"Birth of our first child with MGP"

We were admitted to King Edward Memorial Hospital through GP referral and were fortunate to get placed in the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP). The standard and continuity of care we had throughout the entire antenatal journey was brilliant!

Having appointments with both our primary midwife and her buddy midwife ensured that we felt very comfortable as the pregnancy progressed. Both our midwives (Carissa and Lolita) were easy to contact and flexible with appointment times. Even when I was diagnosed with cholestasis and 'medicalised' (antenatal appointments were attended by a doctor, rather than led by our midwives) the shared care between the main hospital and our MGP midwives was great.

Due to the cholestasis, I was induced at 37 weeks. The induction itself was straightforward and was explained very clearly to me. The birth of our daughter was attended by Carissa and our midwifery student (who we partnered with the second trimester). Our baby entered the world in under four hours and my husband and I were so impressed at the supportive, caring and efficient way Carissa handled the birth. 

The follow-up care we received on the ward was brilliant. Due to our baby being born small we spent 5 days in hospital following her birth to ensure she gained weight. After leaving the hospital the in-home visits from Lolita were great - she answered all our questions so well (and as first-time parents we had a lot!). The KEMH lactation consultants were also brilliant, based on my experience, highly recommend that new mothers make use of this service if birthing at KEMH. 

In summary, the birth of our first baby was a wonderful experience and although yes, it is the most excruciating pain you'll ever experience, the support and care you receive as a patient of KEMH and MGP is world-class. Many thanks to the MGP midwives and hospital staff - you do fantastic, awe-inspiring work! When the time comes to have another baby, we'll definitely be back.