From http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/04/2507192.htm
For further information, please contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.
Posted Wed Mar 4, 2009 1:36pm AEDT
An advocacy group on the New South Wales far south coast says recommendations in a Federal Government review of maternity services have not alleviated the strain on hospital maternity units … The recommendations made in the report are positive overall, but … an option for publicly-funded home birthing was not proposed.
… many local families and mothers want the option of home birthing, but are put off due to the high costs – … around $3,000 to $5,000,” she said.
The president of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, Dr Dennis Pashen, says he is unsure whether home birthing would occur.
“People have always got a personal choice as to how they have their delivery,” he said.
“I think that was looked at very closely and there’s some very [strong] advocates of home birthing.”
Home birth is available privately through midwives who generally charge $4000 – $5000 in Sydney. The services are comprehensive. Typically, women can expect antenatal home visits for 1 – 2 hours, labour and birth at home, and postnatal care at home too, for up to 6 weeks. When you break down the cost of the home birth hour-for-hour of the midwife’s time, the midwife may only earn $50 per hour. Private home birth services are very time-intensive – we like to form a really strong relationship with the women and families we care for.