New Midwifery Group Practice- Mater Mothers

[kadownie]

Just wanted to let you know that the Mater Mothers in Brisbane has a new Midwifery Group Practice. What this means is that, if you are in the catchment area and you are a public patient you can apply to access this service.

Basically you will be allocated your own midwife for your pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. The midwives work in a group- and throughout your pregnancy you will meet the group- so just in case your midwife in unavailable for your birth- you will birth and be cared for by a midwife that you know.

It's available to normal healthy women- which translates into if you have had a c-section and you are wanting a natural birth you most probably will be eligible- :yelclap: :smiliedance: :yelclap: depending on the reasons for your c-section. You would consult with an OB to determine whether or not it would be appropriate for your case.

Basically it's a new program, and there are very limited spaces- booked solid through till the end of March I think. So, if you're newly pregnant and you live in the catchment area for the Mater (southside Brisbane) then make sure you are proactive in asking for this service.

Any questions, PM me.

[AimeeB]

:wave: Hi although I don't live near you I just want to say this is a great thing!!We have the MGP at our local hosp-Wollongong in NSW and they started it last year and I was lucky enough to get in and I am now due again in March 07 and have been able to pick the same middie.I rec this kind of pre,during and after pregnancy care for everyone!!:thumbsup:

[TinyStar]

This is also availible at Ryde Hospital in Sydney, I had the same middie for both of my pregnancies, it was so great!

[wa mum of 4]

I hate how WA have thing structured in the midwife sense.
I want to be a midwife so I have to either do my RN training(3 years, I have done 2) and then do midwifery(1 year) or wait till 2008 for direct entry. We have no clinics that are a natural birth centre set up.
You lady's have all the good things for child birth I am sooo jealous.

[AimeeB]

I hate how WA have thing structured in the midwife sense.
I want to be a midwife so I have to either do my RN training(3 years, I have done 2) and then do midwifery(1 year) or wait till 2008 for direct entry. We have no clinics that are a natural birth centre set up.
You lady's have all the good things for child birth I am sooo jealous.

:wave: it's still the same to become a midwife(3 years doing RN+1 year to do a masters in midwifery,mum's a middie)the MGP just means that you still go through your public hospital system but you are assigned(or at our hospital,you can choose)a midwife who deals with your whole pregnancy,from ante natal to birth to after home care.They still have to be a fully registered middie.In our hospital they work in groups of 3 so you have 1 main carer but the other 2 are there for backup if your main is sick or with another birth etc,you get to meet all 3 throughout your pregnancy and more often than not it is your main carer who does everything in regards to birth etc.It's just a great way to build a relationship with the person who delivers and looks after you and your bub,but it is still done through the hospital.

[tickle]

What is the catchment area for the Mater? I've had both my babies there and if I ever have another would love to be involved in this sort of program.

[kadownie]

Can't tell you exactly- but basically south of the river down to about Rochedale...they are very strict on women being in the catchment area for this service- where are you in Brisbane?

And- I think next year or the year after (in terms of training to be a midwife) UQ will be doing direct entry midwifery- so that will be good. I'm happy being a doula- not interested in becoming a midwife

[FinnsMama]

That's great news! Continuity of care is so important for many women, plus having a birth attendant you know and (hopefully) trust.

I take it women still birth in the normal birthing suites, but with their known midwife attending? Do the mater have birthing pools? The normal birthing suites of the RBWH do, but women aren't allowed to use them :thumbsdown: :mad:

I also think it's great news about the direct entry midwifery course - my mw told me about this - I'd love to do midwifery one day but have no interest in general nursing so that would have put me off.

[tickle]

Darn, I'm far South of Rochedale, in Beaudesert Shire. Not planning any more as yet anyway, but it's nice to know what is available if I do have more.

[Seekrit]

I used a similar system in the Royal Brisbane. I loved it! It was fantastic, my birth was wonderful, midwife led and it was fantastic when I popped up to birthsuite to be greeted with "Oh, I know this face!" :)

It's great to see so many hospitals doing this!

[kadownie]

The Mater doesn't currently have baths in labour suite- though there is discussion about using portable ones- women need to start demanding (I mean asking nicely) for the baths now.

They are building a new Mothers- however the baths that they are putting in are so inadequate- not nice round baths that you can move in- but like a bathroom bath only slightly wider and deeper. It's not good enough. Trying hard (with Maternity Coalition) to make some changes- hopefully we get there. Can't understand why a hospital is building something that has outdated facilties before it's even open. Hopefully we win and get good size baths- but it's going to take a lot of discussions.

Yes, women birth in the birth suite- there is not a birth centre at the Mater.

[FunkyMonkey]

I'm sorry for the dumb question but this sort of care, is it "Public Health System" or private.
I had my bub at Redlands Public through shared care with my GP and never saw another midwife after I went home. I got a phone call they day after I came home that lasted about 2 mins from a middie I don't recall meeting.
I was very uninformed with my pregnancy (still am I guess) and have no intention of being so naive next time around.

[kadownie]

It's a through Mater Mothers Public hospital in South Brisbane.

Normally you don't get contacted by anyone once you leave hosptial- unless you've made arrangements with the hospital or have special circumstances. However, wouldn't it be wonderful if all birthing mothers could have the support of their midwife for 6 weeks after birth if they needed it!!

If we all make a big noise about it- maybe one day we will get it!!

[blatted]

so does that mean that after the team care was disbanded in 2001 by the mater, they have now come full circle. just asking cos i used to be one of the team care midwives

[ImSethsMum]

Just curious but does the Mater Private Mothers have a service like this too? I hear lots of new services being provided for public patients and not for private - makes me wonder why I pay private health insurance.

[kadownie]

I know at the Mater there has been some talk about trying to set up a private group practice, however there would be a lot of opposition from the Ob's.

You can go public even if you have private health insurance- even if we did have private health care I would still go public for the midwifery care, unless of course our health care insurance covered homebirth- which is the ultimate in midwifery care...\

I guess most of the services that are available to the public- are all available to private patients- you just have to pay...but I guess you get some back. I don't know how all of that works.

[TyBean]

How do you go about getting into this program... We are in Rochedale South and this sort of things sounds exactly like what I want!!.... Do I need to get my GP to give me a referral and then ring them.... or do I have to go in there or something??...

Sounds fantastic!!! Thanks!

[fifipirko]

I went with MGP .. and they are all great ladies :yes: Highly recommended!!
Fifi and Zoya :D

[QTB]

they are fantastic!! i have a client at the moment goint thru them and the midwives iv met have been fantastic wonderful women - all very keen for natural births which is fantastic!!

[kadownie]

LilTandMe- I would self refer- if you are in the catchment area for the Mater. Call the antenatal clinic at the Mater and ask to speak to one of the Midwifery Group Practice Midwives.

I'm loving being a part of the program as well!!

[Kat'smum]

My sister went to a team based midwife practice at Mt Gravatt. (I think it may have been called the pheonix program or something like that) She had the same few midwives prenatal and birth ect. this was three years ago now.

I went to the satalite clinic in Inala for my midwife appts - also seen the obstatrican there - was great as I didn't have to travel all the way into the Mater for all my appts.

I seen the same midwife for all my appts but a different midwife for the births.