Re: [ozmidwifery] Canberra Birth Centre?

[Leanne Meddemmen]

Ho Monica Sorry this has taken so long in the replying. I have been privileged to be with some amazing women and families during their birthing. The primary midwifery teams (2 teams) have 4 midwives each . They have their "own" women and back each other up for annual leave, weekends off (one per month), sleeping etc. They provide the women pregnancy, labour and postnatal care (7-14 days) and also education sessions. They are on call 24/24 and work roughly 12/24 at one time without a break (OH&S) if some one is in labour. Though they may have worked during the day doing pregnancy care or postnatal visits. The fulltime Midwives have 4 women a month. This is decreased at annual leave times, 7 wks PA (worked out well in advance to help with booking families on the program), part time midwives have less families depending on what hours they work (some 3 days a week some 64 hrs f/n). Both teams have 2 fulltime 2 part-time midwives. Pregnancy care visits - initial @ 14-16/40, 20 with Obstetric Registrar, 26/40 with GLT if having, 30/40, 33/40 primips or 34/40 multips, 36/40 primip, 38/40 primip and multip and 40/40 primip and multip and 41/40 again for induction DISCUSSION and choices - IOL @ 41+3 or ultrasound for AFI & biophysical "profile" and await labour. Informed decision nothing mandatory. We don't have exclusion criteria except major medical issues, though some women will birth in Delivery Suite "routinely" - Initial VBAC, twins, Induction with synto, vaginal breech birth (not common but do happen) PE with medication. Salary "package", reimbursement of work use of own vehicle, mobile phone provided, arranges own daily workload and keeping hours down if over because of long labour/birth. Women aware that visits may need to be rearranged at short notice. Woman can choose their midwife if they have birthed before with them or we will ask them if they have birthed in the Birth Centre before, who cared for them and if they want to be with that Midwife again (if on PM teams) though some of the team midwives occasionally PM women they have been with, though harder to arrange as they have a 6 wk rotating roster. Union involved in salary negotiation and what is now our award. Those who were on the Committee worked extremely hard and had alot of moments of frustration but kept at it. Think about what women want and work out what your Midwives can/will offer the women and work from there. We did a couple of Midwife surveys as well and also asked who wanted to do the Primary Model care. Please don't call it caseloading (poor connotations and language choice) One woman rang the Birth Centre wanting to speak to her Midwife as she was one of her CASES. Hope this helps. If you need further info email me ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) again or if you want ring the Birth Centre (02) 62443145. Leanne ;o ) ----- Original Message ----- From: Monica Hook To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, October 06, 2002 7:46 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Canberra Birth Centre?   Hi Leanne, I would be very interested in learning more about your primary midwifery model. I work in a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney and as a consequence of the GMT2 thing going on here we have been asked by the  Area Stream Director (a gynaecologist who has no connection in any way with obstetric practice) to develop proposals for midwifery led care. I feel quite out of my depth and though I'm on the committee I don't feel as if I can contribute much. It would be great to see how others have instituted such models. We have a long-standing Team Midwifery program but its long hours of rostering don't make it a  viable proposition for most of our midwives. Not all of us are able to make ourselves available for 12 hour on call shifts etc. There must be other models running though, I'd love to hear how yours works, especially as a couple I looked after a few weeks ago described with a wealth of gratitude and nostalgia the wonderful birth experience they had had in Canberra with their last baby- obviously you are doing something right! Many thanks, Monica-------Original Message-------   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, 04 October 2002 09:51:52 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Canberra Birth Centre?   Hi Mary, My name is Leanne and I am a Midwife at the Birth Centre at Canberra Hospital, we would love to see you and give you a gander around. The Birth Centre has a Primary Midwifery model and a team Mid model for women. I'm not sure about bookings in May. if you would like to email me ([EMAIL PROTECTED])   and give me an address or ask specific questions I would be glad to try and help. Leanne ----- Original Message ----- From: Mary Murphy To: list Sent: Friday, October 04, 2002 6:43 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] Canberra Birth Centre? I have a personal interest in a baby who is due in Canberra in May 03.  The woman had her first baby 5 yrs ago and had a ?woman obstetrician.  she desn't know about any other model.  I would very much like to give her information about a midwifery model of care.  Can someone please send me information I can pass on?  Also, I will be visiting Canberra in 3 weeks and would very much like to see your Birth centre.  Is that possible?  Thanks, MM   ____________________________________________________   IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here