Pre-conception Care

Louise has passion for caring for Mothers after pregnancy loss including still birth.

In the UK, all mothers, irrespective of type of birth, gestation of pregnancy or live birth or loss/ stillbirth, had as many postnatal visits as they needed.

It ensured that we could look after not only their physical wellbeing but their emotional wellbeing. We could nurture both Mother and Father and give them the support that they needed. It is so important to talk to someone who really understands how you are feeling, is able to offer practical support through the process, and most of all has time to listen to your story.

Louise offers this same service here in Australia, but includes a relaxing and nurturing reflexology treatment while you debrief and share how you are feeling.

Pregnancy Care:

Hope Package: supportive antenatal care in our ‘Hope Programme’ aims to listen to you as an individual, your concerns and anxieties,and hopes to normalise things for you so you can remain calm, and feelsafe.

CMS Midwives offer many different options to support you with your pregnancy:

Shared Care with your GP/OB or Obstetrician, or Additional Care alongside your Primary Carer/ Public hospital, if your pregnancy is a little more complex due to a medical condition.

Community Midwifery Services has partnered with Dr Saul Cohen to offer care which is personal and individual to your needs.  Dr Cohen is passionate about ‘Keeping Birth Normal’ and promotes water birth and vaginal birth after Caesarian.

If you have any emotional or mental health concerns we specialise in giving you additional care which supports and guides you through your pregnancy and postnatal period, so you don’t need to feel alone. We are solely there to listen, and get to know what your specific needs are, and walk with you on your journey. See below (drop down).

If you feel you would like this option,even if you have no emotional health concerns but feel anxious and fearful, then this is the ideal option for you! We just fit around your other appointments, and care follows on after the birth until you are confident to walk on your own.

Whatever the type of care you require we are more than happy to support your individual need.

Complex pregnancies: require good midwifery support too.

Please don’t think we cannot provide support with current information, education, birth planning, help with complex issues and questions around your own and baby’s wellbeing, and definitely for good quality postnatal care.

Medicare Rebates

You are able to claim once you are pregnant and for your first appointment with your Midwife at 8-12 weeks.

You will need a referral from your Obstetrician or GP/Obstetrician (which can be backdated after your first appointment if necessary).

CMS has a longstanding relationship with Dr Jenny Picking in Langwarrin Medical Centre, and she is happy to see you and discuss your referral request.

The item numbers commonly used are: 82100 for your booking appointment, and 82110 for a long antenatal appointment and follow up.

All CMS appointments are long appointments because we like to spend time to get to know you, and answer your questions without rushing.

The Postnatal rebatesare the most rewarded by medicare, and so we encourage all our clients to register for these visits. The item numbers used: 82135 and 82130, and 82140 for a 6 week postnatal discharge.

We also Recommend all new clients registering for the medicare safety net at the start of their pregnancy, since once a limit has been reached (mainly in the case of Private Clients), you will get a significant increase in the rebate you get back from Medicare.

A typical antenatal appointment:

• All our visits are home visits. We really enjoy getting to know you!
• A full history of your pregnancy will be taken on the first visit. (This first visit will take at least 2hrs so please allow time for it).
• All bloods and scans and previous birthing histories will be reviewed, and any referral letters from your GP or OBS.
• Primary Care givers recommendations acknowledged, and a plan formed to suit this Shared Care
• Full general examination of pregnancy well being follows including: weight, blood pressure, observation of baby’s growth (abdominal examination) and fetal heart listened to, and movements recorded (if appropriate to gestational age of baby).
• Emotional health and well being check follows, if appropriate, THE EDINBURGH POSTNTAL SCALE can be filled in at this point.
• Education on what to expect at this stage of pregnancy: symptoms and emotions.
• Planning for Motherhood: How do you feel? And what do you need most? Learn more about the importance of really knowing yourself. Knowing not only your physical needs but emotional needs too. Knowing your triggers to stress can really help you on the day of birth to stay strong and motivated, but also prepare you for the challenges of Motherhood.
• Importance of self- care is demonstrated by an introduction to a relaxing reflexology treatment.

We recommend monthly visits until you are 32 weeks pregnant when they change to every 2 weeks, and then weekly from 36 or 38 weeks, depending on what your Private or Public Hospital Care requires. Our care is always flexible!

Where emotional health and wellbeing concerns are paramount we recommend seeing you at least x3 in pregnancy:

Motherhood Preparation

• Motherhood preparation and education PART 1: BECOMING YOU – we look at who you are, stepping away from EGO and finding the real you. Looking at past anxiety, trauma or conflict and how it has affected you, and where you are at with it now. Our aim being to step toward ‘letting go’ and finding peace. Do you need support with this? We can help you find the right person.

• Motherhood preparation and education PART 2: STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS – Your relationship with YOU, and the importance of staying in the present. How to trust your body and your baby. How to deal with stress and uncertainty. Strengthening your partnership and preparing for the parenting journey.

• Motherhood education part 3: SELF LOVE AND APPRECIATION – Your amazing body and the importance of rest and contemplation. How to mind speak with your baby and work as one! And how to find PEACE AND JOY in the first 6 weeks by Letting Love Lead the Way.
If clients are interested in group participation for this motherhood education this is also available. Please ask.

POSTNATAL CARE

Joy Package

Our Postnatal Support and Mentorship Mums Programmes concentrates on creating a friendship and role modelling type of care, providing new mothers and fathers with the start of their village in the first six weeks post birth, their Baby Moon.

We are so excited and passionate about this programme that we have called it our Joy Programme, because this is what we hope you will feel during this time.

Allowing you to really ‘ENJOY’ this 40 days, this also really sets the scene for your next 40 years.

This is a critical stage in a woman’s life:‘a sacred window’,  it is the Birth of a Mother as well as her child!

A TYPICAL POSTNATAL VISIT:

• We will come and visit you as soon as you have come home from hospital, or a few days later, whichever you need. You just need to ring and let us know that baby has arrived. (No referral is required, we have a longstanding relationship with Dr Jenny Picking in Langwarrin who collaborates with us for all postnatal care clients.)
• We will ask you: How are you today?
• How was your birth experience?
• What is your immediate need or concern? How can we help you?
• We do not expect you to be dressed, or the house tidy, we expect to see you resting and making sure you eat your meals on time.
• During our first visit we will also discuss your infant’s immediate newborn needs, as the days go by his or her needs will change. We will tell you what to look out for, and how to support your infant, so the rest of the time you can just rest together.
• If you have done the Motherhood preparation with us, we will revisit the key points to remember, if you have not, we will concentrate on what you need to know now. Don’t worry there is plenty of time, you can learn as you go.
• Feeding your infant is always a key issue, we are trained to help and support you with your breastfeeding and or mixed, or formula feeding.
• We can help with any feeding problems: this includes reviewing any issue with tongue and lip ties. We will also review any feeding plan that may have been commenced by your hospital Midwife, but will now need to be updated.
• We can also provide follow up weighs of your baby in the following 24-48hrs after discharge from hospital, if weight loss or prematurity was an issue for your baby.
• Diet, and what foods are supportive of breastfeeding, and fluids related to your wellbeing will also be touched upon.
• The importance of taking some supplements, including iron tablets and vitamin C for healing and to replace blood loss is also explained. And, taking your pain relief regularly is a priority, if you are going to avoid breakthrough pain post Caesarian Section Procedure or Forceps birth.
• Gradually we will include more education at each visit, but at the pace you feel comfortable with.
• There is plenty of time to express how you are feeling, as emotions can change, especially around the time your milk comes in around DAY 2-4 with a first baby, or up to day 5 or 7 depending on whether you experienced some labour or had a straight Caesarian. It will come in, sometimes just takes a little longer).
• And when you are ready we will offer, and introduce you to your Mentor Mum, if that is something you might be interested in. All our Mentor Mums are volunteers, and know what it like to have a newborn so they are there to share and support you, and help build your confidence.
• A baby massage class and sleeping and settling classcan also be included within your postnatal package.
• Reflexology massage is available on request for Mothers who are particularly anxious, stressed or cannot sleep.

Faith Programme: The Birth Preparation/ Support Package

We aim to educate and prepare you for birth in a very balanced way.

Why balanced?

Because ‘birth’ is an unknown quantity and, to prevent trauma and post – traumatic stress from unrealistic expectations, we want to make sureyou are prepared for ‘all types of birth’.

That is why we have called it: ‘BIRTH WORKSHOP AND BIRTH PLANNING FOR COUPLES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A POSITIVE BIRTH EXPERIENCE’.

Feeling secure in the knowledge that you are ready,have FAITH in yourself, and that you CAN DO IT!!

The Faith Package

Topics include:

• Understanding your bodyand how it prepares for labour and birth from early pregnancy.
• The crucial times of change in pregnancy related to labour,birth and or breastfeeding
• The safety mechanisms which your body puts in place to protect you and baby, and how to look out for them
• When baby moves lower, is it early labour? or head descending into pelvis?
• What to do to promote this and make it easier for baby: the growing importance of good postures and positions.
• Packing your labour bag.
• Birth Planning– what to include. Who is going to be there?
• Nipple stimulation and perineal massage.
• Signs of early or pre – labour.
• How to breathe.
• When to ring the Hospital or Care Giver.
• Staying at home in early labour: what to do, and how to stay calm and work with your body.
• Use of natural pain relief methods and TENS Machine.
• Stages of labour, making progress, making the move to Hospital.
• How to travel.
• Making noise – Using your Voice
• Making your birth space your own – the importance of using your OXYTOCIN
• Creating a positive relationship with your Midwife and Hospital Medical Team.
• ACRONYM – BRAINS, and how to use it.
• Transitional Stage of labour – how to manage this.
• Second (Pushing) Stage – Guided pushing or breathing through, where and when. What else helps?

BABY IS BORN(NATURAL BIRTH).

• The third stage of labour – The Placenta
• Delayed cord clamping and physiological delivery of the placenta versus using medication to deliver.
• The importance of Skin to Skin, TIME TO BOND, quiet and calm
• Birth is delayed due to problems with Mother or Baby: what are the reasons.
• What happens when things don’t go to plan
• Use of pain relief, what is available.

BABY BORN BY FORCEPS, VENTOUSE OR CAESARIAN

• What is possible and what will happen during these births
• First breastfeed, when should it happen
• Care of Mother post birth
• Care of Baby post birth
• What happens if Baby needs to go to SCBU/ Nursery.
• VITAMIN K and HEPATITIS B: what are they? – to inject or vaccinate, parents to decide.
• Going Home.

We also have a new midwife joining us who specialises in LAMAZE EDUCATION FOR BIRTH.

For those clients interested in this style of education.

See Midwives: Narelle Tsiros.

Birth Support:

CMS Midwives have always provided birth support and or homebirth, but due the increased need for our programmes we are specializing in building new partnerships and support groups, and investing more time in our increasingly popular Postnatal Home Visiting Service.

Some birth support maybe available depending on need, and time available, so always feel free to ask.

Our Colleague Louise Noorbergenis taking on any Homebirth clients, and Louise may also be available for birth support.

We also collaborate and work, with 2 doulas, and 2 student midwives who work alongside us, and who may also be available for birth support on request. There are always options, so please ask.

The FAITH PACKAGE also includes x4 further educational opportunities:

• Breastfeeding with Confidence Workshop
• Sleeping and Settling Class
• Baby Wisdom Class (which includes a mixture of both)
• Workshop – Preparing for Motherhood: 1) Breaking down the past, understanding the real you. 2) Getting Birth Ready, importance of self – care. 3) The Newborn Mother and building your village.

*CMS Preparation for Motherhood Educational Opportunities are open to anyone at any stage of pregnancy, and some of this can, and will be included in our Postnatal Care – Joy Programme.

Motherhood Preparation Programme:

How do you learn to become a Mother when there is so much going on?

Pregnancy is a time of change:

• Physical change
• Emotional Change
• Role Change
• Relationship Change.

Life is going to be different but how can you make it better than you think it is going to be?

How do you prepare yourself so that you CAN enjoy the experience?

During our Motherhood Antenatal Programme you will learn:

• What changes you need to make to achieve this balance, and create more time and space
• How to reduce stress and anxiety and feel more in CONTROL
• The importance of a positive mindset.
• How to be brave and ask for help.
• What supports you need to put in place for your postnatal period
• Who can help? What will they do?
• How to prepare for breast feeding
• What foods you need to eat
• Sleep and rest, not a luxury but a priority
• The feelings and emotions that Motherhood brings.
• BABY BRAIN – and its significance
• What to expect in the first 2- 3 days:  for your Newborn and You!
• What to expect when your milk comes in
• What to expect in weeks 2-4.
• Introduction to your Mentor Mum and how to build your own Village
• Week 6, and we have only just begun!
• How to prepare for your next 6 weeks.