Pregnancy Care at The Sutherland Hospital

MAPS is a continuity of care model with a team of 6 midwives who provide a continuity of care experience through your pregnancy and into early parenting.

The MAPS team provides:

• Antenatal care with a known midwife for the duration of your pregnancy.
• Collaboration with other health care professionals as needed.
• Following the birth of your baby support visits in your home for up to 2 weeks.

Centering is a group model of antenatal care. You will have check-ups individually, but support and education takes place in a group setting. You will be able to spend more time with your midwives along with other women whose babies are due around the same time as yours. Being part of a group provides the opportunity to learn from the midwives and each other about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.

Meetings align with the normal schedule of visits in the antenatal clinic, around 6-8 sessions during your pregnancy. You will receive a schedule for all your meetings and appointments at your first group session. This serves as a combination of antenatal care and antenatal classes – there will be no need to attend separate childbirth classes.

Jacaranda is a continuity of care model that enables women to be cared for by the same midwives throughout pregnancy, birth and up to 14 days postnatally. The provision of care aims to provide families with continuity and encourages the development of individualised care aimed at improving outcomes for mothers and babies.

For most women, an allocated midwife will be able to provide the majority of care throughout the pregnancy journey. If the need for medical consultation or referral arises, Jacaranda is supported by the obstetric consultants and the hospital medical teams as required.

The midwives clinic provides antenatal care in a midwifery led format. You will see midwives through your pregnancy. You may not see the same midwives at each appointment. The midwives work in a multidisciplinary team with obstetric doctors and allied health workers. The midwives will consult with or refer you to other members of the multidisciplinary team as your condition indicates.

Accredited GPs may offer a shared care option to you. You will book into the hospital, then have most of your appointments with your GP. The midwives will provide collaborative care and see you a small number of times through your pregnancy. If complications arise during your pregnancy, you may be recommended to change to a hospital based model of care to ensure you and your baby are receiving appropriate care.

Some women require periodic appointments with the obstetric doctors, but still benefit from midwifery care through their pregnancy. You gain the benefit of direct obstetric input into your pregnancy, as well as the benefit of the education and care from the midwives.

This group welcomes young pregnant mums (under 21), their partners and support people. The group offers information about pregnancy, labour & new parenting tips, plus the chance to meet other new mums.

Aboriginal women, or women with Aboriginal partners will be offered a referral to New Directions. This service offers continuity of care though the pregnancy and after the birth of your baby. A midwife and an Aboriginal health worker will see you for each of your appointments. This service works in a multidisciplinary team with consultation with or referral to obstetric doctors and allied health care workers as appropriate.

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will be offered and recommended referral to the gestational diabetes clinic. You will be seen by obstetric and endocrine doctors, as well as a midwife to work with you in managing gestational diabetes through your pregnancy journey.

Women who are having their pregnancy care with a private obstetrician may have option to have their baby at The Sutherland Hospital. Please discuss with your obstetrician if this is an option you would like to pursue.