2nd Child Born in NZ

[Flutterby]

Well i feel i'm in a position to compare right now, i've experienced a birth in UK and a birth in NZ, both times i was asking for the same kind of experience yet with very different results.
Both my partner and i agreed that it is all far more relaxed here than in the UK resulting in a much more pleasant experience.

I had the most amazing waterbirth experience and then spent 24hours in their aftercare facility and from all but 1 staff midwife the care was excellent.

In the UK my experience was more like an assembly line - get in, give birth, get out.

[lin]

Congrats on the new baby, Flutterby!

[sophiedb]

Happy birth day!

Very nice to hear how you've found it I'm currently working a maternity cover contract, and the lady I'm replacing just had her baby. She spent 3 days at the hospital after birth with no interventions, while the hospital where DD was born would have tried to get me discharged in less than a day in that sort of case..

[JandM]

Congratulations, and welcome to your new little person!

[Mamee & Co]

Congratulations on baby Flutterby.

I find the comments interesting having given birth in the Highlands of Scotland, as it never felt like conveyor belt midwifery there...I had to fight to get out of the place after a week with the boys!

So glad that you had a good experience as it counts for a lot.

[sophiedb]

I find the comments interesting having given birth in the Highlands of Scotland, as it never felt like conveyor belt midwifery there...I had to fight to get out of the place after a week with the boys!

Nice Maybe it's an urban v. rural thing - if something had gone wrong at home, we were only 10min from the hospital. Or maybe people in the Highland are just reeeeeeeeeeally nice

[Georgebulldog]

Congratulations on the new arrival

For me I think England was better, Nicer room (but then hospital has since been revamped) & although several midwifes, as they came on & on shift, the whole experience was better even though harder, I think because the whole thing here happened so fast (3hrs total) & I wanted to be home as soon as & was home 15hrs later, never had time to think

Great news though, names? weight?

[Bythesea]

Firstly congrats -

Objectively though, it may well be difficult to compare given you had already been through birth once before and knew what was coming .......therefore felt more relaxed the second time and therefore less impersonal.

Anyway, you felt it was a better experience and that is what matters and is great!!!

BTS

[Familyofmonkeys]

I find the comments interesting having given birth in the Highlands of Scotland, as it never felt like conveyor belt midwifery there

Same with me, although I had 3 homebirths so not quite the same, but the midwifery care I recieved in UK was excellent. I've come to the conclusion that the care varies enormously by region in UK.

[Flutterby]

yes i agree the care does vary for regions but i went into this experience with many hangups and worries caused by my 1st birth. In the UK the midwives basically told me that i wasn't really in labour because i didn't "look" like i was in enough pain/discomfort but it turns out i simply have a high pain threshold, having a midwife who listened to me and believed me made a huge difference. and as originally stated "in our opinion"
Cailey Joy, 6lb 14, born 12 days after EDD.