it's usually not helpful to break the bag of waters.
Here is a list of things we recommend you ask about. They do not help and may hurt healthy mothers and babies. They are not proven to be best for the mother or baby and are not mother-friendly.

• They should not keep track of the baby's heart rate all the time with a machine (called an electronic fetal monitor). Instead it is best to have your nurse or midwife listen to the baby's heart from time to time.
• They should not break your bag of waters early in labor.
• They should not use an IV (a needle put into your vein to give you fluids).
• They should not tell you that you can't eat or drink during labor.
• They should not shave you.
• They should not give you an enema.

A birth center, hospital, or home birth service that does these things for most of the mothers is not mother-friendly. Remember, these should not be used without a special medical reason.


Ask, "How do you help mothers stay as comfortable as they can be? Besides drugs, how do you help mothers relieve the pain of labor?"

The people who care for you should know how to help you cope with labor. They should know about ways of dealing with your pain that don't use drugs. They should suggest such things as changing your position, relaxing in a warm bath, having a massage, and using music. These are called comfort measures.
Comfort measures help you handle your labor more easily and help you feel more in control. The people who care for you will not try to persuade you to use a drug for pain unless you need it to take care of a special medical problem. All drugs affect the baby.


8. Ask, "What if my baby is born early or has special problems?"

Mother-friendly places and people will encourage mothers and families to touch, hold, breastfeed, and care for their babies as much as they can. They will encourage this even if your baby is born early or has a medical problem at birth. (However, there may be a special medical reason you shouldn't hold and care for your baby.)


9. Ask, "Do you circumcise baby boys?"

Medical research does not show a need to circumcise baby boys. It is painful and risky. Mother-friendly birth places discourage circumcision unless it is for religious reasons.


10. Ask, "How do you help mothers who want to breastfeed?"

The World Health Organization made this list of ways birth services support breastfeeding.

• They tell all pregnant mothers why and how to breastfeed.
• They help you start breastfeeding within 1 hour after your baby is born.
• They show you how to breastfeed. And they show you how to keep your milk coming in even if you have to be away from your baby for work or other reasons.
• Newborns should have only breast milk. (However, there may be a medical reason they cannot have it right away.)
• They encourage you and the baby to stay together all day and all night. This is called "rooming-in."
• They encourage you to feed your baby whenever he or she wants to nurse, rather than at certain times.
• They should not give pacifiers ("dummies" or "soothers") to breastfed babies.
• They encourage you to join a group of mothers who breastfeed. They tell you how to contact a group near you.
• They have a written policy on breastfeeding. All the employees know about and use the ideas in the policy.
• They teach employees the skills they need to carry out these steps.

The hospital we had Logan had several lactation consultants on the payroll. The helped me through the first couple of days and were also approachable a few weeks after leaving the hospital when we had difficulties with Logan and breastfeeding. I would only pick a hospital that offers something of the same kind.

Simsi

Hi, I read with interest your thread about private v public hospitals in New Zealand. I have heard some not very encouraging stories about public hospitals in Northland, so I would say go private if you can. I have been searching for a decent private hospital and am struggling to find one using the web. Can you advise the name of the private hospital you have managed to find where you can have your baby in New Zealand, mine is due in just under three months and I am getting desparate!
thanks and look forward to hearing from you.

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thanks, so much, I had heard of Birthcare and shall definitely now look at it further. When are your babies due? Mine is not due until August, but it is number 5! Thanks once again, just hearing a reference from someone rather than just finding something on the web has now given me the confidence to persue it. good luck

I'm glad I could be of assistance, I mean I wouldn't of gone private if I hadn't been offered the chance when I first found out I was pregnant. This is my first pregnancy so I'm not really sure what to expect with birthing facilities but so far it's been great (other than the morning sickness.. but that's completely gone now YAY)

My "beans" aren't due till November so I've still got a way to go yet..

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