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EMERGENCY

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000). It’s a free call from any phone, mobile or phone box.

For other urgent medical issues, go to an Emergency Department.

Our Emergency Departments are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week:

Welcome to Northern NSW Maternity Services. We provide collaborative health care with a team of midwives, doctors and allied health care workers. Most women in Northern NSW have their babies in one of our public hospitals. Public maternity care in Australia is a safe, affordable option that offers many birth choices. Most of the cost of your care is covered by Medicare, if you are eligible.

Deciding on who will care for you during pregnancy and where you want to give birth is an important decision you will need to make. You have a few different choices for your pregnancy care; the choice determines who cares for you and where. We encourage you to talk to your midwife or doctor early in pregnancy to discuss your options. Some options might not be available, depending on the hospital, where you live and your health.

To locate pregnancy services in the Northern NSW area

Tweed Women’s Care Unit Ph: (07) 5506 7490

Murwillumbah Midwifery Group Practice Ph: (02) 6672 0108

Byron Midwifery Group Practice Ph: (02) 6639 9850

Lismore Women’s Care Unit Ph: (02) 6620 7400

Grafton Women’s Care Unit Ph: (02) 6641 8490

 

Midwifery Group Practice

A small group of midwives care for you during your pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards. Most of your care is given by one midwife, called a primary midwife. Your pregnancy visits might be at the hospital or in the community. Click this link to find out more information and register your interest. 

Available at Tweed, Murwillumbah, Byron and Lismore Hospitals.

Shared care

This care is between your local general practitioner (GP) and our hospital obstetricians or midwives. Some of your care is with your GP, and you also come to the hospital for some appointments. Not all GPs offer shared care. If your doctor doesn’t offer shared care, ask at the hospital for a list of GPs in your area who do offer it. One of the benefits of GP shared care is that you develop a long-term relationship with a doctor who can continue to look after you and your baby once your baby arrives and care is usually close to home.

Available at Tweed, Murwillumbah, Byron, Lismore and Grafton.

Midwifery Clinics

Your pregnancy care is with midwives at one of our hospital midwives clinics. This option is for women who are having a healthy, normal-risk pregnancy. If you experience any complications, you can be referred to see a doctor at the hospital. It is likely you will see a few different midwives during your pregnancy. At the birth, the midwives and doctors on duty in the birthing unit care for you. After the birth, midwives on the postnatal ward care for you.

Our hospitals offer home visits by a midwife, Midwifery in the Home for women experiencing pregnancies with no health problems. A midwife is a woman’s lead antenatal care provider. The midwife collaborates with medical doctors, specialists and supporting services.

Midwifery clinics are available at Tweed, Lismore, Murwillumbah and Grafton hospitals. We also offer midwifery outreach clinics at Ballina, Casino and Kyogle Hospitals.

Aboriginal and Maternal Infant Health Service (AMIHS)

The Aboriginal and Maternal Infant Health Service (AMIHS) is a culturally appropriate continuity-of-care model maternity model of care. Midwives, Aboriginal Health Workers and Aboriginal mothers, babies and families work together.

AMIHS is available from Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Casino, Kyogle and Clarence Valley.

Public Home Birth

A publically funded (Medicare) home birth is available to women under the care of Byron Midwifery Group Practice midwives. This service is backed up with the support of the ambulance service and Tweed and Lismore Hospitals if a transfer is needed.

Find out more about the option of home birth. If you are interested in hiring a privately practising midwife, please see the information below about Private Pregnancy Care.

Available through Byron Central Hospital.

Obstetric Specialist Clinics

In this option, your pregnancy care is through the hospital doctor’s clinic or in the community at one of our outreach clinics, depending on the hospital you attend. This option is for women who have health concerns and/or whose pregnancies are complex. It is likely you will see a few different midwives and doctors during your pregnancy.

Available at Tweed, Lismore and Grafton Hospitals.

Private Pregnancy Care

Some women choose their own care provider to look after them during their pregnancy and birth. This means you book in to see a private obstetrician, a GP who does antenatal care, or a privately practising midwife. You can choose a private practitioner who practices in a private hospital, a public hospital or attends home birth. You will have to pay for the cost of your care (which varies, but can be high). Most women who choose these options have private health insurance to help cover the costs.

Private Obstetrician

With this option you receive pregnancy care from a private obstetrician and you will see them at their rooms. You will be cared for in labour by midwives employed by the hospital but your doctor will be closely involved and will normally be present at the birth of your baby.

Private obstetric care is available at Lismore and Grafton Hospitals

Private Midwife

Some women choose to have a home birth with a privately practising midwife. The midwife will care for you through your pregnancy, birth and after the baby is born. ‘Eligible’ private midwives have a Medicare Provider Number. This means that the services they provide are covered by Medicare although, as with doctors, there may be a fee “gap”. Ask your midwife for payment details and possible rebates for her services. Private midwives are not currently able to provide birth care within our hospitals. 

Hospital Costs
  • If you’re eligible for a Medicare card, Medicare covers the cost of your care.
  • If you choose shared care or live rurally, some of your care might be with your GP. Some GPs will bulk bill. If they do not bulk bill, you will need to pay the difference between their fee and the Medicare rebate.
  • Sometimes, there might be a cost for tests and ultrasound scans. You can often get some money back through Medicare.
  • There might be a cost for antenatal classes.
  • Ask your midwife or doctor about any other costs.

It’s possible to be a private patient in a public hospital. This will lead to extra costs. If you’re interested in this option, call the public hospital and ask to speak to patient administration.

Pregnancy Choices Helpline

If you, or someone you know, are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, the Pregnancy Choices Helpline offers support with free, unbiased and confidential information on pregnancy options.

You can speak with a health professional by calling the Pregnancy Choices Helpline on 1800 008 463.

This phone line is available 8:00am-8:00pm Monday to Friday, or you can visit the Pregnancy Choices Helpline website and Live Chat at www.pregnancychoices.org.au for more information.

Download the Pregnancy Choices flyer

Midwifery Student Support

Newborn babyHaving a baby? Have you considered receiving support from a Midwifery Student?

Midwifery students are studying at University to gain the knowledge and skills to be able to register as a midwife in Australia. They work under the direct supervision of a registered midwife. As part of their studies, they need to gain an understanding of pregnancy and becoming a new mother from a woman’s perspective. This is best achieved by sharing some of the experiences a woman has during her pregnancy through to the early weeks after she has given birth. We call this Continuity of Care.

What is involved?

Continuity of Care will mean that the midwifery student will remain in regular contact with you throughout your pregnancy, and with your permission, will be with you during your labour and birth.

For around two weeks following the birth, they will follow your progress and that of your baby. The midwifery student will be supervised by a registered midwife throughout this time. When physical meetings are not possible, your midwifery student may contact you over the phone and through email.

What will the student midwife do?

With your permission, the Midwifery student will:

  • Attend some of your pregnancy appointments
  • Talk with you about your thoughts, feelings and what is important to you
  • Be with you during the labour and birth of your baby
  • Attend a number of visits with you after your baby is born

What are the benefits of having a midwifery student support you?

  • You and the Midwifery student will get to know each other through your journey
  • The Midwifery student will be able to offer you extra support
  • You will provide invaluable experience for the Student to hear your thoughts, feelings and share your experience
  • Share experience of the first few weeks with a new baby
  • Help the Midwifery students learn how to work in partnership with women
  • Women highly value this connection with the midwifery student, particularly the relationship formed, care provided and respect shown

I am interested in having a student midwife?

  • Are you booked to birth with one of our public maternity services and are less than 34 weeks pregnant?
  • Would you like a midwifery student to support you during your pregnancy, labour and birth, and up to 6 weeks after you baby is born?
  • We will make every effort to match a student to all women who are interested in a student continuity of care experience. However, this may not always possible.

What if I change my mind

If you choose to participate in the Continuity of Care with a midwifery student and you change your mind, that is ok. You can change your mind (withdraw your consent) to have a midwifery student involved in your care at any time during your pregnancy, birth or after your baby is born.

Contact

If you have any questions about working with a student, please talk with your midwife or doctor.