When you choose private maternity care, you choose the obstetrician who you want to guide you through your pregnancy care (also known as antenatal care).
You see them regularly throughout your pregnancy and they know your medical history and your preferences in detail.
As you see your obstetrician regularly, you and your partner start to develop a relationship with them as you build up trust.
When it comes time to give birth, your obstetrician is the person who will care for you in hospital along with a team of midwives, many of whom you may have met before.
Your obstetrician will be the person who delivers your baby, whether you deliver vaginally or via c-section.
What happens if my obstetrician isn’t available?
In some situations, your chosen obstetrician may not be available on the day you give birth.
In these cases, your obstetrician will advise you of this ahead of time and introduce you to the obstetrician who will guide you through your delivery in their place.
Speak to your obstetrician about what processes they have in place in case of an emergency and what to expect.
If you have any concerns, it is best to speak with your obstetrician directly.
What role do midwives play?
In addition to your obstetrician, midwives at our hospitals are on hand throughout your labour, during your delivery, and after birth to help you through each stage.
You may have met some of the midwives through your antenatal appointments, or when you have come to hospital for a maternity tour or parenting classes.
Even if you haven’t met your midwives before, they will be caring for you for the duration of labour (which can take hours) and afterwards, so you are likely to develop strong relationships with them as you lean on them for support during your early stages of parenting.
Take advantage of your midwives. If you have any questions or any concerns about your wellbeing or your newborn, ask the midwives and they will always be happy to share their advice and knowledge to help give you the best start to parenting your newborn possible.
