Cooktown expectant mum Louise Cowley (middle) with Cairns Hospital’s Sunbird Clinic midwives Georgia Wilson and Rebecca Billingham. Photo: Supplied.
When travelling away from home and support systems to give birth, the last thing expecting mums need is to see unfamiliar faces in an unfamiliar place for weeks.
Cairns Hospital has unveiled its new clinic dedicated to providing continuity of care for women from Cape York and the Torres Strait, who often need to relocate to Cairns at around 36 weeks.
Established in April, the Sunbird Clinic uses an all-risk model to help up to 30 women while they navigate a new beginning.
Cairns Hospital clinical midwife consultant Laura Ammitzboll said two midwives primarily worked within the clinic to ensure consistency in the four weeks or more leading up to the birth.
“Women across the board report that consistency of care and familiarity does provide better outcomes,” she said.
“If you’ve got the same midwife, you don’t need to retell your story, you can be known, you feel that you belong somewhere, and it’s easier to access the healthcare system.
“Our midwives will be working the same days that we book the obstetric clinic, so regardless of whether you’re seeing the midwife or the doctor, you should at least see your primary midwife through Sunbird (Clinic).”
The antenatal care clinic is named after the beloved tropical bird – which often symbolises joy and prosperity – and features a stunning mural led by Cairns-based First Nations artist Jedess Hudson.
Ms Ammitzboll said the Cairns midwives engaged closely with maternity service providers under the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service.
“We are working closely with Cape and Torres midwives; we are engaging closely with their healthcare workers as well to ensure that we’re providing culturally-sensitive care,” she said.
“It’s a tough transition to come down, to leave community, to leave other children, and to leave your support network.
“You are so vulnerable in all stages of pregnancy, but especially in these late stages of pregnancy. You need to feel safe, you need to feel like you belong, and we’re always looking to improve, and we felt that implementing this model would be a really great starting point.”
