Caring for mothers and Aboriginal babies - new service for Upper Hunter
12 August 2009
A new service is now offering community-based pregnancy care for mothers and Aboriginal babies in Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone and surrounding communities.
Local Aboriginal women or those women with Aboriginal partners can access the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service (AMIHS) during their pregnancy and for care after the birth of their baby.
Based in Muswellbrook, the service is provided by an Aboriginal Health Education Officer and a Midwife, working together with women in the community and other health professionals to provide high quality care in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for mothers and their babies.
A similar service is also located in Quirindi.
Aboriginal Health Education Officer Kami Lang said the team was committed to improving the health of Aboriginal families and babies.
“We are committed to providing a high quality service that is culturally sensitive, woman-centred, based on primary health care principles and in partnership with Aboriginal people,” Kami said.
“This service is a unique and special opportunity to provide the very best standard of pregnancy care for women and their new babies,” she said.
“AMIHS make the woman central to her pregnancy journey and by doing this AMIHS can take the time to tailor the service directly to suit the individual woman.”
Pregnancy care occurs throughout the pregnancy and after the birth, until the baby is eight weeks old.
AMIHS Upper Hunter community midwife Connie Greenwood said the service takes a flexible and holistic approach to the care provided.
Services provided include:
• Pregnancy testing
• Regular pregnancy ‘check ups’ (antenatal visits)
• Listening to baby’s heart beat
• Blood pressure testing
• Information about staying healthy in pregnancy, choices in labour and birth, becoming a parent, the new baby, contraception and new families.
• Additional referrals to other health professionals if required (for example: diabetes educators, GP’s, physiotherapists and child and family health professionals).
“We work very closely with other health professionals and agencies to make sure women have access to the care they need, when they need it. All of these services are offered in the family’s home, at the hospital or wherever the woman feels comfortable,” Connie said.
Pregnant Aboriginal women or those women with Aboriginal partners can contact the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service on (02) 6542 2751.
Contact: Shannon Ramadge
Phone: 6767 7136