Birthing suites have private amenities including double bed, refrigeration, home furnishings, all in beautiful soft colours. You will feel right at home when your baby is born.

But, because sometimes child birth may have its complications, Box Hill Hospital has the latest state-of-the-art medical technology and senior professional Medical staff, on hand, at all times, to better ensure a safe and healthy delivery.

The Hospital has a Level II Nursery, should your baby require this support. This means you will be able to stay close to your baby at all times, while you are in Birralee.

A New Model of Care

When you choose to have your baby with us, you will be assigned to a team of Midwives supported by Medical and Allied Health Professionals - Green, and Ruby.

This team will see you right through your pregnancy and birth from antenatal care to home support.

Options for Care

a) Ante-Natal Clinic

Birralee Maternity Service operates ante-natal clinics by appointment.
Green Team: Thursday Morning and Thursday Afternoon
Ruby Team: Monday Afternoon and Wednesday Morning

b) Shared Care With Your Community Practitioner

Birralee Maternity Service is pleased to offer you Shared Ante-Natal Care with your Medical Practitioner or Community Midwife who will need to be accredited with the Hospital. Subsequent visits to the Ante-Natal Clinic will be at 28, 36, 40 weeks and thereafter. Other visits will be with your Community Practitioner, unless problems arise, when you will be referred back to the Ante-Natal Clinic.

c) Shared Care With Hospital Midwives (Midwives Clinic)

Birralee Maternity Service also offers a Midwives' Clinic held on Monday (Ruby Team), Thursday (Green Team). Evening clinics are also available.

You will be seen at the Clinic by a Doctor for your 2nd visit and, if a normal, healthy pregnancy is anticipated, you may discuss this option with the Doctor then.

Subsequent visits to the Doctor will be at 28, 36 weeks then 40 weeks and thereafter.

d) Know Your Midwife (Caseload Midwifery)

Another midwife option is also available: Know Your Midwife, where you are allocated to a specific Midwife (and one or two back up midwives). This midwife will care for you all through pregnancy and labour. She will also visit you after the birth of your baby in your home. The reason this option has been introduced is because women told us they wanted to get to know their caregivers for pregnancy and birth.

e) WINGS Clinic for Women in Need of Guidance and Support

Designed especially for young women who prefer to be seen by a specific midwife on most visits. The clinic is also a form of Shared Care.

If any problems are identified, you will be referred to a doctor immediately, or referred back to the Ante-Natal Clinic for continuing care.

f) The Links Clinic

The Links Clinic provides extra support, links and liaison with the community for pregnant women with special needs.

g) The ACCESS Clinic

This clinic provides specialist, continuous care for pregnant women who are using or have used drugs or alcohol.

Childbirth and Parenting Education Program

Aims

The aims of the Childbirth Parenting and Educating Program are to:

• Promote the rights and responsibilities of making informed choices;
• Facilitate effective communication with all other members of the maternity care team;
• Promote breastfeeding;
• Promote parental participation in decision making;
• Encourage optimal interaction and information sharing between participation; and
• Provide relevant and evidence based information.

The Birralee Childbirth and Parenting Education Program offers you a variety of courses that suit your needs.

1. Full Length Course
2. Saturday Workshop
3. Refresher Course
4. Cantonese Course
5. Young Women Childbirth Classes - designed specifically for younger women. The venue for these classes are 'Starting Out' in Ringwood and Birralee.

Lactation Support Unit

• Supports and cares for the breastfeeding mother.
• Takes into account individual differences and the varying needs of mothers.
• Recognises that lactation is a dynamic changing process.
• Encourages research in breastfeeding.
• Ensures that information is consistent and up-to-date.

Referral

Anyone wishing to contact the Lactation Support Unit can do so by telephoning Birralee Maternity Service on 9895 4656 between 9:00am-3:00pm.

The service currently operates three days a week. The times vary between 8:00am to 4:00pm.

How Do We Help?

• Ante-natal assessments
• A phone Consultation Service is available to all mothers.
• Women and their babies are admitted to the Unit on a day stay basis if required.

Midcare (Home care)

Any woman who leaves Hospital prior to Day 5 will be offered follow-up midcare (home care). This follow-up will either be by midwives from Birralee Maternity Service, or midwives from another maternity service eg.Monash Medical Centre, Royal Women's Hospital.

A visit will be made the day following discharge and further visits up to and including Day 5. This need will be assessed by the visiting midwife, in consultation with the woman concerned.

Women discharged on or beyond Day 5 may also require follow-up Midcare (home care). This decision will be part of the overall discharge plan for the individual woman. Discharge planning will be based on assessment of needs with input form the woman, the Birralee midwives and doctors.

All visits up to and including Day 5 will be paid for by the Hospital.

The most appropriate form of the follow-up care will be offered to all women, which will include Maternal and Child Health Nurse, General Practitioner, Lactation Support Unit.

Hospital Tour

A Tour of the midwifery Department is conducted at 2:30 pm Saturday and Sunday. There is no need to book, just present at Birralee Reception desk.

Visiting Hours

   2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
   6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

All visiting is discouraged between 12 midday - 2:00 p.m. to allow mothers to rest.

Special Care Nursery:

   Visiting rights are restricted to parents, grandparents and siblings.
   Other persons may visit with a parent in attendance.

Senior Staff

Gail Wilkinson
Assistant Director of Nursing & Midwifery
Women's & Children's Services
Box Hill Hospital

Dr Malcolm Barnett
Clinical Supervisor
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Prof. Gabor Kovacs
Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Box Hill Hospital

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