Mater Mothers Hospital (South Brisbane)

[Mummy2Amelia]

Has anyone in here had their babies at the Mater Mothers Hospital?

I had my baby there 5 weeks ago and I must say they are brilliant. For my entire labour I had one midwife and a student midwife and they were both wonderful, obviously when it was time for me to start pushing the student midwife had to leave but with the other midwife she chose to stay over time just to deliver my baby. How great is that? I absolutely loved the midwife I had there, her name was Anne, she was amazing. I won't ever forget her :)

[Oscar's mum]

No, I havn't but alot of people I know have had their bub at the Mater and they said great things about their too! :)

[tickle]

I had my DS there 16 months ago and I am having my second baby there. I found them to be pretty good. From the time my waters broke to when he was born was 36 hours though, so I had LOTS of different midwives!! They were all lovely though. I hated to OB though, but you can't win them all! :)
Glad you had a good experience! ;)

[Nickster]

I had Libby at the Mater, and I can't speak highly enough of the midwives in the birthing suites. I had 2 different ones, due to a change of shift halfway through my interrment (!) there, but they were both great. They really encouraged me to follow my birth plan, but it wasn't meant to be as I had an emergency c/s later that day. The surgical team were brilliant, very professional and caring.
However, I found the midwives on the ward overworked and sometimes quite abrupt, particularly towards the end of their shift. I also got a lot of conflicting advice to do with breastfeeding, which didn't help. Luckily I persevered with it though and ended up seeing a private lactation consultant, which made all the difference.
The medical follow up was just not there either, as I was discharged with NO pain relief or even a rx for some, and an extremely low haemoglobin count, which resulted in me being readmitted 1 day later.
Maybe I was just unlucky.
Having said that, I would return, with the benefit of the knowledge that comes with experience. :)

[Mummy2Amelia]

Ahhh yes! I should have mentioned in my first post that it was the midwives in the birthing suite that I am very impressed with. THe ones on the ward didn't seem to have the time of day for me all except for one lady who was so caring, she even "watched" amelia for my partner and I while we went for a small walk up the hall way to get some "us" time. She was great! nearly as lovely as the midwife who delivered my bub hehe

[Brissie_Mum2b]

I am booked into the Mater as a public patient and am expecting our first baby mid February. I have had to go to the hospital a couple of times for bleeding and stomach pains and I have to say the care they provide is second to none. They couldn't do enough for me and were so caring and reassuring and I left, both times, safe in the knowledge that when D-Day comes we will be well looked after. The classes they provide are also very interesting and informative.

I can't praise them enough.

Go you Mater Midwives!

Liz

[littlepickle]

I am booked in to the MMPH for my due date, I had no choice because my ob only delivers there, but even if I did have a choice, I would have chosen to go there. Even just talking to the lady on the phone when booking i, I got the feeling that they are very warm and friendly, made me feel at ease.
I didnt realise that it was necessary to book so far in advance though. When I asked the receptionist, she said they like people to book as soon as they know they are pg if possible as it helps them

[matty's mum]

Great to hear I had my DD there 11yrs ago and hated it. I never new who my MW was. Thats great news, and 11yrs is along time.

[Lil X-men]

I had several diff shifts of midwives in delivery too, and they were lovely. The OB was awful, came in shoved his hand up me in the middle of a contraction, which made me scream and didnt say a word then exited the room, A#%hole!!

The ward ones were very conflicting with their information and I went home very confused about BF. Unfortuantley I gave it up after 5weeks because of recurring mastitis. I know for next time to seek advice from a lactation consultant.
So Mater is great, but if you have trouble with BF DONT listen to the MW's there!!! I will go back there for my next bub but I'll be a bit wiser!

[babykelly79]

Hi all,
My 3rd bb due on march and we are just migrated to Australia. My husband finally had decided to send me to the Mater Hospital in South Brisbane to deliver our 3rd child. I just wan to know more about the services and the facilitles that provided in the Mater Hospital. Is our husband allow to be with us all the time until the bb is delivered? Is the bb send to the paedictrician straightaway to do the checkup? Normally how long do we need to stay overnight in the hospital after the delivery? Can someone tell me more?

[Goosie22]

Hi welcome to Australia to start with :) Were did you immigrate from?

Most Public Hospital Birthing Suites (the maters is calle the new life center)are very keen to have husbands stay with their wives while your in Labour and Delivery, usually you can have a few other people to help also if you like? If you have a normal birth the Pead will see the baby within the first 24hrs and your midwife will carry out the check at birth and notify any concerns. After birth there are some facillities to have husbands stay but they are limited to first comes. The usual length of stay varies between 3 days to 5 depending on what number baby any complications and how you are coping. They have a home visiting service available if you live locally. You should be able to find out all the uptodate info when you book into the hospital via Antenatal Clinic. They will give you a list of what you need to bring as Q-Health is cutting back on the thngs they supply.

Hope this gives you something to work with. all the best.

[bpato]

NICKSTER
I found the midwives on the ward overworked and sometimes quite abrupt, particularly towards the end of their shift. I also got a lot of conflicting advice to do with breastfeeding, which didn't help.

I had the worst experience as a first time mum at the mater mothers. I went private.

Nickster I know excatly what you mean about the midwifes on the ward. Most were horrible. One even had a go at me when I asked with help with my bag, the day after DS was born. I had a c/s and wanted to get some clothes out, and when I asked her for help she turned to me and replies "your bloody husband could have done it for you before he left" I was in shock at her reply, and because of that was very relucant to call them, even when I was having trouble with breast feeding DS.

The medical follow up was just not there either I agree with this too. I was discharged with no info about anything, not even the CCHC. No info about what to do with my c/s dressing nothing.

I even wrote a letter of complaint and never got anything back fromthe hospital about that either.

I can say that I will not be retuing to the Mater for anything and time soon.

Belinda

PS the midwifes in the delivery room were fantastic, and the widwife I had when I first retuened to the ward was great, but that is about the only poistives I found.