Services available
Shared Pregnancy Care
Shared maternity care is a model of care in which your pregnancy care is shared between your private midwife (or other care provider such as a GP or obstetrician) and the public hospital you are booked to have your baby at. This allows you to have continuity of care throughout your pregnancy and post-natal period with a care provider of your choice.
If you choose this model of care, the majority of your appointments are with your private midwife, and you usually have two to three appointments with the hospital. Your baby will be born in hospital and you have access to all of the allied care the hospital offers if required, but the majority of your visits are with your midwife in the community. Visits with your private midwife will take place in your home and will include all of your routine clinical care and testing. If indicated, Emily can order blood tests, ultrasounds and prescribe medications you may require.
This model of care offers the gold standard in maternity care; continuity of care. Midwives are the experts in healthy, low risk pregnancy and birth. Evidence suggests that this model of care is associated with improved outcomes for mums and babies, and higher levels of satisfaction of care for women and their families.
You need to be low risk to access this model, and be planning a hospital birth. Regular visits usually commence in the first trimester and continue until 6-8 weeks post-partum.
Emily is accredited to provide care with Monash Health with priority given to those booked at Sandringham Hospital.
To find out more about the schedule of visits for shared care, please click below:
Labour and birth support
Emily offers labour and birth support to a small number of families each year. This is in addition to one of the models of pregnancy care and you must be using one of these models of care to be able to receive labour and birth support. Emily will be on call for you from 37 weeks of pregnancy until you have had your baby, and will arrange for a backup midwife in the rare event that she is unable to attend.
Emily can provide non-clinical early labour care in your home according to your specific wishes and needs and provide guidance around when might be a good time to head into hospital. Emily can then accompany you into hospital, if you wish, to provide ongoing labour and birth support, advocate for you, and help inform your decision making. Emily will then remain with you until your baby is about 2-3 hours old and you have had your first breastfeed, a shower, a cuppa and something to eat!
Labour and Birth support is usually in addition to your primary support person, and a big part of this care is ‘supporting the support’. Emily does not replace your support person, she attends as additional support and a big part of this is making sure your primary support person is ‘fed, watered and well rested’ so that they can adequately support you.
Care is non-clinical, meaning it is purely physical and psychological support. Labour and birth support are not currently covered by medicare and do not attract a rebate.
The home GTT experience
Would you like your GTT (gestational diabetes test) experience to be more comfortable, convenient and meaningful?
For many women, the gestational diabetes test (GTT) can feel like an inconvenient and sometimes overwhelming part of pregnancy. Spending 2+ hours in a busy pathology clinic isn’t always the most comfortable or enjoyable way to spend your morning.
Bayside Midwifery Services is now offerring at-home gestational diabetes testing, allowing you to complete the GTT in the comfort and privacy of your own home!
Rather than sitting in a waiting room, you’ll be able to relax in your home through the whole testing process.
During the waiting periods, we can make the most of this valuable time together, making it more than just a pathology test. It’s also an opportunity to receive personalised support and education tailored to your needs.
We can use the time to discuss topics such as:
Preparing for labour and birth
Birth planning and creating a birth plan
Previous labour and birth experience/s
Explore and fears or anxiety
Breastfeeding preparation
Early newborn care and preparing for the 4th trimester
Any topics that are important to you!
Alternatively, if you would prefer to just do the test and no education session is required, Emily can come and go as needed, leaving you the time and space to work/rest.
Whether this is your first baby or your 4th, the session can be completely individualised to meet your unique needs and ensure you receive information that is relevant, evidence-based and meaningful to you.
We can use this valuable time to support, educate and empower you as you prepare to welcome your baby.
Fee’s for the GTT experience are included here
To find out more and book in your GTT, contact Emily here
Pregnancy and postnatal support
Pregnancy support is for families wanting some additional care in addition to their primary care provider. Care is tailored to your individual needs. This option is for those who:
Feel that they aren’t getting enough time or space for questions and education in their hospital clinic appointments. Long appointments with Emily allow for relationship building and asking as many questions as you need.
May require additional support due to psychological, social or physical factors eg life/family circumstances, personal history, past trauma, disability or illness
Would like additional support with labour, birth and/or postnatal planning
Feel they need additional education around pregnancy care, labour, birth, breastfeeding and newborn care
Any other reason that private midwifery care might benefit you and your family!
The majority of your antenatal appointments will be with your booked care provider/hospital clinic and you can “add on” to these with as many appointments that you feel you need with Emily.
To find out more about more about pregnancy support options and visit schedule options, please click below:
Early pregnancy planning and support service
Just found out you're pregnant? Finding out you’re pregnant is exciting (and sometimes a bit terrifying), but can also bring about plenty of questions about what to do next!
Many women are unsure of the next steps, how to access maternity care, or what their options are. Bayside midwifery services offers an early pregnancy planning and support service, designed to provide timely support and guidance from the very beginning of your pregnancy, without the need for a GP referral. You will receive guidance on your next steps, discuss your pregnancy care options, arrange initial pregnancy blood tests and ultrasound referrals, and answer any questions you may have.
During your appointment, you'll meet with an Emily, who will take the time to discuss your health history, answer your questions, and explain the different pregnancy care options available to you. Whether you're considering care through the public or private system, shared care, or private midwifery services, Emily will help you understand your choices so you can make informed decisions that are right for you and your family.
You'll receive evidence-based information about early pregnancy, including what to expect in the coming weeks, discuss your options for early pregnancy testing, nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, pregnancy supplements, common early pregnancy symptoms, and when to seek medical advice if you have any concerns.
Emily’s goal is to ensure you feel informed, supported, and confident from the very beginning. Whether you plan to continue your pregnancy care with Bayside Midwifery Services or another maternity care provider, I am here to help you navigate those important first weeks with compassionate, informative and personalised care.