Birth Choices
There is no single right way to give birth. Some women have clear preferences from early pregnancy, while others want time to understand their options before deciding what feels right. Dr Peter Jurcevic will help you explore those choices, prepare for the birth you hope for and adapt the plan if your pregnancy or labour takes an unexpected turn.
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Your Birth, Your Preferences
Birth planning is not about creating a perfect plan that has to be followed exactly. It is an ongoing conversation about what matters to you, how your pregnancy is progressing and what options may be appropriate as you get closer to meeting your baby.
You may hope for an active vaginal birth with minimal intervention, want to use Calm Birth or HypnoBirthing techniques, know that you would like an epidural, or feel more comfortable planning a caesarean from the outset. You may also be completely unsure, and that is okay too. Dr Peter will talk through your preferences with you and help you understand the options available, so you can approach birth feeling informed without feeling locked into one particular experience.
Understanding Your Birth Choices
Your birth choices can involve much more than deciding between a vaginal birth and a caesarean. There are decisions you can make around how you prepare, how you would like labour to be supported and what matters to you if circumstances change.
Vaginal Birth
For many women, planning for a vaginal birth includes conversations around movement during labour, birth positions, pain relief, monitoring and what may help you feel comfortable and supported. How labour unfolds is different for every woman. Dr Peter will discuss your preferences with you while continuing to consider how you and your baby are progressing.
Birth Preparation
Breathing, relaxation, movement and visualisation techniques can be useful tools for preparing for labour. Some women prefer a structured approach such as Calm Birth, HypnoBirthing® or Lamaze, while others take elements from different methods that feel useful to them. Birth preparation is not about committing to an intervention-free birth. These techniques can remain part of your birth experience even if you later choose pain relief or your birth plan changes.
Pain Relief During Labour
There is no right amount of pain relief to use during labour. Some women hope to use breathing, movement, massage, a TENS machine or other non-medical techniques for as long as possible. Others know they would like medical pain relief, including an epidural. Many prefer to see how labour feels before making that decision. Understanding your options before labour begins can help you feel more prepared but you are also allowed to change your mind.
Induction of Labour
Sometimes there is a reason to recommend helping labour begin rather than waiting for it to start on its own. If induction becomes something you need to consider, Dr Peter will explain why it is being recommended, what the process involves and what it may mean for your birth. An induction does not remove your ability to have preferences around movement, pain relief, support or how you would like to approach labour. It simply becomes another part of the birth plan to talk through together.
Birth After a Previous Caesarean
If you have previously had a caesarean, your next birth does not automatically need to follow the same path. Depending on your previous birth, your current pregnancy and your individual circumstances, you may be able to explore vaginal birth after caesarean, often referred to as VBAC or plan another caesarean. Dr Peter will review your previous birth with you and talk through what may be appropriate this time.
Planned Caesarean
For some women, a planned caesarean is the preferred or recommended way to give birth. Planning ahead still gives you an opportunity to talk about what matters to you during the experience, including those first moments with your baby and what may be possible immediately after birth.
For women who would like to take a more active role, Dr Peter also offers Maternal Assisted Caesarean in selected circumstances.
Preparing Your Mind and Body for Labour
Birth preparation can help make labour feel less unfamiliar. Calm Birth, HypnoBirthing®, Lamaze and other childbirth education approaches commonly incorporate breathing, relaxation, movement and an understanding of what happens to your body during labour. Some women enjoy following one structured method, while others simply use the techniques that feel most natural or useful to them. Dr Peter can talk with you about birth preparation during your pregnancy and where appropriate, guide you towards classes or educators that may complement the care you receive through your antenatal appointments.
Calm Birth and HypnoBirthing®
Calm Birth and HypnoBirthing share many similar ideas, particularly around breathing, relaxation and reducing fear around labour. The techniques and teaching styles differ but neither needs to determine how your birth ultimately unfolds. You can prepare using these approaches and still choose medical pain relief, have an induction or need a caesarean. The aim is to give you more tools to draw on during birth rather than another set of expectations you have to meet.
Pain Relief Is Part of Birth Planning Too
Choosing pain relief does not mean you have abandoned the birth you prepared for. There are both medical and non-medical ways to manage pain during labour and what feels right can be difficult to predict before you are actually experiencing it. You may have clear preferences beforehand or you may prefer to keep your options open. Either approach is reasonable. Dr Peter encourages you to understand the choices available before labour so that if you do want something different on the day, the decision does not feel unfamiliar or rushed.
When Birth Does Not Follow the Plan
You can prepare carefully for birth without needing to predict exactly how it will unfold. Sometimes labour progresses differently than expected. Your baby may need closer monitoring, an induction may become appropriate or a caesarean may be recommended when it was not originally part of the plan. If circumstances change, Dr Peter will talk you through what is happening and why. Wherever possible, you will remain involved in the decisions being made about your care and the birth of your baby. A change of plan does not make the preparation you have done less valuable. It simply means the plan is adapting to what you and your baby need at the time.
Making Decisions Together
There are times during pregnancy and birth when Dr Peter will make a recommendation based on what he believes is safest for you and your baby. His approach is to explain what is being recommended, why it is being considered and what alternatives may be available, so you can be part of the conversation rather than simply being told what happens next. Sometimes there will be time to think through a decision carefully. At other times, particularly during labour, decisions may need to be made more quickly. Having discussed your preferences throughout pregnancy means Dr Peter already understands what matters to you if those moments arise.
Delivering at Frances Perry House
Dr Peter delivers at Frances Perry House, a private maternity hospital located within The Royal Women’s Hospital precinct in Parkville. Your birth planning throughout pregnancy will include conversations about the hospital environment, what you can expect when labour begins and how your preferences may be incorporated into your care. As Head of Obstetrics at The Royal Women’s Hospital, Dr Peter also works within the broader specialist maternity environment alongside his private obstetric practice.
Dr Peter’s Approach to Birth
For Dr Peter, birth preparation is not something separate from your obstetric care. It is a conversation that develops throughout pregnancy, as you explore your preferences, understand your options and prepare for the different ways your birth may unfold. With more than 30 years of obstetric experience and over 7,000 births, Dr Peter brings both birth preparation and clinical decision-making into the same relationship. He can support the birth you are hoping for while also helping you understand when and why the plan may need to change. The aim is for you to approach birth feeling informed, prepared and supported by someone who already understands your pregnancy and what matters to you.
Start Your Pregnancy Journey
Dr Peter takes on a limited number of obstetric patients each year so he can maintain the continuity and individual attention that are central to his approach to care. If you are pregnant or planning to conceive, getting in touch early gives you time to discuss your pregnancy, explore your birth choices and arrange your first appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start thinking about my birth plan?
You can start talking about your preferences at any stage of pregnancy but you do not need to have everything decided early. Birth planning usually becomes more detailed as your pregnancy progresses and you have a clearer understanding of your options.
