What to Expect

“I believe mamas deserve the best care at the start of their mothering journey.”

I believe that in the sacred space of birth, it’s not merely the creation of babies, but the profound transition into motherhood that is the miracle of childbirth.

Home birth, to me, is where the heart lies, however, I also extend my services to provide private antenatal and postnatal care for those opting for different birth settings.

I see my role as part of a larger team, I am not here to “know”, or be an expert, I’m here to walk along side, to support a woman’s or birthing person’s growing knowing as they journey through pregnancy and childbirth for them and their family.

My role is to model a deep commitment to honouring the power of physiological birth and to create a supportive space as a known carer for whatever unfolds.

This phase of a person’s life is totally epic and transformational, and to provide one-to-one relationship-based care in a woman’s home, with her at the centre of care, where she is the boss, calls the shots, and where she doesn’t have to strap the other kids in the car or get a minder while she gets her pregnancy care!

Mothercare is about mamas getting informed, supported, having epic care, connection and healing. My experience as a new mama led me to understand the care that feels not like that!

That drives me to provide women with evidence-based information and personal, safe, nurturing, and respectful care, developing a mutually trusting relationship with the family I care for during their journey into their baby’s first year.

See below for more on what to expect and the benefits of what I can offer you.

Private Midwifery

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A PRIVATE MIDWIFE

A private midwife is an experienced healthcare professional who specialises in providing personalised maternity care to expectant parents. We offer a unique alternative to standard hospital-based maternity services by providing continuity of care, one-on-one support, and a focus on individualised birthing experiences.

I provide complete care through your pregnancy and are on-call 24/7 for labour and birth, either at the hospital or at home, and visit through the postpartum period. From finding out you are pregnant to that final goodbye at 6 weeks postpartum, I am with you every step of the way.

Rest assured, should any risk factors develop, I consult with a wide range of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, including your local hospital, obstetricians, endocrinologists, mental health professionals, and social workers. Your safety and well-being are my top priority.

I also collaborate with naturopaths, dieticians, acupuncturists, or women’s health physiotherapists, and I am more than happy to work alongside practitioners you already know and trust.

But the best part is I come to you. There is no buckling in the kids, arranging childcare or taking time off work for appointments, and we get to know you, your family and your dog in your own home!

Antenatal Care

WHAT TO EXPECT AS YOUR PREGNANCY PROGRESSES

Your pregnancy appointments are in your own home, and your children and partner are very welcome to be included.

I see you monthly, with increased frequency as your pregnancy progresses.

Each visit lasts approximately an hour as we get to know each other and develop a trusting partnership.

In preparation for birth, we will discuss your plans and any fears or anxieties you may have.

Clinical care includes a well-being check of both you and your baby, monitoring growth, and discussing clinical information.

I also order any pathology and ultrasounds that you choose, interpret test results, and prescribe common medications for pregnancy.

Antenatal Care In Depth

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR ANTENATAL CARE

Initial Visit - Our first session is a big ‘get to know’ each other. It’s an opportunity to ask some of those ‘I wish I had someone to ask that’ questions out of the way. It’s also where I get to begin to understand you and your family. Usually around 40 minutes.

Booking In Visit - (Around 12-14 weeks, bring your GP referral to this one). This includes a full health history, pregnancy and birth history, and general mental and social well-being. I will also ensure that any pathology testing, genetic screening and ultrasounds that you have wanted to attend are completed and reviewed, and make a broad plan for any ongoing screening you may wish to attend, including an 18-20 week ultrasound.

Ongoing Checks: (See list below). Each antenatal visit will also usually include a routine wellness antenatal check on you and your baby, including abdominal palpation, listening to the baby’s heartbeat and a blood pressure check.

  • 18- 20 Week - Antenatal check. Ultrasound review if attended.

  • 24 Week - Antenatal check

  • 28 Week - Antenatal check – With midwifery care plan completed.

  • 32 Week - Antenatal check

  • 34 Week - Antenatal check

  • 36 Week - Antenatal check – With birth planning.

  • 38 Week – Antenatal Check

  • 39 Week - Antenatal check for first-time Mamas.

  • 40 Week - Antenatal check

  • 41 Week - Antenatal check if needed.

  • 42 Week - Antenatal check

NOTE:

A big part of my role is monitoring your and your baby’s health and well-being and providing safe, humanised, high-quality, evidence-based care.

As a Registered and Endorsed Midwife, I am guided by the Australian College of Midwives Guidelines for Consultation and Referral. Should any factors be identified, with your consent, I may consult or refer to a wide range of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, including obstetricians, mental health professionals, or social workers.

I will also collaborate with your GP, and your local booking in hospital to meet my professional MIGA insurance requirements. I may suggest additional support from a team of experienced allied health professionals providing a range of services from preconception to postpartum care and may include a naturopath, dietician, acupuncturist, or women’s health physiotherapist with whom I have a strong professional respect, and I am more than happy to work alongside practitioners you already know and trust.

Postnatal Care Midwifery Services

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH YOUR POST-NATAL CARE

As your midwife, I provide postnatal care in your home for six weeks after your baby's birth. I am available via phone day and night should you have any questions or concerns regarding yourself or your baby.

For the Mother/Birthing Person, postnatal care includes:

  • Physical well-being, health, and healing after birth

  • Labour and birth debrief

  • Emotional support

  • Assistance with transitioning to family life

  • Breastfeeding support and education

  • Bottle feeding support

For the Baby:

  • Sleep and settling support

  • Well-baby checks and monitoring for any variations from normal

  • Skin and cord care, including bath support and education

  • Monitoring for neonatal jaundice

  • Newborn screening test collection

  • Baby weights and measures

  • Vitamin K administration if desired

  • Feeding assessments

Birth Care

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH LABOUR AND BIRTH

As your midwife, I am available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your needs and concerns are my top priority.

In preparation for your labour and birth, we will explore your wishes and needs, ensuring you feel confident that nothing is done without your informed consent and that you have full body autonomy and the right to refuse anything that does not feel right for you.

My role is to support you through labour and birth however you choose, whether at home or in the hospital. However, due to the lack of visiting rights at the hospital, I cannot practice as a midwife, and my role becomes that of an experienced support person and advocate as needed.

If birthing at home should a transfer to the hospital become necessary, I will accompany you and continue to support you until your baby is born.

After birth, I will remain with you for several hours until you are settled in.

For birthing at home, I carry extra equipment, which includes:

  • Birth pool, pump and pool liner

  • Waterproof Doppler and Pinnards for listening to baby’s heart rate

  • Equipment for cord-cutting and care

  • Scales to weigh the baby

  • The Baby ‘blue book’ and birth registration papers

  • Homeopathic and herbal tinctures

My Emergency Equipment includes:

  • Resuscitation equipment and medical gas

  • Catheterisation equipment

  • Cannulation equipment

  • Perineal suturing stock

  • Local anaesthetics and antiseptics.

  • Medications to manage postpartum haemorrhage

Benefits of Midwifery Care and Home Births

BENEFITS OF MIDWIFERY CONTINUITY OF CARE

Mothers who choose midwifery are:

  • More likely to experience a spontaneous vaginal birth.

  • Less likely to have a caesarean or instrumental birth (forceps or vacuum delivery)

  • More likely to report positive experiences during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. (Cochrane Data Base Systemic Review - Sandall et al 2024).

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF BIRTHING AT HOME.

It is important to acknowledge birthing at home, for a woman with normal risk factors, is as safe for mother and baby as birthing in a hospital, with decreased interventions and subsequent complications, when compared to birthing in a hospital for well women.

Benefits include:

  • A higher likeness to experience a spontaneous vaginal birth (95% vs 70%)

  • Episiotomy (3% to 21%)

  • Less likely to have a caesarean or instrumental birth (2.5% vs 17.5%)

  • Less likely to have a caesarean (2.5% vs 12.5%)

  • Less likely to have a post-partum haemorrhage (9% vs 13%)

  • Similar rates of stillbirth and neonatal death (1.6 per 1000 vs 1.7 per 1000)

Contact me.

If you’ve any questions on what to expect or need further clarification on how I work, please don’t hesitate to reach out.