Expecting families can continue to receive safe and high quality care from the maternity team at Bass Coast Health throughout the COVID pandemic.
Wonthaggi Hospital continues to provide its excellent birthing services in addition to ante-natal classes and home visits post-birth, with full COVIDSafe precautions in place.
While Armitage House at Wonthaggi Hospital has been designated as an additional emergency department to provide capacity for the surge, the maternity ward is equally equipped to manage our maternity patients safely and protect them from COVID in the event of surge.
Bass Coast Health CEO Jan Child said Wonthaggi Hospital had long enjoyed a reputation as a quality birthing facility and would continue to maintain that service and all COVID Maternity patients would be appropriately screened to Monash Health, in line with State-wide directives.
“Our maternity services are held in high regard and we are attracting more mothers-to-be from as far as Lang Lang and Pakenham,” she said.
“We have seen an increase in bookings since the latest COVID wave started, which we have been able to support with ease.”
In the BCH service, families become familiar with midwives before their baby is born through comprehensive ante-natal classes, and they have the support of a dedicated midwife during labour and birth. Midwives offer home visits after a baby is born to assist new families settle into their new lifestyle.
“We offer individualised care and we have such a great team that is more like a family than a workplace,” Ms Child said.
“Our midwives work well with our doctors and this results in better care for the families because everyone is on the same page. Our goal is to provide the best service for women and their families as we can.”
Sharna Howden recently gave birth to her son Theodor Grieve at Wonthaggi Hospital.
“The midwives were great and coached me through the whole process,” she said.
Her partner Matt Grieve said, “Even as a partner, they support you through it because it’s stressful for everyone and the midwives keep everything in check. Hats off to them.”
With the growth in maternity services, Bass Coast Health will take on a second student midwife in 2022, who will have the opportunity to follow women through their birthing journey.
Wonthaggi Hospital has ample capacity to welcome more expectant mothers. If you would like to discuss our excellent Maternity Services close to home, please contact our team on (03) 5671 3201.