Your birth

Childbirth carries with it the potential for enormous personal growth and empowerment. As such, it should be accomplished in a manner that is not only evidence based and promotes safety but which also recognises and enhances the emotional and spiritual nature of birth. Our specialised team will strive to help you achieve your potential.

If you choose to have a Birth Plan/Preference

Some people choose to have a birth plan/preference. They see it as an opportunity to write down any thoughts or wishes they have about their labour and /or stay in hospital.

It is very important that you discuss your plan/preference with your Obstetrician and midwifery staff. This will give us an opportunity to let you know what we have available to meet your wishes and what is safe and practical according to your individual circumstances.

Our experienced team of midwives are able to support you in whatever birth you and your obstetrician may choose including calm birthing techniques, hypnobirthing, optimal maternal positioning techniques, water birth and more.

You will need to be flexible and be prepared to do things differently if complications arise for you or your baby. Childbirth is not always "normal" and intervention may be required under certain circumstances.

If intervention is required your Obstetrician/midwife will explain why the intervention is necessary and the associated risks and benefits of the intervention.

Support for pregnancy in the Birthing Suite

Many women enjoy the company of a close family member or friend during their labour and birth, in addition to the company of their partner. The midwives can help you explore the role of support people during antenatal classes. If your support person is not present during your admission to the birthing suite, the midwife caring for you will notify him/her at your request.

It is important to maintain the privacy of all women in labour. Therefore, it is necessary for staff to accompany your support person into the Birthing Suite. If they need to leave the area, we ask that they keep the midwife informed of their whereabouts.

It is important the Doulas identify themselves as a "support person" on admission,and are aware of the Ramsay Support Person Policy.

Food and drink is provided in the birthing suite for both you and your partner.

Phone Calls

Relatives and friends are requested not to phone the birthing suite to enquire about patients. It is best to arrange for your support person to contact the people you wish to keep informed. Each Birthing Suite has a phone for you to use.

In the interests of privacy and confidentiality, staff cannot give details about progress of labour or about the baby.

Mobile phones can interfere with monitoring equipment but may be used in the Birthing Suite unless staff instruct otherwise. Mobile phones may also be used in patient rooms but their use in all other areas of the Unit is not permitted.

Caesarean Delivery

If you have elected and booked to have a Caesarean delivery; on the day of your operation, you need to arrive at the Hospital Main Reception Desk for admission 2 hours prior to your booked theatre time.

If you are interested in upgrading to Deluxe Ocean View Suite package, please tell the Receptionist at this time, so that they can check availability.

From Front Reception you will be escorted to the Maternity Unit and prepared for your Caesarean.

Your support person may be present in the operating theatre if you have an epidural caesarean. They will be seated at the head of the operating table at the anaesthetist’s discretion. In order to maintain a high standard of hygiene, your support person must wear full operating theatre attire. A midwife or registered nurse will escort you while in theatre. Support person may not be present during a general anaesthetic.

Where possible, your baby will remain with you after the birth, in order to provide important skin-to-skin time. Uninterrupted skin-to-skin time between you and your baby for at least an hour assists in the early establishment of breast feeding, promotes bonding between you and your baby, helps to stabilise the baby's temperature and assists in your post-operative pain management.

Monitoring your Baby

To assist us to provide optimum care of your baby during labour and birth it is important that your baby's heart rate is monitored. Depending on the situation there are different ways that this can be done:

• Using a small portable ultrasound (doppler)
• Using a machine called a CTG (cardiotocograph). The baby's heart rate and your contractions are monitored electronically
• An electrode can be placed directly on the baby's head to record the heart rate( this is only used occasionally when it is difficult to record the heart rate using the two methods outlined above)

A CTG is performed on admission and is repeated intermittently throughout your labour unless there are indications for continual CTG monitoring.

Please note: If you have any questions in relation to this practice, contact your obstetrician or the Maternity Unit Manager.

Baby Identification Film Equipment in Birth Suite and the Operating Theatre

Newborn babies are identified with two name tags which are placed on the baby immediately following his/her birth. For safety purposes, the baby’s surname is to remain the same as the mother’s during the hospital admission.

Film equipment in birth suite and the operating theatre

See information on film equipment in birth suite and the operating theatre.