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The public hospital system in Melbourne is AMAZING. I had all 3 public. In Joan Kirner maternity ward of the sunshine hospital. My friend wanted to go private and she ended up $6k out of pocket because every little extra thing they add up- Csec, or epi, any drugs etc etc adds up and is out of pocket, the private health insurance just covers the hospital stay and the help of the midwives, the Drs, their “time”. That’s it. Anything else you get done or ask for it or happens, is extra. You’re literally paying for maternity hospital cover. The only way private is beneficial is if you go in and do a vaginal w gas. Public is all free. Plus I got a single room 3* coincidence because I didn’t give birth in busy season, as long as the hospital is not full/busy and there are spare single rooms, anyone can have them. If you do share you only share w either 1 other or 3 others, depending on the hospital. Sunshine only has double rooms so sharing w 1 other. And that’s only for the stay
I went public at royal women's it was lovely, as mentioned delivery room private and huge I was lucky to have a private room after giving birth and the only thing I had to pay for was the endone after discharge $30. I have premium private health insurance but I'll always opt for public. In saying that my friend had her baby in the private sector also a premium holder and after discharge she was taken to a hotel for 7 days which included lactation nurse midwife visits daily, Dr on call, food and a Medela pump which she was able to take home for a couple of months. Im sure there were other things but cant remember. She had a natural birth so I don't think she had to pay anything extra. But it will be good to talk to your insurance to know exactly what you are covered for
If you share a room it's not where you actually deliver the baby, you'll go to the birth suite to deliver the baby and the birth suite room is just for you, no other patients, then to a ward once they're happy that you're stable and there aren't any issues
I had my baby in Sandringham hospital and couldn’t have been happy with the support provided. The midwives were all fantastic! You have a private room when delivering, ours already had fairy lights in a salt lamp. It’s then two people to a room post delivery and a shared bathroom with the room next door (so 4 people) but I had the room to myself for 2 nights.