Delivering change - Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies
Delivering change - Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies
Delivering change - Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies
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Newsletter Vol 1 June 2010<br />
<strong>Delivering</strong> Change<br />
Contents:<br />
Welcome<br />
The “Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> – Your Story” Survey<br />
Have your say on our 2010 Road Show...<br />
The Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> Website<br />
The Maternity Care Collaboration Project : How do Midwives and Doctors work together<br />
Your Top Tips<br />
Today‟s Top Tip<br />
Naming your baby<br />
Upcoming Events<br />
Thanks a bunch!<br />
Useful Contacts:<br />
Follow us<br />
Welcome<br />
Welcome to the first newsletter from the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and <strong>Babies</strong>. We are delighted to get<br />
this to you! The work of the <strong>Centre</strong> focuses on improving maternity care <strong>for</strong> all women in <strong>Queensland</strong>. We<br />
want to hear how you feel about maternity care and provide you with the in<strong>for</strong>mation and support so you will<br />
know what to expect be<strong>for</strong>e, during, and after birth and can make decisions that are best <strong>for</strong> you.<br />
We‟re eager to fill you in on what we‟ve been up to and we‟d love to hear your feedback.<br />
To let us know what you would like to see in future editions, just email us at info@havingababy.org.au and tell<br />
us what you think! You will see that we occassionally feature photos of <strong>Queensland</strong> babies in our Newsletter.<br />
If you have a beautiful photo of your baby that you would like to share and are happy to have published,
please e-mail us a copy with your details.<br />
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The “Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> – Your Story” Survey<br />
We‟re conducting a survey of all women having a baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> (public<br />
or private, rural or urban) in February, March, April and May 2010 (about<br />
25,000 women). We want to find out about women‟s satisfaction and<br />
experiences with pregnancy, birth, and post-birth care. The findings from the<br />
survey will be available on our website (www.havingababy.org.au) to help<br />
women choose the birthing facility that best suits their needs. We will also use<br />
the in<strong>for</strong>mation to give feedback to <strong>Queensland</strong> Health and to each birthing<br />
facility about what‟s working well <strong>for</strong> women and what needs improvement.<br />
Women who had their baby between February and May this year will get the<br />
survey in the post when their baby is a few months old. If you had your baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> at another time,<br />
you can still have your say by heading to our website and completing the survey online (we‟ll notify you when<br />
it‟s available).<br />
Last November we sent out our first survey, to 2,000 women who had a baby earlier in the year. Here are<br />
some of the key findings:<br />
• On average, women were very satisfied with the maternity care that they received during pregnancy, labour<br />
and birth, and after their birth<br />
• Overall, 79% of women wanted a vaginal birth, and there were no differences in preferred type of birth<br />
between women who birthed in public and private facilities<br />
• Women who said they wanted a vaginal birth were more likely to have a caesarean birth instead if they gave<br />
birth in a private hospital (33%) than in a public hospital (18%)<br />
• Women who gave birth in private facilities said they felt they had more choices about various aspects of<br />
labour and after birth care. These included choices about the type of birth they could have and the pain relief<br />
options available to them<br />
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Have your say on our 2010 Road Show...<br />
Are you planning, expecting, or recently had a baby If so, we‟d love to talk<br />
with you in our face-to-face discussions!<br />
In 2010, we‟ve been taking the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and <strong>Babies</strong> on the road. Being „on the road‟<br />
and „off the beaten track‟ gives us the chance to hear from women and care providers throughout<br />
<strong>Queensland</strong>. You have the opportunity to share your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences of having a<br />
baby, and we get the opportunity to share with you the work that we do. In each town we are holding in<strong>for</strong>mal<br />
group discussions and in<strong>for</strong>mation sessions with women and their families, as well as with maternity care<br />
professionals.<br />
Our first series of road shows focussed on regional, rural and remote <strong>Queensland</strong>. In March we headed to<br />
North <strong>Queensland</strong> where we visited Innisfail, Tully, Atherton, Mareeba, Cairns, Croydon, Charters Towers,
Hughenden, Richmond, and Townsville. In April we headed to the State‟s Central West of Mt Isa, Cloncurry,<br />
Winton, Longreach, Blackall, Emerald, Woorabinda, Biloela, and Rockhampton. We have also held<br />
consultations in Mackay and Proserpine.<br />
The women we spoke to said these were the issues that mattered most to them:<br />
• To have the chance to receive care from the same people throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the post<br />
birth period<br />
• To get more support and consistent in<strong>for</strong>mation from maternity care providers during pregnancy and post<br />
birth<br />
• For birth facilities to be family-friendly and offer personalised care<br />
• To have more local pregnancy and post birth services and programs<br />
• To address the difficulties with accommodation and travel costs <strong>for</strong> women who need to travel to have their<br />
baby<br />
Are these the issues that matter to you If not, please let us know by emailing info@havingababy.org.au.<br />
We will be heading back out on the road to talk with women and care providers shortly.<br />
Our group discussions are open to all women who are interested in maternity care, so why not come along<br />
and have your say! For more in<strong>for</strong>mation on dates and locations, you can email us at<br />
info@havingababy.org.au or drop us a line on 1800 704 539.<br />
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The Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> Website<br />
Women in <strong>Queensland</strong> have told us that they lack a place to go <strong>for</strong> reliable, trustworthy, and unbiased<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation about being pregnant and having a baby in <strong>Queensland</strong>. Based on this feedback, the <strong>Queensland</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and <strong>Babies</strong> is developing the Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> website<br />
(www.havingababy.org.au) to provide in<strong>for</strong>mation and decision-making support <strong>for</strong> women (and their families)<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e, during, and after birth.<br />
One of the main features of the website is a tool called Birthplace: Your Guide to Birthing Facilities in<br />
<strong>Queensland</strong>. Birthplace is an online, interactive guide that will provide in<strong>for</strong>mation about all 61 hospitals<br />
(public and private) and birth centres in <strong>Queensland</strong> where you can have a baby. Birthplace will include<br />
in<strong>for</strong>mation from the facilities about the kind of care and services they provide, and reports from other women<br />
about what it was like to have a baby there. The aim of Birthplace is to support women in <strong>Queensland</strong> to<br />
prepare <strong>for</strong> having their baby, and to make decisions that are right <strong>for</strong> them.<br />
To make Birthplace as useful as possible, we would like to know what in<strong>for</strong>mation women in <strong>Queensland</strong><br />
would like to know about each hospital and birth centre.<br />
• What in<strong>for</strong>mation is most important <strong>for</strong> you to know about the available birthing facilities when thinking about<br />
where you have your baby<br />
• What in<strong>for</strong>mation would help you to feel better prepared <strong>for</strong> birthing at a certain facility<br />
You can voice your thoughts by completing a brief online survey. The survey is currently open to women in<br />
<strong>Queensland</strong> who are pregnant or have recently had a baby. To find out more and start the survey, go to:<br />
http://psy.uq.edu.au/mbs. We hope to hear from you!<br />
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The Maternity Care Collaboration Project: How do Midwives and Doctors work<br />
together<br />
One of the goals of the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and <strong>Babies</strong> is to work with health services to ensure<br />
doctors and midwives are able to work together. This includes learning how they can communicate well with<br />
each other and with the women they are caring <strong>for</strong>.<br />
To help us meet this goal, we are conducting a survey on how doctors and midwives currently work together,<br />
their beliefs about other maternity care providers, and how these affect working together in the future. At the<br />
moment, we have just under 500 responses and hope to receive a few more be<strong>for</strong>e preparing a report. Stay<br />
tuned <strong>for</strong> the results in future issues!<br />
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Your Top Tips<br />
Here in the <strong>Centre</strong>, we believe that women have valuable knowledge and expertise that deserves to be<br />
shared! In this section we will regularly feature your top tips <strong>for</strong> pregnancy, birth, and caring <strong>for</strong> yourself and<br />
your new baby after birth. The tips we include might be something you want to try, or you might have<br />
something that works better <strong>for</strong> you. If you have a top tip that you would like to share, drop us an email at<br />
info@havingababy.org.au so we can include it in our next newsletter!<br />
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Today’s Top Tip<br />
“Like many first time mums, one of the things that I found most challenging<br />
was getting my baby to sleep. Perhaps the best bit of advice I was given was<br />
to learn to look <strong>for</strong> my baby‟s tired signs. These usually include fussing and<br />
whimpering, frowning, jerky movements, and pulling ears. I think what was<br />
really key <strong>for</strong> me was not confusing these signs with boredom! So instead of<br />
giving my baby more toys, I could recognise she was tired and put her in her<br />
cot. That way, I could avoid her getting overtired and upset - much better <strong>for</strong><br />
her and <strong>for</strong> me!” – Claire from Mt Gravatt<br />
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Naming your baby<br />
If you are having trouble thinking of name <strong>for</strong> your baby, you might be interested in our survey results. One of<br />
the questions we asked women was what name they had picked <strong>for</strong> their baby. These were the most popular:<br />
The top 5 boys names:<br />
Samuel<br />
Jack<br />
Lachlan<br />
William<br />
Alexander<br />
The top 5 girls names:<br />
Ruby<br />
Caitlin<br />
Lily<br />
Emily<br />
Olivia<br />
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Upcoming Events<br />
Event: Brisbane Pregnancy, <strong>Babies</strong> & Children’s Expo, 2010<br />
www.pbcexpo.com.au/brisbane<br />
What is it: An exhibition where you can get in<strong>for</strong>mation and parenting tips<br />
and check out the latest products related to pregnancy, babies, and children<br />
Where: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition <strong>Centre</strong>, South Bank<br />
When: Friday 18 - Sunday 20 June 2010<br />
Event: Having a Baby in <strong>Queensland</strong> Survey<br />
What is it: A survey of all women in <strong>Queensland</strong> who have had a baby from February –May 2010. We want<br />
to find out about women‟s experiences and satisfaction with their pregnancy, birth, and post birth care.<br />
Where: In the post <strong>for</strong> women who have had a baby during this period.<br />
When: Later this year – check your mail box!<br />
Event: South West <strong>Queensland</strong> Road Show - Dalby<br />
What is it: An in<strong>for</strong>mal, child friendly discussion with staff from the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and<br />
<strong>Babies</strong>. All women who are planning, expecting or recently had a baby are invited to talk about birthing in<br />
their town, and share their needs, suggestions and experiences of Maternity Care. Maternity Care providers<br />
(providing antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care) are also invited to share their stories.<br />
Where: Myall Youth and Community Network <strong>Centre</strong>, 169 Cunningham Street, Dalby<br />
When: Monday 7th June, 9am -11am - Food and drink supplied<br />
Event: South West <strong>Queensland</strong> Road Show - Miles<br />
What is it: An in<strong>for</strong>mal, child friendly discussion with staff from the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> and<br />
<strong>Babies</strong>. All women who are planning, expecting or recently had a baby are invited to talk about birthing in<br />
their town, and share their needs, suggestions and experiences of Maternity Care. Maternity Care providers<br />
(providing antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care) are also invited to share their stories.<br />
Where: Miles Community <strong>Centre</strong><br />
When: Tuesday 8th June, 9am - 11am - Food and drinks supplied<br />
Event: South West <strong>Queensland</strong> Road Show - Roma<br />
Where: TBA<br />
When: TBA<br />
Event: South West <strong>Queensland</strong> Road Show - St George<br />
Where: TBA<br />
When: TBA<br />
Event: South West <strong>Queensland</strong> Road Show - Goondiwindi<br />
Where: TBA<br />
When: TBA
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Thanks a bunch!<br />
The <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> & <strong>Babies</strong> would like to thank everyone in<br />
the community, particularly Elizabeth Oei from ABA (Australian breastfeeding<br />
Association) and Bec Jenkinson from Maternity Coalition, who have been so helpful in putting us in touch with<br />
“Local Champions” in regional, rural and remote <strong>Queensland</strong> towns. We really appreciate it!<br />
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Useful Contacts:<br />
13 Health Line - An in<strong>for</strong>mation and advice line that is staffed by registered nurses. 13 43 25 84 (13<br />
HEALTH) 7days, 24hrs a day www.health.qld.gov.au/<br />
Women’s Health <strong>Queensland</strong> Wide - A health in<strong>for</strong>mation and referral service <strong>for</strong> women in <strong>Queensland</strong><br />
staffed by nurses and midwives 3839 9988, 1800 017 676 (or ask a question online) www.womhealth.org.au<br />
Australian Breastfeeding Association - Provides counselling and breastfeeding in<strong>for</strong>mation by other<br />
mothers who are trained to answer your questions 1800 686 2 686 (1800 mum to mum) 7 days - with<br />
counsellors taking calls in their own homes www.breastfeeding.asn.au<br />
Child Care Access Hotline - Helps you find a child care service that meets your needs 1800 670 305 8am-<br />
9pm Monday-Friday www.australia.gov.au/service/child-care-access-hotline<br />
Parentline Confidential - telephone counselling <strong>for</strong> parents and carers of children 1300 301 300 7 days,<br />
8am-10pm www.parentline.com.au<br />
Poisons In<strong>for</strong>mation <strong>Centre</strong> - Prompt in<strong>for</strong>mation and advice <strong>for</strong> poisonings and suspected poisonings 131<br />
126 www.health.qld.gov.au/poisonsin<strong>for</strong>mationcentre<br />
Playgroup <strong>Queensland</strong> - Helps you to join or start a playgroup 1800 171 882 9am-5pm Monday-Friday<br />
(9am-3pm during school holidays) www.playgroupaustralia.com.au/qld<br />
SANDS (Stillbirth and neonatal death support including miscarriage support) - Provides a range of<br />
support services to parents and families 3254 3422 or Free Call 1800 228 655 (<strong>for</strong> those in remote and rural<br />
areas) www.sandsqld.com<br />
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Follow us...<br />
You can now follow the <strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> & <strong>Babies</strong> on the web. In addition to our Website, our<br />
facebook and twitter pages will keep you up to date with everything that we are doing, all around <strong>Queensland</strong>!<br />
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<strong>Queensland</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Mothers</strong> & <strong>Babies</strong> | 1800 704 539 | info@havingababy.org.au | www.havingababy.org.au