Care now closer to home for pregnant women and their families.

Maternity care and support will now be on offer closer to home for families in Sydney’s inner-west, with a new midwifery clinic opening its doors at Concord Hospital.

The Bulbuwul Mudjin Midwifery Clinic – which translates to ‘Strong Families’ in the local Aboriginal language – will provide a Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) model of continuity of care.

Mel Tulloch is one of the six midwives at the Clinic who’ll support women, and their families, through pregnancy, childbirth and the first weeks after the birth of their baby.

She’ll be the first point of contact for the women in her care.

Under the MGP model, midwives deliver individualised care, providing antenatal check-ups, childbirth education, support during labour and when the baby is at home.

“A large part of our role is to get to know each woman, establish a bond over the course of her pregnancy and tailor care and education that is right for each family,” Ms Tulloch, a former Clinical Midwifery Educator at Canterbury Hospital, said.

“Being in labour can make women feel incredibly vulnerable. So, to be greeted by someone they are comfortable with, who they don’t have to explain themselves to and already have a familiar and trusting relationship with, can make all the difference,” she said.

During regular consultations, the women have physical check-ups and their baby’s growth and wellbeing is monitored.

The midwives work in partnership with the women to identify their needs, arrange appointments or referrals, collaborate with other health professionals, if needed, and ensure women have access to support services.

The midwives are on-call for the women in their care, should they need urgent advice.

Research shows continuity of care models result in higher levels of satisfaction and better outcomes for mothers and their babies.

“This new service is an important addition for families living near Concord Hospital who are planning to have children,” said Dr Teresa Anderson, the District’s Chief Executive, said.

“Women will continue to attend RPA or Canterbury hospitals to have their baby. The new Bulbuwul Mudjin Midwifery Clinic at Concord Hospital will allow them to have their antenatal care appointments closer to home,” Dr Anderson said.

Pregnant women, who have a low chance of complications in pregnancy, can be referred to the Concord MGP by their GP.

The Clinic has three consultation rooms, a group room and a family-friendly waiting area and is located in Building 31 at Concord Hospital.

For Mel Tulloch, it’s an opportunity to contribute to building a service from the ground up.

“I’ve always wanted to work in this model of care and I’m excited to be a part of the small team establishing this practice at Concord and for the unique chance to work across three hospitals,” she said.

For more information about the Bulbuwul Mudjin Midwifery Clinic, please call the Midwifery Group Practice on 9767 9021.