Mansfield District Hospital

Maternity

Having a baby is one of life's ‘monumental' experiences. Here is some information about our maternity services.

Can I choose to have my baby at Mansfield? How do I book in?

Yes, you can choose to have your baby here providing your doctor agrees. You book in by phoning the hospital during business hours to make an appointment with a midwife. This normally happens following your initial visit to your doctor. He/she will write a letter for the midwife outlining your due date and brief details of your medical history. The Hospital would prefer that bookings are made before 20 weeks gestation.

Can I choose my own doctor?

Yes you can choose your own doctor. We are fortunate to have four doctors in Mansfield who provide an obstetric service.

What happens if my labour doesn't go according to plan?

Unfortunately, not everyone's labour goes according to plan. The hospital is able to perform caesarean sections in an emergency situation and should you require specialist care for yourself or your baby, North East Health Wangaratta is our nearest referral centre.

Is my partner or support person allowed to stay with me?

Your partner or support person is encouraged to be present at all times, especially during the birth, however we do not have sleeping facilities available for partners. The Hospital also encourages your partner or support person to attend antenatal classes with you.

How long will I be in hospital following the birth?

This is decided between you, your midwife and doctor. Mothers who go home early are offered daily visits by the hospital midwives.

Are there any alternatives to birthing at the hospital?

Home births are an option and must be privately booked with a home birth midwife and backup doctor. At present there are no home birth midwives practising in the area.

The hospital can offer you the opportunity to deliver your baby in a warm and friendly environment with the option of going home within a few hours of birth (similar to a birth centre). Midwife support can be accessed any time over the phone and daily midwife visits can be arranged.

Enquires can be directed to the Nurse Unit Manager on (03) 5775 2111 during business hours.

Shared maternity care project

Late in 2006 we successfully applied for funding through DHS's Rural Maternity Initiative program to look at a new ‘Continuity Model of Care' for our maternity patients.

This news was received with great excitement and, in early 2007, Leonie McLaughlin was appointed as Project Coordinator for the Shared Maternity Model of Care Project. Leonie established a multidisciplinary Shared Care Working Party and, with a huge amount of support from midwifery, medical staff and management and, after a few external administrative hurdles, was able to commence the program.

The new model of care will mean that all women who book in to Mansfield District Hospital to have their baby will be offered antenatal visits shared between a midwife and their GP. This will facilitate women having a known midwife caring for them in labour, birth and in the postnatal time. This supports the concept of ‘continuity of care' and further enhances best quality care for local women in their own community, greatly enhances communication and collaboration between the GP's and midwives, and standardises documentation and record keeping. The hospital plans to utilise the Victorian Maternity Record (VMR) to facilitate this and to encourage the women to have a greater role in their pregnancy care.

This is a positive step forward in our care for midwifery patients and their families and is something the midwives and obstetric GPs are very excited about.

Hospital Committed to obstetric education

Two obstetric workshops were held at the hospital during the 06-07 year for our midwives and obstetric GPs that were supported by the Pregnancy Care and Maternity Emergency Program.

The Maternity Emergency Education Program was held over 1½ days in December, with 8 midwives and 4 GP's attending both days. The scenario based training, with a live actress, was very realistic and had our hearts thumping as we each participated as part of a responding team to each scenario. Each scenario was filmed internally and transmitted to our colleagues in the training room and then discussed afterwards, with a huge amount of learning and quite a few laughs as well.

The realism of working in our own environment and with our own team created a very positive learning experience for all involved.

The Pregnancy Care Workshop was held in May, with 8 midwives & 2 GP's attending, and was also scenario based using a real live model, but this time focussing on pregnancy care and issues such as screening, antenatal visits, risk management and clinical upskilling; it was an excellent educational day.

These two workshops were further complemented by a ½ day workshop for the midwives on on the implementation of the Victorian Maternity Record, a hand held pregnancy record which women booked in to have their babies here at Mansfield District Hospital will carry with them to each antenatal visit.

All three of these upskilling programs prepares our team of obstetric providers, both midwifery and medical, for the new shared maternity care model of care being offered to women having their babies here at Mansfield District Hospital.