Louise Paterson:

‘A little bit about my life’s journey, and why I have ended up doing what I do…’

I come from a line of very caring, nurturing women, who had a great influence on my life from an early age. I only had my grandmother till the age of 6yrs, and sadly I lost my mother to cancer just before my Wedding in 1993.

They were strong but extremely kind women, and their loss was hard to bear, particularly my mother, who was my best friend and confidante.

However, the time I had with them taught me so much about me, and the direction I should take.

I shared the care of my sister when she was born, because my mother got severe postnatal depression. I took over quite a lot of the maternal duties at the age of 10yrs. You could say that this cemented my maternal instincts for me.

It was not a surprise to my Mother that after my nurse training I decided to specialise in Midwifery.

When I had my first child in 1995 I too, suffered from postnatal depression, I felt the loss of my mother even more, because I knew she would have been such a wonderful support and source of knowledge.

What I really learnt from both pregnancies was how truly vulnerable and alone you can feel when you become pregnant and have a new baby. If you haven’t felt it before, you can really feel the need for female support after your baby is born.

Understanding the importance of good postnatal care led me to the next step in my journey. I had always enjoyed Community Work and the opportunity to support new mothers with their parenting, and I knew it was time to go back to my Community Practitioner role.

I learnt some new skills to help promote confidence and help mothers remain calm: baby massage to help mothers connect with the enjoyment of having a newborn. Then, reflexology to help mothers relax, sleep or ground themselves, when their anxiety was high.

In May 2013, after emigration to Australia in 2007, I formed Community Midwifery Services in honour of my much – loved Community team in the UK, in which I worked for 10 years. The education and knowledge I gained has enabled me to share many years of wisdom with the mothers I care for to this day.

Education is the key – I love to educate, and if I had not been a Nurse/Midwife I would have probably have become a teacher.

Why?  Good health information should be shared and knowledge is always empowering whatever situation a mother finds herself in.

I have always had a holistic approach to care and enjoy strengthening the parent-infant relationship by looking at what factors are causing stress or concerns for both. There are nearly always practical solutions for most things, with lots of patience and understanding. The most important thing I have learnt is that care needs to be individual, babies are not all the same, they have different personalities, therefore different needs, just like we do.

Care needs to be taken to work out what is right for that baby looking at all the factors concerning pregnancy birth and the early postnatal period.”

My interests in maternal and infant emotional health and wellbeing, and the love for Community, has led Community Midwifery Services to connect, align and collaborate with local psychology networks and groups.

Helen Gordon: Practice Manager

Helen, is the mother of three young adults, Kayla, Ben and Megan and the proud grandmother of three beautiful grandsons, Levi, Malakai and Callan.

She became a registered nurse in 1984 and a midwife in 1998. Since becoming a midwife, she has worked in both private and public health settings. Working for over a decade in a birth centre, within a small team of midwives. Providing antenatal, labour and birth and postnatal care.

She has been able to connect, with women and their families, at some of the most significant moments of their lives. Supporting them through their journey to motherhood, acting as their advocate and has been privileged to share in their joy at becoming parents.

She has seen, first hand, the benefits to women, of having a known primary carer. She was privileged to care for her own daughter, through her pregnancies, labours and births and to support her in those initial emotional and tiring first weeks.

Helen sees her role as a facilitator and believes that all women and their partners, should have the latest information, in order to make the best choices for their families. Acting as a resource person and providing current information, is an integral part of the care that she provides. She understands that education will enable couples to feel safe and empowered through their birthing journey.

Sharing the journey with her daughter and many other women, has given her a desire to provide midwifery support to women, in any form that they may require. Whether that is during pregnancy, as a birth support in the hospital or at home, or postnatally. Thereby expanding on current services available to women and providing continuity of care, by a known midwife, in all contexts.

Louise Noorbergen

Louise is the mother of three, became a registered nurse in 1986 and a registered midwife in 1991. Since then she has worked in the private and public health settings providing antenatal, labour and birth, and postnatal care. She believes that care of childbearing women is best provided when a midwife works in partnership with woman throughout the pregnancy, birth and early parenting period.

Louise believes that pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting is a major life transition which occurs in context of being part of community. The birth of a child is a social event: the midwife’s role is to support the transition to parenthood physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially. Globally, there is much evidence to support the role of the midwife as primary carer.

Being a midwife is a priviledge: it is a priviledge to support a couple through the struggle of infertility or the loss of a child; to be a listening ear as a woman grapples with the issues surrounding an unwanted pregnancy; to facilitate understanding as a couple identifies changes in their relationship as they move from being partners to becoming partners in parenting; to journey through labour and to witness the sacred moment of birth.

Along with this priviledge is the responsibility to ensure competency and currency of midwifery knowledge and practice. This is best facilitated by reflective practice, peer review, client feedback and continuous professional development.

Supporting the transition to parenthood has the potential to impact the wider social determinants of health. It is important that the midwife recognises: the place of significant others in the major transition; the place of inter-sectorial advocacy; social determinants of health and the midwife’s role in advocacy.

Louise is motivated to be on the frontline of nurturing healthy nations – supporting healthy mothers (physically, psychologically and socially) and fathers to nurture healthy babies and become healthy famillies.

Louise chooses not to be the rescuer or the principal actor but more to be part of the support crew for the journey!

Deborah Heaysman – DOULA/BIRTH SUPPORT

Lisa Marshall – Endorsed Midwife/ Monash Health

Louise and Lisa have had a long professional relationship, and friendship since 2007, when Louise arrived from the UK.

Lisa and the Birth Centre Team welcomed me openly, and helped me settle in at a time in my life which was very challenging.

Lisa has finally joined me in 2018, in caring for Mothers in both the antenatal and postnatal periods. Lisa and I are collaborating with Dr Saul Cohen providing continuity of shared care for Dr Cohen’s clients, including birth preparation and postnatal home visiting.

Narelle Tsiros, Midwife, Lamaze Childbirth Educator and Massage Therapist

My name is Narelle Tsiros. I love my role as a Midwife, Lamaze Childbirth Educator and Pregnancy Massage Therapist. Nurturing women and their partners through such an important life experience brings me so much joy!