Choosing an option for your maternity care

You may choose to have your care with antenatal clinic midwives. If you experience complications during your pregnancy, an obstetrician will be involved in your care at the hospital antenatal clinic along with the midwives.

Women receiving pregnancy care at Redcliffe Hospital are cared for by the same group of midwives throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth. This gives women and the midwives the opportunity to get to know each other and develop a partnership.

Your appointments:  Appointments may be in the hospital or in the community. You will be allocated a midwife who will be your primary carer with an obstetrician consultant who will oversee your care. The midwives will see you from booking-in to 6 weeks after birth. A ‘meet the midwives’ social group will be offered for you to meet the rest of the midwifery group and other mothers.

Availability: There are limited spaces available for this care option. Please state your interest in Midwifery Group Practice when you’re registering online. Even if you have pregnancy complications, you may still be able to choose this care option.

You can have your antenatal care with a Private Practice Midwife (PPM) (a midwife who is authorised to work at the hospital) in the community and give birth at Redcliffe Hospital. This may incur a cost but you may receive rebates through Medicare or your private health insurance. The private midwife will work collaboratively with the hospital staff and may advise if you need to involve the obstetric/medical/midwifery or allied health teams at the hospital.

Your appointments: Your private midwife may offer antenatal visits, routine blood tests, ultrasounds and will recommend when to have appointment(s) at the hospital.

Labour: For labour and birth, you may be cared for by your private midwife in the hospital. Your midwife can provide care for you and your family in the community and visit you at home.

Home visits: Your private midwife will provide ongoing care and home visits after your baby is born.

Further information can be found at www.mymidwives.com.au

You are able to access Ngarrama East if you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander woman or you are having a child with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.

A midwife and an advanced Indigenous health worker will care for you throughout your pregnancy and after birth. They will provide all antenatal and postnatal care in either your home, the community clinic or at Redcliffe Hospital.

The Young Parent Group is a service provided for young mums 21 years or younger. It is held in a community setting and facilitated by a small team of health professionals, consisting of 2 midwives and a social worker. It is a relaxed, non-judgemental and friendly care option where women are able to have their individual midwife appointments and receive childbirth and parenting education within a group setting.

Women who have existing medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart disease or develop problems during their pregnancy are provided with a combination of visits from doctors and midwives at Redcliffe Hospital.

Women with no obstetric complications are able to have most of their care with their local doctor/GP in the community. We recommend women visit the hospital at 12-13 weeks and at 20, 36 and 41 weeks. If complications develop during pregnancy your GP will refer you to the hospital Antenatal Clinic.