What's it like going public?

[Carrie]

Hi there,
I'm currently going crazy, madly researching hospitals, Obs etc. Both my first two were born in private hospitals and I enjoyed staying there. What I can't stand though is the amount of money it all costs and it seems such a waste. I'm really not fussed about having an Ob, the only reason I would want to go private is so that I could have a private room. As such it seems really silly to be paying thousands of dollars just to have a private room.

Things that are important to me are: Having my Doula present, and being left to our own devices and not pushed into anything as long as there are no major complications.

So I have been thinking of going to Box Hill hospital and want to know what it's really like being in a ward.
Are you kept awake all night by everyone else's babies?
Is it awful sharing a bathroom? Do people clean up after themselves in the bathroom?
If you have gone private then public, how do they compare?
Do you think it is worth paying thousands of dollars just to have a private room and a few more days in hospital?

Sorry this has been so long, but I really want to make the right decision!
Any thoughts on the subject would be appreicated.

[Tinks]

I had my first 2 babies in private hospitals and my 3rd in a public hosptial (The Angliss). I couldn't fault the public hospital at all, the care I received was as good if not better than the 2 private hospitals I gave brith in. The only thing I could pick the difference between was the food. It was DISGUSTING! I even had my own room even though i didn't have private health cover. That was sheer luck though. Every night they offered to take my baby so I could sleep, which I was told never happens in a public hospital.

My sister is going to Box Hill in a few weeks to have her baby so I can tell you her thoughts on it after that if you like. So far she's been more than happy with the level of care she's received there.

[ubba82]

Hi Carrie,
I can t really compare because I have only ever gone public. I have had both my babies at Box Hill and am booked in to have this baby at Box Hill too, although we now live in Mt Evelyn I just loved it at Box Hill so much. I see the midwives and Dr's when needed at the clinic in Lilydale which is closer than going to Box Hill every time! I see the same midwife every visit too.

I didnt have a problem sharing a bathroom with the other 2 woman in my room and they cleaned up after themselves

I wasnt kept awake by the other babies - I was so tired I slept anyway

I enjoyed having the company of the other woman when I was bored and wanted advice etc.

I would highly recommend Box Hill. Good luck with your decision.

ETA- After reading your post tink - the middies took my bubs for me and bought her back when she needed a feed. I guess it depends who is on at the time!

[lollybaby]

Carrie, I had my DS in a public hospital in SA recently and I can't fault my experience. A lot of public hospitals these days you will get a private room and bathroom all to yourself, as happened for me. I won't lie, it was noisy for me and I didn't get much sleep, but that was more related to the fact that the room I got was quite close to the nurses station rather than being woken by other people's babies. I didn't get much sleep at all really mainly because I was up feeding DS and/or gazing at him all night long

For me personally, it wasn't worth paying more just for the luxury of a private hospital or a longer stay. Or for an OB that couldn't guarantee they would be there for the birth. I also went public becuase the model of care and approach to birth suited my preferences better (midwifery led practice).

[Tish]

I had DS at Monash in a room with 3 other women. To be honest it was a little noisy, nothing out of control though considering there were 3 women and 4 babies in there though! The level of care was fantastic, and to be honest I was only there like 2 days anyway so it wasn't such a big deal that it wasn't the Hilton anyway

I didn't mind the food, and I got DH to get extra snacks from the cafeteria if I wanted them anway.

Also I was reallly happy to come home quickly anyway, rather than have an extended stay in hossie. I was pretty sore in the general downstairs area for a while, and while the level of care was great you just can't buzz a nurse to say "hey, can you pass me those socks so I don't have to get up" whereas DH was more than happy to be on call like that once at home

Same as lollybaby I went public because I wanted the midwife led birth centre care.

You *must* find the most expensive toilet paper there is and take that with you though. I did and I was sooooo glad!

[sloane]

i had DS at monash & couldn't fault them either. the care i received during labour was fantastic & i got lucky & ended up in a room by myself. the food was pretty bad, but DP snuck in a couple of snacks! the m'w came in & offered to take DS on the first night but also encouraged me to have some skin on skin time with DS on that first night. they were a great support in establishing BFing.

i found that pain relief was only mentioned, never actually offered or pushed, if that makes sense?

a friend of mine had her DS at box hill about 3 years ago & was really happy with it. she ended up with just one other person in the room.

[Pish]

I had DD in a public country hossy and it wasn't so bad. I ended up having my own room (it was a 2 bed room, but there wasn't a lot of people in at that time so they tried to give everyone their own room). The Midwives were great! Only had a pro with one of them which was an old lady that clearly thought I was too young to be a mumma!
To answer your qu -

Are you kept awake all night by everyone else's babies? I closed the door, so no, but in the morning around 6-6:30 I would be woken as I was right next to the cleaners store room and thats when they did their morning clean.

Is it awful sharing a bathroom? Do people clean up after themselves in the bathroom?
Well to be honest, I really don't know.... The girl in the adjoining room (who I shared a bathroom with) was actally a friend of mine and she is a bit OCD, so I didn't have to put up with any dirty people, but I know my friend did with someone that was in my room before I arrived.

Do you think it is worth paying thousands of dollars just to have a private room and a few more days in hospital? I did look into going private with DD, but everyone had talked me out of it as they all told me 'Whats a couple of days?!' and I completely agree. You can still have you OB if you so choose, it's only a matter of someone else in your room and a shared b/room. Being your third you may not even be in there for very long at all!

Congrats on your pg! I wish you all the best with everything

[Mak]

Congratulations on your pg! It is a very personal decision. I had both my 2 girls at a smaller public hospital and was very happy with the care both girls and I received. #1 was delivered on one of the busiest days there on record (at least then) and #2 it was very quiet.

Are you kept awake all night by everyone else's babies? To be honest I was kept awake by my own baby and the sheer adrenalin rush with #1. The MW's also came and took bubs so I could sleep on the first night for both (despite saying they don't) and did an amazing job to manage any night noise. TBH I assumed I would have shocking sleep but was surprised at how quiet it was.

Is it awful sharing a bathroom? Do people clean up after themselves in the bathroom? I shared bathroom with both and no issues. Had there been I would have called the MW to get the cleaner/deal with it - there were signs to this effect also.

If you have gone private then public, how do they compare? -

Do you think it is worth paying thousands of dollars just to have a private room and a few more days in hospital? This depends on personal choice and circumstances. I too was more concerned about utilising the midwifery led clinics offered and minimal intervention. I work in a public hospital so am a little biased too - to be honest it was more about the level of care etc as all hospital food is pretty average and all hospitals can be noisy - it is the nature of the beast I guess. I think a lot depends on what you are expecting as one of my friends had a bub on the same day as me at the same place and had hated the experience.

Good luck!!!

[STARRYSKY]

hi! Congratulations! I am in adelaide, so not really relevant but, I had my DS at Flinders Public, Ended up having an emergency c-section so I was in there for 5 days.
I had my own room, own bathroom. Same rotation of about 3-4 mws over the stay (so nice to see a familiar face at night!) the post natal ward was full while I was in there, but to be honest I didnt leave my room till the last few days! i had a buzzer and would get told off for not using it enough! ( so they could get bub up for me, put him back, get me water, drugs etc.) i was almost directly in front of the nurses station, but i was never kept up by the babies, every night the mws would ask if I wanted them to take him till his next feed, so i could sleep (only did this once) one night I ventured out to fill up my ice water and was surprised by the amount of noise (grizzling babies!) in the nurses station, they seriously had about 12 babes all in hammocks, gently swaying out there, my door was only partially closed over, i couldnt hear a thing!
i have never gone private so i cant compare, but my SIL had her ds at ashford (private) and I really couldnt see much difference between my level of care and hers (from talking about it.)
good luck, I hope you have a great experience! x

[olive]

carrie i had both girls at the angliss and loved it!! fantastic care etc.. i shared a 4 bed ward both times, first time i had it to myself after the first night, second time i shared with 3 other ladies the entire time, were now all friends who catch up reguarly! i loved sharing a ward, we all had someone to talk to after partners when home etc.. i was never kept up by babies crying, just one mum snoring !! food was average but that wasnt an issue for me! i had fantastic care after some complicationsi was very well looked after, i did GP shared care so saw midwifes throught out then had one of the same ones for delivery

[Janie]

Carrie, I have heard really good things about the Angliss. Have you considered going there? Maybe even to the BC?

[Carrie]

Thanks so much everyone for your fantastic replies!
Well it seems that the public system may not be too bad then. I just found out my Dr does shared care at Box Hill, so I could do that. Unfortunately they don't have any private rooms, so that is out of the question, but it seems that everyone thinks that sharing isn't too bad anyway. Today i'll just check out exactly what the cost of private would be and hopefully make a decision.

[olive]

angliss have private rooms, maybe find out the costs of going private in a public hospital and the chances of getting a private room-i.e will you definatly get one

[Carrie]

Sez - I did think about the BC, but wanted to stay in for a bit of baby bonding time before I go home to have Kyla and Gabe all over me! I'm a bit unsure about the Angliss compared with Box Hill, plus my Dr only does shared care at Box Hill... DH and I even though that we could perhaps book a night at a really nice hotel and we could stay there together with bub. We kind of thought that with the money we would save we could even book in somewhere for a week! Although I don't think Kyla and Gabe would be impressed! ; )

[Carrie]

Okay, so I just got off the phone with the Ob's receptionist (Dr Chee Kwon Chew) at Knox Private (if anyone knows about her I'd appreciate your feed back! Anyway, costs are:

First appointment: 150
Antenatal app 60
24 week fee 2000
Post Natal 70

Delivery fee sent straight to health fund and apparently get about 1100 back of the 2000?
So main costs would be 500 excess hospital and 900 24 week fee. The only other big costs would be if you have an emergency ceasar.
Soooo difficult to decide!!!

[anney]

Hi Carrie,
I am another fan of box hill but was there 7 years ago so may have changed. Our bub was in and out of the SCN and the midwives encouraged DH and me to go out for dinner in box hill on night 5 while they looked after DD! It will be noisier than a private room but I would have been bored in a room of my own and I quite enjoy the comings and goings. I was in a 3 bed room and each baby did take turns in having unsettled nights so sleep was a bit broken but I would be happy to trade that with the money saving. I think your idea of having a night in a hotel is a great idea!
the appointment costs for your OB sound VERY reasonable to me.

[Janie]

Love the idea of going to a hotel Carrie!

I just thought you might be interested in the BC cos your last birth was so awesome and you weren't at the hossy long . Totally get that you might want a longer stay though. That's something that definitely puts me off having a BC birth.

Will you be having Julie again?

[HollyM]

Hi Carrie,

I had DS at Monash Birth Centre and I can't fault my experience at all. I was also debating whether to go private or not and my main concern was sharing a room and the noise and I really wanted DP to be able to stay. However I still couldn't justify spending so much money just for those considerations, that's why I went with the birth centre. I had my own room and bathroom, DP could bunk with us as I had a double bed AND I was allowed to stay an extra night (only because it was quiet on the birthing front). The midwives were fantastic - I raved about them in the guest book before we left and promised that we'd be back! They also offered to take DS so we could sleep but I didn't take up the offer. The food was crap but DP just went to the cafe and got my food from there. I had my own independent midwife as well who was made to feel very welcome and the BC midwife basically just took a backseat and encouraged and supported me throughout the birth while my IM took over. I was never pressured to do this or that and after the birth we were left alone and a midwife would pop her head in the door from time to time to see how we were going. They responding quickly when we buzzed too!

Although I haven't experienced a private hospital, I honestly believe the birth centre was "almost" perfect - apart from the shortened stay and ordinary food, it was just great. If you don't expect to use drugs/intervention then might I suggest a birth centre!

Congrats and good luck