Birthing in Auckland

Ok, I have been googling Aucklands maternity services and I feel sick to the bone!!  Hopefully someone can clarify it all for me.

 

Down here, we can birth at about 4 different birthing units but no epis c sections etc.  All free, all private rooms.  Or you can birth at Chch womens and have your epi etc.  Again free and private post natal roomsif you are lucky enough to stay.  Generally you get booted out to one of the birthing units after birth of bubs.  If you have a c-section you often stay at CWH.  Everything is free.  Anaethetist, Paed etc.

 

My Ob was private and I paid a measly $900 but this has gone up to $1900 this time.  I saw her 6 times prior to the birth, at the birth and a few times while in hospital and then at the 6 week check.  all my other appointments were with my MW.

 

Now from what I have seen, in Auckland you have to pay for anaethetists etc, your OB sees you for all? your antenatal appointments (so do you not need a MW at all?) and you have to pay extra to get a private room.

 

Is that right?????

nzpiper wrote: My Ob was private and I paid a measly $900 but this has gone up to $1900 this time.

MIne is $4,000.00!

If you go private you pay for everything .. although a friend of mine said a package of approx $2500 gets you the visits and the birth including c-section if necessary.

I saw a mw all through my first pg and the same one this time around - free of charge. I chose to birth at Birthcare for the first and will again repeat that decision this time around. Birthing cost $100 (not sure if it has gone up this time around) - even though I was transferred to National Womens to birth and then back to Birthcare for the birth.

If I want a private room then there is a charge for it, along with a charge for meals for hubby etc if he stays. If I don't want a private room then the stay is free but I share a room with other mums.

It's definitely cheaper to have a baby in other parts of the country.

Sorry I should point out that I have no problem with paying for a private specialist.  We chose to do that last time as we were paranoid first time parents and had such a good expereince that I would definately do it again.  But it seems here the OBs do a shared care arrangement with MW and all the hospital crew are free.  I think you have to pay for your anaethetist in Auckland...am I right?  I probably want an epi so just need to check out my options there.

 

There is a chance we will still be down here in which case I know the ropes but if DH gets this job and we move up I like to be prepared (its the virgo in me)

Hi nzpiper,

If you end up living in Ellerslie, then Auckland hospital or Birthcare or home will be your best options for actual birthing. Auckland Hospital is actually really lovely and new, and the staff were really good. My m/w just met us there and I got my epi within about 25mins of getting there! The costs for us came when we transferred to Birthcare (which everyone that births at Auckland does, unless they have had a c-sect, or there are complications with mum / bubs). We had a private room, so thats where the costs came into it and DH stayed too so we had his meals as well. I think out bill was something around $1000 but that was for 5nights with all meals for both of us, so I didnt actually think that was too bad. The standard rooms at Birthcare are twins, but as everyone transfers from auckland, you never know who you might end up sharing with.

If you choose to birth at Birthcare then you get a privatre room for free.

 

SimSam wrote: If you choose to birth at Birthcare then you get a privatre room for free.

 

Yeah, but then you have to do it without and epi......HELL NO!!!!!!  Maybe we better start saving just in case.  I dont want to share if I dont have to.  THat was the lovely thing about my hospital stay......peace with just me and Tom.

Thanks Simsam. You pretty much answered all my questions.  So lets not "plan" to have one.  Afterall last time I waited 2 hours for mine so I totally expect that.  Funnily enough my OB arrived at 8.30 and I had my epi at 9am after my MW had been requesting it since 7am.....but the day I was in there they had a record number of emergency c-sections.

 

I wonder if you plan to birth at birthcare and then cant hack it and have to transfer to Auckland for your epi, when you come back can you have a private room free????????

I did shared care with an OB and a midwife with the gremlins and it cost me $2K, but I didn't have to pay for the anaesthatist who did my epi and it was a planned epi as part of my birth management plan. If I'd needed a section that was all included too, luck of the draw meant I didn't so he scored a nice fat fee for not much work!

Akld City Hospital is brilliant, the facilities are all less than 4 years old and state of the art. And if you have a normal delivery or an uncomplicated c-sect you can transfer to Birthcare for 3 nights in a shared room.

If you want to, you can birth at Birthcare, like all birthing centres it means no epis etc. but if you birth there you do get a free private room, and it doesn't cost to birth there. I'd love to have this baby there but I don't qualify as I had a small haemorrhage after the gremlins so am too "high risk".

It may sound snobby, but I don't think there's anywhere else I'd rather birth than Auckland. We have the best facilities for labour and delivery, plus access to the best neonatal and paediatric intensive care etc. And the option to transfer to Birthcare is fantastic, OK so it means dragging your newborn up there but it's only 5 mins drive and it has great facilities.

I think you end up draggin your newborn somewhere no matter where you birth.  We were just lucky (or maybe not) with Tom.  And its not dragging thenewborn that bothers me....its my sore sorry arse that doesnt want to be moved. 

You have health insurance too don't you?? So things like birthcare you can claim back for.

ETA: shocking spelling

Edited by mummy_becks