Oh Mama

They say no one can fully prepare you — and in many ways that’s true.

The journey through pregnancy to giving birth brings waves of joy, vulnerability, anticipation, uncertainty and even fear. Then everything changes. A new life creates exciting new beginnings, changed rhythms and evolving family roles, all mixed in with the exhaustion of night time wake ups.

It’s no wonder that the support, nurturing and guidance during this time matter so profoundly.

That’s why the Mama midwives are passionate about providing individualised care. Based at Warragul Natural Health, the team of four travels across Gippsland to support women during this transformative time.

Spectrum of Care

The scope of their work is vast. Some days they’re listening to tiny heart beats through growing bellies in their consulting room. Then at night, they might arrive at a house set up with an inflatable pool, surrounded by fairy lights, ready to assist in a home birth. In a hospital birth suite, they offer unwavering emotional and practical support to couples, advocating for their preferences.

Other days you might find them sharing a cuppa on the couch with new parents, gently coaching them through newborn care and doing baby health checks. They also offer

breastfeeding advice and ensuring new mums are monitored and get the wellbeing check-ins and guidance they need for a speedy recovery.

Meet the Midwives

Veronica has been a Mama Midwife for three years, after working in the public hospital system for over a decade and then as a solo, independent midwife for five years. She says “After I had my own kids and started midwifery, I felt like I’d found my place in the world. It’s the best feeling every time you see someone pick up their baby for the very first time.” 

Ally has been with Mama for two years and says “It’s such a privilege to help people in such a significant time in their lives. It’s awesome. There’s nothing like that adrenaline rush during birth and then the flood of oxytocin – the love hormone, it’s infectious and fills the room.”

Led by the heart, guided by knowledge

As a small, dedicated team, Mama midwives get to know each woman deeply. They’re not only thorough with medical checks but also take the time to understand each woman’s preferences, hopes and concerns. Veronica says “Sometimes women have past experiences that may trigger fears or anxiety. We work with them and are very mindful to give them the understanding and tools they need to overcome these challenges.” 

Antenatal appointments are never rushed and are where trusting relationships are formed. One of the many ways Mama are inclusive to partners is in their flexibility with appointment times, with options outside of work hours or even on weekends.

“The focus is on providing evidence-based information so couples can explore all the options and feel empowered to make decisions that are best for them and their families,” Ally says.

The Mama Midwives build strong connections and often know intuitively what each woman needs to feel reassured, safe and confident at every stage. As private midwives, they work for the individual woman, not a hospital. This means they’re not constrained by hospital procedures that are often shaped by funding issues, staffing shortages or rigid, blanket policies. They don’t have to rush labour to meet institutional timelines or push interventions for the sake of efficiency. Instead, they can focus solely on what truly matters: the well-being of each woman and her baby.

Ally explains “Sadly, a big part of our work is with women who have had previous traumatic birth experiences. They often feel like they didn’t have choices – they were told what they had to do or felt a loss of control when things were just done to them. At Mama, we have a shared philosophy that every woman should have autonomy over her own care. We strive to inform and provide detailed information so that women understand all their options as well as the flow on effects of each decision. It’s the informed consent that can be missing in other maternal care.”

Continuity, trust and confidence

Veronica says “The continuity of midwifery care model — where a woman sees the same midwives throughout — has been proven to improve outcomes for pregnancy, birth and infant health. And that includes for women with medium and high-risk pregnancies. Our care model is widely known to reduce the risk of tears, haemorrhages, caesareans, forceps, premature birth, and many other interventions and complications.”

Private midwifery including Mama’s care is subsidised by Medicare, but not free like the public health system. This means that people often choose the free option, but in doing so, they miss out on that continuity.

Ally says “Many people don’t understand the value and significance of continuity of midwifery care. I try to encourage people to think about it like this: the average cost of a wedding is around $30,000 — for one day. That is just accepted in our society as normal. People just pay it because it’s a significant and momentous day in a couple’s life. A positive birth is equally, if not more important. The birth of your baby is with you forever. And our care isn’t just a one day event, it’s all the support you have throughout your pregnancy and postnatally. It even includes access to our 24 hour Mama helpline.”

Veronica adds “That support and a woman’s birth experience impacts on how she will feel about her body for the rest of her life.”

“Women deserve to be honoured through that rite of passage. They deserve to feel strong, capable of making decisions and powerful in their transition into motherhood.”

Photo by Leah Holscher from Born on a Wednesday