Finding midwife for elective caesar?

Where in NZ are you :-)

What is your history? If you have had a previous c-section, or difficult birth/pregnancy, I don't think it is very difficult at all to find one. Most are supportive and understanding of your own circumstances.

I had no issues and no questions from my MW or OB, but in TImaru we have shared care between OB/MW so our GP refers us to OB visit at 12/13wks then wee meet MW at 15/16wks and alternate between them even if planning a vaginal. If you want a home birth/no scans in Timaru there is a seperate centre of MW's you can go to,.

I would think its higly unprofessional to be rude or not want to take you on if you want an elective c/s, vaginal births are not the best outcome for every mum

I wasnt aware that they can deny you for not having a VB?

Ohhh Congrats Carrie!!! When do you plan on returning to NZ? Gosh exciting.

newme wrote: What is your history? If you have had a previous c-section, or difficult birth/pregnancy, I don't think it is very difficult at all to find one. Most are supportive and understanding of your own circumstances.

Last time I had a very prolonged labour ending in an emergency caesarian. My baby was taken away immediately and I hate that he had an IV needle insterted into his arm as his introduction into the world.
Both us us required triple IV antibiotics for days after the birth due to the infection caused by my waters breaking so long before the birth. It was all quite traumatic for me and my DH and probably my DS Im sure too!
My uterus infection continued on for weeks afterwards (unknown to me) which made me feel pretty unwell.
My DH and I discussed it all recently and decided that after what happened last time that an elective caesarian would be best for us next time.

Im not familiar with the maternity system in NZ as I had my 1st baby in Australia. I just visited the hospital midwives in Oz. I didn't know that was an option in NZ. I thought everyone had to have their own midwife. I had heard that since the midwives don't get paid for a caesarian birth they they often won't take on mothers who request one from the beginning. I hope this isn't the case but Im happy to see the hospital midwives if that's what needs to happen.

Edited by CarrieMum

I asked my MW about the payment thing because I was concerned a MW may push the birth to a dangerous extent to avoid an OB stepping in with surgery... In her words "this is a load of rubbish" and they get paid the same amount per patient regardless of the number of appointment or outcome..

I can understand a MW saying perhaps not if you wanted a birth that didn't really fit with their philosophies. I mean, if you were a MW who leaned towards home births and no drugs, I don't think you could honestly say you could do justice to a lady who fronted up expecting her first and intent on having a c-section because that was what she felt most comfortable with. Obviously not the case with you, though.

I was also told by my GP (because we were looking a bit late and at a bad time of year (Jan)) to emphasise that my first pregnancy / labour had been very straightforward as a MW who's already pretty full might be more likely to fit someone in who's not as likely to have complications, so I guess you're in the boat where if a MW was already pretty full up she might think she can't do you justice.

On the other hand, I don't think you should have any trouble finding one. There's plenty of other ladies having babies in similar situations, and plenty of MWs that are well used to elective c-sections

Edited by Hopes

Ahhh i thought as much, esp when my midwife went on to care for two of my friends (who were from brazil and both left the country towards the end of their pregnancy to birth at home) when she knew that they would be leaving right from the start. Still if you dont put these things out there you never get corrected, right?

Midwives get paid more for attending vaginal birth than for a c section, the payments is they receive are one for each trimester of care and a birth payment. The birth payment is much more for a VB than c section due to the time involved. Having said that, if you experience just one contraction under the Mw's care they can claim the larger payment, hence no pushing for VB if things start to go wrong! In theory a Mw should like it if you want an elective c section as they gat paid for all your care but with no long unexpected hours

Edited cos I missed a word!

Edited by Richtea