"Incredible care from our midwife"

So grateful to have been accepted into the CMP program and be placed with our midwife Malita. From our first appointment, my husband and I felt so at ease and in the right hands. Malita was so caring, so respectful of our decisions and so knowledgeable - we hit the absolute jackpot. I looked forward to every single appointment because I knew I was in such great hands.

I had originally planned a home birth but this all changed when we found out our little girl was breech. Malita and our back-up midwife Wendy were both determined to empower us with all the information and options so we could make an informed decision about our next step. I decided I wanted to have a vaginal breech birth at King Edward Hospital and had to attend a bunch of appointments with the hospital OBs to be approved. This was a bit of a stressful time, but even on her days off, Malita offered to come to the hospital with us to stand alongside us. We got approved and then its was all systems go for our hospital birth.

It was such a different birth to what we anticipated but Malita was with us every single step of the way. After two days of labor, when we arrived to the hospital room she did everything in her power to make it a calm, safe environment (she even brought some battery operated tea-light candles to put in the bathroom where I spent most of my time?!). She let me do my thing and was such a necessary support to my husband and I. The confidence she gave me as a first-time mum was second-to-none. I believe there was no way I would have been able to have the vaginal breech, completely drug-free birth if it wasn't for her encouragement and support of my decisions. She made sure me and baby were safe and even made sure my husband ate so he could support me, too. 

Baby arrived and needed resuscitation immediately which was so scary but Malita stood by me every second and made sure I was taken care of whilst the paeds gave our girl the help she needed. She got me down to the NICU as soon as possible after birth so I could be with my baby.

The follow-up post-birth with home visits and support has far surpassed anything I expected. I cannot sing the praises of this continuity of care and specifically Malita - enough. I can't wait to have a head-down baby next time and will be praying that Malita can be in the room when I deliver all my babies. 

I truly believe she was such an integral part of making this birth experience ultimately a positive one. To really get to know someone through those weeks of pregnancy and have them there, someone who knows you, your partner, knows your story and respects your choices ... there's nothing like it. I am so grateful for the CMP program and for Malita - I think she is amazing at what she does and believe you can tell she just loves every second, her passion comes through all she does and she makes you laugh all the while :) 

I plan to keep in contact and send her mannyyyyy updates of our little girl who is here and thriving, I believe thanks to Malita's care.