NOTE: Many changes have come into place over the last recent years on how to get a spot with the Belmont Midwife Group Practise Program, if you have any questions after reading this information below, feel free to give me a call :) Natalie: 0406 934 645

Options through Belmont Birthing include:

• Homebirth (as long as DURING your pregnancy journey you continue to meet required criteria - which is basically A level risk only, some B level may sometimes, rarely, be accepted in consultation with the JHH OB, who manages the Belmont MGP program)

• Birthing at Belmont Hospital (inside the Birth Centre)

• Or transferring at any stage to JHH Hospital (for a wide variety of reasons that can arise at any time).

The GREAT news about Belmont Birthing is the wonderful access to:

• One-to-One Continual Midwife Care with the Belmont Midwifery Group Practise Midwife Team

• The choice to birth at your home or the Belmont Birth Centre. NOTE: Women are only eligible to birth at home if they are within 30 minutes drive radius of JHH and have the homebirth pre-planned with their care team.

• The advantgae of birthing with a member of your known midwife care team (that's the ideal intention of the program and although not always met, there is a good chance!).

• You get to birth at the Birth Centre at Belmont Hospital which is AWAY from the temptation of strong medications for pain relief, this means you may have a higher chance for your baby to be born undrugged and for you to experience a natural physiological birth. And the huge, natural, endophin high this can gift you.

• After birth the ideal intention is to head home four hours after birth to relax in your known and comfortable environment for best sleep etc). (all of of the Birth Centre rooms have baths to enjoy)

NOTE: The BEST way to ensure your birth is as physiological and smooth as possible is to do great quality, private, birth education and/or consider hiring a Birth Doula.

The time and energy you invest in your birth will reward you for your full lifetime and your next generations too!

Find out more about a great private, highly specialised, birth course with Natalie Meade

HOW TO GET A SPOT WITH BELMONT:

At the moment women are being asked to ring JHH and ask for their initial appointment at about 11 weeks to be assessed for suitability for the program. Make sure you make it clear when you ring JHH that you WANT a spot with Belmont.

It would also be a good idea to ring the Belmont Centre phone number to ALSO let them know all your details and that you are wanting a spot! This may or may not be helpful, but I would personally suggest it. I hear of enough stories aroudn Australia where birhting women miss out on spots as paperwork was misplaced or calls not followed up! (put the effort in to be sure you get a spot)

If you feel ready to proceed: Belmont Midwifery Group Practice can be contacted by phone on (02) 4923 2108

If there is an answerring machine, be sure to tell them your full name, address and weeks pregnancy and ask to be placed on a reservation list (in case they are currently using that method)

And best wishes!!!

If you feel FIRST like chatting to an experienced Birth Doula, about your birth choices and any extra questions, please call anytime, Natalie: 0406 934 645