Mother Baby Unit: Overview

Overview

The Mother Baby Unit has been established to provide specialised support and care to families experiencing antenatal and postnatal difficulties in the months following the arrival of a new baby, up to 12 months of age.

The Mother Baby Unit offers residential program for babies with sleep and settling difficulties and also for mothers who are experiencing symptoms of depression, agitation, anxiety or adjustment in the weeks and months after childbirth.

These difficulties may include:

• Maternal exhaustion.
• Antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression.
• Feeding difficulties.
• Infant sleeping problems.
• Unsettled/irritable infants.
• Reflux and colic.

Our aim is to educate you in settling strategies that may be useful and assist you to identify which strategies are best suited to your family. An individual plan will be discussed with nursing staff and they will support you throughout your stay with us.

We offer two programs

• Four Night Residential Program
• Day Program

In each program the family has a collaborative plan developed to fit them as individuals. This includes:

• Admission and assessment by a medical practitioner
• Education around infant growth and development, settling strategies, infant routines, and feeding advice.
• Individual consultation with nursing staff to guide and support you in making choices about settling strategies that are right for you and your baby.
• Support as you learn to put these strategies in place with your baby.
• Group discussions with nursing staff and other mothers in the unit based around self care sleep and settling and the first 12 months of baby’s life.

The Residential Program provides the opportunity to address more complex needs of families with infants. The program usually runs for a period of four nights and is for babies 0 – 12months of age. The Team will discuss your length of stay as the admission progresses.

The Day Program provides the extra care that may be required following the birth of your baby. We aim to increase your parenting confidence and help you solve those feeding/ sleep routine issues to suit you and your baby.  This individually tailored one day program runs from 9.00am to 3.30pm.

STAFFING

The Mother Baby Unit is staffed by qualified Maternal and Child Health Nurses, Psychiatric Nurses, Midwives, Mothercraft Nurses and State Enrolled Nurses, all with experience and knowledge in this field.

In addition, Psychiatrists, psychologists and Paediatricians are available if required on a consultancy basis.

FACILITIES

All rooms have ensuite facilities and contain a refrigerator, television and telephone. In addition, the unit has a dining room and kitchenette. Both the primary care giver and the infant stay in the unit, babies under 8 weeks room in , whilst older babies have their own room.

VISITING HOURS

Partners and other children are welcome to visit at any time. We encourage other visitors be kept to a minimum.

REFERRALS AND ADMISSION

You need to be referred by a general practitioner, paediatrician, obstetrician or psychiatrist.  The primary care giver and/or infant will be admitted under an accredited medical practitioner.  Infants up to 12 months of age can be admitted.

Recommendations for admission are also welcomed from the Maternal and Child Health Nurses.

Admission date and time will be arranged with you, by the Intake Coordinator, via phone. Every effort is made to ensure your admission will go ahead as planned but at times rescheduling to another day may be required

We endeavour to provide support as early as possible and take into consideration individual needs and concerns. There are three forms that require completion before a name is placed on our waitlist. Please note that the Pre-Admission Medical Report must be completed by a Medical Officer such as a General Practitioner, Paediatrician, Obstetrician or Psychiatrist.

All three forms are available here on our web site and once completed can be mailed or faxed to our Intake Officer.

• Mother Baby Unit Intake Form
• Edinburgh Post natal Depression Score
• Medical Pre Admission Form

After discharge, follow up care is provided to the family by telephone contact and additional community support can be organised.

If you have any queries, or to arrange admission, please feel free to contact the Mother Baby Unit on Phone: (03) 9210 3134   Fax: 9210 3183
Mitcham Private Hospital, 27 Doncaster East Rd Mitcham 3132

COST

The cost of your stay will depend on your Private Health fund and the level of insurance that you have. It is important that your baby is covered by your private health insurance as soon as possible after birth. Some levels of health funding may have exclusions, excesses or waiting periods. You will be given an estimated cost of your inpatient stay prior to your admission. You will be billed separately for any diagnostic tests, pharmacology or the services of a paediatrician or psychiatrist.

Speak to the Intake Co-ordinator for more information on fees. Self-funding is possible if you do not have private health insurance - please enquire with Intake staff regarding the cost.

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WHAT TO BRING FOR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

Infant Health Record (Blue Book)
Health Insurance Details
Medicare Card

For Parent

• Casual, comfortable Day Clothes
• Night Attire
• Toiletries (include sun lotion in warmer months)
• Current Medications
• Tissues
• Money for massage ($60)
  

For Infant

• Clothing
• Toiletries
• Pram
• Favourite Toys, Play Blanket, Wraps, Bibs
• Current Medications
• Bottles, Bottle Brush, Teats, Formula and infant cup (if required)
• Disposable nappies
• Infant Cereal (if required)

Mitcham Private Hospital will provide

• Towels, Linen
• Steam Sterilisers
• Solids for Babies if needed

We recommend you leave all valuable personal items at home, including money and jewellery. We cannot accept responsibility for the loss of damage of any item brought into the hospital.

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WHAT TO BRING FOR DAY PROGRAM

Infant Health Record (Blue Book)
Health Insurance Details
Medicare Card

• Casual, comfortable Day Clothes
• Current Medications
• Tissues

For Infant

• Clothing
• Toiletries
• Pram
• Favourite Toys, Play Blanket, Wraps, Bibs
• Current Medications
• Bottles, Teats, Formula and infant cup (if required)
• Disposable nappies
• Infant Cereal (if required)

Mitcham Private Hospital Supplies

• Towels, Linen
• Steam Sterilisers
• Solids for Babies if needed