A student-led midwifery clinic at Health2Go is providing up to six weeks of postnatal care appointments for mums and their babies as part of a new community initiative.
In South Australia, new mothers typically receive three home visits by hospital midwives after giving birth in the public system. Based at the Flinders University Sturt Campus, the Midwifery Connect Clinic is providing postnatal care delivered by a midwifery student and an experienced midwife for up to six weeks after hospital discharge.
The service enables midwifery students to get hands-on training with experienced midwives in a clinic setting.
While the new clinic doesn’t replace domiciliary care, GP appointments, or Child and Youth Healthcare Visits, it does provide extended postnatal care and prolonged support for a range of issues, including:
- Postnatal observations
- Feeding advice
- Breastfeeding advice
- Neonatal settling advice
- Support and reassurance
- Education
- Baby weighs
- Womens Health screening
Associate Lecturer in Midwifery and project lead of the Midwifery Connect Clinic, Fiona Dillon, says the new postnatal care program is designed to provide mums and their babies with support in those early days when it is most needed.
“The service hopes to bridge the gap between our hospitals completing care and community health services commencing. “
“Midwifery students at Flinders university will have the opportunity to gain experience in providing wholistic postnatal care that incorporates the full scope of practice for midwives. We hope to make this service accessible to all and meet the needs of the community,” says Ms Dillon.
The Midwifery Connect Clinic isn’t replacing existing postnatal services provided by South Australian hospitals but instead enhances those available in the public system and potentially takes the pressure off our hospital services, whilst improving the experience of women and babies.
Mums have the opportunity to book a telehealth appointment during their pregnancy to familiarise themselves with the new service and to meet their midwife and the midwifery student that will be providing support. Postnatal care planning appointments can be booked from 36 weeks and will assist women and families to commence appointments once their baby arrives.
The Health2Go clinic also has the capacity to provide services for women who have recently had a baby and are seeking a postnatal appointment after the birth of their baby
Mums can email health2go@flinders.edu.au to book an appointment for either an in-person or Telehealth consultation.