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Care Opinion

Birth support limits for birthing women!

Posted By filingch59

"Birth support limits for birthing women!"

About: Angliss Hospital / Maternity

(as a carer),

My clients are due to have their first baby and they are choosing to birth at the Angliss Hospital in Ferntree gully in Melbourne’s East.

I have been in touch with my local MP to do some investigating as to why the Angliss hospital hasn’t changed their number of birth support people? 

They have told me that the department of health and human services have lifted these restrictions and it’s up to the hospital to connect the dots and implement these changes.

It is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion, that people can have dinner parties up to 30 people but birthing women cannot have more than one support person in their birthing space! 

I have spent the last 7 months working alongside my clients to help prepare them for the birth of their first child and now that their due date is near I believe they have become quite upset that I won’t be able to be present in the birth space to support them. 

I am a Doula by trade, our role is to inform women & partners of their choices in pregnancy & birth, and we also follow through to postnatal care. 

Together we have created a special bond during their pregnancy. My role in being present is to help and support this couple throughout the whole process. Women deserve all the support that's on offer to help achieve optimal birth outcomes. 

I would appreciate if you could look into lifting these restrictions as there are thousands of women in Victoria that invest in support like this and deserve to have it seen through.

If you could please get in touch ASAP that would be greatly appreciated.

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Responses

Response from David Plunkett, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 3 years ago
David Plunkett
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 9/12/2020 at 9:44 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:10 AM

picture of David Plunkett

Dear filingch59

Thank you for your comments regarding limiting the number of people able to attend a birth, and in particular your client.

Whilst the Chief Health Officer doesn't have any restrictions, hospitals are able to consider the type and number of visitors to various areas and setting. Consideration by the clinical teams take into account the number of people likely to be present, both visiting and providing care, the amount of available space and then determining the number who can visit. The advice to all health services and visitors is that we must all continue to maintain physical distancing.

As you can see, this is not as straightforward as it sounds and therefore how the current visitor arrangements have been determined. I thank you for your understanding as this is a very challenging situation for everyone.

Kind regards and best wishes.

David

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by filingch59 (a carer)

Hi David

As I understand we need to maintain physical distancing I think you need to consider that I have been working with this couple throughout their entire pregnancy.

At a safe distance and wearing a mask.

In my opinion, there is no reason why that can’t be possible in a hospital room.

It doesn’t quite make sense to me or others that you can have more than one visitors but not one more support person.

I am not a family member hustling to get a glimpse of the action. I am genuinely there to do my job and see through that my clients get the support they need & deserve.

I supported my other clients in the hospital setting only five weeks ago at a different public hospital in Victoria. And I could see that the midwives seemed overworked and time-poor and, I feel, unable to give the mother the attention she deserves. They were doing the best they could with the resources they had and I mean no disrespect to the hospital staff.

But I would appreciate if you would strongly consider changing the number of birth support from one to two persons.

I am there to make your hospital staff’s job easier.

Kind regards

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