The Labour & Birth Guide

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Introduction
Where to birth
Vaginal birth
Caesarean birth
Everything else

Navigating the complexities of childbirth well requires informed decisions and an understanding of the options available to you. To do that, you need some direction. Our comprehensive, reseearch-backed guide was created to help you gain insights into child birth in Australia, from birth locations, to pain relief methods, to birth plan, to deciphering medical jargon and more. Whether you're anticipating the arrival of your baby or simply seeking knowledge, these pages aim to empower and reassure you on this transformative journey.

Choosing where to give birth

Hospital private, public or at home

The decision of where to birth your baby (or babies) is personal and one that requires you to be very honest with yourself. Where will you feel most safe, most comfortable and most positive? Your particular options may depend on where you live and if your pregnancy is high- or low-risk, but generally there are three main options: private hospital, public hospital or home. To help you with this decision, and because many things can happen in pregnancy that will dictate the location, it is beneficial to have an understanding of each.

Private Hospital

Private hospitals are run by private organisations, unlike public hospitals, which are run by government. As such, they charge patients directly for their services and are all differently equipped and run. Therefore they don’t always have medical facilities for more intensive or complex care needs. In Australia, private hospitals have a higher rate of birth interventions and caesarean births compared to public hospitals. A private hospital may be the best option for you if;

You’d prefer continuity of care i.e. you’d prefer to see the same person (obstetrician/midwife) at each antenatal appointment. You may be able to contact them directly outside of appointments. You’d also like this person to deliver your baby.
You’d prefer your baby to be delivered by an obstetrician rather than a midwife.
You’d like the option to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time following the birth (usually 4 or 5 days).
You feel more comfortable opting for an elective caesarean.
You know and feel comfortable with your particular hospital, it's policies, proceedures and statistics.
You have private health cover*

*Prior to choosing a private hospital, it is very important to check that Pregnancy & Birth is covered within your package. It’s also important to understand exactly what is covered, how much you’re likely to be out of pocket and if there are any lead times to consider. For example most health providers have a 12 month lead time before you gain access to the cover. If you fall pregnant before you add Pregnancy & Birth to your insurance, or if you add it during your pregnancy, your options may will be compromised.

Public Hospital

Public hospitals are run by the government. In the public health system your pregnancy and birth is mostly free. Depending on the facilities at your local hospital, they offer many different types of care, including shared care (where you have many of your antenatal appointments with your GP), midwives clinic, routine antenatal care, midwifery group practice or team midwifery care. Most public hospitals are set up to deal with high-risk pregnancies and serious complications. A public hospital may be the best option for you if;

You’d prefer midwifery care.
Assuming there are no complications, you’re happy to return home quite soon after the birth. In some cases women who give birth in the public sector are approved to go home between 4 and 24hrs. Shorter hospital stays such as these, however, usually only apply to vaginal deliveries. If you do require a caesarean, it’s very likely you’ll remain in hospital for a few extra nights.
You don’t have private health cover or don’t have Pregnancy & Birth cover within your private health cover.

You’re comfortable within your chosen hospital, you feel positive about their staff and you’re aware of the statistics around their vaginal delivery rates, caesarean rate, induction rates and their pain relief options.

Home Birth

A home birth is a birth that takes place at a private residence rather than a hospital or birth centre. It may be attended by a private midwife or doula with experience in managing home births. It may be an option for you if;

You are healthy and have a low-risk pregnancy.
You have arranged a midwife who is adequately qualified and experienced with home births.
Your chosen midwife has a highly organised plan in place for both your birth, and for transferring you to the safest and appropriate hospital with absolute efficiency, should any issues arise. This contingency plan for transferring you to the hospital is paramount.

If you are sure you feel comfortable giving birth at home, knowing that there are more risks as you’re further away from more medical staff and medical equipment. You understand you do not have immediate access to resources if an emergency was to arise.
If you are safe in your own home and you feel able to voice your needs and wants, and have them actioned asap by the people around you.
You want privacy or to have as many of your family and support system with you during labour and birth.
You understand and are comfortable with pain medications not being an option.