Maternity:

The birth of your baby - what to expect?

Our skilled team of clinicians will support you as you work towards achieving the birth of your preference. Support will be delivered in a manner that recognises and enhances the emotional and spiritual nature of birth while promoting and protecting your safety and your baby’s safety.

Food and drink will be provided in the birthing suite for partners, however fluids only will be provided to the woman during her labour.

Skin- to-skin contact

Once your baby is born (whether by vaginal or caesarean birth), it will immediately be placed onto your chest, so that it is in direct skin-to-skin contact with the mother (or father if circumstances require). This contact will help establish the baby’s instinctive breastfeeding behaviour... (Read more about Skin-to-Skin contact)

Phone Calls

Mobile phones may be used in the Birthing Suite unless staff instruct otherwise. While Birthing Suites are equipped with phones for private use, we ask that you advise your relatives and friends against making phone calls to the birthing suite. We recommend you nominate a support person to update the people you wish to keep informed of your progress. In the interests of privacy and confidentiality, staff cannot give details about progress of labour or about the baby.

Mobile phones are also able to be used in patient rooms; however, their use in all other areas of the Unit is not permitted.

Caesarean Delivery

Your support person may be present in the operating theatre if you have an epidural caesarean. They will be seated at the head of the operating table, at the anaesthetist’s discretion. In order to maintain a high standard of hygiene, your support person must wear full operating theatre attire. A midwife or registered nurse will escort you, while in theatre.

Where possible, your baby will remain with you after the birth, in order to provide important skin-to-skin contact time. Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact, between you and your baby, for at least an hour assists in the early establishment of breast feeding and promotes bonding between you and your baby. This contact also helps to stabilise the baby’s temperature and assists in your post-operative pain management. Read more

Baby Identification

Newborn babies are identified with two name tags which are placed on the baby immediately following his/her birth.  For safety purposes, the baby’s surname is to remain the same as the mother’s during the hospital admission.

Film Equipment in Birth Suite and the Operating Theatre

Ramsay Health Care recognises that unique and special moments arise in hospital that patients, families and friends may wish to capture on film. However, we need to ensure that patient safety, clinical teamwork, the privacy of other patients, staff members and medical personnel are not compromised; therefore devices that record both film and sound are not allowed in the operating suite, birth suites or special care nursery.

Single shot devices that do not record sound are permissible by the agreement of the care team members present at the time.

Film and sound may be recorded in the privacy of a patient’s own room, provided the privacy of other patients and staff members is not compromised.

Nursing Care & Obstetric Care

The midwife will care for you for the duration of your labour. Midwives are in regular communication with your Obstetrician and will call them throughout your labour and to be present for the birth of your baby.

Paediatric Care

Paediatricians do not routinely attend vaginal births or elective caesarean sections however, a Paediatrician will attend a birth if there is a specific concern, for example multiple births, premature babies, breech deliveries, emergency caesarean sections, or a previously identified problem.

You may wish to choose a specific Paediatrician, alternatively a Paediatrician can be recommended by your Obstetrician. This consult is also an opportunity for you to discuss baby management issues, any family history of relevance, or other concerns you might have.