Some links and information about Sunshine Coast Hospital Maternity Services
Friends of the Birth Centre Sunshine Coast
This group is advocating on behalf of women of the Sunshine Coast, to have a local dedicated birthing centre in the future.
Their campaign can be supported and followed on Facebook.
Until this campaign is successful, the following hospital maternity services, public and private, are available on our coast.
PRIVATE HOSPITAL MATERNITY SERVICES Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, Buderim.
12 Elsa Wilson Dr, Buderim QLD 4556 Phone 5430 3093
click here to go to the website
This is the only private hospital maternity service on the Sunshine Coast.
Professional Consultants
There are 10 Obstetricians and 4 Paediatricians who visit this private hospital. Click on the table of contacts to see it enlarged.
Facilities available in the birth suite
Birthing suites are fully equipped and nurses/ midwives trained to cope with any situation that may occur. There are immersion baths in the birthing suites as well as various pieces of apparatus that you may wish to use to facilitate your birth experience; please ask the midwife for more details at your visits.
Birth suite and maternity ward tours
Regular tours of the maternity unit are conducted. To book a tour, contact the private hospital, Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm on 07 5430 3093.
Childbirth education classes
The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital at Buderim offers a traditional antenatal course for first-time mothers and fathers-to-be. Topics covered include Pregnancy, Maintaining your health, Feeding your baby, Caring for your newborn, Early parenting skills, Unexpected outcomes. The program incorporates 12 hours of education over 4 classes. There is also an extra Active Birth class and a Breastfeeding Workshop. There are costs associated with all of these classes.
There are postnatal exercise classes conducted by a physiotherapist after the birth. For more information cost and schedules, contact The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital on 5430 309.
PUBLIC HOSPITAL MATERNITY SERVICES Sunshine Coast
INPATIENT SERVICES
SCUH - Sunshine Coast University Hospital
Doherty St, Birtinya QLD 4575 Phone switchboard: 07 5202 0000
This is the new home of public maternity inpatient services on the Sunshine Coast, through Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, since March 29 2017. Maternity services at Birtinya include a special care nursery for newborns that need extra care.
The hospital asks that when in labour, before you leave to go to hospital in labour, to birth your baby, you phone the birthing suite on 5202 3888.
Click on the image to see an enlarged map and directions to Maternity in the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Facility
There are 11 birth suites considered state of the art. Each maternity ward room is a single, private room that is a home-like design with a fold-out bed for partners if they wish to stay. Each birthing room has its own temperature control, so mums can have the temperature as hot or cold as they like.
Facilities available in the birth suite
- A bath is available in each birth suite for warm water immersion and waterbirth.
- Each birth suite has a bath for waterbirth if the woman prefers.
- Each birth suite has its own bathroom with double head to maximise the benefits of warm water in labour.
- Equipment available includes: hot packs, TENS unit, gym ball, bean bag, birth stool, squat bars, floor mats.
Birth suite and maternity ward tours
Click here to watch a video tour of the SCUH Birthing Video Tour. (Please phone the new ward to find out the new ward tour schedule if they are conducting live tours. Staff advise that you should also phone before coming for tours, as they have been cancelled during covid times and at very busy times.)
Birthing options
If you have special preferences regarding your birth please let your midwife know if you have midwife continuity of care, and the midwife when you arrive in labour. Staff will make every effort to help you have the birth experience you would like. You may choose to write your preferences down in advance and bring them with you.
Support people
Partner, family member or a friend is welcome to support the woman through the antenatal period and for the birth of her baby/s. Birth partner involvement is encouraged in the pregnancy and birth.
There is no restriction on the number of support people, but it is advised to limit the number to two or three.
Children are permitted in the birth suite if they have an adult who can be responsible for their wellbeing at all times; in this case, it is recommend that they are prepared about what to expect.
Caesarean section is under epidural/spinal anaesthesia - it is usual for one support person to be in theatre. If the caesarean section has to be performed under general anaesthetic - the support person is not permitted in the operating theatre.
PUBLIC MATERNITY SERVICES
OUTPATIENT SERVICES
SCUH is the centre of the Maternity Outpatient Services.
Nambour hospital continues to provide some antenatal and postnatal outpatient services.
Nambour was planned to also be a base for the extended midwifery service providing care to mothers and babies in their homes. It was previously stated that there was plan to consider whether there's an option for the development of a midwifery-led birthing service at Nambour General Hospital - only time will tell.
Services & support
- Antenatal clinics with specialist obstetrician and doctors.
- Midwives antenatal clinics.
- Antenatal /childbirth education classes.
- Maternity Assessment Unit.
- Lactation consultant:
- Antenatal and postnatal support.
- Extended midwifery service for home visits or phone support in the early days after discharge.
- Indigenous liaison unit for families who are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent
- A dietitian is available for advice on healthy eating and special diets.
Doctors’ clinic
These maternity services recommend that all women see a hospital doctor during their pregnancy. If you are well and healthy, you will only attend this clinic for your first doctor visit. This clinic provides ongoing care for women who have more complex pregnancies such as twins, or who have a medical history such as diabetes.
Regular check-ups with a midwife or doctor , through Midwive’s Clinic, MGP (Midwifery Group Practice) or GP Shared Care, are recommended to help identify and reduce risks to mother or baby.
Midwives’ clinic
Midwives provide all of the pregnant woman’s care and refer to hospital doctors if required during the pregnancy. These clinics are held at Nambour, Caloundra and Maleny hospitals, Noosa and Maroochydore community health centres and University of the Sunshine Coast at Sippy Downs.
The Midwifery Group Practice (MGP)
This is an important new midwifery model of care that commenced in February 2016 as part of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service. Previously, a woman may have seen a number of midwives or G.P./ obstetric team for her pregnancy care. The program enables the expectant mother to have her own allocated midwife, who follows her through her pregnancy, is on call and attends her birth, and visits her and her baby at home afterwards. (Midwife Unit Manager, Antenatal Clinic, Ann Evans.)
Private midwives in the Public Hospital
It is possible to choose to have a private midwife provide care during pregnancy, labour, birth and the early days at home after birth. Clients need to source these midwives themselves as the hospital is unable to make recommendations. It is normally at 20 and 36 weeks that the pregnant woman will see the hospital doctor.
G.P. shared care
The mother-to-be books in to the hospital, has a visit with obstetric doctor then returns to her G.P. for ongoing care. She returns at 36 weeks and 41 weeks if she hasn’t birthed, to see the midwife and/or a doctor.
Expecting and Connecting Group
Held at the University of the Sunshine Coast, this is a new model of care that involves women joining a group with others due within a month. Your check-ups will occur during the session which involves education and an emphasis on support and meeting others.
Induction of Labour Policy
Timing of IOL is 10-14 days past the due date as determined by the obstetrician at the first hospital visit unless medically indicated. IOL is discussed at a clinic visit.
Childbirth education classes
Classes comprise four weekly sessions of 2 ½ hours each, or a Saturday all day session from 9am -4pm. Classes are free-of-charge and generally commence at the 30th week of pregnancy. Parents, partners and support people are welcome to attend. These are presented by midwives at Nambour General Hospital and in the community at Noosa, Caloundra, Maroochydore and Gympie. Classes comprise
- basic anatomy and changes of your body throughout pregnancy
- the stages of labour, what is happening, what can help
- self-help strategies and medications used for pain relief
- breastfeeding your baby and information to assist you to do so
- parenting and community supports available to you.
Breastfeeding Class: held on a Friday at 1.30pm for those women who have had difficulty breastfeeding previously or those who would like extra information.
Refresher program: for mums who have done it before. This is a one-off session at Nambour on Tuesday evening from 6.00pm to 9.00pm.