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GSHS and its team of midwives welcome and thank you for choosing the Leongatha Hospital to give birth to your baby. Apart from hospital care, GSHS offers midwife antenatal consultations, antenatal education classes and domiciliary postnatal care.
MIDWIFE ANTENATAL CONSULTATIONS
It is important to attend three key antenatal consultations with a GSHS midwife. All consultations are held in the Maternity Ward at Leongatha Hospital and your partner is encouraged to also attend. Appointments can be made by contacting GSHS's Leongatha Campus on 5667 5555 and asking to speak to a midwife.
First appointment
Your initial booking-in appointment should be arranged between 12-16 weeks. During the appointment the midwife will obtain pre-admission details and provide you with written information as well as discuss what to expect and answer any questions you or your partner may have.
Second appointment
The second appointment is recommended at 28 weeks and the midwife will check your blood pressure, assess your baby’s growth and listen to your baby’s heartbeat. This is a good opportunity to discuss any concerns or test results.
Third appointment
The third appointment is recommended at 37 weeks. The midwife will again check your blood pressure, assess your baby’s growth, listen to your baby’s heartbeat and check your baby’s position. This is the time to discuss your labour and birth expectations, your birth plan and any concerns. It is also a good time to discuss feeding your newborn baby and what to expect in the first few days after birth.
ANTENATAL EDUCATION
This five-week program is designed to help prepare you and your partner or support person for labour and birth, and for the transition to parenthood including breast feeding and care of your baby.
The classes are held in the Education Centre at the Leongatha Campus on a Tuesday evening, commencing at 7.00 pm and finishing at 9.00 pm. Access to the Education Centre is via Sloan Avenue behind the Hospital and just past the Koorooman House nursing home.
There is a nominal fee of $5.00 per class. If there are any financial difficulties, please discuss this with a midwife at the time of booking into the program. A list of class dates will be given to you when you book in or you can download the brochure here - Antenatal Education Program - 2012.
DOMICILIARY POSTNATAL FOLLOW UP
Once you return home with your baby a midwife will contact you and may arrange a home visit if you feel this is necessary. We maintain this contact for up to two weeks, however this is flexible depending on individual needs.
Our midwives work in consultation with your Maternal and Child Health Nurse during the early weeks you are home and we are able to consult your doctor on your behalf if required.
PATIENT INFORMATION SHEETS
A series of patient information sheets are available below. Please speak to your midwife if you require hard copies.
FURTHER INFORMATION
There is a wealth of information available about pregnancy and childbirth online. Click on Maternity Services - Further Information to be redirected to a new page that provides details of recommended websites and publications as well as information on Family Assistance available through the Australian Government. If you require brochures on any of the information listed please speak to your midwife.
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