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.
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 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;
*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 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;
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;
Get prepared. Have your hospital bag by the door.
Birth Preparation