meet st vincent's private midwifery

Midwives from St Vincent's Private have been named Team Excellence finalists in the 2018 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards.

Recognising that women often feel overwhelmed in the weeks after they’ve given birth, Michelle Cambrey and Judelle McFarland from St
Vincent’s Private Midwifery developed the Postnatal Parenting Education program which supports women as they adjust to parenthood. The program adopts a holistic approach to supporting new mums, focusing on their physical health as well as how they’re coping and how they’re feeling, including any anxiety they may be experiencing.

Drawing on research from the World Health Organisation which shows women can often struggle with anxiety after they’ve left the hospital, the program aims to decrease the likelihood of mental health conditions by offering a supportive environment for women, free of stigma.

The program is available for new mums up to 6-weeks post-partum and offers parenting advice, tips, insights, tools and techniques, empowering women with confidence and knowledge when caring for their newborn. The program is one of only a few offered by a private hospital in Victoria, and in the 12 months since it started has helped minimise anxiety levels amongst women and led to better mental health outcomes for families at St Vincent’s Private Hospital.