Not so frustrated now!

I was getting really frustrated not knowing if I could deliver in Raetahi or if I had to go to Wanganui Hospital.

I got a letter yesterday from someone at Whanganui Health (who administer to all the health facilites in the region - including Wanganui Hospital and Waimarino Health Centre in Raetahi). Due to difficulties in getting specialist staff (like OBs and Paediatritians) to come to Raetahi, all birthing facilities there are being suspended, and all expectant mothers are to travel to Wanganui Hospital to deliver.

I have an appointment with my midwife next week anyway, so I'll be discussing this with her then. Nat and I assume that when I go into labour, I'll be going by ambulance... but it's nice to know what is happening now! Since I have to go to Wanganui Hospital, I'm going to see if I can have another waterbirth.

Edited by becca.l

They're having difficulties keeping specialist staff in the Whanganui region at all, yes. That's the major reason that birthing facilities at the Health Centre in Raetahi are being suspended. They are also cutting back the hours the midwives (who both live in the area) will be there.

I think if there are any expected complications with the delivery, or for medical reasons, then they send the mothers to Palmy... I know someone with a family history of medical problems who is going straight to Palmy. I'm expecting a straightford birth, with the only possible complication to be delivering my son in the ambulance in the Paraparas on the way to Wanganui!

Taumarunui is part of a different DHB... and all my antenatal care has been at Raetahi so far... I'd have to transfer to different midwives etc that are based in Taumarunui - and travel an hour to get there!

I may get to go by helicopter to hospital yet!

Definitely cool. How fun would it be to deliver in a helicopter???

Hey... just a rando hijacking kind of question... I heard that if you give birth in an aeroplane then your babe gets free travel for life. Is that a nasty rumour or true?

Yeah, that'd suck. What would you put as your nationality on the census form?!?

Yay for getting an answer - but I hope baby Xavier makes it to the hospital!

I got a letter from Nat Womens last week "accepting" my booking to birth there - I'm ONLY 29 weeks, its not like they left it to the last minute or anything

I had my midwife appointment today... I met with Lyn (who is the one I like)... for reasons I do not know, Susana didn't actually book me for a day she's on duty! As part of stopping birthing at Waimarino Health Centre (where my antenatal care is happening), they are transferring Lyn to Wanganui and there will only be Susana there, and she will be working Mon-Fri. There won't actually be a midwife on duty during the weekends!

The full story is that due to being unable to attract specialist staff to Wanganui, they've stopped all birthing facilites at the Waimarino Health Centre (in Raetahi). It's only supposed to be for the next 3 months (trial period type of idea) but Lyn doesn't have much hope they will reinstate facilities after that time. All women in this region who are due in that timeframe can go to Wanganui Hospital, Palmerston North Hospital or go to Taihape (which involves changing midwives for all antenatal care). Taihape is also risky in that it is a similar place to Raetahi except with stay-in facilities... and could potentially be closed for similar reasons to Raetahi.

From Ohakune (by ambulance):
Wanganui: 1.5 hours
Palmerston North: 2.5 hours
Taihape: 1 hour (Taihape is about the same distance from Wanganui as it is from Palmy)

So, now I need to decide where I'm going to go! But there is a second problem - my von Willebrands...

The midwives at Raetahi have had another woman come in recently who suspects she may have the same thing (due to her mother and sister having it). The midwife took normal pregnancy bloods as well as another tube for the diagnostic test, to be told off by the lab as when testing for von Willies the bloods need to be refrigerated straight away, along with all other bloods from someone with the disorder! This was news to me... and I've known I've had this for 20 years! I now have the form in my handbag to get my next lot of bloods done the next time I'm in Wanganui, and they are going to rescreen me for von Willebrands, to find out my clotting factor (as a time-taken-to-clot) so everyone knows how to treat me if necessary.


Edited by becca.l

I'm not under a specialist at the moment, as (baring unforseen complications) I don't need to be... basically, my choices (at this stage) are:

birth at Palmy... midwife said that probably as soon as we are able to be, we will be sent home
birth at Taihape... should be able to stay in a couple of nights, and then come home
birth at Wanganui... may be able to stay in a couple of days depending on how busy they are, then come home

Wanganui is actually my preference right now, as if Nat comes in the ambulance with me he has family there that would be happy to give him a ride home, and if he drives himself he knows exactly where to go to.