Upper Hunter maternity services delivering healthier babies
A team of midwives at Muswellbrook District Health Service have developed a unique breastfeeding program called HUSH (Healthy Babies, Uninterrupted, Skin to Skin, Hands Off), which is helping mothers to breastfeed their babies successfully.
HUSH is a project created by midwives at Muswellbrook and Scone, along with a community representative giving babies a better start to life. Since its inception Hunter New England Health (HNE Health) has had interest from other health services within the region and interstate to establish similar programs.
Nurse Unit Manager at Muswellbrook District Health Service Helen Scott said if breastfeeding is initiated successfully in the first instance, then the chance of mums experiencing problems later on decreases dramatically.
“Midwives in the maternity unit are encouraged to support mothers but not to interfere, in a hands-off approach, when the newborn is feeding,” she said.
In the past, midwives have helped the newborn attach to the mother and were wrapped in a blanket when feeding. With practicing the principles of HUSH, midwives talk the mother through the stages of the feed and encourage mums to unwrap their babies putting skin-on-skin.
“It’s a natural approach, we are finding babies attach easier, their temperate is more regulated and newborns settle quickly,” said Ms Scott said.
The program has been nominated for a Hunter New England Health 2008 Quality Award. Winners will be announced in mid September.
Around 250 babies were born at the Muswellbrook maternity unit in the past year, almost an equal amount of boys and girls. There are 14 midwives working in partnership with four general practitioners at the unit to provide care for women during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
A majority of the midwives are trained as registered nurses and have completed specialised midwifery training. Occasionally, there may not be women or babies admitted due to low activity, but there is always a midwife on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care for women and their babies, and a GP obstetrician is also available.
The maternity unit is working towards a Baby Friendly Health initiative accreditation which ensures babies have the best start to life by promoting and supporting breast feeding. (HNE - 1443)
Contact: Kylie Dawson (Communication Unit)
Phone: (02) 6767 7136 or 0408 667 229