Moving to Melbourne - Does a Midwifery Group Practice exist there at all?

[zellie]

Hi, I just had DD in Feb through the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) at Mater Hospital in Brisbane. I was looked after by a wonderful group of 5 midwives right through pregnancy and labour and couldn't have asked for better care. We are going to move to Melbourne in the next couple of months and I just want to check things out in advance. We are hoping to TTC again in 6 - 8 months and I was wondering if Melbourne has anything similar to the MGP in Brisbane where you are looked after a group of few midwives outside the hospital (antenatally) in a friendly clinc but you can deliver in the hospital by one of those midwives. I had a relatively complication free labour and achieved a drugfree natural and I would like to achieve a similar experience the second time around.

Also what are the catchment areas we need to consider if there is a similar model of care in Melbourne? We are looking at possibly living near Glen Waverley but are open to other areas if I can get into a desirable model of care antenatally, for labour and postnatally.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and help

:fingerscrossed:

[Tam-I-Am]

I think Casey hospital does, but not 100% sure. I'd give them a call to ask, and about catchment regions etc :)

[WorkingClassMum]

Try Box Hill - they have a clinic in the hospital mostly run by the midwives with some appointments with a Dr, and then you are assigned a ward by the clinic and you can expect one of the middies to attend the birth

[Bluemist]

Yes in addition to those mentioned above the Mercy Family Birthing Centre (Heidelberg) has that model of care - you will have one appointment with an ob (female usually) to assess your suitability for the program.

The Royal Womens- also has a similar program- run by midwives.

All the best!

Bluemist.

[zellie]

Thanks so much for your replies :) I think Casey will be closest to where we are planning to live.

[Lily of the Nile]

This is the royal womens website, (imo) it's probably one of the best public in Melbourne:
http://www.thewomens.org.au/PregnancyCareOptions#Hospitalbasedcare

They also have the frances perry house which is the private part and they have spa baths in the birthing suites and birthing balls and things like that.

[Annabella]

If you are in Glen Waverly you will be closest to Monash hospital, (I think the proper name is Monash Medical Centre) I HIGHLY recommend the Birth Centre there. I had my son there and it was excellent. I never had to wait for an appointment (although they were at the hospital) and I think its a team of midwives, (I only saw a Dr when baby turned transverse and had to be turned, but was still under midwife care) I had the same ones a couple of times for appts, when I actually gave birth I had midwives I hadn't had before but they were amazing anyway. Highly highly recommend it, PM me if you want more details :)